title: New Brighton Resident Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking Charge

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a drug trafficking charge, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Anthony Besiso, 62, pleaded guilty before United States Senior District Judge Nora Barry Fischer to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Between June 2021 and January 2022, the Beaver County Anti-Drug Task Force conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in New Brighton. In connection with Besiso’s guilty plea, the Court was advised that numerous controlled purchase and surveillance operations demonstrated that Besiso would obtain methamphetamine from a source of supply in Ohio and then sell it to distributors in the Western District of Pennsylvania. On January 28, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant upon Besiso’s New Brighton residence, which resulted in the seizure of three digital scales and about 103 net grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Beaver County Anti-Drug Task Force and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Besiso.


title: Former East St. Louis, Illinois, Police Officers Plead Guilty to Civil Rights Offenses Related to Excessive Force Incident

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Two former East St. Louis, Illinois, Police Department (ESLPD) officers, Vincent Anderson, 61, and Jason Boyd, 51, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to civil rights offenses related to Boyd’s use of unreasonable force against two juvenile detainees. According to court documents, on Oct. 3, 2019, two juveniles, who had been detained by the ESLPD, were sleeping in separate, locked holding cells in the East St. Louis jail. At that time, ESLPD Officer Jason Boyd banged on the glass of the juveniles’ holding cells, but the juveniles did not wake up. Boyd took pepper spray out of his holster in view of the other officers — including an ESLPD supervisor, Captain Vincent Anderson, stepped into one of the locked holding cells and pepper sprayed one of the sleeping juveniles. The other officers — including Anderson — watched Boyd spray the juvenile and did nothing to stop him despite their duty to intervene in an unreasonable use of force. Boyd and one of the other officers agreed that the second juvenile should also be sprayed. They walked to the holding cells, where Anderson and another officer had remained. Boyd then pepper sprayed the second sleeping juvenile. Again, none of the other officers acted to stop Boyd. Further, none of the officers acted to obtain care for the juveniles, despite the officers’ duty to obtain necessary medical care for detainees. Boyd pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor civil rights violations for his use of unreasonable force against the juveniles and Anderson pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor civil rights violations for his failure to intervene in Boyd’s use of unreasonable force. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for July 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe for the Southern District of Illinois and Special Agent in Charge David G. Nanz of the FBI Springfield Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Springfield Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section is prosecuting the case with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.


title: Marion County Man Indicted For Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Kyle Burbank (32, Belleview) with two counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted on both counts, Burbank faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison, including a 5-year minimum mandatory term of imprisonment on each count. According to court documents, between January 5 and 17, 2024, Burbank received five video files over the internet depicting CSAM from a 12-year-old child in another state. A review of Burbank’s social media accounts by investigators revealed multiple online interactions with other minors. Burbank subsequently was arrested by federal agents on April 4, 2024. He is currently in custody pending the resolution of this case. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Clinton County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Office, and the Rossville (Indiana) Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: New Jersey Couple Indicted For Producing, Distributing, And Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a five-count indictment charging Michael Taylor, Jr. (27, New Jersey) and Alexandria Stevens (20, New Jersey) with producing, distributing, and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Taylor and Stevens each face a minimum mandatory penalty of 15, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production offense, and a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, up to 20 years, for the distribution and receipt offenses. According to court documents, while visiting Florida in November 2023, Taylor and Stevens produced CSAM with an 8-year-old child. Using the internet, Taylor and Stevens also exchanged images of CSAM. Taylor and Stevens were both arrested in New Jersey on March 27, 2024. They are currently in custody pending the resolution of the criminal case. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: San Antonio Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 9, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Bobby E. Matjeka (age: 44) of San Antonio, Texas, on charges that he conspired with a Wisconsin resident to produce child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a)&(e). According to the indictment, between approximately December 10, 2021, and May 2022, Matjeka conspired to use a minor child “to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction.” That visual depiction was then transported across state lines. If convicted, Matjeka faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. He also could be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law. Matjeka was arrested by federal authorities in San Antonio on April 10, 2024, and will be arraigned before the federal district court in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security’s San Antonio and Milwaukee offices, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, the Appleton Police Department, and the San Antonio Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Pennsylvania Insurance Business Owner Convicted of Tax Evasion

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man today of tax evasion for his years-long scheme to evade the payment of his individual income taxes and his business’s employment taxes. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brandon Aumiller, of Milroy, owned Brandon Aumiller & Associates, an insurance sales business. For tax years 2007, and 2009 through 2011, Aumiller filed personal income tax returns reporting that he owed a total of approximately $82,311 in income taxes. He also filed employment tax returns for his business reporting that it owed approximately $24,882 in taxes for the third quarter of 2013 and the first two quarters of 2014. Despite reporting that he and his business owed more than a total of $107,193 in taxes to the IRS, Aumiller did not pay these assessments. When the IRS attempted to collect the taxes, Aumiller engaged in a multi-year scheme to thwart the IRS’ efforts by concealing his assets in bank accounts he failed to disclose to the IRS, structuring multiple real estate deals to conceal the transactions from the IRS and submitting false financial disclosure forms to the IRS that did not fully disclose his bank accounts and concealed critical information about his real estate transactions. Aumiller is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the two counts of his conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.


title: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Elliot J. Santiago, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty on Monday, April 1, 2024 to failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents and statements made in court, Santiago was required to comply with the provisions of SORNA because of his conviction for first-degree sexual abuse in Monongalia County Circuit Court on August 28, 2019. From on or about May 30, 2023 to on or about October 25, 2023, Santiago failed to provide notification that he had traveled from Charleston, West Virginia, to Toledo, Ohio and then to Brooklyn, New York. Santiago is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-174. ###


title: North Providence Woman Sentenced To More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A North Providence woman described in a court document as being “a seasoned drug dealer with connections to other high-level dealers” and who, court records show, was previously convicted in both Rhode Island state and federal courts on drug trafficking charges, was sentenced today to eight-and-one-half years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Lisa Torres, 55, pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024, to charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. She was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 102 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. According to information provided to the court, in this most recent matter, Torres was arrested by Providence Police and members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force on December 7, 2022, when she arrived at a prearranged location to deliver a kilogram of fentanyl to another individual. In the investigation, law enforcement confirmed she was trafficking large quantities of drugs and had international ties to the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. Law enforcement discovered photographs on her cellphone which appeared to show kilogram quantities of fentanyl, as well as communications about cutting and packaging fentanyl. According to court documents, Torres was convicted in 1993 in Rhode Island state court and in 1994 in U.S. District Court on drug trafficking charges; in 2007 in U.S. District Court on charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and making false statements; and in2009 in U.S District Court on a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. This most recent case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Julianne Klein. The matter was investigated by the Providence Police Department and the FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force. The FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force is comprised of members of the FBI, Central Falls Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service. ###


title: Texas man pleads guilty in $1 million kickback scheme

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: TOPEKA, KAN. – A man pleaded guilty to taking part in a $1 million fraudulent customer refund scheme involving more than a dozen defendants. According to court documents, Mercele Brooks, 28, of Harker Heights, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact to laundering monetary instruments. Kanesha Mercer, Darius Polite, Rudy Hunt, and Veronica Kilman were employees at Advanced Call Center Technologies ("ACCT") in Junction City, Kansas. Their duties included processing customer refunds for AT&T Digital Life home security systems. Between December 2016 and August 2018, they processed fraudulent refund claims totaling approximately $1 million. They deposited the funds into the bank accounts of co-conspirators who would return a portion of the money to the employees. Accounts owned or controlled by Brooks received $100,317 in wire fraud proceeds. “This type of fraud, put simply is greed driven. These crimes are not victimless, as ultimately costs are passed on to the consumer. This investigation determined that multiple bad actors took part in this scheme, and this plea demonstrates that these individuals are being held accountable for their actions,” said Stephen A. Cyrus, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge. Kanesha Mercer, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 14 months in prison. Kory Epps Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to 10 months in prison. Caylon McCormick pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to six months in prison. Darius Polite, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is awaiting sentencing. Anthony Charite, 33, Kiondra Armstrong, 30, Fontelle Jolly, 26, Veronica Kilman, 33, Rudy Hunt, 32, and Sharika Pope, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Erica Jackson, 41, and Shunqureau Gilbert, 30, pleaded guilty to laundering of monetary instruments. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Watertown Man Sentenced to Over Two Years in Prison for African Sports Ponzi Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Watertown man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors who believed they were financing lucrative sports ventures in Africa. Adrian Kawuba, 34 was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kawuba was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $625,000, forfeiture of more than $2.2 million and to pay a special assessment of $400. In December 2023, Kawuba pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud. Kawuba told his victims that he would invest their money in short-term financing of youth sports ventures in Africa and elsewhere and that he would personally guarantee their investments. In fact, Kawuba did not invest any of the victims’ funds. Instead, Kawuba used the money to pay for luxury goods and to pay purported returns to his investors – in some instances re-paying a victim’s earlier investment with money victims had sent Kawuba for a new investment. The scheme involved at least 26 fraudulent deals, and involved more than $2.2 million in victim funds, of which Kawuba kept more than $625,000. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Watertown Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Office’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Exeter Man Pleads Guilty to Lying to Obtain More than $100,000 in Social Security Disability Benefits

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An Exeter man pleaded guilty today in federal court in connection with obtaining disability benefits for which he was not entitled, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. James Siano, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2024. The defendant first applied for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in December 2019, when he claimed he was disabled, unable to work, and had stopped working. He repeated those claims to the SSA multiple times through April 2021. The defendant also agreed to inform the SSA if he returned to work. However, the defendant worked as a hotel engineer regularly between 2019 and 2023, which made him ineligible for disability benefits. Overall, the defendant obtained over $105,000 in disability payments for which he was not entitled. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Pennsylvania Insurance Business Owner Convicted Of Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG– A federal jury convicted a Milroy, Pennsylvania, man today of tax evasion for his years-long scheme to evade the payment of his individual income taxes and his business’s employment taxes. According to court documents and evidence presented at the four-day trial before District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, Brandon Aumiller owned Brandon Aumiller & Associates, an insurance sales business. For tax years 2007, and 2009 through 2011, Aumiller filed personal income tax returns reporting that he owed a total of approximately $82,311 in income taxes. He also filed employment tax returns for his business reporting that it owed approximately $24,882 in taxes for the third quarter of 2013 and the first two quarters of 2014. Despite reporting that he and his business owed more than a total of $107,193 in taxes to the IRS, Aumiller did not pay these assessments. When the IRS attempted to collect the taxes, Aumiller engaged in a multi-year scheme to thwart the IRS’ efforts by concealing his assets in nominee bank accounts, structuring multiple real estate deals to conceal the transactions from the IRS and submitting false financial disclosure forms to the IRS that did not fully disclose his bank accounts and concealed critical information about his real estate transactions. Judge Conner scheduled Aumiller to be sentenced on September 4. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the two counts of his conviction. Judge Conner will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur for the Middle District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday to using a stolen identity to apply for a United States passport after he had unlawfully reentered the United States following deportation. Rohan Andrew Brown, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and one count of passport fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2024. Brown, a native of Jamaica, was previously deported in August 2002 after a conviction in Connecticut for unlawful restraint in the first degree. Sometime after his removal, Brown unlawfully reentered the United States. In 2012, Brown unlawfully obtained a passport by using the identity of a United States Citizen. Over the following years, Brown continued to use that stolen identity to obtain drivers licenses in California and Ohio. In March 2022 and May 2023, Brown attempted to renew the passport using the same fraudulent identity. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


title: Florida woman convicted in cryptocurrency money laundering scheme

component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Jacksonville, Florida woman has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Sharena Seay, 39, pleaded guilty to money laundering before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love on April 11, 2024. According to information presented in court, Seay laundered the proceeds of her drug trafficking operations through cryptocurrency. The defendant supplied alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP), which is often called “flakka,” and similar synthetic cathinones, such as Eutylone or alpha-PiHP. Seay distributed alpha-PVP and other controlled substances to various customers across the United States. Customers who purchased controlled substances from Seay paid for their purchases with cash. Seay laundered the cash proceeds through cryptocurrency in order to purchase more controlled substances on the dark web and to conceal her criminal activity. Seay faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The cases were investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and D. Ryan Locker. ###


title: Father and Daughter Charged in Fraud Scheme that Allegedly Exploited a Vulnerable Adult

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Linda Laird, 59, and her father, James Blizzard, 80, both of Cordova, Maryland, are charged in a five-count indictment, unsealed today, with conspiracy to commit Social Security fraud and theft of public money, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person, and fraud in the first degree against a senior citizen. The charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. The defendants appeared in District Court today and were released pending trial. The indictment was returned on April 9, 2024, by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to court documents, beginning in November 2017, Laird and Blizzard conspired and engaged in a scheme to deceive the Superior Court of the District of Columbia into appointing them as co-guardians and co-conservators of a vulnerable adult. At the time, the vulnerable adult was 81 years of age and suffered from severe cognitive impairments that rendered her incapacitated and required her to reside in a nursing home located in Washington, D.C. While the vulnerable adult resided in the nursing home, Laird and Blizzard were required, in part, to act as fiduciaries and apply the vulnerable adult’s money towards her support, care, habilitation, and treatment. Instead, the indictment alleges, Laird and Blizzard used their authority as co-guardians and co-conservators to redirect U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits intended for, and checking account funds belonging to, the vulnerable adult to their personal bank accounts for their own benefit. In total, Laird and Blizzard diverted more than $21,000 in Social Security benefits and obtained over $85,000 from the vulnerable adult’s bank account for their personal use. Laird and Blizzard did not use these funds to pay for the vulnerable adult’s care. This case is being investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General. An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Two Carjackings

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Jennings, Missouri on Thursday admitted committing two carjackings in October. Ahmod Samez Moore, 28, of Jennings, pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted robbing an acquaintance and stealing his 2015 Kia Optima at gunpoint on Oct. 5, 2023. Five days later, he robbed and carjacked a man in St. Louis, stealing his 2003 GMC Envoy. The Kia owner was heading to a friend’s home to do laundry when he stopped at a liquor store and ran into Moore. Moore told the victim that he was having financial problems and asked for a ride. During the drive, when the victim came to a stop in Country Club Hills, Missouri, Moore pointed a handgun at him and demanded his belongings. The victim initially believed Moore was joking but later believed Moore was going to shoot him. Moore then ordered the victim to strip to his underwear and get out of the car. On October 10, the GMC’s owner was standing next to his SUV when Moore approached with a firearm. Moore demanded that victim’s belongings and stole the GMC. On October 24, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Moore’s apartment. The GMC was parked in the parking lot and they found the GMC owner’s wallet, gold watch and driver’s license in Moore’s closet. They also found an AR-15-style pistol. The carjacking charges are each punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The brandishing charges carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charges. Both sides have agreed to recommend a 10-year prison sentence. The County Club Hills Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.


title: Glenpool Man Sentenced for Assault with Intent to Commit Murder and Strangulation

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Friday, Paul Anthony Thompson, 36, was sentenced for Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country and Assault of an Intimate Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Thompson to 216 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents, in March of 2023, Thompson tried to kill his spouse by strangling her with three different belts, causing her to lose consciousness. During the assault, he beat the victim with a belt, then strangled her with the belt until it broke. He then got another belt, looped it around her neck and dragged her around “like a dog.” When that belt broke, Thompson got a third belt. When she attempted to escape, he blocked her from leaving and said, “Till death do us part.” Records reflect in December of 2018, Thompson assaulted a previous girlfriend by placing her in a chokehold and strangling her. The chokehold prevented her from breathing. Thompson prevented the victim from leaving with a child who was also present during the attack. Thompson is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Thompson will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd, Leah Paisner, and Steven Briden prosecuted the case.


title: Contractor Charged With Filing False Tax Returns

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a residential carpentry company was charged yesterday in connection with filing false tax returns for the company. Marcelo De Oliveira, 39, formerly of Everett, was charged with four counts of filing false tax returns. According to the charging documents, De Oliveira was the owner of DeOliveira Carpentry, Inc. It is alleged that from 2017 through 2020, De Oliveira cashed customer checks instead of depositing them into his business bank account and then did not report more than $3.1 million in business revenue to the Internal Revenue Service on his corporate tax returns. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Gibsonia Resident Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay $2.6 Million in Restitution for Long-Term Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $2,613,933.92 on his conviction of tax evasion, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States Senior District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Eli M. Zatezalo, 52. According to information presented to the Court, from October 2009 to January 2022, Zatezalo avoided the payment of outstanding tax liability to the IRS by transferring income into financial accounts of others to avoid IRS collection efforts. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Internal Revenue Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Zatezalo.


title: Member of Catalytic Converter Crew Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a regional organized theft crew that stole catalytic converters from over 490 vehicles. It is alleged that the crew also stole from ATMs and jewelry stores. Zachary Marshall, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 47 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2023, Marshall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property. In April 2023 , Marshall was arrested and charged along with six others in connection with the theft, transportation and sale of stolen catalytic converters taken from at least 496 vehicles across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 through April 2023 alone. It is believed that a significant number of additional thefts have not been identified or were not ever reported to law enforcement. Marshall participated in thefts of catalytic converters from 100 vehicles over the course of 10 separate instances between Jan. 19, 2023 and April 6, 2023 – most of which targeted vehicles in more than one municipality over the course of a single night. According to court filings, there has been a precipitous decline in catalytic converter thefts reported in Massachusetts as a result of the April 2023 takedown – with only seven reported incidents of catalytic converter theft over the past 12 months following the arrests, in comparison to the hundreds of thefts reported during the nine-month period prior. Catalytic converter theft has become a nationwide problem due to the high-valued precious metals they contain – some of which are more valuable than gold, with black-market prices being more than $1,000 each in recent years. The thefts in this case resulted in losses of approximately $5,000 per vehicle with certain trucks costing over $10,000 to repair. This amounts to an approximate $2 million in losses suffered by more than 300 separate victims who were forced to deal with their vehicles being disabled for potentially weeks on end. The more than 300 victims included businesses and individuals across Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire, including a food pantry, automotive businesses, tradesmen, a bakery, single parents, a home healthcare provider and the elderly. Some businesses were repeatedly targeted on multiple nights. Once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then sell them to Jose Torres, who would accumulate stolen catalytic converters from multiple theft crews and then in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast – transacting approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week. The stolen catalytic converters were then sold to scrap dealers who have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in the District of Connecticut, the Eastern District of California and Northern District of Oklahoma Additionally, in February 2023 Marshall, and allegedly, co-defendant Rafael Davila broke into to a self-storage facility in Northborough. During this break-in, Marshall stole items from storage units and stole a truck containing approximately $13,000 worth of Milwaukee brand power tools. A high-speed chase from law enforcement took place that evening reaching speeds upwards of 120 mph. Some of the stolen tools would later be recovered during a search of a storage unit allegedly controlled by Rafael Davila on April 12, 2023. Marshall is the sixth defendant to plead guilty in the case. On May 17, 2023, Torres pleaded guilty to his role in the catalytic converter theft conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Kevin Gallagher, Director of Operations for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Connecticut, the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN). Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. Over 70 local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut contributed to this investigation through the submission of their investigations of catalytic converter thefts in their jurisdiction. The Massachusetts Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Abington, Acton, Andover, Auburn, Bedford, Bellingham, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Bridgewater, Canton, Carver, Chelmsford, Concord, Cranston, East Hampton, Easton, Fitchburg, Framingham, Franklin, Gardner, Hampton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hingham, Holliston, Holyoke, Hudson, Ipswich, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Malden, Mansfield, Medford, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Needham, Newton, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Peabody, Pembroke, Plymouth, Randolph, Rockland, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Tyngsborough, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, West Bridgewater, Weymouth, Wilmington, Woburn and Worcester. The New Hampshire Police Departments contributing to the investigation were Bow, Concord, Derry, Hooksett, Hudson, Londonderry, Manchester, Salem and Windham. The South Windsor and Windsor Connecticut Police Departments also contributed to the investigation. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Burnsville Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Burnsville woman has pleaded guilty to her role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Hoda Ali Abdi, 53, was the owner of Alif Halal LLC (“Alif Halal”), a grocery store located in Burnsville, which she enrolled as a food vendor in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. Between January 2021 through 2023, Abdi falsely claimed to have provided approximately $3 million worth of food for children through other co-conspirator’s sites. Abdi provided these co-conspirators with fake Alif Halal invoices that purported to show that Alif Halal had provided substantial amounts of food when, in reality, Abdi provided little or no food. As part of her guilty plea, Abdi admitted that some of her co-conspirators tried to cover up the fraud by directing her to lie to investigators by asserting, falsely, that Alif Halal had provided food to the co-conspirators’ respective businesses. Abdi also claimed, falsely, to have served more than 242,000 meals to children at her Burnsville site. Ultimately, Abdi received $1,275,710 in proceeds, which includes payments from the co-conspirators who received fake Alif Halal invoices. Abdi, who is the 18 th defendant to plead guilty to charges relating to the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, appeared yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, Chelsea A. Walcker, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.


title: Businesswoman Found Guilty of Tax and Mail Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Randolph woman was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Boston in connection with her involvement in a payroll tax avoidance scheme. Lilian Giang, 56, was convicted following a three-day jury trial of four counts of failing to collect and pay over taxes and one count of mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 2024. Giang was indicted in March 2023. “Every honest taxpayer is a victim of this type of crime. This defendant made hundreds of thousands of dollars after she decided that the rules we all live by don’t apply to her. Now she’s a convicted felon. This should send a clear message that if you engage in tax fraud, the consequences are very serious,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The conviction of Lilian Giang demonstrates the IRS’s commitment to protecting all American taxpayers, especially those who are most vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge, Harry T. Chavis Jr., IRS Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office. “Giang operated her business under the guise of helping the vulnerable Vietnamese immigrant community, when in fact, she exploited them for her own self-enrichment by paying them below minimum wage, charging substantially more than she paid them, and evading paying her own fair share of taxes.” Between 2015 and 2019, Giang owned and operated Able Temp Agency, a temporary employment agency in Quincy that served client companies in Massachusetts. The client companies paid Able Temp Agency for the temporary employees’ work on an hourly basis. Giang deposited those payments into bank accounts in the name of Able Temp Agency that she controlled, and then paid the temporary employees through a combination of checks and cash. By using cash payments, Giang hid over $3.2 million in payroll and avoided paying more than $800,000 in required payroll taxes. Giang also used false payroll numbers to obtain worker’s compensation insurance at lower premium rates. The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of failure to collect or pay over taxes provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $10,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and IRS SAC Chavis made the announcement. The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Sacramento Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Pornography on the Dark Web

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Louis Donald Mendonsa, 61, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to distributing child pornography over the dark web, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, beginning by 2021 and continuing until his arrest on Nov. 29, 2022, Mendonsa was a global moderator or administrator on at least four Tor (The Onion Router) websites dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the dissemination of child pornography. As a moderator or administrator, Mendonsa created new topics and forums within the websites, managed and commented on other users’ posts, shared and enforced the rules, and distributed child pornography by uploading images and videos within the websites. When law enforcement officers arrested Mendonsa in Sacramento he was found to be in possession of an external hard drive containing over 11,000 images and videos of child pornography. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case. Mendonsa is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on July 18, 2024. Mendonsa faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison each for count of distributing child pornography, and between 10 and 20 years in prison for possession child pornography. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.


title: Carjacking and Robbery Charges Filed Against Three Men in D.C.

body_text: WASHINGTON – A 14-count indictment, filed in U.S. District Court, charges three District men in a spree of armed carjackings and commercial gunpoint robberies within Washington D.C. and suburban Maryland in March of 2024. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Kanard Bishop, 26, Edward LeRoy Brown, 24, and Khalil Boyd, 18, are charged with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (aka “Hobbs Act” robbery); carjacking; using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and aiding and abetting. According to court documents, the defendants targeted fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and package delivery vehicles, and would work together to arrange for a car to be used to commit the robberies, either by carjacking or arranging the use of an associate’s vehicle. The indictment, filed April 10, 2024, alleges that on March 17, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report of an armed carjacking of a Mercedes Benz on the 4300 block of Southern Ave., SE, in which the perpetrators took the victims’ car, phones, wallet, and cash. It is further alleged that, between 3 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on March 20, 2024, law enforcement received numerous reports of attempted armed robberies and carjackings including: around 3 a.m., at a McDonald’s restaurant in Capitol Heights, Maryland, where two masked, armed suspects climbed through a drive-thru window and attempted to open the register by pressing random buttons but were unsuccessful; less than an hour later, a carjacking on the unit block of 35 th Street, NE, in which the owner of the car reported that three armed gunmen had just taken his 2018 Dodge Durango; at 4:11 a.m., an armed robbery at a Denny’s Restaurant on the 4400 block of Benning Road in which the employee couldn’t open the cash register so the gunmen ripped the register off the counter and fled; at 4:59 a.m., an attempted armed robbery at McDonald’s on the 7700 block of Landover Road, Landover, Maryland, in which one of the gunmen attempted to climb through the drive thru window but was pushed back out by the cashier; at 5:03 a.m., at a 7-Eleven on the 7500 block of Landover Road, where two armed gunmen entered and demanded cash; and at 5:26 a.m., a robbery at a 24hr market on the 5200 block of Marlboro Pike, District Heights in which the gunmen stole money and retail products. On March 27, 2024, at 8:47, Prince George’s County police were called to Brooks Drive in District Heights, Maryland, for a reported carjacking of a 2022 Dodge Challenger. At 12:09 p.m., two men robbed a FedEx delivery truck at Burns and G Streets, SE. The armed men took several packages from the interior of the truck, robbed the FedEx employees of their personal belongings, and fled. The robbery was captured on surveillance cameras mounted inside and on the exterior of the truck. On March 28, 2024, detectives working with the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Carjacking Interdiction Unit were conducting surveillance on a carjacked 2022 Dodge Challenger in District Heights. The Challenger stopped directly in front of a Game Stop store on the 5700 block of Silver Hill Road. Two men, later identified as Bishop and Brown, aka “Shiesty,” exited the vehicle. A man later identified as Boyd, aka “Lil Bill,” was behind the wheel. As detectives prepared to conduct a tactical block of the Challenger, they realized that two men were committing a robbery of the Game Stop. Detectives moved in shouting loud verbal commands. Bishop and Brown fled through the emergency exit at the rear with their firearms displayed. Detectives caught Bishop after a short foot pursuit. They recovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock 22 at the scene. Brown ran with a gun in his hand. A detective fired at Brown, striking him in the lower torso. Detectives recovered a .40 caliber “ghost gun” loaded with nine rounds. Boyd led police on a chase which ended after he crashed and tried to flee on foot. The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington’s Violent Crime Task Force and the MPD Carjacking Task Force with significant assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Jackson and Omeed Assefi, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Toth. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: SoCal Man Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging He Schemed  to Advertise and Sell ‘Hive’ Computer Intrusion Malware

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities have arrested a San Fernando Valley man on federal charges alleging a scheme to market and sell malware that gave the malware purchasers control over victim computers and enabled them to access victims’ private communications, their login credentials, and other personal information, the Justice Department announced today. Edmond Chakhmakhchyan, 24, of Van Nuys, who used the screenname “Corruption,” was arrested without incident Wednesday by special agents with the FBI. A two-count indictment was unsealed yesterday at Chakhmakhchyan’s arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty and was ordered to stand trial on June 4. His bond was set at $70,000. The indictment alleges an agreement between the malware’s creator and Chakhmakhchyan in which Chakhmakhchyan would post advertisements for the Hive remote access trojan (RAT) on the “Hack Forums” website, accept Bitcoin payments for licenses to use the Hive RAT, and provide customer service to those who purchased the licenses. Customers purchasing the malware “would transmit Hive RAT to protected computers and gain unauthorized control over and access to these computers, which allowed the RAT purchaser to close or disable programs, browse files, record keystrokes, access incoming and outgoing communications, and steal victim passwords and other credentials for bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, all without the victims’ knowledge or permission,” according to the indictment. Chakhmakhchyan allegedly began working with the creator of the Hive RAT, previously known as “Firebird,” approximately four years ago, and advertised online the RAT’s many features, including features that allowed the owner to remotely access victim computers and intercept communications and data without the victim knowing. After advertising the Hive RAT, according to the indictment, Chakhmakhchyan exchanged electronic messages with purchasers and explained to one buyer that the malware “allowed the Hive RAT user to access another person’s computer without that person knowing about the access.” After this purchaser told Chakhmakhchyan that “the point” of using the Hive RAT was because the victim had “20k in bitcoin on a blockchain wallet” and “project files worth over 5k,” Chakhmakhchyan agreed to sell the Hive RAT, the indictment alleges. Later, Chakhmakhchyan allegedly also sold a license for the Hive RAT to an undercover employee of a law enforcement agency. The indictment specifically charges Chakhmakhchyan with one count of conspiracy – to advertise a device as an interception device, to transmit a code to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer, and to intentionally access a computer to obtain information – as well as one count of advertising a device as an interception device. Each count carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI is investigating this matter. The Australian Federal Police provided substantial assistance in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sue J. Bai of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. The Australian Federal Police also has charged an Australian national who is alleged to have been involved in the creation and sale of the malware, and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will be prosecuting that matter.


title: California Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine to Connecticut

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that VICTOR RODRIGUEZ-GOMEZ, also known as “Calami,” 49, of Desert Hot Springs, California, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 156 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine to Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force identified suspicious packages that were being mailed to a New Britain address connected to Rodriguez-Gomez and his associate, Ramon Ramos-Acevedo, who resided in New Britain. A court-authorized search of one package, which had been mailed from California, revealed approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and one kilogram of heroin. In July 2022, USPIS investigators in San Bernardino, California, contacted Connecticut investigators to report that a court-authorized search of a package that was addressed to a residence on Willow Street in New Britain revealed eight cell phones. On August 1, 2022, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the package in New Britain and observed Rodriguez-Gomez and Ramos-Acevedo take possession of it. Investigators identified several additional suspicious packages associated with Ramos-Acevedo and, on August 11, 2022, observed Ramos-Acevedo in California mailing packages to an address in New Britain. Investigators also developed evidence that Rodriguez-Gomez had an associate who used a van to transport narcotics from California, or another location in the southwestern United States, to addresses in Connecticut associated with Ramos-Acevedo. On August 25, 2022, investigators observed Ramos-Acevedo unloading items from the van in New Britain. On September 7, 2022, the Connecticut State Police, which was assisting with surveillance, stopped a vehicle that Ramos-Acevedo was driving in Newington for a motor vehicle violation. Rodriguez-Gomez was a passenger in the vehicle. After a K-9 alerted to several items within the vehicle, a search revealed $179,578 in cash and nine cellphones. A subsequent search of a house in Farmington where Ramos-Acevedo claimed he was living resulted in the seizure of an additional $30,426 in cash. On November 30, 2022, the Iowa State Patrol stopped Rodriguez-Gomez’s associate, Martin Cooper, who was driving the van that had been identified in August 2022. A search of the van revealed approximately 22 kilograms of cocaine and two kilograms of fentanyl, which was destined for Ramos-Acevedo in New Britain. Rodriguez-Gomez has been detained since his arrest on December 4, 2022. On December 4, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine. Ramos-Acevedo pleaded guilty to the same charge on January 22, 2024, and is detained while awaiting sentencing. Cooper pleaded guilty to a related charge in the Southern District of Iowa and also awaits sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force. The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The USPIS Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone and Shan Patel.


title: Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking a Woman and a Minor Online

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Wisconsin man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty in November 2023 to two counts of sex trafficking. According to court documents, Austin Koeckeritz, 30, of River Falls, pleaded guilty to compelling a young woman to perform commercial sex acts online, and also sex trafficking a minor. “Sex traffickers exploit vulnerable victims for profit and, increasingly, this practice includes commercial sex activity online,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This should send a clear message – sex traffickers who try to hide behind computer screen screens and exploit victims online will be exposed and held accountable. The Justice Department remains committed to prosecuting human trafficking offenses, no matter the form, and standing up for the children and adult survivors targeted by these abusers.” “My office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Sex trafficking and forced prostitution are terrible crimes and our priority is to restore freedom and dignity to the victims.” “The women and men of the FBI work tirelessly to combat sex trafficking in communities across Wisconsin to stop individuals like Koeckeritz from exploiting and harming innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “Human trafficking has lifelong impacts on those affected. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, is dedicated to bringing these individuals to justice.” According to court documents, Koeckeritz used violence, threats of violence, emotional manipulation, isolation and surveillance to recruit and then compel one adult victim into engaging in online commercial sex acts in the River Falls area between August 2020 and August 2022. Beginning in January 2021, the adult victim was forced to perform the commercial sex acts between eight and 12 hours a day, six days a week, for over 18 months. He also caused a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts between October 2021 and January 2022. The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking .


title: Little Rock Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years In Prison After Fleeing Police, Illegal Possession of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Andre Pride will spend the next 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker. Chief Judge Baker sentenced Pride to 151 months imprisonment and three years’ supervised release to follow his prison sentence. Pride faced a maximum sentence of not more than 20 years imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. On July 19, 2022, Pride, 36, of Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On May 5, 2023, Pride pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On June 13, 2019, Pride was driving a Can-Am motorcycle and while law enforcement officers were attempting to make contact with him, Pride rammed their vehicle and fled. While fleeing, Pride observed two marked law enforcement vehicles and quickly turned around. After turning around, Pride rammed another law enforcement vehicle and fled on foot. While fleeing, Pride removed a baggie of fentanyl from his pocket tore open the bag and attempted to spread the fentanyl in the yard of an unknown residence. Following the arrest of Pride, law enforcement officers retrieved 30 grams of fentanyl from the yard. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Former Boston Woman Sentenced for Failing to Appear to Serve a Federal Prison Sentence

body_text: BOSTON – A former Boston woman, who was sentenced to federal prison in 2021 for misuse of a passport, was sentenced today to failing to surrender to serve her sentence. Yris Sanchez, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to a sentence of six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Today’s sentence will run concurrent with Sanchez’s 15-month sentence for misuse of a passport. She will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. In December 2023, Sanchez pleaded guilty to failing to appear to serve a federal sentence. In May 2020, Sanchez was convicted of misusing a passport and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanchez requested release on conditions and to self-report to serve her sentence. The Court granted this request and released Sanchez on an appearance bond. Following several extensions of her self-report date, Sanchez failed to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons in June 2021 to serve her sentence. For approximately 20 months after her failure to report, Sanchez resided in the Dominican Republic where she posted various daily undertakings on Facebook, including trips to the beach, pool and social functions. In July 2021, the Court forfeited Sanchez’s secured appearance bond and entered a further default judgment of $47,500 against Sanchez. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: New Britain Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense Stemming from Ghost Gun Investigation

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN McMANUS, 55, of New Britain, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. According to court documents and statements made in court, as part of an investigation into the proliferation of privately made firearms (“PMFs” or “ghost guns”) in Connecticut, ATF investigators determined that Andrew Francoeur, a resident of Manchester, was buying firearm parts from a Missouri company, having the parts shipped to him, and manufacturing guns inside a shipping container on a property in Suffield. Francoeur sold some of the firearms he manufactured. While he was incarcerated in state custody for firearm and drug offenses, Francoeur arranged for McManus to take possession of his guns and ammunition. McManus sold some of the firearms, broke some into pieces when he learned of the ATF investigation, and ultimately stored Francoeur’s property in two storage bins. In November 2022, investigators retrieved the storage bins and found firearm parts, a .22 caliber rifle, more than 1,800 rounds of ammunition, 25 high-capacity magazines, M-80 explosives, firearm gear, and other items. McManus’ criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, firearm, larceny, and failure to appear offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. McManus is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport on July 8, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. On April 27, 2023, Francoeur pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license. On September 6, 2023, he was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment. This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: El Paso Man Indicted for Alleged Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an indictment charging an El Paso man with 10 counts related to the alleged operation of a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme. According to court documents, Timothy France Johnson, 61, through his businesses, BOLO Entertainment LLC, BOLO Sports LLC and Shoot N’2 Sports LLC, allegedly defrauded more than thirty investors by fraudulently representing that their investments would be used to promote pre-season NBA games. The indictment alleges that Johnson held himself out as a third-party promoter of NBA pre-season games and convinced unwary investors to invest money with him to sponsor said pre-season games. The indictment alleges Johnson collected more than $3 million in investor funds, using approximately $1 million of the deposited investment funds to pay fake investment profits to other clients and using the remainder of the investment funds for personal use. He’s alleged to have never disclosed the misappropriation or the extent of the losses of the investors’ funds. Johnson is charged with seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. The defendant made his initial court appearance on April 9 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Castaneda of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the seven wire fraud charges and up to 10 years in prison for each of the three money laundering charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shane Romero and Micaela Glass are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Telemedicine Nurse Practitioner Sentenced for $7.8 Million Durable Medical Equipment Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Virginia-based nurse practitioner was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a $7.8 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces. Daphne Jenkins, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, with the first year to be served in home confinement. Jenkins was also ordered to pay $3,952,761 in restitution. In November 2023, Jenkins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Between December 2018 and April 2020, Jenkins worked with a purported telemedicine company to sign orders for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME). These DME orders were pre-populated by telemarketing companies that called Medicare beneficiaries to solicit their information. Through DocuSign, Jenkins signed these DME orders even though she did not have any contact with the beneficiaries and did not have a provider-patient relationship with them. Often Jenkins signed these DME orders without reading them. For instance, one packet was 16 pages long and contained multiple orders for orthotics. Jenkins electronically signed her name 12 times and completed the orders in approximately 32 seconds. A second packet was 37 pages long and contained multiple orders for orthotics. Jenkins electronically signed her name 24 times and completed the orders in approximately 45 seconds. Once Jenkins signed these orders, the telemarketing company sold them to DME suppliers, which then submitted claims to Medicare. As a result of Jenkins’ participation in this conspiracy, over $7.8 million in claims were submitted to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary, based on false documentation and tainted by kickbacks. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, North East Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Dominican Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States and Distributing Fentanyl

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for reentering the United States and distributing fentanyl after previously being deported. Juan Carlos Santos-Ocasio, a/k/a “Cristhian Aybar-Done,” 44, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He will be subject to deportation upon the completion of his sentence. In October 2023, Santos-Ocasio pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful reentry of deported alien. In October 2007, Santos-Ocasio was arrested in the Bronx, N.Y. for heroin distribution conspiracy. In November 2008, Santos-Ocasio pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York and was subsequently sentenced to 37 months in prison. He was removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence in the summer of 2010. Sometime after his removal, Santos-Ocasio reentered the United States unlawfully. In November 2022, he was arrested in Lawrence, Mass. for reentering the United States without authorization. In addition to being in the U.S. without authorization, Santos-Ocasio also distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Los Angeles Woman Pleads Guilty to $2.2 Million COVID Loan Scheme and to Falsely Seeking $1.3 Million in Pandemic Tax Credits

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A woman from the Mid-City area of Los Angeles pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in COVID-19 government loans and to submitting false claims in an unsuccessful effort to secure from the IRS nearly $1.3 million in pandemic-related tax credits. Casie Hynes, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of false claims. According to her plea agreement, from June 2020 to December 2021, Hynes submitted more than 80 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from banks and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) in the names of approximately 20 companies. Congress designed these programs to provide government relief to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hynes submitted the bogus applications in the names of both existing and newly created companies, including Nasty Womxn Project and She Suite Collective and others purportedly owned by Hynes or her friends and family members. On those applications, Hynes often used the personal information and signatures of other people without their authorization and even though those people were not involved with the companies. Hynes also provided false information on the applications, including as to the number of purported employees at the companies, the companies’ average monthly payroll, and who purportedly owned and controlled these sham businesses. Hynes also submitted fabricated tax documents and bank statements in support of the fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications. In reliance on Hynes’ fraudulent loan applications, banks and the SBA approved PPP and EIDL loans for the various companies she created and then disbursed the COVID-relief funds into bank accounts she controlled and used to pay her own personal expenses. Hynes admitted in her plea agreement that she intended to cause approximately $3,174,323 in losses and she received approximately $2,255,244 in fraudulent proceeds from this scheme. In a related scheme, Hynes used some of the same companies named in her PPP and EIDL fraud to submit bogus tax forms to the IRS, requesting refunds. Following COVID-19’s outbreak, Congress enacted laws authorizing the IRS to reduce the employment tax burdens of small businesses and reimburse those businesses for wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of the pandemic. During the tax years 2020 and 2021, the IRS offered the Employee Retention Credit and paid sick and family leave credit to businesses that were significantly impacted by COVID-19. From May 2021 to April 2022, Hynes caused to be submitted 12 tax forms that sought refunds based on false statements on behalf of Nasty Womxn Project LLC, She Suite Ventures, and Casie Hynes Consulting. Hynes knew these companies had little to no business operations, did not have the number of employees she claimed, and did not pay the quarterly wages she claimed in the tax forms. Hynes fraudulently sought approximately $1,255,703 in COVID-19 tax credits and tax refunds through these false claims, none of which the IRS paid. United States District Judge Hernán D. Vera scheduled a January 30, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Hynes will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud count and up to five years in federal prison for the false claims count. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF web complaint form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Federal Way, Washington man pleads guilty to assault with sexual motivation on flight to Seattle

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 25-year-old Federal Way, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Desmond D. Bostick faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead on July 18, 2024. According to records filed in the case, on June 20, 2023, Bostick was seated in the last row of the plane on an Alaska Airlines flight from San Diego to Seattle. Bostick was in the aisle seat and the victim, who was a stranger to Bostick, was seated in the middle seat. Bostick allegedly repeatedly touched the victim on the thigh and grabbed her buttocks when she stood to allow the passenger in the window seat to exit the row. Bostick touched her buttocks a second time when the victim stood for the window seat passenger to return to his seat. In the plea agreement Bostick admits he touched the victim to arouse his sexual desire. After the plane landed, the victim reported the conduct to the flight crew and law enforcement began its investigation. Bostick had left the airport and his location was unknown. The federal grand jury returned an indictment in the case on September 27,2023. Bostick was located and arrested by the FBI on February 9, 2024. Under the terms of the plea agreement, both prosecution and defense will recommend a nine-month prison term. The recommendation is not binding on the court and Judge Whitehead can impose any sentence allowed by law. This case was investigated by the FBI with the assistance of the Port of Seattle Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sean H. Waite and Kristine Foerster.


title: Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms Offenses

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A federal judge sentenced an Albuquerque man to 36 months in prison for the illegal sale of firearms, including machineguns, and the illegal possession and transfer of machineguns. Some of these firearms ended up in the wrong hands. Marquez Martinez , 24, came to the attention of the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on January 10, 2023, when a fifteen-year-old West Mesa High School student was found on campus with two firearms. One of the firearms was a Glock modified with machine gun conversion device also known as a “switch,” a device that converts ordinary handguns into fully automatic weapons and are by themselves considered machineguns under federal law. The possession of machineguns, but for narrow exceptions, is illegal under federal law. The Glock was traced back to Martinez . Martinez was further identified via his Instagram account where he advertised handguns and machineguns for sale. Later, on March 2, 2023, a Texas State Ranger conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by an individual suspected of a homicide. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered a Glock which was modified with a switch. The Glock was traced back to Martinez . Then, on March 8, 2023, the APD Gun Violence Suppression Unit stopped a vehicle in Albuquerque. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered a Glock. The Glock was traced back to Martinez . In addition to the recovered firearms, between February and March of 2023, law enforcement purchased the following items from Martinez through his Instagram account: 4 machineguns 3 firearms 6 strips of LSD 500 fentanyl pills On May 11, 2023, a search warrant was executed on Martinez ’s residence. Inside, agents recovered a silencer, ammunition, and 13 additional firearms. During a subsequent interview, Martinez admitted to buying and selling “hundreds” of firearms and at least fifty in the six months prior to his arrest. Upon his release, Martinez will be subject to 36 months of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement today. This case was prosecuted, in part, under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick E. Cordova prosecuted the case. Front of a machine gun conversion device Back of a machine gun conversion device # # #


title: Mescalero Man Sentenced for Domestic Violence

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury. According to court documents, on October 4, 2022, Jaydyn Diamond Lester , 20, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted his intimate partner by shooting her repeatedly with a BB gun and then striking her in the head several times with the butt end of the BB gun when she tried to leave the residence. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered bruising and a large eight-centimeter laceration to her head, requiring six staples to close. After completing his term of imprisonment, Lester will be required to serve 2 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Dulce Man Sentenced for Domestic Violence

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man was sentenced to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault of an intimate partner by strangling. According to court documents, on or about July 8, 2022, Patrick Maestas, Jr. , 34, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, had consumed a large amount of alcohol when he and his intimate partner, Jane Doe, began to argue. The argument escalated and Maestas assaulted and strangled Jane Doe in front of their child. The strangulation was so forceful that Doe could not breathe and began to black out. After completing his term of imprisonment, Maestas will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Post Falls Woman Admits to Evading Over $150,000 in Taxes

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: COEUR D'ALENE – Ashlee Lyn Wilson, 37, of Post Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty to tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, Wilson failed to file federal income tax returns for six years, from 2018 to 2023. During that time, she earned total wages of $1,024,872 and evaded paying $153,131 in federal income tax. Wilson pleaded guilty the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2024 at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene. Wilson faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci Whelan is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Fruitland Man Charged with Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland man is facing federal charges following allegations that he and his brother instigated a confrontation at a residence which culminated in a standoff with law enforcement officers. Justin Tso , 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared in federal court for an initial appearance where the Court detained him pending a detention hearing, which has been scheduled for April 12, 2024. The criminal complaint alleges that on March 23, 2024, Tso and his brother, Walliford Tso, went to Jane Doe’s home in Fruitland, New Mexico. Tso went into Jane Doe's home and asked for a cigarette. When she told him that she had no cigarettes, Tso took a machete that was lying near the front door without permission, then left. Jane Doe’s significant other, John Doe 1, yelled after the brothers and a verbal altercation followed. After the exchange, the brothers chased John Doe 1 into the house and assaulted him. John Doe 1 was able to get away by slipping out of his shirt and exited the house with Jane Doe and their small child. The brothers followed and continued to assault John Doe 1. Jane Doe and John Doe called 911 using their cellphone. A Navajo Police Department officer arrived shortly after the incident and detained Tso . Tso is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting. If convicted of the current charges, Tso faces up to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Kidnapping and Interstate Violation of a Protective Order

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Brighton, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for kidnapping and transporting a woman into Maine against her will. U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Stephen Pilson , 56, to 156 months in prison for kidnapping and 50 months for interstate violation of a protective order, with the sentences to be served concurrently. Judge Levy also sentenced Pilson to four years of supervised release following his prison term. A federal jury found Pilson guilty on December 21, 2023, after a three-day trial. According to evidence presented during the trial, on December 15, 2019, Pilson drove the victim, with whom he had a relationship, from Massachusetts to Maine against her will. Throughout the trip, he drank heavily and told the victim they were going to Canada where she would die. Pilson tied the victim to the vehicle’s gear shift with her scarf and struck her when she tried to escape. On I-95 near Arundel, the victim attempted to open the door while the car was traveling at high speed. After Pilson pulled over, she attempted to remove the vehicle’s keys, breaking the key off in the ignition before fleeing along the highway with Pilson in pursuit. Maine State Troopers were alerted to the incident by 911 calls from at least five concerned motorists. Troopers later found Pilson in the woods with the aid of a K-9. On December 12, 2019, three days before the kidnapping, Pilson had pleaded guilty in Waltham (Massachusetts) District Court to five charges, including kidnapping the same victim, for which he had been sentenced to time served and probation. A no-contact order was also imposed, prohibiting him from contacting the victim. The federal jury found Pilson guilty of interstate violation of a protection order for violating the Massachusetts order. While incarcerated on the federal kidnapping charge, Pilson sought to obstruct justice by convincing the victim to recant her statement to police and cease cooperating with the investigation. In a recorded phone call Pilon made to the victim from jail, Pilson instructed her to write to prosecutors to say that she wasn’t kidnapped, and that she wanted the charges dropped. During the call, Pilson told the victim that if she did not write the letter, Pilson would kill himself because he could not face years in prison. At sentencing, Judge Levy observed that, “Mr. Pilson’s recorded call to the victim was chilling and reflects someone who is both calculating and will do whatever it takes to another person to get his way.” The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Maine State Police investigated the case. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available via the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) , or via the hotline’s website at https://www.thehotline.org/ . Mainers experiencing domestic violence can also contact the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) at 1-866-834-HELP (4357) . The MCEDV website, https://www.mcedv.org/ , also has information about member organizations across Maine. ###


title: Buffalo man going to prison on multiple gun and drug charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Robert L. Williams, Jr., 42, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to transfer firearms purchased outside of state of residency, unlawful dealing in firearms, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between November 2017, and June 2018, Williams, without being a licensed firearm importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector, conspired with others to transfer firearms into the State of New from the State of Ohio. Williams, who resided in New York, asked others to assist him in conducting straw purchases of more than 20 firearms in Ohio, which were then transported into New York. On May 3, 2018, Buffalo Police officers responded to shots fired in a vacant lot next to Williams’ residence. Officers recovered two ammunition cases with magazines and a bag containing heroin in front of his residence. Inside the residence, in plain view, officers recovered a pistol, ammunition, and several firearms parts and accessories. Williams admits that he conspired with others to distribute heroin, including to some of the straw purchasers in exchange for the straw purchasers obtaining firearms for Williams. On May 18, 2018, a search warrant was executed at Williams’ residence, during which law enforcement seized two additional firearms and ammunition. Williams was convicted of felony charges in 2004, 2006 and 2012, and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. # # # #