body_text: Jacksonville, FL – Gregory Edward McLean, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida, today pleaded guilty to one count of distributing videos depicting the sexual assault of children and one count of unlawful retention of classified national defense information. According to the plea agreement, state law enforcement in Rhode Island received a cyber tipline report that a user of a particular messaging application had shared videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The investigation identified the user as McLean, who was at that time an active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy, with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and serving as the Executive Officer of a ship stationed aboard Naval Station Mayport in Florida. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) continued the investigation and identified additional instances where McLean had distributed child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 4, 2021, agents executed a federal search warrant at McLean’s residence, during which they seized numerous electronic devices and storage media. A forensic review revealed that several of these items contained files depicting the sexual abuse of minors. The forensic review also identified a flash drive – which had been recovered from McLean’s kitchen counter – that contained approximately 150 documents containing national defense information classified at the Secret level and 50 documents containing national defense information classified at the Confidential level. An investigation by NCIS and the FBI revealed that throughout his service as a naval officer, McLean had access to classified information and held a Top-Secret security clearance. McLean had entered into various agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information and was aware that his home was not an authorized location to store classified national defense information. In particular, the criminal information and plea agreement identify two documents McLean unlawfully retained which contained national defense information related to foreign governments and their combat aircraft and naval capabilities. Disclosure of this information could reasonably be expected to cause damage and, in some instances, serious damage to the national security of the United States. McLean faces a minimum mandatory penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison for the child exploitation offense and up to 10 years in prison for the retention of classified information offense. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. NCIS, FBI, and Rhode Island State Police are investigating the case, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Kirwinn Mike for the Middle District of Florida and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. 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 victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Issues Report

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Ed Siskel co-chaired a convening of the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR) where they announced the issuance of the 2023 LAIR Report, entitled Access to Justice in Federal Administrative Proceedings: Nonlawyer Assistance and Other Strategies. The Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice facilitated the convening, which also featured remarks from Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, as well as the publication of the report, in accordance with the office’s directive to staff and direct the work of LAIR at the direction of the co-chairs. “There cannot be equal justice without equal access to justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “But the complexity of administrative processes can interfere with access to government programs and services. The Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable’s 2023 Report identifies important strategies for addressing these barriers to promote just outcomes for the people and communities that federal agencies serve.” The report highlights agency accomplishments and commitments in furtherance of LAIR’s mission to “increase the availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth or status.” It describes challenges individuals face in federal administrative proceedings to access government benefits or services, remedy rights violations or resolve disputes. The report also sets forth strategic solutions and highlights the work of LAIR’s 28 federal agency members to address these barriers. “Community-focused alternative legal assistance models are an important way to augment the reach of legal aid providers,” said Associate Attorney General Gupta during the convening. “LAIR’s work reveals that many federal agencies have long utilized this type of innovative assistance — facilitating both attorney and non-attorney help to expand access to a wide range of federal government programs and resources.” To help address these challenges, LAIR identifies two overarching strategies through the report: Continue to develop and implement simplification strategies in administrative proceedings, building on LAIR’s 2022 work on people-centered simplification of government forms, processes, and language to increase access to government programs and reduce the need for legal help. Increase representation and assistance by lawyers and nonlawyers for people in administrative proceedings. The report provides examples of LAIR agency activities supporting nonlawyer assistance and offers ways that agencies can make assistance available to more people by addressing accreditation, providing clear guidance on the allowability of nonlawyers, conducting targeted outreach, providing training resources, and funding nonlawyer programs alongside legal service programs. The report also shares LAIR agencies’ work supporting global efforts to advance access to justice in administrative proceedings. “The Office for Access to Justice is committed to engaging with and learning from communities that are seeking access to government programs and services, as well as working with the legal aid and community service providers as trusted intermediaries,” said Office for Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi. “Through LAIR’s work, we can better understand where barriers exist and identify persistent or recurring problems that affect impacted, underserved, and historically marginalized communities.” At the convening, in addition to Attorney General Garland and Associate Attorney General Gupta, remarks were provided by the Second Gentleman of the United States, Douglas Emhoff. The roundtable, moderated by Director Rossi, also featured several LAIR agency principals and high-level officials from the Departments of Defense, Education, Transportation, Interior, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, State, and Veterans’ Affairs as well as the Administrative Conference of the United States, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Social Security Administration, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Management and Budget, United States Digital Service, AmeriCorps, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Science Foundation, Legal Services Corporation, and United States Agency for International Development. During the convening, agency principals and high-level officials discussed their activities and recent accomplishments to address access to justice challenges experienced by the people they serve and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative efforts to mobilize resources and develop access to justice solutions. LAIR is co-chaired by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and White House Counsel Ed Siskel. It convenes 28 federal agencies and offices to improve coordination among federal programs and increase availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth and status. Through interagency collaboration and stakeholder engagement, LAIR develops policy recommendations that improve access to justice in federal, state, local, Tribal, and international jurisdictions; advances relevant evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis of civil legal and indigent defense; and promulgates best practices. Additionally, LAIR assists with implementation of Goal 16 of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and provide access to justice for all. The Office for Access to Justice houses the Executive Director of LAIR, Allie Yang-Green, and staffs and directs LAIR’s work.


title: Freer resident sent to prison for possessing cocaine

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old man has been sentenced following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute a substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Branden Lee Narvaiz pleaded guilty Sept. 13. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Narvaiz to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that at the time of the offense, Narvaiz was on state parole for the same crime. On April 11, law enforcement stopped Narvaiz for driving on the wrong side of the road. Authorities conducted a search of his vehicle and located cash, cocaine, scales and baggies. Following the return of a federal indictment, authorities arrested him June 14. At that time, they again found cocaine, money and plastic bags. As part of his plea, Narvaiz admitted he possessed 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Narvaiz will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Duval County Sheriff’s Department and Starr County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.


title: Founder and Majority Owner of Cryptocurrency Exchange Pleads Guilty to Unlicensed Money Transmitting

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national also known as “Anatolii Legkodymov,” “Gandalf” and “Tolik,” pleaded guilty today in federal court in Brooklyn to operating a money transmitting business that transported and transmitted illicit funds. The charges stem from Legkodymov’s majority ownership of Bitzlato Ltd., a cryptocurrency exchange that served as a primary conduit for dark market purchasers and sellers, as well as a safe haven for ransomware criminals. As part of his plea agreement, Legkodymov agreed to dissolve Bitzlato and to release any claim over approximately $23 million in seized assets of Bitzlato. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Lisa O. Monaco, United States Deputy Attorney General, Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. “Legkodymov’s guilty plea today confirms that he was well aware that Bitzlato, his cryptocurrency exchange, was being used like an open turnstile by criminals eager to take advantage of his lax controls over illicit money transactions,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendant may have thought he was operating from a safe haven overseas for his ‘No Questions Asked’ clearinghouse, but this prosecution and conviction demonstrate otherwise.” “As alleged, Bitzlato advertised a safe haven for fraudsters, thieves, and other criminals to launder illicit proceeds—but their business model didn’t account for federal law enforcement,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “We are dismantling and disrupting the cryptocrime ecosystem using all tools available—including criminal prosecution. In January, the Department and our partners took down Bitzlato’s infrastructure and seized its cryptocurrency. Today’s conviction of Bitzlato’s founder is the latest product of our efforts.” “Legkodymov operated a cryptocurrency exchange that was open for business to money launderers and other criminals,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri. “He profited from catering to criminals, and now he must pay the price. Transacting in cryptocurrency does not put you beyond the reach of the law. Legkdoymov’s plea demonstrates the consequences for those who would offer a safe haven for criminals and their ill-gotten gains.” As alleged in public filings, Legkodymov is a senior executive and the majority shareholder of Bitzlato Ltd. (Bitzlato), a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange that operated globally. Bitzlato marketed itself as requiring minimal identification from its users, specifying that “neither selfies nor passports [are] required.” On occasions when Bitzlato did direct users to submit identifying information, it repeatedly allowed them to openly provide information belonging to “straw man” registrants. As a result of these deficient know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, Bitzlato became a haven for criminal proceeds and funds intended for use in criminal activity. Bitzlato’s largest counterparty in cryptocurrency transactions was Hydra Market, an online marketplace for narcotics, stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, and money laundering services that was the largest and longest running darknet market in the world. Hydra Market users exchanged more than 700 million dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency with Bitzlato, either directly or through intermediaries, until Hydra Market was shut down because of seizures made by U.S. and German law enforcement in April 2022. Bitzlato also received millions of dollars’ worth of ransomware proceeds. The defendant was repeatedly advised that cryptocurrency routed through Bitzlato represented the proceeds of crime and/or was intended for use in illicit transactions. The investigation was jointly prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), which was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that are enabling the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also works to set strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identify areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and lead the Department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in France provided critical assistance in the case, with support from the department’s Cyber Operations International Liaison. The department also thanks the Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office and to France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command (Cyber Crime Investigation Unit/ C3N). The government’s case is being prosecuted by CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and EDNY Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Mindlin, CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney Sarah Wolfe, and EDNY Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from former NCET Trial Attorneys Scott Meisler and Matthew Blackwood. The Defendant : ANATOLY LEGKODYMOV (also known as “Gandalf” and “Tolik”) Age: 41 Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-496 (ENV)


title: Southern Oregon Woman Sentenced for Using Deceased Husband's Identity to Obtain Federal Student Aid Funds

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—A Southern Oregon woman was sentenced in federal court Monday for using her deceased husband’s identity to unlawfully obtain more than $36,000 in federal student aid. Cynthia Pickering, 56, of Central Point, Oregon, was sentenced to 36 months’ probation and ordered to pay $36,341 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Education. According to court documents, beginning in September 2017 and continuing through April 2019, Pickering devised a scheme to use her deceased husband’s personally identifiable information to submit multiple applications for federal student aid and enroll her former husband at three different colleges and universities in Oregon. These fraudulent applications caused the three colleges and universities—Eastern Oregon University, Rogue Community College, and Western Oregon University—to disperse $36,341 in federal student aid into Pickering’s personal checking account. To conceal her scheme, Pickering attended online classes pretending to be her former husband so that her husband would remain eligible for the student aid. Pickering did what was necessary to pass first term courses at each institution and collect the funds. On October 6, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a nine-count indictment charging Pickering with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and student loan fraud, and, on November 15, 2022, she was arrested at her residence in Central Point. On August 21, 2023, Pickering pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and three counts of student aid fraud. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (ED-OIG). It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Ohio Man Transported 27 Kilos of Meth Through KC Aboard Bus

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Akron, Ohio, man was charged in federal court today with transporting more than 27 kilograms of methamphetamine through Kansas City, Mo., aboard a bus. Rogeric Romone Clark, 39, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Clark remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. More than 27 kilograms (60 one-pound bundles) of methamphetamine was seized by law enforcement officers at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station. According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, members of the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force (MoWIN) were conducting interdiction activities at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station on Tuesday, Dec. 5. As passengers disembarked from a bus that originated in Los Angeles, California, officers used a police drug-sniffing dog, which alerted to a suitcase later identified as belonging to Clark. Investigators later identified another suitcase that belonged to Clark. A detective contacted Clark, who confirmed a suitcase belonged to him and gave officers consent to open it. As the detective opened the suitcase, Clark fled on foot through the rear parking area. Clark fell during the chase and was taken into custody. Officers searched both of the suitcases and found 30 one-pound bundles in each suitcase that contained a total of 27.2 kilograms of methamphetamine. Clark told investigators he was supposed to receive $10,000 to transport the illegal drugs to Akron, Ohio. The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.


title: Vinton Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Robbery

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Vinton, Virginia man, who targeted and robbed a female who posted that she had marijuana for sale on social media, was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison. Donovan Allen Carico, 21, previously pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Carico will serve his 8 year sentence consecutive to a four-year sentence he is currently serving in state custody for unrelated conduct. According to court documents, on June 7, 2020, the victim agreed to sell four ounces of marijuana to an individual with the Snapchat handle “DonnyChapo2020.” Accompanied by a friend, they traveled to Wasena Park, in Roanoke to make the transaction. At the park, Carico entered the victim’s car, sat in the back seat, and asked to see the marijuana. After the victim showed Carico the marijuana, Carico produced a firearm, put it to the back of the victim’s head and told her to give him everything. The victim complied with his demands and Carico departed with the marijuana and other personal items. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Craig B. Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roanoke City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleman Adams prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


component: Criminal Division

body_text: The founder and majority owner of Bitzlato Ltd. (Bitzlato), a cryptocurrency exchange that served as a primary conduit for dark market purchasers and sellers, as well as a safe haven for illicit transactions by ransomware criminals, pleaded guilty today to operating a money transmitting business that transmitted illicit funds. In connection with his plea agreement, Anatoly Legkodymov, aka Anatolii Legkodymov, Gandalf, and Tolik, 41, who is a Russian national and resided in Shenzen, People’s Republic of China, agreed to dissolve Bitzlato and to release any claim over approximately $23 million in seized assets of Bitzlato. “As alleged, Bitzlato advertised a safe haven for fraudsters, thieves, and other criminals to launder illicit proceeds — but their business model didn’t account for federal law enforcement,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “We are dismantling and disrupting the cryptocrime ecosystem using all tools available — including criminal prosecution. In January, the Department and our partners took down Bitzlato’s infrastructure and seized its cryptocurrency. Today’s conviction of Bitzlato’s founder is the latest product of our efforts.” “Legkodymov operated a cryptocurrency exchange that was open for business to money launderers and other criminals,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He profited from catering to criminals, and now he must pay the price. Transacting in cryptocurrency does not put you beyond the reach of the law. Legkdoymov’s plea demonstrates the consequences for those who would offer a safe haven for criminals and their ill-gotten gains.” According to court documents, Bitzlato, a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange that operated globally, marketed itself as requiring minimal identification from its users, specifying that “neither selfies nor passports [are] required.” On occasions when Bitzlato did direct users to submit identifying information, it repeatedly allowed them to openly provide information belonging to “straw man” registrants. As a result of these deficient know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, Bitzlato allegedly became a haven for criminal proceeds and funds intended for use in criminal activity. “Legkodymov’s guilty plea today confirms that he was well aware that Bitzlato, his cryptocurrency exchange, was being used like an open turnstile by criminals eager to take advantage of his lax controls over illicit money transactions,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The defendant may have thought he was operating from a safe haven overseas for his ‘No Questions Asked’ clearinghouse, but this prosecution and conviction demonstrate otherwise.” Bitzlato’s largest counterparty in cryptocurrency transactions was Hydra Market, an online marketplace for narcotics, stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, and money laundering services that was the largest and longest-running darknet market in the world. Hydra Market users exchanged more than $700 million worth of cryptocurrency with Bitzlato, either directly or through intermediaries, until Hydra Market was shut down because of seizures made by U.S. and German law enforcement in April 2022. Bitzlato also received millions of dollars’ worth of ransomware proceeds. Legkodymov was repeatedly advised that cryptocurrency routed through Bitzlato represented the proceeds of crime and/or was intended for use in illicit transactions. Legkodymov faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI is investigating the case. The investigation was jointly prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), which was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that are enabling the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also works to set strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identify areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and lead the Department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets. CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and EDNY Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Mindlin, CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney Sarah Wolfe, and EDNY Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from former NCET Trial Attorneys Scott Meisler and Matthew Blackwood. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in France provided critical assistance in the case, with support from the Department’s Cyber Operations International Liaison. The Department also thanks the Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office and France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command (Cyber Crime Investigation Unit / C3N).


title: Prolific Whatcom and Skagit County drug dealer sentenced to 8 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The key source of drugs for a drug distribution ring operating in Skagit and Whatcom counties was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to eight years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Enoc Martinez Lopez, aka “Victor,” 28, of Marysville, Washington, was the main supplier of drugs to other co-conspirators and drug redistributors. He distributed fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine in areas that have seen an increase in overdose deaths. At Martine Lopez’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, “You chose to enrich yourself by perpetuating the cycle for others whose lives and families have been impacted by the drug epidemic." “We know that fentanyl trafficking has led to increased fatal overdoses in the Lummi Nation and Whatcom County,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “Feeding addiction in our communities leads to increased deaths. Fentanyl pills have even resulted in the deaths of children who mistake a colorful pill for a piece of candy.” Records in the case detail how various defendants interacted with supplier Martinez Lopez and other drug customers. In April 2022, investigators initially saw Martinez Lopez meeting a drug customer and co-defendant at the Silver Reef Casino in Whatcom County. That person was later arrested with more than 1,000 fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and a firearm. Communication between Martinez Lopez and other coconspirators show he was supplying members of the ring with as many as 2,000 fentanyl pills at a time. On November 30, 2022, when Martinez Lopez was arrested and his residence was searched, law enforcement seized, $177,710 in cash, 8.7 kilos of fentanyl pills, 2.3 kilos of fentanyl powder, more than 5 kilos of cocaine, a kilo of heroin, and more than 6 kilos of methamphetamine. In asking for a ten-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs wrote to the court, “When arrested, Martinez Lopez was in possession of significant quantities of fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. The ability for Martinez Lopez to access the quantity of drugs found in his possession is particularly concerning and likely demonstrates the ability to connect with cartel-level narcotics sources-of-supply. This quantity of drugs represents a significant amount of misery and suffering.” In all in this case, law enforcement has seized: 11.5 kilos of fentanyl pills, 2.8 kilos of fentanyl powder, 5.7 kilos of cocaine, 1.6 kilos of heroin, and 8.7 kilos of crystal meth, more than $186,000 in cash and nine firearms. “This defendant profited from the misery of some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This investigation reflects the seriousness with which DEA and our partners take fentanyl trafficking in Whatcom and Skagit counties.” This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bellingham Resident Office (DEA), working with the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, the CBP Air & Marine Operations, the Lummi Police Department, the Everson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.


title: Uniontown Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender Charge

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of failure to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Jon Leslie Williams, age 65, formerly of Uniontown, PA, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Williams, who had been convicted in Michigan in 1991 for Criminal Sexual Conduct and in Florida in 2014 for sexual battery, after raping a blind and deaf woman, both offenses for which Williams was required to register as a sex offender, had absconded from his Florida residence on July 23, 2021, traveled to Pennsylvania to live, and failed to update his sex offender registration, contrary to the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Williams is required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the court ordered that Williams remain detained. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshal Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Williams.


title: Cleveland Resident Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Donte Smith pled guilty and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for committing drug trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Smith, age 44, of Cleveland, Ohio, pled guilty before, and was sentenced by, Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak. Smith pled guilty to committing the following crimes in New Castle, Mercer County, Pennsylvania: (1) conspiracy to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl, 50 grams of methamphetamine, 28 grams of cocaine base, a quantity of cocaine, and a quantity of heroin, from March 2020 to August 2021; (2) distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base, on October 30, 2020; (3) possession with intent to distribute of at least 40 grams of fentanyl, 50 grams of methamphetamine, 28 grams of cocaine base, and a quantity of cocaine, on August 12, 2021; and (4) possession with intent to distribute of at least 40 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and cocaine, and of another quantity of cocaine, on December 20, 2022. Judge Hornak ordered Smith to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Castle Police Department, the Shenango Police Department, and the Hickory Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the convictions and sentence in this case.


title: Man Charged in Federal Court With Conspiring To Rob Armored Trucks and ATMs in Chicago Suburbs

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

body_text: CHICAGO — A man was charged in federal court today with conspiring to rob armored trucks and ATMs in Chicago suburbs this year. BRIAN SNYDER, 24, of Chicago, is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Snyder is currently detained in law enforcement custody. According to the complaint, Snyder conspired with others to rob two armored trucks in the Chicago suburbs of Country Club Hills and Chicago Heights, and three ATMs in the Chicago suburbs of Lansing, Blue Island, and Homewood. The conspirators also later attempted to rob a second armored truck in Country Club Hills but did not obtain any money. In the armored truck robberies, two to five robbers armed with handguns took cash from the truck drivers as they were servicing ATMs or stores, the complaint states. The conspirators often drove stolen vehicles to the robbery locations and abandoned the vehicles afterward, the complaint states. The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elie Zenner, Simar Khera, and Kirsten Moran. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The robbery conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Snyder complaint


title: Federal Grand Jury A Indictments Announced - December 2023

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the December 2023 Federal Grand Jury A. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Elgin Zip Adkins. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Adkins, 23, of Tulsa is charged with possessing firearm and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of a felony in Tulsa County District Court. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-389 Keenan Duke Lamont Brown, II; Isaac Emiliano Littleman-Ortega; Royal Dale Juan Brown. Robbery in Indian Country (count 1); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (counts 2 and 7); Carjacking (count 3); Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (count 4); Kidnapping in Indian Country (count 5); Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery (count 6) (superseding). K. Brown, 19, a member of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Littleman-Ortega, 18, a member of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, and R. Brown, 20, each from Tulsa, are charged with using a firearm to commit robbery in Sept. 2023. They are further charged with brandishing and discharging a firearm during a carjacking and kidnapping. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua M. Carmel and Nathan E. Michel are prosecuting the case. 23-CR-339 Kyle Thomas Brown; Audryanna Gibbens; Julia Lydia Savage; Dustin Louis Palmer. Drug Conspiracy (superseding). Brown, 28, of Santa Maria, CA, Gibbens, 43, of Oceano, CA, Savage, 33 of Atascadero, CA, and Palmer, 39 of Arroyo Grande, CA, are charged with possessing and distributing methamphetamine from Aug. 2021 through Oct. 2021. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Brasher is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-309 Kacey J. Hamilton. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Hamilton, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly failing to register as a sex offender from Sep. 2021 through the date of the Indictment. The United States Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-390 Jorge Hernandez Rubalcaba. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Rubalcaba, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jun. 2023, at or near Laredo, Texas. He is also charged with failing to register as a sex offender from Jun. 2022 through the date of the Indictment. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Marshal Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-393 Kevin David Kost. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drag Trafficking Crime. Kost, 34, of Tulsa is charged with possessing firearm and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of felonies in Tulsa County District Court. He is further charged with trafficking, possession and intent to distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-384 Jarrod Demar Mansker. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender in Indian Country (superseding). Mansker, 51, a member of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with strangling an intimate dating partner in Sep. 2023. He is further charged with habitual domestic assault after being convicted in Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court as well as Tulsa County District Court. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-342 Edward Leon Pulley. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Pulley, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing firearms and ammunition after he had previously been convicted of felonies throughout Oklahoma. He is further charged with possessing a stolen firearm in Aug. 2023. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-391 Edgar Geovanny Rodriguez-Aranda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez-Aranda, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Jul 2018, at or near Brownsville, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-392 Rudy Tyler Rudd. Kidnapping in Indian Country. Rudd, 39, of Adair and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with knowingly and unlawfully kidnapping two victims in Aug. 2023. The FBI and Mayes County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 23-CR-394


title: Violence Reduction Partnership Drive-Thru Food Distribution at Franklin Park

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Nov. 28, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida- Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP); Broward Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces; Broward Sheriff’s Office; and Farm Share Inc. hosted a Free Food Drive-Thru Distribution at Franklin Park. The Drive-Thru Distribution provided over 450 households with free food items to community residents, as well as resource materials for social and economic services. The food items distributed included: chicken, assorted produce, canned goods, orange juice, and walnuts totaling over 40 pounds of free food per household. Office volunteers for the event included Law Enforcement Coordination/Community Outreach Section professional staff members: Keisha Bazile, Darcey Lindsley, Audrey Charles, John Hampton, Jorge Lorente, Mark McKinney, Michael Martinez, Robin McCowen, Corey Mackay, and Todd Goodman. The United States Probation Office also provided volunteers for the event. ###


title: Former Fugitive Sentenced in Odometer Tampering Scheme

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 5, 2023, a Mexican national was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin to 12 months and one day in prison for his role in a scheme to roll back odometers on used motor vehicles. Israel Sanchez-Pulido, 41, of Mexico City, Mexico, pleaded guilty on September 6, 2023, to one count of odometer tampering, one count of making a false odometer statement, and one count of conspiracy. As part of his plea agreement, Sanchez-Pulido admitted that, between 2009 and 2014, he purchased 146 high-mileage vehicles at Wisconsin auto auctions, rolled back the odometers, altered the mileage statements on the vehicle title paperwork, and then sold the vehicles with fraudulently low odometer readings to unsuspecting victims, who were primarily from Illinois. Sanchez-Pulido purchased the cars at auto auctions located in Wisconsin and drove them to a used car dealership in Evanston, Illinois. He then rolled back the odometers, reflecting a much lower mileage, and altered the vehicle title to match the false mileage, often by simply erasing the first digit of the mileage on the title or by writing over the accurate mileage reading. Sanchez-Pulido then represented to buyers the false mileage, which often exceeded 100,000 miles lower than the true mileage and sold the vehicles for more money than the vehicles were worth. The estimated fraud-loss of the 146 vehicles involved in this schemed exceeded $250,000. On March 5, 2014, Sanchez-Pulido was arrested and charged by criminal complaint. During the subsequent detention hearing, he was granted release after posting a property-secured bond, and he was ordered to return to court for arraignment on April 14, 2014. Sanchez-Pulido never appeared. He absconded and remained a fugitive for nearly ten years until June 2023, when local law enforcement stopped Sanchez-Pulido for a traffic violation in Illinois and discovered the outstanding arrest warrant from the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced Sanchez-Pulido to 12 months and one day of incarceration. At the request of the government, restitution will be addressed on March 1, 2024. “Individuals who engage in these types of schemes seek to line their own pockets at the expense of consumers who can least afford it,” stated U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “In addition, after being charged, this defendant absconded and avoided the consequences of his actions for the better part of a decade. I commend our hard-working federal and state partners who helped pursue justice for the victims in this case.” This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation, with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Trial Attorney Edward Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Koenig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, prosecuted the case. NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud in the United States results in consumer losses of more than $1 billion annually. Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call NHTSA’s odometer fraud hotline at (800) 424-9393. More information on odometer fraud is available on the NHTSA website at https://www.nhtsa.gov/odometer-fraud and tips on detecting and avoiding odometer fraud are available at https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/811284.pdf . For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi . # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700


title: Missouri Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man who produced and received child pornography involving three victims to 50 years in prison. After a bench trial in May, Judge Ross found William Dahl, 39, of Audrain County, Missouri, guilty of one count of producing child pornography and two counts of receiving child pornography. Judge Ross’ findings of fact said Dahl photographed himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl. He later emailed those images to others. Dahl also received a video of a 16-year-old and a pornographic image of a 7-year-old, the ruling says. On Wednesday, Judge Ross told Dahl the evidence was “clear, convincing and overwhelming about your guilt.” The investigation began one of the victims and her family contacted authorities. A subsequent investigation by the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team uncovered more victims. Dahl met the first victim when she was 13 and he was nearly 23. A second victim met Dahl when he was 36 and she was 16. He bought her a cell phone, alcohol and vaping pods and they exchanged nude pictures. The third victim was 7 at the time of the offense. Dahl’s co-defendant, Jennifer Huddleston, admitted taking photographs of herself sexually abusing the sleeping girl and sending them to Dahl. Huddleston and Dahl were in an on-and-off relationship since 2008. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang said during the hearing that 18 years have passed since Dahl began to prey on female children, and he has been “consistent in trying to seek out and sexually exploit children” during that time. Judge Ross ordered Dahl’s prison sentence to run consecutive to any sentence he receives for six pending cases in Audrain County Circuit Court and Randolph County Circuit Court. Judge Ross sentenced Huddleston, 35, in October to 179 months in prison. Huddleston pleaded guilty in May to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The cases were investigated by the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team and Donya Jackson, an investigator with the U.S. Attorney’s office at the time. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Lang and Amy Sestric prosecuted the case. 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 Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Army Civilian Employee Indicted in San Antonio for Alleged $100 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned an indictment today charging a San Antonio woman with 10 counts related to a fraud scheme she allegedly conducted while working as a civilian financial program manager at Fort Sam Houston. According to court documents, Janet Yamanaka Mello, 57, allegedly stole more than $100 million in Army funds by regularly submitting fraudulent paperwork that indicated an entity she controlled, Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development (CHYLD), was entitled to receive funds from the Army. Mello claimed that CHYLD provided services to military members and their families, when, in reality, CHYLD did not provide any services. The indictment alleges that Mello instead used the funds to buy millions of dollars in jewelry, clothing, vehicles, and real estate. Additionally, Mello is alleged to have falsified the digital signature of one of her supervisors on multiple occasions. Mello is charged with five counts of mail fraud, four counts of engaging in a monetary transaction over $10,000 using criminally derived proceeds, and one count of aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled for her initial court appearance Dec. 14 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Bemporad of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, Mello faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each fraud charge, up to 10 years in prison for each spending statute charge, and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge. The indictment also includes a notice of forfeiture for the proceeds and property that Mello obtained as a result of the criminal conduct alleged. 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 of the Western District of Texas made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Simmons and Antonio Franco 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: San Francisco Resident Sentenced To Six Years In Prison For Manufacturing And Dealing Firearms

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Craig Bolland was sentenced today to 72 months (six years) in prison after pleading guilty to manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license and several other firearms-related offenses, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Cicolani. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge. Bolland, 40, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 2, 2023, on four charges: (i) manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A); (ii) being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1); (iii) possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(k); and (iv) possession of a machinegun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o). He pleaded guilty to all four charges on September 13, 2023. In the plea agreement, Bolland admitted, among other things, that, despite not having a license to do so, he was in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms—including hard-to-trace “ghost guns” he manufactured himself using a 3-D printer and parts he had shipped to him—from at least June 2021 through May 30, 2023, the date of his arrest. Bolland admitted he sold at least five of these privately manufactured “ghost guns” (both pistols and rifles), as well as dozens of commercially manufactured firearms—some of which Bolland admitted he modified by installing “switches” that turned semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic weapons—to buyers he knew or had reason to know were criminals who were not legally allowed to possess firearms and who paid Bolland for the guns in cash, cryptocurrency, and/or narcotics. According to the plea agreement, Bolland, who had previously been convicted of a felony, possessed five firearms on the date of his arrest, including four handguns and a fully automatic AR-15 style rifle with no serial number. He also possessed hundreds of rounds of ammunition of varying calibers. Finally, Bolland admitted in the plea agreement that, in addition to his own firearms dealing, he brokered multiple sales of firearms and ammunition between other sellers and buyers and that he received a commission for brokering such deals. In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Bolland to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. Assistant U.S. Attorney George O. Hageman is prosecuting the case with assistance from Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.


title: Stamford Man Admits Theft of $800K from Trust Account

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that CURTIS SOLSVIG, 69, of Stamford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to a fraud offense involving his misappropriation of funds from a trust. According to court documents and statements made in court, a married couple (the “victims”) created a trust for the primary benefit of their two children. In 1996, Solsvig, a relative of the victims, began serving as trustee of the trust. Beginning in 2011 and continuing for approximately eight years, Solsvig stole more than $800,000 from the trust and used the funds for a variety of personal expenses. By the time his scheme concluded, less than $20 remained in the trust account. Solsvig pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for March 5, 2024. Solsvig is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing. This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor M. Reardon.


title: Southern Oregon Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison After Boobytrapped Home Injures Federal Officer

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—A former resident of Williams, Oregon, was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison today after he boobytrapped a southern Oregon home and injured a federal officer. Gregory Lee Rodvelt, 72, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. “Fueled by anger and bitterness, this defendant boobytrapped a property in southern Oregon with intent to seriously injure someone. Unfortunately, his trap worked, and he injured an FBI bomb technician,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices. “We are fortunate Greg Rodvelt’s actions did not kill a law enforcement officer or community member. Today’s sentence is a just punishment for a serious crime.” “This individual went through great efforts to set intricate and deadly concealed traps to prevent FBI agents from doing their job. These were no joke,” said Kieran L. Ramsey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “Mr. Rodvelt knew he was breaking the law and his reprehensible actions are what landed him this sentence. We are thankful that our agent and other law enforcement officers survived this vicious attempt and we are thankful for our partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office for their diligent work in bringing justice to this case.” “It is clear that his emplacing multiple layers of boobytraps were intended to hurt or kill a person or multiple people,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan T. McPherson. “We are thankful that the FBI bomb technician wasn’t more seriously injured and hope that this sentence sends a strong message to not only Mr. Rodvelt but anyone who would contemplate doing something like this.” “I’m thankful this incident didn’t result in more critical or fatal injuries, said Sergeant Kevin DelGrande of Oregon State Police, “This case highlights the dangers explosive devices present to responding law enforcement officers.” According to court documents, on September 7, 2018, bomb technicians from Oregon State Police (OSP) and the FBI went to a property in Williams formerly owned by Rodvelt that he had lost in lawsuit. After Rodvelt learned that a receiver had been appointed to sell the property, he proceeded to boobytrap it. When the bomb technicians arrived at the property, they observed a minivan blocking the gate. The technicians found steel animal traps affixed to a gate post and under the hood of the minivan. They also located homemade spike strips, which the receiver had previously run over. As the technician neared the residence, they observed a hot tub that had been placed on its side and rigged in a manner that when a gate was opened it would activate a mechanical trigger causing the spa to roll toward the person who had opened the gate. The technicians further observed that the windows of the residence had been barred from the inside and there were security doors at the front and rear of the residence. The front door also had what appeared to be bullet holes from shots fired inside. In the garage, they found a rat trap modified to accept a shotgun shell. Though the trap was unloaded, it was connected to the main garage door so it would be tripped when the door was opened. The technicians and two other law enforcement officers gathered near the front of the residence and used an explosive charge to breach the front door. The group carefully entered the residence, looking for traps, and found a wheelchair in the center of the front entryway. When the wheelchair was bumped, it triggered a homemade shotgun device that discharged a .410 shotgun shell that struck the FBI bomb technician below the knee. The group administered first aid to the wounded technician and transported him to a local hospital. On June 2, 2023, a federal jury in Medford found Rodvelt guilty of assaulting a federal officer and using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from OSP and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Judith R. Harper and Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: St. Charles County Man Who Obtained Child Pornography with a Hidden Camera Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man who captured images and videos of underage girls with hidden cameras to 17 years in prison. Dennis J. Naumann, 56, of St. Charles County, Missouri, will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison. Naumann produced videos and still images of underage girls by concealing video cameras in a bathroom and other places. Naumann admitted uploading at least 50 videos containing child sexual abuse material to Dropbox. He also traded the images and videos he produced with two others so he could get more child sexual abuse material. One victim wrote in a letter to Judge Schelp that Naumann “stole my girlhood and traded it on the internet.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said during Wednesday’s sentencing hearing that Naumann began deleting files when he learned he was being investigated, but dozens of videos and pictures were recovered, as were multiple online conversations in which he asked for images or videos containing child sexual abuse material or offered to share what he had. Naumann also searched for that material online, part of what Anderson called a “rapacious appetite for child sexual abuse material.” Naumann pleaded guilty in June to one count each of attempted production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. The case was investigated by the St. Charles County Cybercrime Task Force, the St. Charles County Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jillian Anderson and Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case. 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 Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Two Accused of Stealing Mail in Chesterfield

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two men have been indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis and accused of stealing mail from residential and businesses mailboxes in Chesterfield, Missouri. Christopher Ali Pate, 31, and Eryk Campbell, 28, were each indicted on one count of theft of mail. The indictment accuses them of stealing mail from mailboxes on or around Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard. Campbell was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court, where he pleaded not guilty. Pate was arrested in Georgia on November 13. He pleaded not guilty in court November 30. The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cort VanOstran is prosecuting the case.


title: Escapee Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Floyd L. Marlow Jr., 29, Milwaukee, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 months in prison for escape. Marlow pleaded guilty to this charge on September 13, 2023. In March 2018, Marlow pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. On May 24, 2018, Marlow was sentenced to a total of 70 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In June 2022, as his federal prison sentence was nearing completion, Marlow transitioned from a correctional institution to a residential reentry facility. Then, in December 2022, Marlow transitioned from that facility to home confinement at a family member’s home. While on home confinement, Marlow continued to serve his sentence and remained under the rules of the reentry facility. On February 20, 2023, Marlow became intoxicated and physically assaulted several family members before cutting off his GPS bracelet and fleeing his relative’s home without authorization. Marlow was placed on escape status that night. Police tried to conduct a traffic stop of Marlow on April 4, 2023. Marlow refused to pull over and instead fled at a high rate of speed. Marlow eventually crashed into another car, that car burst into flames, and the driver of that car died. Police apprehended Marlow, and he has been in custody ever since. Marlow is scheduled for a plea hearing on December 13, 2023 in his Milwaukee County case involving the flight, car crash, and death. At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted Marlow’s lack of impulse control and continuing danger to the community. Judge Conley ordered Marlow’s sentence today to run consecutive to the eight months Marlow has remaining on his sentence in his Eastern District of Wisconsin case, so Marlow will effectively serve 26 months in prison. The charge against Marlow was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: Philadelphia Pharmacy Pays $165,000 to Resolve Allegations of Failing to Maintain Proper Inventory and Documentation of its Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Fountain Hill Pharmacy will pay $165,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to comply with various record-keeping requirements for controlled substances. Fountain Hill Pharmacy, a Philadelphia pharmacy wholly owned by pharmacists Nicholas Chaffier and Tracy Chaffier, is a registered retail pharmacy authorized to purchase and dispense Schedule II-V controlled substances. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that between October 2019 and November 2022, Fountain Hill Pharmacy failed to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances and failed to take a biennial inventory in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), and specifically, 21 C.F.R. §§ 1304.21(a) and 1304.11(d). Specifically, the settlement resolves allegations that Fountain Hill Pharmacy failed to maintain appropriate inventories of controlled substances including Oxycodone 5mg, Oxycodone 15mg, Oxycodone 30mg, Oxycodone APAP 5mg, Oxycodone APAP 7.5 mg, and Oxycodone APAP 10 mg. In addition to the $165,000 penalty, Fountain Hill Pharmacy is also now subject to a number of monitoring requirements, including the reporting of controlled substance purchasing, dispensing, and prescribing to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as well as sharing Standard Operating Procedures pertaining to all aspects of purchasing, storing, and distributing controlled substances. In addition, Fountain Hill Pharmacy is responsible for initiating and conducting appropriate training pertaining to DEA regulations for all current and newly hired employees responsible for handling and/or having access to controlled substances. “Controlled substances, especially opioids, pose extraordinary risks to communities in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “When pharmacies are granted the privilege of purchasing controlled substances, they also accept the significant responsibility of ensuring that controlled substances are used for a legitimate, medical purpose. As a result, they must maintain the records necessary for accountability and transparency. When this does not happen, we will work with our law enforcement partners, and use all available enforcement tools, to hold these pharmacies responsible.” “Pharmacies are entrusted with the dispensing of powerful prescription painkillers such as oxycodone. With that responsibility comes the obligation to properly safeguard and keep proper inventory over these same drugs,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Civil settlements and the monitoring requirements imposed against Fountain Hill Pharmacy help to ensure that these safeguards are met.” This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. For the United States Attorney’s Office, Assistant United States Attorney Deborah W. Frey, and Auditor Andrew Schobert.


title: Two Men Involved in Mexico Based Drug Trafficking Organization Sent to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Two men who were involved in a large Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization were sentenced this week to significant time in federal prison. Jesse Lax, age 38, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 8, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Luis Carlos Corral Lopez, age 32, from Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, received the prison term after a February 9, 2023 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence disclosed at Corral Lopez’s trial, Lax’s sentencing, and the sentencings of others involved in the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization showed that, in either 2015 or 2016, Lax met a man who later moved to Mexico and became a source of supply of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine for Lax while they were incarcerated together in the Colorado Department of Corrections. In the Spring of 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and his then‑girlfriend Sandra Deyerle to drive to Detroit, Michigan, where Lax obtained three kilograms of heroin. In May 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to move to Waterloo, Iowa. After they arrived, Lax began distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and he frequently possessed a firearm while doing so. In June 2019, the source of supply directed Lax to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Lax obtained eight kilograms of cocaine. Lax then brought all the cocaine back to Waterloo, and he distributed it to others. In July 2019, and in August or September 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California, where they obtained three pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico, each time. After Lax and Deyerle acquired the ice methamphetamine, they mailed it back to Waterloo and later distributed all the methamphetamine to others. In December 2019, the source of supply directed Lax and Deyerle to travel to Bell Gardens, California again, where they obtained at least 19 ounces of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. On January 20, 2020, Lax shot another man in the neck during a methamphetamine‑related encounter. After he was arrested for the shooting, Lax directed Deyerle to take over his role within the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization. After Deyerle assumed Lax’s role, Deyerle distributed all the remaining methamphetamine Lax and Deyerle had obtained from California in December 2019. The source of supply then directed Deyerle to make three or four separate trips to California, where Deyerle obtained a total of approximately 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. Deyerle then mailed the methamphetamine to Iowa, and she distributed all of it to others. Once Deyerle had distributed the 21 pounds of ice methamphetamine she obtained from California, the source of supply coordinated the delivery of at least 150 pounds of ice methamphetamine that had been imported from Mexico to Deyerle in Iowa via rail car in the Summer and Fall of 2020. On October 30, 2020, law enforcement officers searched several places in Iowa connected to the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization, including Deyerle’s residence and storage units. During those searches, officers seized at least 75 pounds of ice methamphetamine, over 500 grams of heroin, $23,950, and two firearms. Following the October 30, 2020, seizures, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Corral Lopez to Waterloo. At some point after he arrived, the organization directed Corral Lopez to travel to an unidentified city, where Corral Lopez and two others acquired approximately 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine, which had been imported from Mexico. Corral Lopez then brought the 22 pounds of ice methamphetamine back to Waterloo, and he distributed all of it to others, including Levi Dull. In the late Spring or early Summer of 2021, the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization sent Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez to replace Corral Lopez in Waterloo. After he arrived, Chinchillas Sanchez distributed methamphetamine to others in Waterloo and elsewhere, including Levi Dull. On August 18, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Dull’s house in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and his storage unit in Waterloo. During those searches, officers seized almost 300 grams of ice methamphetamine, two grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and two firearms, including one that was stolen. On October 25, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Chinchillas Sanchez’s house in Waterloo. During the search, officers seized over 90 pounds of ice methamphetamine and almost 23 pounds of fentanyl, including approximately 34,380 pills containing fentanyl. Most of the methamphetamine seized from Chinchillas Sanchez’s house was hidden behind drywall in the basement. Around the time of the October 25, 2021, search of Chinchillas Sanchez’s house, the source of supply began supplying ice methamphetamine to Andrew Surprenant. A wiretap of Surprenant’s telephone revealed that the source of supply provided Surprenant with at least 10 pounds of methamphetamine that was imported from Mexico. On January 12, 2022, law enforcement officers searched Surprenant’s house and storage unit. During those searches, officers seized over seven pounds of methamphetamine, seven firearms, and ammunition. Lax and Corral Lopez were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lax was sentenced to 313 months’ imprisonment, and Corral Lopez was sentenced to 141 months’ imprisonment. They both must serve a five‑year term of supervised release after their respective prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Nine other individuals have pled guilty to their involvement with the Mexico‑based drug trafficking organization and have been sentenced: Sandra Ann Deyerle was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment; Jeremey Aswegan was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment; Dana John Dana was sentenced to 234 months’ imprisonment; Drew Scarborough was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment; Levi Dull was sentenced to 270 months’ imprisonment; Ruben Vasquez was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment; Narciso Chinchillas Sanchez was sentenced to 158 months’ imprisonment; Andrew Davis Surprenant was sentenced to 396 months’ imprisonment; and Gabriel Allen Pelz was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. Lax and Corral Lopez are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Green County Sheriff’s Office; and the Elbert, County Colorado Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file numbers are 22‑CR‑02039‑CJW and 22‑CR‑02067‑CJW. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Sheldon Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: Henry Araica-Gonzalez, age 22, from Sheldon, Iowa, plead guilty in federal court on December 5, 2023, to Distribution of Child Pornography. At the plea hearing, Araica-Gonzalez admitted that he distributed and attempted to distribute child pornography, using a means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce. Araica-Gonzalez further admitted in a plea agreement that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor, that he knew the age of the minor at the time, and that he filmed several of the assaults on both his and the victim’s phones. Araica-Gonzalez also admitted the videos of exploitative material contained displays of sadistic and masochistic conduct. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Araica-Gonzalez was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Araica-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sergeant Bluff Police Department, and Sheldon Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-4031. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Half of a Counterfeit Fentanyl Pill That Caused 19 Year Old’s Death

body_text: A man who distributed a fake Percocet pill containing fentanyl that killed his customer was sentenced December 5, 2023, to thirteen years in federal prison. Tarron Lechtenberg, age 23, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 5, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Evidence at a prior hearing and information presented at sentencing showed that, in July 2020, Lechtenberg regularly sold marijuana, THC wax, and purported Xanax and Percocet pills in the North Washington, Iowa area. The purported Percocet pills, commonly referred to as “Perc 30s,” in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone. In the evening of July 29, 2023, Lechtenberg distributed half of a “Perc 30” pill to a 19‑year‑old, J.C., who used the pill at Lechtenberg’s house. At approximately midnight, some friends drove J.C. from Lechtenberg’s house but returned to the house after J.C. began overdosing in their vehicle. Lechtenberg and the group put J.C. into a chair in the backyard and the friends left. One of the friends texted Lechtenberg later that night, asking if J.C. was okay. Lechtenberg responded, “No. He’s dead. JK, LOL.” J.C. was not conscious and was having snoring respirations. At around 4:00 a.m., Lechtenberg noticed that J.C. “didn’t look good” and called a friend to help him move J.C. into Lechtenberg’s vehicle so he could seek medical help. At approximately 4:45 a.m., Lechtenberg sped by a Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Deputy, slammed on his brakes, and returned to the deputy’s location to ask for help. J.C. was unresponsive and slumped over on the rear seat of Lechtenberg’s vehicle. Efforts by the deputy and first responders to revive J.C. were unsuccessful. J.C.’s death was determined to be from acute fentanyl intoxication. Lechtenberg was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Lechtenberg was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $8,182.45 in restitution to J.C.’s family. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Lechtenberg is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Chatham and Jason Norwood. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23‑CR‑2002‑CJW‑MAR. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. Karl Lamont Funderburk, 37, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl. Funderburk admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 2022 and March 22, 2023, Funderburk conspired with several other people to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and quantities of cocaine and fentanyl while living in Charleston. Funderburk had several regular customers who would purchase each controlled substance from him. Funderburk used runners who would deliver the controlled substances to these customers, collect money or other compensation from them, and return the proceeds to Funderburk. Funderburk is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 80 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $5 million fine. Funderburk is among 32 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash. Funderburk and 24 other defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. 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-31. ###


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crimes

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joshua Azale Mitchell, 21, of Charleston, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing firearms from two Kanawha County businesses. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 9, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Dunbar business and stole a Diamondback Firearms DB15 5.56 caliber rifle and a Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22 .22-caliber rifle. On November 10, 2022, Mitchell broke into a Charleston business and stole a Custom Arms & Accessories LD-15 5.56 caliber rifle and a DPMS Panther Arms A-15 5.56 caliber rifle. Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts. Co-defendant Keara Kilpatrick, 21, of Charleston, was sentenced to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on October 4, 2023, after pleading guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and aiding and abetting the thefts. Kilpatrick drove Mitchell to and from the two Kanawha County businesses where Mitchell broke in and stole the firearms. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Brian Parsons prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 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-28. ###


title: Two Treasure Valley Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – Cosme Palomo, 60, of Boise, and Robert Dean Glenn, 48, of Nampa, were sentenced in separate cases for federal drug crimes involving methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. On December 4, 2023, Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Palomo to 87 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court records, between March and June 2023, Palomo distributed methamphetamine to another person on seven separate occasions, totaling 1.3 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also searched Palomo’s residence as part of the investigation and located an additional 1.7 pounds of methamphetamine and 11 firearms. Palomo pleaded guilty to the charge of distribution of methamphetamine on September 13, 2023. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Boise Police Department, and the Boise Area Narcotics Drugs Interdiction Taskforce, which led to the charges in the Palomo case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted this case. In a separate case, Glenn was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in connection with a January 10, 2023 incident in which he fled from a Nampa Police Officer during a routine traffic stop. According to court records, Glenn jumped out of a moving vehicle during a traffic stop in an attempt to flee from law enforcement. After a foot pursuit through a grocery store parking lot, a Nampa Police Department patrol officer was able to apprehend Glenn. The officer searched Glenn and found nearly one pound of methamphetamine taped to his ankle. The bag holding the methamphetamine had a hole in it and spilled methamphetamine in a serpentine-like path through the grocery store parking lot when Glenn had run from police. Officers secured the scene and collected the methamphetamine scattered throughout the parking lot. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Nampa Police Department, which led to the charges in the Glenn case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case. ###


title: Justice Department Announces Proposed Revision of Application for Presidential Pardons

component: Office for Access to Justice

body_text: Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the Justice Department’s proposed revision of the application for presidential pardons for those who have completed their federal sentences. The Attorney General made the announcement during remarks at a convening of the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable. Over the past year, the department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney (Pardon) has coordinated with the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) to make the first major revisions to the application form in decades. The revision is aimed at making the form more user-friendly and accessible. Pardon and ATJ extensively engaged with applicants, advocates, and stakeholders, and the revisions implement their important feedback. In revising the form, Pardon and ATJ have utilized a human-centered design approach and best practices in form design, incorporating access to justice principles and research. The revisions reflect ongoing work to expand access to justice through a department-wide effort to simplify public-facing forms and documents, consistent with the recommendations described in the 2022 and 2023 Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Reports. Notable changes to the proposed form include: Eliminating the requirement for notarized signature pages, to reduce the burden on applicants and their character references; Asking for less information about applicants’ histories, to streamline the application and make it easier to complete; Reframing questions using plain language and eliminating legal jargon; and Adding user-focused resources, including enhanced instructions and explanations, a checklist for completion and a table of contents. Notice regarding the proposed revisions has been published in the Federal Register , and Pardon invites the public’s input on ways to continue to improve. Comments can be submitted through Jan. 16, 2024. The final form will be made available in the spring. Pardon applications already submitted using the current form need not be resubmitted using the new form. Pardon will continue to process any application received using either form. ATJ will continue to collaborate with Justice Department components to embed simplification principles and expand access to programs and activities across the department. To learn more about ATJ’s work, please visit the ATJ website . Updates on the work of the Pardon Attorney, or to learn more about the work of the Office of the Pardon Attorney, can be found at Office of the Pardon Attorney | Office of the Pardon Attorney (justice.gov) .