title: Tucson Man Indicted for Second-Degree Murder

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Matthew Leyvas, 28, of Tucson, on one count of Second-Degree Murder. Leyvas is an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. The indictment alleges that, on August 8, 2024, Leyvas stabbed the victim multiple times. The victim was promptly transported to Banner University Medical Center but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. Second-Degree Murder carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Micah Schmit, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-5789-TUC-JCH RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-121_Leyvas # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Philadelphia Businessman Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Evading $148,000 in Taxes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that William Powell, 65, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson, for committing tax evasion. Powell was also ordered to pay $148,984 in restitution and a $50,000 fine. The defendant was indicted in August 2023 and pleaded guilty to the charges against him in May. Powell had been performing general contracting work and cleaning services for a federally funded nonprofit organization in the Philadelphia area, but in 2010, he married the executive director of this nonprofit. Conflict-of-interest rules prohibited the nonprofit from retaining Powell’s company due to the marriage. To circumvent these rules, Powell used another person to take over the cleaning business as a nominal owner. Powell continued to run the business, provide the services, and receive compensation from the cleaning business. While hiding his operation of the cleaning service business from 2014 through 2018, Powell earned over $700,000 derived from payments made to the cleaning business by his wife’s non-profit entity. Powell hid this income by receiving cash payments, using a debit card in the name of the cleaning business to pay his personal expenses, failing to file tax returns, and eventually lying to IRS agents when they interviewed him about his activity. By hiding over $700,000 in income from the IRS, Powell evaded paying $148,984 in income taxes. “Paying the taxes that we lawfully owe is both our civic and legal duty,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “William Powell opted to go another way, concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in income. In doing so, he cheated both the government and the honest taxpayers who help fill its treasury each year. That’s why tax evasion has some serious consequences, as Mr. Powell can now confirm.” “The prosecution of individuals who intentionally conceal income and evade taxes is a vital element of the IRS' enforcement strategy,” said Amy MacNeely, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation Philadelphia Field Office. “Those who attempt to hide their income to evade paying taxes, like Mr. Powell did, should know you will be prosecuted.” The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Donovan.


title: West Point man sentenced to prison for drug trafficking

body_text: Oxford, MS – A West Point man was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking. According to court documents, Quishaun Bennett, 36, previously pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Bennett to 120 months in prison following his drug trafficking conviction. Upon release from prison, Bennett will serve a three-year term of supervised release. Bennett was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after sentencing. “Those individuals who choose to sell illicit drugs like methamphetamine in our communities need to know that we will not only prosecute them for their illegal acts, but we will also seek significant sentences to remove them from the drug trade and from the communities that they are irreparably harming,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Methamphetamine brings turmoil into the lives of those who are addicted to or live around it. The Drug Enforcement Administration, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to attack the scourge of methamphetamine distribution in the Northern District of Mississippi and beyond,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa McDaniels-McCaw. “The lengthy sentencing of this individual should be a warning to those who want to sell drugs. We are going to catch you and put you in prison for a long time if you distribute this poison in our communities.” "Illicit drugs have no place on Mississippi streets,” said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “Our thanks go out to all involved for their dedication to investigating, prosecuting, and sentencing these cases appropriately, sending a clear message that drug trafficking has no place in our state. Outstanding work by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and all supporting agencies in this case, ensuring the continued safety of our communities." The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement. Other agencies assisting with the investigation included the U.S. Marshal’s Service, FBI and the Clay County’s Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case. This investigation and resulting case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Parking Management Company to Resolve Claims of National Origin Discrimination

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with SP Plus Corporation (SP Plus), a transportation and parking management company headquartered in Chicago. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that SP Plus discriminated against a worker by rejecting a valid document that showed her permission to work and requesting that she provide unnecessary documentation, based on her national origin. “It is unlawful for employers to reject a valid document showing someone’s permission to work because of where the person was born,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department is committed to protecting workers from national origin discrimination in the hiring process and eliminating unnecessary barriers to employment.” After conducting an investigation based on a complaint, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) concluded that SP Plus discriminated against a beneficiary of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) based on her national origin. TPS beneficiaries have permission to work in the United States . They can get Employment Authorization Documents that show employers their permission to work. Sometimes, the federal government extends these Employment Authorization Documents past the expiration date on the card. Instructions on how an employer can determine if an Employment Authorization Document has been extended by the federal government direct employers to look at the document’s category code and date of expiration. The department determined that instead of following the federal government’s instructions, SP Plus unlawfully rejected the worker’s valid, extended Employment Authorization Document because she was born in the Bahamas rather than Haiti, the country through which she has TPS. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) prohibits employers from considering an employee’s country of birth or other national origin indicator when verifying a person’s permission to work. Under the terms of the settlement, SP Plus will pay a civil penalty to the United States, and offer reinstatement and pay backpay to the affected worker. The agreement also requires the company to train its personnel on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring. SP Plus cooperated with the division’s investigation. IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; or retaliation and intimidation . IER’s website has information about employers’ obligations not to discriminate when hiring workers with TPS and employment rights for workers with TPS . Learn about TPS from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation ; email IER@usdoj.gov ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con una compañía de gestión de aparcamiento que resuelve acusaciones de discriminación por motivos de nacionalidad de origen

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anuncio hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo conciliatorio con SP Plus Corporation (SP Plus), una empresa de gestión de transporte y aparcamiento con sede en Chicago, Illinois. El acuerdo resuelve la determinación del departamento de que SP Plus discriminó a una trabajadora al rechazar un documento válido que mostraba su permiso para trabajar y al pedir que proporcionara documentación innecesaria, con base en su nacionalidad de origen. «Es ilegal que un empleador rechace un documento válido que demuestre el permiso de alguien para trabajar en función del país en el que esa persona nació», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «El Departamento se compromete a proteger a los trabajadores de la discriminación por motivos de nacionalidad de origen en el proceso de contratación y a eliminar barreras innecesarias para el empleo.» Después de llevar a cabo una investigación basada en una queja, la Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), de la División de Derechos Civiles, concluyó que SP Plus discriminó a una beneficiaria del Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) en función de su nacionalidad de origen. Los beneficiarios del TPS tienen permiso para trabajar en los Estados Unidos . Pueden obtener Documentos de Autorización para Trabajar que demuestren a los empleadores su permiso para trabajar. A veces, el gobierno federal prorroga estos Documentos de Autorización para Trabajar más allá de la fecha de vencimiento que figura en la tarjeta. Las instrucciones sobre cómo un empleador puede determinar si un Documento de Autorización para Trabajar ha sido prorrogado por el gobierno federal indican a los empleadores que consulten el código de categoría del documento y la fecha de vencimiento. El Departamento determinó que, en lugar de seguir las instrucciones del gobierno federal, SP Plus rechazó ilegalmente el Documento de Autorización para Trabajar válido y prorrogado de la trabajadora porque nació en las Bahamas en lugar de Haití, el país a través del cual tiene TPS. La ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) prohíbe que los empleadores consideren el país de nacimiento de un empleado u otro indicador de nacionalidad de origen a la hora de verificar el permiso de trabajo de una persona. En virtud de los términos del acuerdo, SP Plus pagará sanciones civiles a los Estados Unidos, y le ofrecerá pagos retroactivos a la trabajadora afectada, así como su reincorporación. Por otra parte, el acuerdo también requiere que la compañía capacite a su personal en cuanto a los requisitos antidiscriminatorios de la INA, que revise sus políticas de empleo y que se someta a la supervisión por parte del Departamento. SP Plus cooperó con la investigación de la División. La IER es responsable de hacer cumplir la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, la ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus de ciudadanía y nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión, prácticas documentales injustas y represalias e intimidación . El sitio web de IER tiene información sobre las obligaciones de los empleadores de no discriminar al contratar a trabajadores con TPS y los derechos laborales de trabajadores con TPS . Obtenga más información sobre el TPS en el sitio web de los Servicios de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de los EE. UU. . Aprenda más sobre el trabajo de la IER y cómo conseguir ayuda mediante este vídeo corto . Aquellos aspirantes o empleados que creen haber sido discriminados por motivos de su ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido, reclutamiento o verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar (Formulario I-9 e E-Verify) o sujetos a represalias pueden presentar una denuncia . El público también puede llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llamar a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); inscribirse a un seminario en línea gratuito o visualizar una presentación a la carta; enviar un correo electrónico a IER@usdoj.gov ; ; o visitar los sitios web de la IER en inglés y español . Inscríbase para recibir actualizaciones por correo electrónico desde la IER.


title: Texarkana federal inmate sentenced for trafficking drugs in prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TEXARKANA, Texas – A Texarkana federal inmate has been sentenced to an additional 87 months for trafficking drugs inside the prison, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Verlan Perez, Jr., 36, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and buprenorphine and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III, on September 11, 2024. According to information presented in court, in March 2021, mail staff at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Texarkana, Texas, intercepted two incoming packages addressed to federal inmate, Verlan Perez, Jr. The packages contained buprenorphine, a controlled substance. Further investigation revealed Perez was conspiring with Rosa Solano-Olivares, to have her deliver methamphetamine into the prison, which he would then distribute to others inside the prison. On October 30, 2021, Solano-Olivares entered the FCI Texarkana to visit Perez. After she entered and exited the women’s restroom in the visitation area, prison staff conducted a search of the restroom and located a package of methamphetamine rolled in black electrical tape, a baggie of marijuana, and rolling papers. Perez was responsible for distributing 43 grams of methamphetamine in FCI Texarkana. Perez was ordered to serve this sentence consecutively to his current federal sentence of 157 months for drug trafficking imposed on January 30, 2019, in the Northern District of Texas. On July 16, 2024, Rosa Solano-Olivares, 41, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for her role in the offense. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons-FCI Texarkana; Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab; and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Crime Lab. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Hurst and Lauren Richards. ###


title: Former School Counselor Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cory Thomas, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography. Thomas must also register as a sex offender. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 7, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thomas’ residence in Charleston and seized his cell phone and other electronic devices. An analysis of the electronic devices revealed at least 109 digital files of child sexual abuse material, 75 of which were videos. The videos and image files included child pornography depicting prepubescent minors subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct and the exploitation of toddlers. At the time of his arrest, Thomas was employed through a subcontractor as a counselor at a public elementary school and previously worked as a substitute teacher. There was no indication from the investigation that any criminal conduct occurred with students from any of Thomas’ workplaces. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon 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 Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . 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. 2:24-cr-43. ###


title: Robeson County Man Who Led Law Enforcement on Two Car Chases Sentenced for Armed Robbery

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – A Robeson County man convicted of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence has been sentenced, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). SHAWN CRAIG STRICKLAND, age 46, of Maxton, North Carolina, was sentenced on September 11, 2024, to 150 months in prison. STRICKLAND pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024, to interference with commerce by robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a), and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii). According to court records, in the early morning of February 5, 2023, a suspect, later identified as STRICKLAND, entered the County Line Grocery located at 1482 NC Highway 71 North in Maxton in the MDNC, armed with a handgun and disguised. He held the firearm on the counter, demanded the clerk give him the money in the register, and stole $1,894. On February 9, when deputies from Scotland County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) and Robeson County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) attempted to apprehend STRICKLAND, he led them on a dangerous car chase, at times through residential areas, while weaving through traffic, swerving across the lane divider, driving with his foot on the dashboard and out of the driver’s side window, and drinking a beer. STRICKLAND evaded capture as he drove into the woods. SCSO and RCSO enlisted the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service in apprehending STRICKLAND. On April 4, 2023, law enforcement located STRICKLAND, and again he led them on a dangerous car chase, avoiding spike strips, driving into oncoming traffic, and running cars off the road. When his car became stuck in muddy terrain, he exited the car with a loaded shotgun. As law enforcement ran after him, he dropped the shotgun but refused to obey any other commands as he ran through woods and pastures until law enforcement captured and arrested him. STRICKLAND was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. At the conclusion of his active term of imprisonment, STRICKLAND will be subject to a five-year term of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,894 in restitution. The case was investigated by the Scotland County Sheriff's Office, Robeson County Sheriff's Office, United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laure Jeanne Dildine. ###


title: Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 134 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today to 134 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents, Lawrence Allen Peterson, II, also known as “Toro,” 48, conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine within the Council Bluffs metropolitan area between March and October 2023. In 2005, Peterson was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. After completing his term of imprisonment, Peterson will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource Centers

body_text: A Florida man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate employees of pro-life pregnancy help centers in the free exercise of the right to provide and seek to provide reproductive health services. Caleb Freestone, along with two co-defendants, Amber Smith-Stewart and Annarella Rivera, selected reproductive health facilities that provided and counseled alternatives to abortion and vandalized those facilities with threatening messages. According to court documents, these defendants engaged in a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy help centers in Florida. The defendants admitted they participated in the attack in the dark of night, and while wearing masks and dark clothing to obscure their identities, spray painted the facilities with threatening messages, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U” and “We are everywhere.” These defendants pleaded guilty on June 14 to a civil rights conspiracy. “These defendants admitted that they conspired to paint threatening messages on crisis pregnancy centers, based on the defendants’ objection to the services those centers offered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Violence and threats of violence have no place in our national discourse on reproductive health. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the right to access reproductive health care and prosecuting anyone who interferes with that right.” “These defendants conspired to threaten and intimidate providers offering reproductive health care,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Federal law protects these providers and those who seek their services. My office will continue its work to protect access to reproductive health care and federally prosecute those interfering with that right.” Smith-Stewart and Rivera were also each sentenced today to 30 days in prison and 60 days in home detention. The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Miami Police Department. Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov . For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers .


title: El Salvadorian sentenced to federal prison for reentering the United States  following three previous removals

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – An El Salvadorian man has been sentenced to federal prison for immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Robert Daniel Argueta-Lopez, 51, pleaded guilty to being illegally in the United States and was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on September 12, 2024. According to information presented in court, on July 9, 2022, local law enforcement stopped a car being driven by Argueta in Van Zandt County, Texas, and he was arrested on state charges. After being booked into the Van Zandt County Jail, federal law enforcement found Argueta in the Eastern District of Texas and determined that he was without lawful immigration status in the United States. The investigation determined that Argueta was a citizen and national of El Salvador and had previously been deported or removed from the United States on December 13, 2007, April 25, 2012, and on July 30, 2021. Argueta’s first removal followed a state conviction for first-degree murder in Tarrant County, Texas in 1994. His second removal followed a federal conviction for illegal reentry after deportation in the Northern District of Texas in 2008. And his third removal followed a federal conviction for assault on a federal officer in the Southern District of Texas in 2013. This case was investigated by DHS Immigration Customs Enforcement-Enforcement Removal Operations; Homeland Security Investigations; the Wills Point Police Department; and the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst. ###


title: Placer County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Charge

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Paul Hughes, 41, of Colfax, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between September 2018 and June 2019, on three separate occasions Hughes created visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes used a cellphone to surreptitiously record at least three videos containing child sexual abuse material and saved them on an external hard drive. In addition to these videos, agents recovered over 3,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Hughes’s external hard drive and Google account. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case. Hughes is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Hughes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph Daniel Skeens, 35, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2023, Skeens sold approximately 2.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for a new Rigid impact wrench that was still in its original packaging. Skeens admitted to the transaction and further admitted to at least three additional transactions from October 2, 2023, through November 22, 2023, during which he distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine in exchange for money or items of value such as tools and groceries that were shoplifted at his direction. The transaction occurred at or near Skeens’ residence in St. Albans. These transactions by Skeens also included the sale of 3.46 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $50 on October 2, 2023, the sale of 1.34 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for a Rigid rotary power hammer on November 18, 2023, and approximately 1 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for approximately $100 worth of groceries on November 22, 2023. Each transaction was with a confidential informant. Skeens is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. 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-200. ###


title: Pharr resident receives max for smuggling over 100

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 21-year-old man has been sentenced for transporting undocumented individuals, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Isaac Jake Gonzalez pleaded guilty March 30, 2023. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that while on bond, Gonzalez continued to smuggle undocumented individuals and allegedly trafficked a 15-year-old girl for sex which resulted in a revocation of his bond. The court also heard Gonzalez was responsible for smuggling unaccompanied minors and that, in some cases, the undocumented people were locked in trailers where the refrigeration was not working. Beginning in summer 2021, authorities initiated an investigation into an organization responsible for smuggling thousands of undocumented aliens in tractor-trailers. Law enforcement ultimately identified Gonzalez and his brother-in-law, Anthony Williams, as coordinators responsible for recruiting drivers. On Dec. 6, 2022, authorities arrested Gonzalez and three other co-conspirators. Law enforcement discovered that members had delivered six undocumented migrants to a warehouse where a tractor-trailer was waiting to smuggle them north. Through the investigation, Gonzalez was found responsible for smuggling approximately 115 undocumented individuals. Williams, 27, Pharr, was previously sentenced to 96 months in federal prison. Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.


title: Final defendant convicted on all charges in Operation Ghost Busted

body_text: BRUNSWICK, GA: The final defendant in a massive drug trafficking organization has been convicted on all charges after a two-day jury trial. Blake K. Screen , 36, of Brunswick, was found guilty on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Screen faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “As the final defendant awaiting adjudication in this conspiracy, Blake Screen’s conviction represents a milestone in this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The investigators and prosecutors performed outstanding work in removing this drug trafficking operation from our community and holding the conspirators accountable.” Screen was on of 76 defendants indicted in USA v. Alvarez et al ., dubbed Operation Ghost Busted because of the drug trafficking conspiracy’s ties to the Ghost Face Gangsters and other criminal street gangs. Unsealed in January 2023, the indictment resulted from an investigation that identified a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large amounts of high-grade methamphetamine, along with fentanyl, heroin, and alprazolam in the greater Glynn County area. For more than two years, investigators from the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff's Office, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office collaborated with multiple federal, state, and local agencies to identify the sprawling drug trafficking network. The conspiracy operated inside and outside Georgia prisons, coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters working with affiliates of other gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples. During the trial before U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, jurors learned that Screen conspired by text and Facebook messages with other traffickers in the organization – many of whom were inmates in Georgia state prisons – to transport and sell large quantities of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. Investigators found more than 65 doses of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, in Screen’s possession when he was taken into custody. Of the other 75 original defendants in Operation Ghost Busted, 70 have been sentenced to prison terms of as much as life in prison after pleading guilty, and four are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty. One defendant died while awaiting trial. Judge Wood will schedule sentencing for Screen upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. Operation Ghost Busted, the largest drug trafficking prosecution in the history of the Southern District of Georgia, was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; and sheriff’s offices from Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge, and Ware counties. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland, L. Alexander Hamner, and Criminal Division Deputy Chief E. Greg Gilluly Jr.


title: Indictment Charges 7 Individuals for Involvement in Nationwide Jewelry Theft Ring

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, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging seven individuals for their alleged involvement in an organized jewelry theft ring that targeted mall-based stores and kiosks across the country. The indictment was returned on July 16, 2024, and partially unsealed yesterday. EDIXON RINCON PUENTES , 44, formerly of Los Angeles, California, was arrested on July 17 in Queens, New York, and HAROLD RAMIREZ CAGUA , also known as “Gordo,” 40, of Miami, Florida, and YESENIA MELENDEZ RINCON , 40, of Kissimmee, Florida, were arrested on July 18. Rincon Puentes and Ramirez Cagua are detained, and Melendez Rincon was released to home confinement with location monitoring. A fourth defendant, JORGE GIOVANNI ESCOBAR GONZALEZ , 40, of Kissimmee, Florida, was previously detained in Florida on preexisting state charges but is now in federal custody. The three remaining defendants are currently being sought by law enforcement and their identities remain under seal. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, from May 2023 through April 2024, Ramirez Cagua, Rincon Puentes, Melendez Rincon, Escobar Gonzalez, and others burglarized jewelry stores and kiosks in malls and then transported the stolen property or the proceeds from it across state lines. The co-conspirators burglarized jewelry establishments at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Connecticut, on October 5, 2023; in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, on October 27, 2023; in Henrico, Virginia on November 4, 2023; and in Horseheads, New York, on April 18, 2024. The total losses from these burglaries exceed $1.28 million. Members of the conspiracy cased additional jewelry stores and kiosks in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Delaware. The indictment charges Ramirez Cagua, Rincon Puentes, Melendez Rincon, and Escobar Gonzalez each with one count of conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI New Haven’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force with the assistance of the Milford (Conn.) Police Department, the Hamilton Township (N.J.) Police Division, the Delaware State Police, the Henrico County (Va.) Police Division, the New York State Police, the New York Police Department, and the Pensacola (Fla.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Conor M. Reardon. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and the FBI Field Offices in New York, Dallas, Miami, and Tampa for their assistance.


title: Illinois Man Found Guilty of Selling Fatal Fentanyl Pills

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A jury Wednesday evening convicted a man from Belleville, Illinois of a charge related to his sale of fake Percocet pills that killed a man in St. Louis County in 2022. A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis found Deontae’ Tre’Von Overall, 28, guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Evidence and testimony at trial showed that the victim contacted Overall’s cellular phone on Dec. 3, 2022, seeking the prescription pain pill Percocet. The victim bought three pills that mimicked the appearance of Percocet from Overall at Overall’s home in St. Louis. The victim died later that evening from fentanyl intoxication caused by ingesting the fake Percocet. The death triggered an investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Investigators contacted Overall’s cellular phone to arrange additional purchases of counterfeit Percocet, which contained fentanyl. Overall ultimately sold fentanyl to an undercover task force officer on July 19, 2023, and fentanyl and methamphetamine to an officer on July 26. A court-approved search of Overall’s home in Belleville on August 3, 2023, resulted in the seizure of drug paraphernalia and approximately 60 pills resembling those sold to the victim and the undercover officer. On September 6, the Friday before the trial began, Overall admitted the July 26 sale of drugs to the undercover task force officer and pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing one or more controlled substances to another person. “This case involves a young adult who was lied to by a drug dealer and his life is now tragically over,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey, head of Drug Enforcement Administration operations in Eastern Missouri. "DEA finds seven out of 10 of the pills being tested in our labs have a lethal dose of fentanyl. We’ve said it before, and we’ll keep saying it: if a pill did not come from a doctor or a pharmacy, don’t take it. Don’t be a statistic – one pill can kill.” The distribution of fentanyl resulting in death charge is punishable by 20 years to life in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both prison and a fine. The charge of distribution of a controlled substances is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Epplin and Jerome McDonald prosecuted the case.


title: Final Medoc Defendant Sentenced in $4.4 Million Prescription Kickback Scheme

component: Criminal Investigative Division (FBI)

body_text: The final defendant in the Medoc kickback conspiracy was sentenced yesterday to 10 months in federal prison for his role in a prescription kickback scheme that cost federal insurance programs more than $4.4 million, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. The first indictment was filed in January 2020. Those sentenced include: Kevin Douglas Kuykendall, cofounder of Medoc Health Services, sentenced to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution for conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks Sabrina Burmester Kuykendall, Kevin’s wife, sentenced to 36 months’ probation and ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution for conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks Mark David Schneider, cofounder of Medoc Health Services, sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution for conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks Michael Ray Schneider, sentenced to 14 months in prison and ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution for conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks Trenton Lynn Moody, sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison and ordered to pay $257,500 in restitution for conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks Cuong “Michael” Nguyen, founder of Total RX pharmacy, sentenced to 10 months in prison for misprision (concealment) of a felony and paid in restitution in the amount of $591,142 Moky Chung, sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution for conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks According to court documents, Medoc conspirators knowingly solicited illegal kickbacks from Total RX, a Rowlett pharmacy that was struggling to stay afloat. In December 2014, Medoc executives Kevin Kuykendall and Mark Schneider approached Total RX owner Cuong Nguyen with a proposal: Nguyen could convert Total RX from an infusion pharmacy into a compounding pharmacy and begin filling prescriptions for Medoc. In return for referring lucrative prescriptions to Total RX, Medoc would receive a 50 percent commission. The initial agreement only covered prescriptions covered by private insurers and specifically excluded any prescriptions paid by federal insurance programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and Worker’s Compensation. At the time, Kuykendall and Schneider acknowledged that Medoc could not get paid on prescriptions paid by federal insurance programs. (They later admitted they knew of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) , which makes it illegal to receive remuneration in return for the referral of prescriptions funded by federal insurers.) However, in early 2015, Kevin Kuykendall directed Nguyen to enter into a sham employment agreement with Mark Schneider’s brother, co-defendant Michael Ray Schneider, which would grant him a 45 percent commission on all prescriptions covered by federal health insurance that were referred by Medoc to Total RX. Though nominally an “employee” of the pharmacy, Michael Schneider would be neither trained nor supervised Total RX. He would not work out of the Total RX offices, would not perform duties at Total RX’s behest, and would rarely communicate with Total RX. In court documents, multiple defendants admitted that the employment agreement between Michael Schneider and Total RX served as a way to “paper up” the payment of illegal kickbacks on prescriptions paid out by federal insurers. Initially, Nguyen declined to execute the employment agreement, concerned that it specifically tied commission payments to government insurance programs. During a conference call, Kevin Kuykendall, Mark Schneider, and Moky Cheung agreed to designate prescriptions covered by federal health insurance programs as “<PRESCRIBER NAME> T” in order to internally track federal prescriptions for purposes of calculating kickbacks owed to all the conspirators but yet conceal the criminal nature of the scheme. Defendants Kevin Kuykendall, Mark Schneider, Moky Cheung, and Trenton Moody then created various entities, including “Barolo Partners,” to receive and distribute Mr. Schneider’s purported salary payments. A portion of the money deposited into the Barolo account was eventually dispersed to K&S Biotherapeutics, an entity controlled by the Kuykendalls, and to Radiux Resources, an entity controlled by Moky Chung. Beginning in August 2015, Medoc entered into a similar scheme with Doctors Specialty Pharmacy (DSP). In return for Medoc referring prescriptions to DSP, the pharmacy paid a hefty commission to the conspirators via Vantage Investment Partners, an entity they created for that purpose. The money was disguised as payment for “marketing services,” but no marketing occurred. In total for the various schemes, the conspirators submitted claims for $10,448,856.90. and received payment of $5,837,219.70. In 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas intervened and filed its own complaint in a civil qui tam lawsuit that relator Mark Adams brought in 2017 pursuant to the False Claims Act, captioned United States ex rel. Mark Adams v. Medoc Health Services, L.L.C. et al., Civ. No. 3:17-CV-2977-M (N.D. Tex., Dallas Division). Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. As part of the resolution of these civil claims, Kevin and Sabrina Kuykendall paid $4 million, and Trenton Moody paid $600,000 to the United States. In addition, Mark and Michael Schneider stipulated to entry of a $3 million civil judgment; Cuong “Michael” Nguyen to a $2.25 million civil judgment; and Moky Cheung to a $300,000 civil judgment. FBI, HHS-OIG, Department of Labor, and the Texas Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donna Max, Doug Brasher, Nick Bunch (fmr), and Matthew Smid (fmr) prosecuted the criminal case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Coffin, Richard Guiltinan, Beverly Chapman, Katie Carr Jacobs, and Clayton Ray Mahaffey (fmr) handled the civil suit.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud Conspiracy Related to Illegal Gambling Businesses

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Ohio man was sentenced to 24 months in prison today for conspiring to defraud the IRS by not reporting income he earned from his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2010 through 2018, Jason Kachner, of Canton, along with Christos Karasarides Jr. and other co-conspirators, owned and operated two illegal gambling businesses, Skilled Shamrock and Redemption. From 2012 through 2017, patrons at Skilled Shamrock wagered a total of more than $34 million, which resulted in more than $4 million in income for the owners of the gambling business. Kachner conspired with his co-owners to defraud the IRS by using a nominee owner to conceal their ownership of the businesses and by filing false tax returns that omitted most of the income he received from the businesses. Overall, Kachner caused a loss to the IRS of $844,692. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Kachner to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,393,024 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.


title: Early Bitcoin Investor Pleads Guilty to Filing Tax Return that Falsely Reported His Cryptocurrency Gains

body_text: An Austin, Texas, man pleaded guilty today to filing a tax return that falsely underreported the capital gains he earned from selling $3.7 million in bitcoin. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2017 and 2019, Frank Richard Ahlgren III filed false tax returns that underreported or did not report the sale of $4 million worth of bitcoin in which he had substantial gains. All taxpayers are required to report any sale proceeds and gains or losses from the sale of cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, on their IRS tax return. Ahlgren was an early investor in bitcoins. In 2015, Ahlgren purchased approximately 1,366 bitcoins. That year, bitcoins were valued at no more than $500 each. In October 2017, Ahlgren sold approximately 640 bitcoins for approximately $5,807.53 per bitcoin for a total of $3.7 million. Ahlgren had purchased most of the bitcoins he sold in 2017 in 2015. He used the entirety of the proceeds from the sale of bitcoins to purchase a house in Park City, Utah. Ahlgren then filed a false tax return with the IRS for 2017 that substantially inflated the cost basis of the bitcoins, and therefore underreported his capital gain from his bitcoin sale. In addition, in 2018 and 2019, Ahlgren sold more than $650,000 worth of bitcoins and did not report those sales on either years’ tax returns. In total, Ahlgren caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $550,000. Ahlgren will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Texas Office of Attorney General are investigating the case. Assistant Chief Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Mary Frances Richardson of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Harris for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Audubon Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Audubon man was sentenced today to 25 years (300 months) in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. According to public court documents, William Roland Brubaker, 27, initiated a sexual relationship with a minor and produced videos of child sexual abuse material of the minor. The videos were recorded on a cell phone and shared with Brubaker through a social media application. After completing his term of imprisonment, Brubaker will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Brubaker will be required to register as a sex offender. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Audubon County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation’s Cyber Crime Bureau, Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. 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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Bucks County Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison for Running Ponzi Schemes, Money Laundering, and Stealing Over $6 Million in Federal Pandemic Relief Funds

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Stanislav Bril, aka “Stan Bril” and “Slava Bril,” age 41, of Jamison, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge John M. Younge to 135 months in prison, three years of supervised release, over $14 million in restitution, and a $2,400 special assessment in connection with multiple fraud schemes, including the theft of more than $6 million in federal pandemic relief funds. Judge Younge also ordered that Bril be remanded into custody following the hearing. On October 30, 2023, Bril pleaded guilty to three counts of mail fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud, and five counts of money laundering, all arising from his operation of two different Ponzi schemes, his false applications for bank loans, his defrauding of the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, and related conduct. From October 2011 to August 2014, Bril operated a Ponzi scheme through his company, Mortgage Consultant Group (“MCG”), obtaining over $1 million from investors and using much of these funds for his own benefit and to perpetuate the scheme. In his marketing materials and his sales pitches to investors, Bril falsely claimed that these investments would enable MCG to make loans on real estate and construction projects or enable MCG to make short-term, high interest loans. Bril falsely promised that investors would obtain regular returns, or “interest,” on their capital loan investments in MCG. Rather than use investors’ funds as promised, Bril used the vast majority of the money to pay himself, his family, and his personal expenses – including his gambling losses at casinos – and to perpetuate his scheme by occasionally making “interest” payments to some investors. From October 2018 to June 2021, Bril fraudulently obtained a $750,000 line of credit from a bank headquartered in Scranton, Pa., for another company he created, The Bril Group, Inc. (“TBG”). In order to secure the line of credit, Bril made false statements about TBG’s business, the number of TBG employees he was hiring, and the intended use of the line of credit. Once he obtained the line of credit, Bril caused those funds to be spent on unauthorized purchases and laundered a significant portion of those funds through various bank accounts. From April 2020 to March 2021, Bril fraudulently obtained over $6.7 million from the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) and Paycheck Protection Programs (“PPP”) by making false statements about the number of employees of, the wages and payroll taxes paid by, and the intended use of the loan proceeds by several companies that he created. Bril falsely claimed that these companies – TBG, MCG LOAN, and SAB Services LLC – had several hundred employees, when, in reality, none of these companies had more than one employee. In his PPP and EIDL applications, Bril submitted purportedly historical tax forms with inflated payroll information for nonexistent employees that had never actually been filed. In addition, Bril falsely denied that there were criminal charges pending against him at the time of his applications. In fact, federal charges were already pending against Bril for his perpetration of the Ponzi scheme detailed above. Once he fraudulently obtained these government funds, Bril wired them to other individuals, cryptocurrency platforms, and a title company towards the purchase of a Los Angeles condominium. In addition, Bril spent fraud proceeds on luxury vehicles, a boat, and extravagant vacations. He also laundered a significant portion of those funds through various bank accounts and transactions. From July 2019 to at least August 2021, Bril revived MCG and used it to perpetrate yet another Ponzi scheme, obtaining millions of dollars in loans from several investors and using these funds for his own benefit – including paying for his own home renovations – and to perpetuate the scheme. Bril initially took short-term loans from investors and repaid investors with high interest rates to lull them into a false sense of security and to obtain larger loans from them. In his sales pitches to investors, Bril falsely claimed that their loans would enable MCG to make loans on real estate and construction projects and/or enable MCG to make short-term, high-interest loans. However, Bril provided investors with few details of these purported projects and declined to identify his purported borrowers. He often encouraged investors to “roll over” their loans into new deals, rather than take their payouts per their agreements with Bril. When investors asked him whether he had any claims, lawsuits, or legal proceedings filed against him, Bril falsely answered in the negative, despite his knowledge that federal charges were already pending against him for his perpetration of the earlier Ponzi scheme. When Bril began missing the agreed repayments to investors, he provided bogus explanations for his theft of their loans, including that he was waiting for a wire to clear, that he waiting for a check to be mailed from his bank, that he was looking for a new bank, that his new bank was giving him a “hard time,” and that he was suffering from a variety of health emergencies and personal tragedies that were somehow preventing him from making timely paying to the investors. Rather than use investors’ funds as promised, Bril used the funds to pay himself, his family, and his personal expenses – including trading in digital currencies – and to perpetuate his schemes by occasionally making “interest” payments to some investors. “Stanislav Bril is a rampant and remorseless scammer,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Over the course of a decade, he blithely defrauded everyone from individual investors — many of whom lost their life savings or kids’ college funds — to a community bank, to the U.S. government and the millions of taxpayers who fund it. Meantime, he was shopping for Bentleys and boats. We and our partners are committed to holding con artists like Bril accountable, both to keep them from claiming more victims and to reinforce that crime truly doesn’t pay in the end.” “While conducting his various schemes, the defendant stole over $6 million. The money was intended to support legitimate businesses suffering losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those who exploit government programs for personal gain.” The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS - Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vineet Gauri and Matthew T. Newcomer.


title: California Businessman and His Companies Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Improper Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: Civil Division

body_text: Yosef Y. Manela, a Los Angeles-based businessman who owns and operates an accounting firm, law firm and consulting company, has paid $802,341.40 to the United States to resolve allegations that he and his three companies violated the False Claims Act in connection with six loans the businesses received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Manela and his companies also agreed to repay the lender for all outstanding PPP loans, relieving the Small Business Administration (SBA) of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of approximately $728,000. The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the SBA, was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A borrower applying for a PPP loan was required to make multiple certifications that the borrower was eligible for the requested loan and the borrower would not receive another PPP loan. The borrower was also required to certify that the funds would be used for qualifying expenses, such as payroll, lease payments, utilities and other allowable business expenses. In December 2020, Congress approved funding for a “second draw” of PPP loan funds, which became available to borrowers beginning in January 2021. The United States alleged that Manela and his companies received a total of six first and second draw PPP loans based on duplicative payroll expenses for multiple businesses and/or on behalf of non-existent employees. According to the United States, Manela and his companies made capital distributions of business profits to Manela’s family members that were falsely characterized as wages in PPP loan applications and forgiveness applications. The United States alleged that these false loan and forgiveness applications resulted in losses to the SBA for processing fees, interest and payment to the lender on a loan guarantee. “PPP loans were intended to provide critical relief to small businesses facing difficult economic times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department is committed to pursuing those who improperly sought to enrich themselves at the expense of the PPP or other pandemic-assistance programs.” “Every taxpayer dollar lost to unscrupulous individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic is money that failed to reach businesses struggling for survival,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “It is important that we uphold the integrity of pandemic-related assistance programs.” “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the Department of Justice, SBA’s Office of Inspector General and other Federal law enforcement agencies, to address fraud on the PPP,” said General Counsel Therese Meers of the SBA. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Relator LLC, a limited liability corporation formed by California attorneys Anoush Hakimi and Peter Shahriari. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Relator LLC v. Yosef Y. Manela et al., Case No. 2:22-cv-04781-MWF-ASx (CDCA). Relator LLC will receive approximately $80,000 as its share of the total settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. Trial Attorney Allie Pang of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul La Scala for the Central District of California handled the matter, with the assistance of Civil Division Investigator Wanda Wesley and Paralegal Heather Beckler for the Central District of California. Sandra Mazzoni, of the SBA’s Office of Inspector General, also provided investigative assistance. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Settles Disability Discrimination Allegations with the Allergy and Asthma Center in Rochester

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A settlement agreement has been reached with the Allergy and Asthma Center (“the Center”) in Rochester to resolve allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. “The ADA ensures that persons with disabilities can live their life free of discrimination,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “The ADA’s requirement that public accommodations provide the necessary auxiliary aids and services to ensure that communication is effective protects individuals’ independence and freedom of choice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to use every resource and tool available to us to enforce the ADA and protect the rights of Granite Staters.” The agreement resolves a complaint referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office that the Center discriminated against a parent, who is deaf. According to the complainant, the Center canceled a child’s scheduled medical appointment after learning that the complainant, who planned to accompany their child to the appointment, would require a qualified ASL interpreter or similar accommodation for effective communication. The Center’s failure to timely accommodate the complainant resulted in an appreciable delay in care for the child after the complainant had to seek treatment for the child at a different provider. Under the terms of the agreement, the Center has agreed to adopt new ADA policies and practices regarding effective communication and securing qualified interpreters for patients; train its staff on these policies; track future requests for auxiliary aids or services; and cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure ongoing compliance with the terms of the settlement agreement. Additionally, the Center has agreed to pay compensatory damages to the complainant and their child. Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in places of public accommodation, including medical clinics. It requires places of public accommodation to provide the necessary auxiliary aids and services to ensure that communication is effective. Such aids and services can include ASL interpreters for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and must be paid for by the place of public accommodation. The Center fully cooperated with the government’s investigation. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo. Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a place of public accommodation or public entity in New Hampshire is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (603) 225-1552 or through the Civil Rights Public Complaint Form found here . For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). ###


title: North Carolina Woman Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $500,000 from Farwell Funeral Service in Nashua

body_text: CONCORD – A North Carolina woman was sentenced today in federal court in Concord in connection with charges arising out of her embezzlement of more than a half a million dollars from her previous employer, Farwell Funeral Service Inc. in Nashua, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. LaSaundra Simmons, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante to 27 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release. The defendant was ordered to pay $541,381in restitution. On May 20, 2024, Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Simmons worked as the bookkeeper for Farwell Funeral Service, Inc. for several years. Starting in 2015, and continuing until it was discovered in January 2023, Simmons employed a scheme to embezzle funds from the company. On more than 100 occasions, she either made unauthorized wire transfers of funds from the funeral home’s bank account to her own account, or drafted unauthorized checks which she deposited by electronic wire transfer into her own account. She would often describe these checks as “commissions” or “consulting fees.” She embezzled $541,381 over the course of the scheme. “Ms. Simmons’s conduct was egregious, long-running, and did great harm to a third-generation New Hampshire small business,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Today’s sentence is a measure of justice for the victim and a warning to other fraudsters that if you steal from your employer, you will be prosecuted and incarcerated.” “LaSaundra Simmons betrayed the trust of the family-run funeral home where she worked, and stole more than half a million dollars from them, using their money as her own,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI will diligently investigate and bring to justice anyone who engages in such egregious financial fraud.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Nashua Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Relating to Rental Property Income

body_text: CONCORD – A Mississippi woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord to charges arising out of her theft of rental proceeds from her previous employer, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Roslyn Weems, 52, previously of Portsmouth, NH, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for December 19, 2024. Weems worked for an individual who resides in Portsmouth. The victim owned a luxury property off the coast of Maine that was listed available for rent via the Internet at websites. In July 2021, Weems coordinated the rental of the property for three weeks, generating approximately $52,000 in rental income. Weems arranged to have the payments diverted to accounts under her exclusive control rather than an account associated with the property’s owner, and then used the payments for her own benefit. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Restitution is mandatory. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Portsmouth Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Contact with  Inmate and Contraband Smuggling

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - Cara Wozniak, a former Corrections Officer at the Milan, Michigan Federal Correctional Institution (FCI Milan), pleaded guilty today to sexual contact with an inmate and smuggling contraband into the prison, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General. Wozniak, 33, entered pleas of guilty to one count of sexual contact with a ward and one count of providing contraband in prison. Federal law and prison rules prohibit all sexual interaction between staff members and inmates, as well as the introduction or possession of contraband in prison. Contraband is defined as prohibited materials which can reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or adversely affect the security, safety, or good order of the institution. United States Attorney Ison stated “Corrections Officers are entrusted with the critical responsibility of managing the security of our federal prisons. Ms. Wozniak’s conduct in this case was an abuse of that trust and created a security risk for everyone at the institution. Sexual contact between inmates and Corrections Officers is never acceptable, nor is the smuggling of contraband into prison. My office takes such cases seriously and will prosecute them to the full extent of the law.” According to the plea agreement, Wozniak began working as a Corrections Officer at FCI Milan in November 2002. The Federal Bureau of Prisons provides comprehensive training for new Corrections Officers, during which is made abundantly clear that any type of sexual interaction between guards and inmates is absolutely prohibited, as is the smuggling of contraband into a prison. Court documents state that on two occasions in the fall of 2023, Wozniak engaged in sexual intercourse with an inmate (identified as “Inmate-1” in the plea agreement) who was under her custody and control. Wozniak also purchased pouches of loose tobacco for Inmate-1 from a smoke shop in Milan and smuggled them into the prison for him. Inmate-1 requested these items from Wozniak so he could sell the tobacco in prison at a significant profit. Inmate-1 offered to pay Wozniak for the contraband she smuggled into the prison for him. In September 2023, Wozniak purchased a gold necklace which she secretly brought into the prison and gave to Inmate-1. Both the tobacco and the necklace are prohibited items within FCI Milan, and as such are classified as contraband under federal law. Sentencing is set for February 5, 2025, before United States District Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey. Wozniak faces a statutory maximum term of 15 years imprisonment on the charge of sexual contact with a ward, and six months on the charge of providing contraband in prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Eaton P. Brown. The investigation is being conducted by the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General.


title: Former Charleston Physician Pleads Guilty to Federal Opioid Crime

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Dr. Alexander V. Otellin, 57, formerly of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to the unlawful distribution of oxycodone. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 27, 2017, Otellin distributed a quantity of oxycodone to a patient at his psychiatry practice in South Charleston. Otellin admitted that while his specialty was psychiatry, he treated the patient for pain management. Otellin further admitted that this distribution was without a legitimate medical purpose, outside the usual course of medical practice, and without proper authority. Otellin distributed controlled substances to the patient starting on or about February 6, 2014, until on or about July 15, 2020. During this time period, Otellin knew the patient was receiving opiates from another physician. For the first four years of this time period, Otellin did not review the patient’s medical history for substance abuse or habits or document a review of the database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. For approximately five months during this time period, Otellin wrote prescriptions for oxycodone and other controlled substances for the patient without conducting evaluations of him. Otellin was believed to have fled the United States to Russia in order avoid prosecution following his indictment by a federal grand jury on September 22, 2021. Otellin possesses dual citizenship in the U.S. and Russia. The U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia worked with INTERPOL Washington to issue an Interpol Red Notice for Otellin. In September 2023, Otellin entered the country of Armenia and was arrested and detained by Armenian authorities. U.S. Marshals took custody of Otellin in Armenia and transported him back to the United States, arriving in Charleston on April 20, 2024. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Armenian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Otellin. Otellin has surrendered his medical license with the West Virginia Board of Medicine. Otellin is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division – Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Owen Reynolds and Andrew D. Isabell are prosecuting the case. 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. 2:21-cr-159. ###


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Johns Hopkins Health System to Provide People with Disabilities Equal Access to Medical Care

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it filed a complaint and proposed consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland resolving allegations that the Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation (Johns Hopkins) violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying people with disabilities equal access to medical care by excluding their necessary support persons. “Patients with disabilities may need the assistance of a support person, like a family member or aide, to have equal access to health care, especially during emergencies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Policies and training go hand in hand when it comes to ensuring that health care providers and their employees are protecting patient rights and not excluding support persons improperly. Ensuring equal access to medical care is a priority for the Justice Department.” “Patients with disabilities deserve equal access to healthcare,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Appropriate medical care often requires them to be accompanied by essential support persons. Johns Hopkins’ recommitment to meeting the needs of its patients with disabilities and ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect is a welcome outcome of this agreement.” Some individuals with dementia, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities may require the assistance of a support person (such as a family member, personal assistant or other individual knowledgeable about them) when accessing medical care. Support persons can help individuals with disabilities to communicate, such as providing their medical history and answering questions, and to understand what is happening, such as medical instructions they are given during their care and discharge. The complaint alleges that Johns Hopkins failed on numerous occasions to follow its own policies on visitors and support persons and did not permit patients with disabilities to be accompanied by their support persons. As a result, these patients were unable to receive equal care. Title III of the ADA requires private hospitals and other health care providers to provide individuals with disabilities with full and equal enjoyment of their goods and services. Under the proposed consent decree, which the court must approve, Johns Hopkins has agreed to pay $150,000 to compensate multiple affected individuals. Johns Hopkins will also update its support person policies to ensure ADA compliance, train its employees on its support person policies and the ADA and report to the department on any future complaints regarding support persons. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland handled the matter. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you may file a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/ . Anyone in the District of Maryland may also report civil rights violations by emailing USAMD.Civilrightscomplaint@usdoj.gov .


title: Former Wisconsin Prison Employee Pleads Guilty to Bribery

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, joins Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, in announcing that on September 12, 2024, William Lee Homan, 47, of Fox Lake, pleaded guilty to smuggling contraband into a state maximum-security prison in exchange for bribes. According to court documents, Homan, a former facilities repair worker at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), received approximately 125 bribe payments totaling approximately $53,579 from July 17, 2022, to September 30, 2023, from inmates, former inmates, and their associates in exchange for smuggling contraband into WCI. Homan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2024 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigated the case. Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary J. Corey for the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case. # # # For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Two Idaho Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Separate Sex Crimes Involving Minor Children

component: USAO - Idaho

body_text: BOISE and POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate District of Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 24 years and over 21 years in federal prison, respectively, for sex crimes against minor children. “Our prosecutors and victim support staff are second to none when it comes to holding child predators accountable and supporting victims on the path towards healing,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Protecting Idaho’s children is a sacred duty for my office, and we are lucky to work with so many dedicated partners in this mission.” On September 10, 2024, Nicholas Glenn Baker 37, of Twin Falls, was sentenced to 288 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the sexual exploitation of a child. According to court records, on July 17, 2023, detectives with the Idaho Falls Police Department and the Idaho Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force began an investigation after receiving a report that child pornography had been uploaded to an online file storage account. Detectives determined that the account belonged to Rexanna Marie Johnston of Idaho Falls. Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on Johnston’s residence and electronic devices. Detectives discovered that Johnston had produced images of a child pornography of an infant that was in her custody. Detectives further recovered online chat communications between Johnston and Baker. In those communications Johnston and Baker discussed their sexual interests in children, and child pornography. Johnston also sent Baker child pornography images she had produced of the infant in her custody. Baker then asked for Johnston to produce additional child pornographic images of the infant and send them to him, which she did. (Johnston pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation charges on May 22, 2024, and is awaiting sentencing scheduled for November 19, 2024.) When detectives arrested Baker he admitted that he knew the infant in Johnston’s custody was a real child, that he requested Johnston produce and send him child pornography images of the infant, and that he received those images. “Our job, as HSI special agents or in working through our many partnerships, is to protect the most vulnerable. This 288 month sentence helps to accomplish that,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Every image of child exploitation represents a life that has been altered by a child predator, and as a community we can be ever more vigilant to reduce the amount of these images that are distributed online.” “I am continually grateful for the hard work and partnerships that enable us to successfully investigate and prosecute these horrific crimes against children,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “Removing these predators from our neighborhoods is a top priority for all of us and I’m encouraged to see the courts delivering sentences that are commensurate with the crimes.” “We are proud of the work done in this case by Idaho Falls Police Investigators and grateful for our partnerships with the US Attorney’s Office and the ICAC Taskforce,” said Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson. “This case underscores the important work being done through these partnerships – protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities and seeking justice on their behalf.” Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered that Baker serve a lifetime of supervised release following his prison sentence. Baker will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction. In a separate case, Alexis Alatriste, 27, of Nampa, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child. According to court records, on January 5, 2024, a citizen reported to the Nampa Police Department that she had found videos on Alatriste’s cellphone of Alatriste sexually abusing the four-year-old victim. Investigators seized and examined Alatriste’s cellphone after obtaining a search warrant. Alatriste had deleted the explicit videos, but investigators recovered the videos using forensic tools. Investigators determined that Alatriste had used his cellphone to record the videos of himself sexually abusing the victim. Investigators also located other files of child pornography on the cellphone. “This case is an excellent example of the importance of strong partnerships between local and federal agencies. Our teamwork successfully brought this case to a positive resolution, with Mr. Alatriste serving time in prison for this terrible crime. We’ll continue to work together to help protect our community,” said Nampa Police Chief Joe Huff. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Alatriste to be placed on lifetime supervised release after the end of his prison term. Alatriste will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction. The Baker case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Idaho ICAC Task Force. The Alatriste case was investigated by the Nampa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Paskett and Kassandra McGrady prosecuted these cases. These cases were 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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: Enid Woman Sentenced to Serve 30 Months in Federal Prison after Embezzling more than $400,000 from Nonprofits

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – DEBORAH WILCZEK , 46, of Enid, has been sentenced to serve 30 months in federal prison for making, uttering, and possessing a forged security, and willfully filing a false federal income tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On May 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 17-count Superseding Indictment against Wilczek, charging her with devising and carrying out a scheme to defraud the YWCA in Enid (YWCA) and the Cimarron Montessori School (Cimarron). According to the Superseding Indictment, from November 2012 through April 2019, Wilczek served in leadership positions for the YWCA. She also served on Cimarron’s School Board in various capacities from August 2016 to April 2021. The Superseding Indictment alleges Wilczek routinely accessed both the YWCA and Cimarron’s business bank accounts, wrote herself checks, and made several unauthorized bank transfers to pay for her personal expenses, including her personal credit card. She concealed her theft by misclassifying these expenses in each nonprofits’ bookkeeping system. In total, Wilczek embezzled $414,951.35 from the two nonprofits, with $139,308.35 coming from YWCA and $275,643 coming from Cimarron. It is also alleged that Wilczek forged Cimarron board members’ signatures on checks written to herself and her consulting firm. The Superseding Indictment further alleges Wilczek willfully filed false federal income tax returns for the years 2016 through 2020, where she listed her total income substantially below the income actually received as a result of the fraud described above. On November 7, 2023, Wilczek pleaded guilty to Counts 10 and 17 of the Superseding Indictment, and admitted she possessed a check with a forged signature written on a bank account belonging to Cimarron and that she filed an income tax return for the 2020 tax year that materially understated her income. At the sentencing hearing on September 11, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Wilczek to serve 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Wilczek to pay $439,749.80 in restitution, with $139,308.35 going to the YWCA, $221,622.45 going to Cimarron, and $78,819.00 going to the IRS. In announcing the sentence, Judge DeGiusti noted the seriousness of the offense, and the detrimental effect that Wilczek’s conduct has had on the Enid community and the organizations themselves. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Stillwater Resident Agency, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Enid Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle London prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for further information.