title: Illinois Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison  For Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: Defendant Sent Hundreds of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Material to Undercover Officer WASHINGTON – Daniel Mahnke, 35, of Manteno, Illinois, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. According to the government’s evidence, in December of 2020, the defendant was using the website Rapey.SU, a social media site where countless users discussed the sexual exploitation of children, bestiality, and hardcore child pornography. During the course of the investigation, Mahnke began communicating with an individual he believed had a child, but who turned out to be law enforcement acting in an undercover capacity (UC). Believing that he was communicating with a pedophile, Mahnke requested that the UC send him sexually explicit photos of the UC’s fictitious child. Mahnke told the UC that he would send child pornography and, in fact, sent the UC a link containing hundreds of videos and images of child pornography. Mahnke was arrested on December 11, 2020, and charged with distribution of child pornography. He has been detained ever since. Mahnke pled guilty on January 6, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell, who prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Texas Man Sentenced for String of Nebraska Pharmacy Burglaries

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christopher Allen Williams, 32, of Fort Worth, Texas, was sentenced on August 23, 2023, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for his involvement in a string of pharmacy burglaries that occurred in Nebraska. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Williams to 63 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Williams will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Williams was also ordered to pay $24,917 in restitution. From February 10, 2021 to February 12, 2021, seven Nebraska pharmacies, located in Springfield, Fremont, and Omaha, were burglarized. In response, a Drug Enforcement Administration-led task force was formed, which included the Omaha Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol. Analyzing cell-tower data, videos taken from the burglaries, and historical cell phone location data, the task force was able to identify specific cell phones that were present at the different burglaries. It was determined from the data that the cell phones were traveling between Texas and Nebraska via Interstate 35. With cooperation from law enforcement agencies in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa, it was determined that two individuals involved in the pharmacy burglaries were Christopher Blanton and Christopher Williams. “Today’s verdict is a testament to the combined efforts of state, local and federal law enforcement agencies working across five states,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Justin C. King said. “It is the responsibility of the DEA to investigate these cases of theft from pharmacies and we are grateful for the assistance of our partners in finding, arresting, and sentencing two individuals who crossed state lines while putting our community members at risk.” Blanton was sentenced on May 17, 2023, to 63 months’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Omaha Man Convicted of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Wesley T. Vavra, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was found guilty on August 23, 2023, by a jury in federal court in Omaha. Vavra was convicted of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Sentencing is set for November 21, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. before Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Vavra faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Between May 2022 and July 16, 2022, Vavra communicated on the Whisper application and through text messages with someone Vavra thought was interested in “open family play dates”. The other Whisper user was a law enforcement officer working in an undercover (“UC”) capacity pretending to be a father with an 8-year-old child. Vavra arranged to meet the UC on July 18, 2022, to engage in sexual acts with the supposed father’s 8-year-old child. Vavra was arrested upon arrival at the meetup location in Omaha. Vavra’s cell phone was seized. Analysis of Vavra’s phone showed that in addition to communicating with the UC, Vavra was also communicating with someone he thought was a 13-year-old female during this same timeframe. The 13-year-old female was also a law enforcement officer working in an undercover capacity. This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Lexington Woman Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Sanjuana Garcia-Ramirez, 40, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Garcia-Ramirez to 78 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Garcia-Ramirez will begin a four-year term of supervised release. On January 5, 2021, officers went to Garcia-Ramirez’s Lexington residence after receiving information that she was selling methamphetamine. Garcia-Ramirez was in drug court at the time in Dawson County, Nebraska, based on a prior conviction for possession of methamphetamine. Officers searched a bedroom and located multiple baggies of methamphetamine and a scale. Laboratory tests confirmed there was at least 53 grams of actual methamphetamine. Garcia-Ramirez intended to distribute the drugs. The investigation revealed Garcia-Ramirez used her cell phone to facilitate her drug trafficking. Messages revealed her asking a drug buyer, “How much are you wanting,” and providing the buyer with the quantity and price of the drugs she could sell. In a December 2020 message, Garcia-Ramirez wrote, “I’m not using I promise,” and, “It’s all about the money it’s all.” This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the Lexington, Nebraska, Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Possessing Destructive Device in Public Housing

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

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Willie Harbour, 61, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a destructive device. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Harbour to 57 months’ imprisonment. Upon release from prison, Harbour will be required to complete a 3-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In the early morning hours of August 2, 2022, Harbour placed an explosive device near an entry door of an apartment at the Benson Towers, an Omaha Housing Authority property. The explosive device detonated and caused property damage, including collapsing part of an overhead sprinkler system and lights, and damaging a metal door frame such that it trapped the resident inside. Investigators recovered surveillance video from the Benson Towers which showed Harbour light and place the explosive device. After he was arrested, Harbour admitted to investigators that he placed the explosive device at the Benson Towers. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the City of Omaha Fire Department.


title: Roca Man Sentenced to More than 16 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Timothy Alan Moore, 58, of Roca, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, by Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Moore was sentenced to 200 months in prison and will also serve 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Moore will forfeit to the United States $9,930 in U.S. currency that was seized during the investigation. On June 28, 2021, investigators with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Task Force executed a search warrant for Moore’s residence in Roca. During the search, officers found three baggies of suspected methamphetamine weighing 318.5 grams, 8.7 grams, and 2.5 grams. Officers also found a handgun with a magazine containing 8 rounds of ammunition and a total of $9,930 in U.S. currency. A lab determined that the baggie weighing 318.5 grams contained about 310.91 grams of methamphetamine, of which at least 290 grams were pure methamphetamine. The other baggies were confirmed by the lab to contain methamphetamine. The currency seized was the proceeds of drug sales or used to facilitate Moore’s sale of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.


title: Woman Sentenced for Drug and Counterfeiting Crimes

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Karre Christine O’Dell, 43, most recently of Colorado, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to 37 months’ imprisonment for Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine (actual) and Possession of a Document Making Implement or Authentication Feature. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, O’Dell will serve a 4-year term of supervised release. On October 15, 2021, officers with the Omaha Police Department were called to the Cambria Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, regarding a theft. Upon arrival officers were directed to O’Dell’s room by hotel staff. Upon entering O’Dell’s hotel room, officers found methamphetamine and equipment consistent with manufacturing identification documents and credit cards, to include printers, papers with apparent photo IDs, and photocopies of credit cards. A search warrant was obtained for the room and officers found additional blank checks and blank credit cards. Two storage units rented by O’Dell were also located and searched pursuant to a search warrant. In the storage unit officers found several boxes of identification documents to include identification documents in various stages of manufacture. Officers also found packaging consistent with narcotics distribution and a scale. The methamphetamine found in O’Dell’s room was submitted for testing at the Nebraska Public Service Laboratory and was found to be 19.95 grams of methamphetamine actual. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Lincoln Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Possession of Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Maggie Welling, 46, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard to a 15-year term of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine with a prior serious drug felony. After her release from prison, Welling will begin a10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Welling pleaded guilty to her offense on November 29, 2022. Welling was stopped by an officer with the Lincoln Police Department on March 25, 2022, for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, the officer observed drug paraphernalia in her vehicle. The officer then searched the car and located approximately 221 grams of methamphetamine in Welling’s purse. Those drugs were sent to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory and were found to contain at least 210 grams of actual or pure methamphetamine. Welling was convicted in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on October 10, 2018. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.


title: Macy Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Assault on an Officer

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jordan Wolfe, 25, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for assaulting an officer and violating the terms of his supervised release. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Wolfe to 24 months in prison for assault of an officer and six months in prison for the violation of his term of supervised release to be served consecutively. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Wolfe will serve two years of supervised release. On March 28, 2022, an officer with the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services responded to a residence in Macy on a request to remove an intoxicated male who was causing a disturbance. The officer identified Wolfe as the male causing a disturbance and learned that he was arguing with his girlfriend. The officer attempted to remove the female from the situation and Wolfe continued to be belligerent and disruptive. When the officer went to place Wolfe under arrest, Wolfe pulled and pushed away from the officer and then punched the officer in the face. Wolfe was taken into custody. At the time, Wolfe was on federal supervised release for assault with a dangerous weapon. This case was investigated by the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.


title: Greece Man Going To Prison On Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jason Lane, 28, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in July and August 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received tips from Yahoo that a user uploaded approximately 260 files of possible child pornography to a Yahoo email account. NCMEC forwarded the information to the New York State Police and a subsequent investigation traced the files to an IP address belonging to Lane, a former Town of Greece police recruit, who was terminated following a probationary period. The files include an image of a partially nude preschool-aged child, which appears to have been taken at a childcare facility in the Rochester, NY, area. The files also include sexually explicit images of two minor victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2), that appear to have been taken by Lane. On August 9, 2022, the NYSP executed a search warrant at a residence in Brighton, NY, and seized a cellular phone belonging to Lane. A second search warrant was executed at a residence in Greece, NY. A forensic analysis of the phone recovered child pornography. A search warrant was also executed on Lane’s Yahoo account. That search recovered additional images of child pornography that were produced by Lane, in images that Lane obtained via the internet, and images of students at Spencerport High School that appear to have been take surreptitiously by Lane when he worked as a security guard at the school. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. # # # #


title: Webster Business Owner Pleads Guilty To Tax Fraud For Failing To Report Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars In Income To The IRS

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Steven Rosenbaum, 57, of Webster, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is handling the case, stated that Rosenbaum owns 50% of Swoop1, Inc., a security business that provides security personnel to various high schools, colleges, businesses, and performing arts venues in the greater Rochester area. For the years 2016 through 2021, Rosenbaum and his Swoop1 co-owner, identified as A.L., failed to report on Swoop1’s corporate income tax returns gross receipts totaling $5,598,354. Rather than deposit hundreds of checks received from clients into their business bank account, the defendant and A.L. cashed the checks at a local check cashing business. From the money received from the checks cashed, Rosenbaum and A.L. paid fees to the check cashing business totaling $112,619, and paid hundreds of Swoop1’s employees some of or all their wages in cash. The remaining amount of the money received from the checks cashed, $2,550,787, was split by Rosenbaum and A.L. this resulted in Rosenbaum failing to report $1,390,315 in income and failing to pay $355,225 in taxes to the IRS. In addition, Rosenbaum and A.L. failed to pay payroll taxes on the $2,675,467 in cash that was paid to the employees of Swoop1, resulting in a loss to the IRS of $204,673. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge. Sentencing is scheduled for December 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Conspiracy

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Willis Parker, 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 24, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Parker to 120 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After Parker’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. From about July of 2016 to November of 2020, Parker was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. The conspiracy involved over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 100 kilograms of marijuana. Parker was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana in the Omaha area. On November 23, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Parker’s Omaha residence. Officers located approximately 80 pills containing methamphetamine, 0.205 kilograms of marijuana, and a digital scale. Parker possessed the methamphetamine and marijuana during and in furtherance of the conspiracy. Officers also located seven destructive devices similar to a bomb. Parker was previously charged federally and sentenced to 37 months in prison for possessing the destructive devices. Co-defendants Ty-Sean Nunn, George Buck, Dominique Thomas, Anthony Hill-Gaines, and Jerrell Jackson have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the drug conspiracy. Thomas was sentenced on June 7, 2023, to 90 months in prison. Buck was sentenced on July 26, 2023, to 120 months in prison. Nunn was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 168 months in prison. Hill-Gaines was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 90 months in prison. Jackson is pending sentencing. Only co-defendant Terrance Traynham is pending trial. Traynham was previously sentenced to 106 months in federal prison for conduct related to this conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, and the Bellevue Police Department.


title: Grand jury indicts local man for submitting false PPP loan application

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man is charged with wire fraud as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Covid relief loan. Kelton McClarrin, 32, allegedly received nearly $21,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under false pretenses and used the money for personal expenditures including jail commissary services, CashApp, Grubhub, DoorDash, Facebook purchases and hotels. McClarrin was brought into federal custody today. According to the indictment, McClarrin applied for a Covid relief loan on May 16, 2021, falsely claiming in the application that he was the sole owner of a business named “Kelton McClarrin.” McClarrin claimed his business was established in 2019 and had a gross income of $100,000 for that year. It is alleged that McClarrin also submitted a forged bank statement in support of the loan application. McClarrin was sentenced to two years in prison in a Hamilton County case on May 7, 2019. He remained incarcerated until Nov. 17, 2020, when he was paroled to a halfway house. He used the address of the halfway house as his business address on the loan application. In April 2022, McClarrin applied for loan forgiveness for the $21,000 PPP loan. He stated on the application forms that he had 20 employees and had spent $20,000 of the loan on payroll costs. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the charges. The case was investigated by the Social Security’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Justice Department Awards Almost $70 Million in Grant Funding for Support Services for American Indian and Alaska Native Victims of Crime

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today the awarding of $69,632,900 through 212 awards in the Department’s Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside (TVSSA) program , which provides support to American Indian and Alaska Native communities across the country to enhance services for victims of crime, consistent with the requirements of the Victims of Crime Act. These awards will fund a wide range of services for crime victims, from counseling and civil legal assistance to emergency housing and Tribal wellness ceremonies. Of these TVSSA awards, almost $22 million will go to 67 Tribal communities in Alaska. “The Justice Department recognizes that Alaska Native families and communities have endured persistently high levels of violence and that women and girls have borne the brunt of that violence,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We are here today to reaffirm the Justice Department’s commitment to working across the federal government and with Alaska Native communities to meet these urgent challenges.” Additionally, earlier today, the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) granted $774,790 in Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant Program (SASP) awards for Alaska Native communities. Attorney General Garland traveled to Anchorage and Galena, Alaska, where he met with Alaska Native community leaders from several villages. The Attorney General was joined by Sen. Lisa Murkowski in visiting with village leaders in Galena, and additionally joined by Rep. Mary Peltola at a roundtable in Anchorage with representatives of Native Tribal organizations to discuss public safety issues in Alaskan Native Villages. The Department grants are especially meant to help Alaska Native communities and remotely located tribes meet the victim service challenges that they face. OVC recently piloted a new approach to make it easier to access grants recognizing some challenges posed by limited human and technological resources. This pilot was implemented in direct response to requests from Alaska Native villages who needed in-person support with grant applications. Grant managers from OVC’s Tribal Division were deployed to Alaska and spent 32 days on the ground meeting with more than two dozen Alaska village grant applicants and helped with such tasks as creating program designs and project budgeting. The Department has granted hundreds of awards since the Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside program was launched five years ago, and they have helped provide services to thousands of crime victims. More than 88,000 victims have received direct services since 2020. These funds are being used to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, arson, burglary, elder abuse, fraud, theft, kidnapping, as well as sex and labor trafficking. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)’s Tribal Division has worked closely with Tribal leaders and Tribal advocates to make sure this program is as responsive as possible to the needs of Tribes. These awards and the Attorney General’s trip exhibit the continued efforts of the Justice Department to uplift Tribal communities and ensure they have the resources they need to maintain public safety and security.


title: Second Providence Man Admits to Assaulting U.S. Postal Carrier

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE , RI – A Providence man on Tuesday admitted to a federal judge that he assaulted a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier purportedly because of a near collision between the man’s car with a mail delivery truck as they passed on a tightly packed Providence street, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Branley Ferreras-Severino, 22, admitted that he repeatedly punched the letter carrier when the worker returned to his truck after having delivered packages to a nearby house. Ferreras-Severino admitted that he was standing by the mail truck and said, “You think it’s funny? You almost hit me. You wanna get popped?” The carrier took that to mean being shot with a gun. Ferreras- Severino admitted that a passenger in his car, Ismael Colon-Pena, 19, of Providence, joined him in assaulting the Postal employee. The mail carrier attempted to fend off the attack and then ran from the area while dialing 911 for help. He provided investigators with the license plate number of the car driven by Ferreras-Severino, which they learned was registered to Ferreras-Severino’s mother. As part of the investigation, U.S. Postal Service Inspectors obtained security videos from a nearby residence that depicted the attack. The Postal carrier identified both defendants from photographs shown to him by investigators. Ferreras-Severino pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a charge of assault of a federal employee. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 22, 2023. Colon-Pena pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 14, 2023. At sentencing on May 18, 2023, he was entered into the Deferred Sentencing Program for a term of 12 months. As a result of their convictions, both men, Dominican Republic nationals, face deportation proceedings. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zechariah Chafee. ###


title: Rhode Island Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Wire Fraud, Tax Evasion Charges

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – Rhode Island personal injury attorney Peter P.D. Leach on Tuesday admitted to a federal judge that he conducted a Ponzi scheme to defraud clients by misappropriating over $500,000 in client settlement funds; he also admitted that he took evasive steps to conceal his ill-gotten gains from the IRS while failing to pay more than $250,000 in taxes, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. In pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud and tax evasion, Leach admitted that he forged client signatures and deposited client settlement checks into his attorney IOLTA account, using those funds to pay personal expenses and to repay earlier clients whose funds he had embezzled. To prolong his scheme, Leach repeatedly made false representations to clients about the status of their cases, and told them that he would pay their medical expenses and other bills with settlement funds he had received. An investigation by the Rhode Island State Police Financial Crimes Unit and Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation determined that Leach’s criminal activity resulted in losses to clients of more than $250,000. Leach also admitted that from 2014-2019, he took multiple steps to conceal his gains from the IRS, including by making false statements on IRS forms regarding his assets; making false statements to IRS Revenue officers about his ability and willingness to pay his taxes and about his withdrawal of over $540,000 of cash from his IOLTA accounts for payment of personal expenses; and by transferring money from his client account to the account of family members to make personal payments. The investigation determined that Leach failed to pay more than $250,000 in taxes. Leach is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2024. The defendant’s sentences will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert and Denise Barton. ###


title: Former bank teller pleads guilty to stealing nearly $90,000 deposited by Georgia convenience store

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: STATESBORO, GA: A former Candler County bank teller faces prison time and substantial restitution after pleading guilty to skimming money from a convenience store’s deposits. Kayla Monroe Evans , 32, of Metter, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Bank Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Evans to a statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution, followed by up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Bank customers count on their financial institutions to operate with honesty and integrity, and Kayla Evans violated that trust,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This plea offers assurance that Evans will be held accountable for her theft.” As described in the plea agreement and in court, Evans worked as a teller for the Synovus Bank in Metter, where a local convenience store kept its account. An auditor for the store began noticing substantial discrepancies between the amount of cash presented to the bank for deposit compared to the amount credited to the store and worked with the bank to determine the cause. A subsequent investigation found that from July 2019 through February 2021, Evans personally handled the store’s deposits, frequently skimming large amounts of cash for her personal use from the amount presented and crediting a smaller deposit to the store. In total, Evans stole approximately $87,748 from the convenience store’s deposits. As part of her plea, Evans agrees to pay restitution for the full loss caused by her criminal conduct, and to never seek employment in any financial institution. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing in the case following a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. “We are pleased to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing to justice those who commit bank fraud for their own personal gain,” said Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The federal investigation was led by the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The investigation received support from the Candler County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office for the Middle Judicial Circuit, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson.


title: Justice Department Announces Results of Nationwide COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Action

body_text: The Justice Department announced today the results of a coordinated, nationwide enforcement action to combat COVID-19 fraud, which included 718 enforcement actions – including federal criminal charges against 371 defendants – for offenses related to over $836 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud. “The Justice Department has now seized over $1.4 billion in COVID-19 relief funds that criminals had stolen and charged over 3,000 defendants with crimes in federal districts across the country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This latest action, involving over 300 defendants and over $830 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud, should send a clear message: the COVID-19 public health emergency may have ended, but the Justice Department’s work to identify and prosecute those who stole pandemic relief funds is far from over.” The announcement was made by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco at a roundtable meeting of senior Justice Department officials, law enforcement partners, and Office of Inspector General (OIG) executives. Deputy Attorney General Monaco also announced the launch of two additional COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Forces: one at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, and one at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. These two strike forces add to the three strike forces launched in September 2022 in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, the Southern District of Florida, and the District of Maryland. “The law enforcement actions announced today reflect the Justice Department’s focus – working with our law enforcement partners nationwide – on bringing to justice those who stole from American businesses and families at a time of national emergency,” said Deputy Attorney General Monaco. “The two new Strike Forces launched today will increase our reach as we continue to pursue fraudsters and recover taxpayer funds, no matter how long it takes.” At the meeting, Michael C. Galdo, Acting Director of COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement, detailed the results of the three-month coordinated law enforcement action that took place from May through July 2023, which included criminal, civil, and forfeiture actions. More than 50 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Forces, the Justice Department’s Criminal and Civil Divisions, and more than a dozen law enforcement and OIG partners worked together to conduct the sweep. “I applaud the hard work of our prosecutors around the country,” said Acting Director Galdo. “However, this announcement is not a victory lap. Our mission is not complete. We know from our investigative partners that identifying those who committed pandemic relief fraud and recovering stolen funds is difficult work. But the Justice Department, including our strike forces, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and the Criminal and Civil Divisions, is committed to using our criminal, civil, and forfeiture tools to hold these fraudsters accountable.” As part of the effort, 718 law enforcement actions occurred, including criminal charges, civil charges, forfeitures, guilty pleas, and sentencings, with a combined total actual loss of more than $836 million. Criminal charges were filed against 371 defendants, and 119 defendants pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial during the sweep. Over $57 million in court-ordered restitution was imposed. 117 civil matters occurred during the sweep, with over $10.4 million in judgments. Prosecutors worked with law enforcement to secure forfeiture of over $231.4 million. As part of the announcement, Acting Director Galdo said that 63 of the defendants had alleged connections to violent crime, including violent gang members also accused of using pandemic funds to pay for a murder for hire. Twenty-five defendants have alleged connections to transnational crime networks. Many of the cases in the enforcement action involve charges related to pandemic unemployment insurance benefit fraud and fraud against the two largest pandemic Small Business Administration programs: the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Additional matters involved pandemic healthcare billing fraud, fraud against the Emergency Rental Assistance program, and fraud committed against the IRS Employee Retention Credit program (ERC), a refundable tax credit for businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) worked with the California Strike Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey to bring multimillion dollar ERC fraud cases during the enforcement action. In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force (CFETF) to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice 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 criminal actors 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. The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Action cases were prosecuted by the following Justice Department entities: Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Civil Division’s Fraud Section, Consumer Protection Branch; and by the following U.S. Attorneys’ Offices: Northern District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama, Arizona, Eastern District of California, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia, Southern District of Indiana, Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Western District of Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Eastern District of Missouri, Western District of Missouri, Northern District of Mississippi, Maine, Montana, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, Northern District of New York, Northern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Northern District of West Virginia. The cases were investigated by the following agencies: FBI; U.S. Secret Service; IRS-CI; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Army Criminal Investigations Division; Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations; the Diplomatic Security Service; and the Offices of Inspectors General from the Small Business Administration, Department of Labor, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve Board, Social Security Administration, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Relief, Treasury, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. OCDETF Fusion Center and OCDETF’s International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force provided key support. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can 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 .


title: New Rochelle Man Charged With Bronx Shooting

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Steven A. Nigrelli, the Acting Superintendent of the New York State Police (“NYSP”), announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging TYRIEK SKYFIELD with firing two shots at a victim on a residential street in the Bronx, injuring the victim. SKYFIELD will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Tyriek Skyfield fired two bullets at another individual on a residential street in the Bronx. One of those bullets struck the victim, injuring him. Thanks to the swift action of our law enforcement partners, Skyfield is now being held accountable for his alleged violent actions.” NYSP Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli said: “This case sends a clear message that senseless acts of gun violence will not be tolerated, and justice will prevail. Working together with all levels of law enforcement, we can and are making a difference in the fight to end gun violence in our communities. I commend our New York State Police investigators, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the NYPD for their swift and diligent work on this case.” According to the allegations in the Complaint: [1] On Saturday, July 22, 2023, shortly before 10:00 p.m., SKYFIELD fired two gunshots at another individual (“Victim-1”) in the vicinity of Needham Avenue in the Bronx. Surveillance video captured SKYFIELD brandishing a handgun at Victim-1 seconds before firing one of the shots. A still image from the surveillance footage is below: One of the gunshots struck Victim-1 in the foot. After firing the shots at Victim-1, SKYFIELD fled the scene on foot and was picked up outside a nearby building by a white BMX X6 SUV a few minutes later. SKYFIELD later traveled to a club in Queens as a passenger in the same car. Video surveillance footage from the club showed SKYFIELD presenting proof of identification and entering the club: The club’s identification records, in combination with video surveillance footage, indicated that the individual seen entering the club in the above still images was SKYFIELD. After canvassing the scene of the shooting, NYPD officers recovered a shell casing from one of the gunshots in a nearby yard. SKYFIELD was not permitted to possess ammunition because of prior felony convictions, one of which was a conviction for an armed robbery. * * * SKYFIELD, 31, of New Rochelle, New York, is charged with possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYSP and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and thanked the New York City Police Department for its assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Z. Margulies is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Skyfield Complaint


title: Armed Drug Trafficker that Fled from Law Enforcement Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – Luis Oceguera, 21, of Sampson County, was sentenced to 140 months in prison. The sentence followed a multi-agency drug investigation that spanned multiple North Carolina counties. According to information presented in court, Oceguera was an integral part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed kilograms of drugs in Eastern North Carolina. Oceguera regularly received, transported, and distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana. During the investigation, Oceguera was stopped by law enforcement three separate times while armed with handguns and rifles. One of the handguns seized was an unregistered “ghost gun” that Oceguera admitted to building himself. On another occasion, Oceguera fled from law enforcement in a vehicle, reaching speeds over 120 mile per hour. During the chase, Oceguera threw a package containing over two kilograms of pure methamphetamine out of the window on the side of the road. Law enforcement searched the flight path and were able to recover the methamphetamine package. Ultimately, Oceguera was arrested and the house he was staying at was searched pursuant to a search warrant. During the search, law enforcement seized drug trafficking materials, ammunition, loaded magazines, and another firearm. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The DEA, ATF, United States Postal Service, United States Marshals Service, NC National Guard, NC State Bureau of Investigation, Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, and Dunn Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-86-M-5.


title: Tornado Cash Founders Charged With Money Laundering And Sanctions Violations

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Nicole M. Argentieri, the Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, and Bryant Jackson, the Special Agent in Charge of the Cincinnati Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ROMAN STORM and ROMAN SEMENOV with conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit sanctions violations, and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The charges in the Indictment arise from the defendants’ alleged creation, operation, and promotion of Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixer that facilitated more than $1 billion in money laundering transactions and laundered hundreds of millions of dollars for the Lazarus Group, the sanctioned North Korean cybercrime organization. ROMAN STORM was arrested today in the state of Washington and will be presented today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. SEMENOV remains at large. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Tornado Cash was an infamous cryptocurrency mixer that laundered more than $1 billion in criminal proceeds and violated U.S. sanctions. Roman Storm and Roman Semenov allegedly operated Tornado Cash and knowingly facilitated this money laundering. While publicly claiming to offer a technically sophisticated privacy service, Storm and Semenov in fact knew that they were helping hackers and fraudsters conceal the fruits of their crimes. Today’s indictment is a reminder that money laundering through cryptocurrency transactions violates the law, and those who engage in such laundering will face prosecution.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants operated a $1 billion scheme designed to help other criminals launder and conceal funds using cryptocurrency, including by laundering hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of a state-sponsored North Korean cybercrime group sanctioned by the U.S. government. These charges should serve as yet another warning to those who think they can turn to cryptocurrency to conceal their crimes and hide their identities, including cryptocurrency mixers: it does not matter how sophisticated your scheme is or how many attempts you have made to anonymize yourself, the Justice Department will find you and hold you accountable for your crimes.” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “Today’s announcement should remind criminal organizations everywhere in the world that they are neither untraceable nor anonymous. You can’t hide from us behind a keyboard — whether you’re a hacker or facilitator. Those charged today engaged in a conspiracy to launder money for cybercriminals, including for a North Korean cybercrime organization seeking to evade sanctions. As we have with this operation, the FBI is going to keep dismantling the infrastructure used by cyber criminals to commit and profit from their crimes, and holding anyone who assists those criminals accountable.” Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri said: “Cryptocurrency mixers have become the go-to method for criminals to conceal their ill-gotten gains. As alleged, the defendants operated Tornado Cash as a safe haven for criminal actors to obfuscate the trail of funds tied to their criminal activities, such as computer hacking and wire fraud. The Criminal Division will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of those who seek to criminally exploit the cryptocurrency ecosystem.” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “As stated in the indictment, the defendants’ cryptocurrency service facilitated more than $1 billion in illicit transactions, and they knowingly allowed a globally sanctioned cybercrime group to launder hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of the North Korean regime. The Justice Department – alongside our domestic and international law enforcement partners – will use every tool in our arsenal to pursue and dismantle the criminal networks that enable US sanctions violations wherever they operate.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Today’s indictment of Tornado Cash co-founders Roman Storm and Roman Semenov highlights their alleged role in creating a cryptocurrency mixer that ultimately served as a gateway for the laundering of more than $1 billion in criminal proceeds. As alleged, when it became clear that a sanctioned North Korean cybercrime organization was using the platform to launder hundreds of millions of dollars derived from cyber heists, Storm and Semenov turned a blind eye to the illicit activity and made public representations that they were compliant with sanctions laws. Today’s enforcement actions remind the public that the FBI, when faced with illegal activity, is committed to tracing the untraceable, and will remain focused on protecting victims of financial crime wherever those crimes are committed — be it through the traditional banking system or the virtual currency blockchain.” IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson said: “As alleged, Tornado Cash was used to launder over $1 billion. IRS Criminal Investigation’s Special Agents use their financial expertise to follow the flow of cryptocurrency transactions and dismantle major money laundering organizations that try to conceal the criminal source of their funds. Today's indictment is a direct result of our collaboration with our law enforcement partners, both in the U.S. and abroad. Through our work together, those who use deceit and fraud to line their pockets with illegal profits will be held accountable.” As alleged in the Indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court and court filings: [1] ROMAN STORM and ROMAN SEMENOV were two of the three founders of the Tornado Cash service, a cryptocurrency mixer that allowed its customers to engage in untraceable transfers of cryptocurrency. The defendants and their co-conspirators created the core features of the Tornado Cash service, paid for critical infrastructure to operate the Tornado Cash service, promoted the Tornado Cash service, and made millions of dollars in profits from operating the Tornado Cash service. The Tornado Cash service advertised to customers that it provided untraceable and anonymous financial transactions, and STORM and SEMENOV chose not to implement know your customer or anti-money laundering programs as required by law. As a result, the Tornado Cash service was used to launder more than $1 billion in criminal proceeds. STORM and SEMENOV knew about these money laundering transactions and received complaints and requests for help from victims of hacking and other cybercrimes. However, they refused to implement any controls and continued to operate the Tornado Cash service and facilitate these money laundering transactions. In April and May 2022, the Tornado Cash service was allegedly used by the Lazarus Group, a sanctioned North Korean cybercrime organization, to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in hacking proceeds. STORM and SEMENOV knew that the Tornado Cash service they were operating was engaging in these sanctions-violating transactions. They implemented a change in the service so that they could make a public announcement that they were compliant with sanctions, but in their private chats, they agreed that this change would be ineffective. They then continued to operate the Tornado Cash service and facilitate hundreds of millions of dollars in further sanctions-violating transactions, helping the Lazarus Group to transfer criminal proceeds from a cryptocurrency wallet that had been designated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control as blocked property. * * * ROMAN STORM, 34, of Auburn, Washington, and ROMAN SEMENOV, 35, a Russian national, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of conspiracy to violate the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, which each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. They are also each charged with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI and IRS-CI. He also acknowledged the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Mr. Williams further thanked the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (“J5”) for their assistance in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit and the Criminal Division’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (“NCET”). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thane Rehn and Benjamin Gianforti are in charge of the prosecution. The NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the Department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets. The allegations in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Storm and Semenov Indictment


title: Clay County Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Drug And Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Shawntae Jamell Clark (44, Clay County) has pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Clark faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison on the drug charge, and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm charge. Clark also agreed to forfeit two firearms, ammunition, and cash traceable to his offenses. Clark was arrested on July 6, 2022, and ordered detained. His sentencing is scheduled for November 27, 2023. According to court documents, deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) were investigating Clark based on reports that he was selling drugs, including methamphetamine, out of a hotel room at the Stay Suites on Wells Road in Clay County. On July 2, 2021, deputies observed Clark leaving his hotel room with a backpack and getting into a car. During a subsequent traffic stop of the vehicle, a CCSO canine alerted to the car, indicating that it contained illegal narcotics. A subsequent search of the car revealed a small safe containing a loaded Beretta pistol and Taurus revolver, 7 baggies of methamphetamine, and approximately 100 small baggies. Further investigation determined that the total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 159 grams, and that Clark had multiple prior felony convictions for armed robbery, attempted lewd or lascivious act – sexual battery, and multiple convictions for possession of cocaine. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Florida Couple Indicted For Multiple Federal Firearms Violations

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a 39-count indictment charging Kingsley Wilson (35, Kissimmee) and Viviana Rodriguez (41, Kissimmee), with dealing in firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), and causing an FLL to maintain false information in its official records. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license; 10 years for each count of making a materially false statement to an FFL; and 5 years for each count of causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. According to evidence and documents presented in court, between January 2022 and July 2023, Wilson purchased 89 firearms from multiple gun dealers in the Middle District of Florida. During that same period, Rodriguez purchased approximately 40 firearms. While purchasing these firearms, Wilson and Rodriguez each falsely certified on ATF Form 4473s (Firearm Transaction Records) that they were the “actual transferee/buyer” of the firearms. In actuality, they were purchasing the firearms for other individuals. Ten of the firearms purchased by Wilson have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes in the Bahamas and Canada. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Controller Defrauds Law Firm Out of $1.5 Million by Inflating Salary

body_text: A law firm controller pleaded guilty Tuesday to inflating her payroll amount by $1.48 million over the course of just three years, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Christiane Kathleen Irwin, 44, was indicted in March 2022. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Toliver. According to court documents, Ms. Irwin, who worked for a law firm and was responsible for submitting payroll each week, falsely inflated her salary, which was set at approximately $140,000 annually. In accordance with her fraudulent payroll submission, the firm’s payroll vendor transferred her purported pay from the firm’s bank account into her bank account every two weeks. Over the course of three years, from 2019 to 2021, Ms. Irwin took home $1.48 million in fraudulently obtained funds. She now faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing date is slated for Jan. 3, 2024. Irwin has agreed that the loss amount to the firm for restitution is over $1.48 million. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nashonme Johnson and Jenna Rudoff are prosecuting the case with the help of Financial Auditor Sheila Powell.


title: Fruitland Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Anderson Buck was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Buck, 40, of Fruitland, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury on April 28, 2023. According to court documents, Nov. 17, 2022, Buck and his girlfriend, Jane Doe, were driving around the area of Nenahnezad and were both heavily inebriated. Jane Doe drank to the point of passing out in the passenger seat of Buck’s vehicle. Buck drove to a friend’s house where he left Jane Doe in the car and went inside. While at his friend’s house, Buck consumed more alcohol before deciding to leave an hour later. Outside, Buck tried to wake Jane Doe before he became frustrated and drove away. Bucks’ friend reported that Jane Doe was unconscious and not injured at the time they departed. About thirty minutes later, Buck arrived at his family’s compound. One of Buck’s relatives exited their residence and observed Buck and Jane Doe in the car. When they got closer, they saw that Jane Doe was slumped over with a bloody face. When Buck’s relative asked hat had happened, Buck replied “she was talking [expletive].” Buck’s relatives called the police, but Buck departed the compound on foot before police and medical personnel arrived. Buck’s mother later brought him to be interviewed by law enforcement. Buck claimed that he and Jane Doe had gone to an unknown residence where three unknown females had beaten Jane Doe. Subsequent investigation revealed evidence that Jane Doe had been beaten in Buck’s vehicle which was inconsistent with Buck’s version of the events. Jane Doe was hospitalized in the ICU for several weeks following the incident before she was discharged to a rehabilitation hospital. She suffered a blown-out eye socket, brain bleeding, and other severe injuries in the assault. Jane Doe passed away on April 18, 2023, ten days before Buck entered his guilty plea, after suffering from various maladies including after-effects of the assault. Upon his release from prison, Buck will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-194


title: Alabama Man Indicted For Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Materials

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Craig Anthony (25, Alabama) with distribution of child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Anthony faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release. According to court documents, beginning on May 31, 2023, Anthony distributed multiple videos depicting child sexual abuse to a filesharing account operated by an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in Lake County, Florida. Anthony also discussed with the undercover agent his desire to travel to Florida to have sex with a minor. On August 3, 2023, HSI executed a federal search warrant at Anthony’s residence. At least one image of child sex abuse was confirmed on Anthony’s cellphone. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Mexican Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jose Emmanuel Hernandez-Gomez, 30, of Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for trafficking methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hernandez-Gomez to 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On May 8, 2021, a York County Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle containing 27 pounds of methamphetamine. As part of the investigation, it was determined that the methamphetamine was to be delivered to an address in Omaha. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Omaha Police Department assisted in transporting the vehicle to Omaha, where an undercover officer then went to the address to deliver the methamphetamine. Hernandez-Gomez came out of the residence and gave the undercover officer $6,000 and took possession of the methamphetamine. Hernandez-Gomez was then immediately arrested. This case was investigated by the York County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Savannah man convicted at trial for armed bank robbery

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man has been convicted after trial for the robbery of a Savannah bank. Omar Lockhart , 35, of Savannah, was found guilty after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court of Bank Robbery, a charge that subjects Lockhart to a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. In addition, the jury found Lockhart guilty of Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence, which subjects him to an additional seven years in prison consecutive to the sentence for bank robbery. The jury also found Lockhart guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. There is no parole in the federal system. “Omar Lockhart terrorized the employees of a business by brandishing a gun during a robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We commend our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in safely bringing him to justice.” As described at trial, Lockhart entered the Synovus Bank on Paulsen Street in Savannah on March 7, 2022, produced a pistol, and pointed it at a teller. He declared he was robbing the bank and handed grocery bags to the teller, demanding the money in her drawer. He then took the money and left the bank, telling everyone to “have a nice day.” Savannah Police officers and the FBI later located Lockhart at a Savannah hotel where he had paid cash to rent a room and arrested him after a brief standoff with the SWAT team. Lockhart remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. will schedule sentencing following completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. “No one should ever be terrorized physically or emotionally, like the victims in this armed robbery, simply because they work at a business or patronize that business,” said FBI Savannah RA Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke. “We are committed to keep our communities safe from violence and seek justice for the victims of these crimes.” The case was investigated by the Chatham County Police Department, the Savannah Police Department, and the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and John P. Harper III.


title: Tornado Cash Founders Charged with Money Laundering and Sanctions Violations

body_text: A Russian national and a Washington man were charged today with conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit sanctions violations, and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. According to the indictment, unsealed today in the Southern District of New York, Roman Storm, 34, of Auburn, Washington, and Roman Semenov, 49, of Russia, created, operated, and promoted Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixer that facilitated more than $1 billion in money laundering transactions, and laundered hundreds of millions of dollars for the Lazarus Group, the sanctioned North Korean cybercrime organization. Storm was arrested today in the state of Washington and will be presented later today in the Western District of Washington. “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants operated a $1 billion scheme designed to help other criminals launder and conceal funds using cryptocurrency, including by laundering hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of a state-sponsored North Korean cybercrime group sanctioned by the U.S. government,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These charges should serve as yet another warning to those who think they can turn to cryptocurrency to conceal their crimes and hide their identities, including cryptocurrency mixers: it does not matter how sophisticated your scheme is or how many attempts you have made to anonymize yourself, the Justice Department will find you and hold you accountable for your crimes.” “Today’s announcement should remind criminal organizations everywhere in the world that they are neither untraceable nor anonymous,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “You can’t hide from us behind a keyboard — whether you’re a hacker or facilitator. Those charged today engaged in a conspiracy to launder money for cybercriminals, including for a North Korean cybercrime organization seeking to evade sanctions. As we have with this operation, the FBI is going to keep dismantling the infrastructure used by cyber criminals to commit and profit from their crimes, and holding anyone who assists those criminals accountable.” “Cryptocurrency mixers have become the go-to method for criminals to conceal their ill-gotten gains. As alleged, the defendants operated Tornado Cash as a safe haven for criminal actors to obfuscate the trail of funds tied to their criminal activities, such as computer hacking and wire fraud,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of those who seek to criminally exploit the cryptocurrency ecosystem.” “As stated in the indictment, the defendants’ cryptocurrency service facilitated more than $1 billion in illicit transactions and they knowingly allowed a globally sanctioned cybercrime group to launder hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of the North Korean regime,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department – alongside our domestic and international law enforcement partners – will use every tool in our arsenal to pursue and dismantle the criminal networks that enable U.S. sanctions violations wherever they operate.” “As alleged, Tornado Cash was an infamous cryptocurrency mixer that laundered more than one billion dollars in criminal proceeds and violated U.S. sanctions,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “Roman Storm and Roman Semenov allegedly operated Tornado Cash and knowingly facilitated this money laundering. While publicly claiming to offer a technically sophisticated privacy service, Storm and Semenov in fact knew that they were helping hackers and fraudsters conceal the fruits of their crimes. Today’s indictment is a reminder that money laundering through cryptocurrency transactions violates the law, and those who engage in such laundering will face prosecution.” Storm and Semenov were two of the three founders of the Tornado Cash service, a cryptocurrency mixer that allowed its customers to engage in untraceable transfers of cryptocurrency. The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly created the core features of the Tornado Cash service, paid for critical infrastructure to operate the Tornado Cash service, promoted the Tornado Cash service, and made millions of dollars in profits from operating the Tornado Cash service. The Tornado Cash service advertised to customers that it provided untraceable and anonymous financial transactions, and Storm and Semenov chose not to implement know-your customer or anti-money laundering programs as required by law. As a result, the Tornado Cash service was used to launder more than $1 billion in criminal proceeds. Storm and Semenov allegedly knew about these money laundering transactions and received complaints and requests for help from victims of hacking and other cybercrimes. However, they refused to implement any controls and continued to operate the Tornado Cash service and facilitate these money laundering transactions. In April and May 2022, the Tornado Cash service was allegedly used by the Lazarus Group, a sanctioned North Korean cybercrime organization, to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in hacking proceeds. Storm and Semenov allegedly knew that the Tornado Cash service they were operating was engaging in these sanctions-violating transactions. They implemented a change in the service so they could make a public announcement that they were compliant with sanctions, but in their private chats they agreed that this change would be ineffective. They then continued to operate the Tornado Cash service and facilitate hundreds of millions of dollars in further sanctions-violating transactions, helping the Lazarus Group to transfer criminal proceeds from a cryptocurrency wallet that had been designated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as blocked property. Storm and Semenov are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of conspiracy to violate the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. They are also each charged with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries 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 FBI and the IRS-Criminal Investigation are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thane Rehn and Benjamin Gianforti for the Southern District of New York, and Trial Attorneys Jacques Singer-Emery and Garrett Coyle of the Justice Department's National Security Division are prosecuting the case in partnership with the Criminal Division’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). The NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and leads the Department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Members of Charlotte-Based Auto Theft Ring Are Charged In Federal Court

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A criminal indictment was unsealed in federal court today, charging five individuals with stealing dozens of high-end vehicles worth millions of dollars from dealerships located across the United States, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. Attorney King is joined in making today’s announcement by Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). The indictment charges Dewanne Lamar White, 43, of Sumter, South Carolina, Garyka Vaughn Bost, 24, of Denver, North Carolina, Kevin Ja’Coryen James Fields, 27, of Charlotte, Hosea Fernandez Hampton, Jr., 25, of Charlotte, and Reginald Eugene Hill, 23, of Charlotte, with conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, and interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle. White, Fields, and Hampton are also charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle. According to allegations in the indictment, from 2021 to 2023, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to steal luxury vehicles worth millions of dollars from dealerships in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Arizona. The indictment alleges that the co-conspirators transported the stolen vehicles back to Charlotte and sold them locally at prices well below market value. The indictment further alleges that, to maximize profits, the co-conspirators stole luxury vehicles made by Bentley, BMW, Cadillac, Land Rover, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz, and other expensive models from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, and other manufacturers. According to allegations in the indictment, the defendants executed the thefts in a number of ways. In some instances, the co-conspirators visited dealerships posing as customers interested in purchasing the vehicles. After pretending to test drive or inspect the vehicles, the co-conspirators would allegedly swap the vehicles’ key fobs with similar ones, and later use the stolen key fobs to steal the vehicles. Other times, the indictment alleges that the co-conspirators employed methods like “smash and grab” thefts, where they would break into dealerships and locate keys to the high-end models, or break open lockboxes containing keys to luxury vehicles, and then drive the vehicles off the lot. The indictment alleges that Bost, Fields, and Hill often served as drivers in the conspiracy, and White and Hampton frequently paid them and other drivers for their work in the scheme. The indictment further alleges that on several occasions the defendants and their co-conspirators stole multiple vehicles simultaneously, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. According to allegations in the indictment, once the stolen vehicles were taken off the dealership lots, the defendants avoided law enforcement detection by removing the GPS navigation and tracking systems from the stolen vehicles, attaching fictitious dealer tags or stolen license plates on the vehicles, and replacing the vehicles’ authentic Vehicle Identification Numbers, among other things. In announcing the federal indictment, U.S. Attorney King said, “We will not tolerate brazen theft schemes that cost businesses and consumers millions of dollars. I want to thank our federal and local law enforcement partners for their incredible work with this ongoing investigation that has led to today’s charges.” “Stopping schemes like this is critical as it not only protects businesses, but also it helps protect our economy,” said Special Agent in Charge Martinez. “We worked closely with a number of our law enforcement partners to shut down this multimillion-dollar operation and bring the perpetrators to justice and I am happy with the success of the operation.” “No matter how complicated an interstate theft ring may seem, the FBI is poised to uncover, dissect, and dismantle the scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge DeWitt. “We are committed to working with our partners to ensure justice is served.” The charge of conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle each carry a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI, FBI, and CMPD for their investigation of the case and recognized the contributions of the York County South Carolina Sheriff’s Office and many other state and local law enforcement partners that contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.


title: Indiana Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Traveling to Kentucky to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Owensboro, KY – An Indiana man was sentenced yesterday to 6 years and 8 months in prison for traveling to Kentucky to engage in sexual conduct with a minor. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service Kentucky Field Division, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Chief Art Ealum of the Owensboro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Bradley Linderman, 36, was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, for traveling across state lines with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. There is no parole in the federal system. Linderman used the internet to communicate with an undercover agent he believed to be a 15-year-old girl for the purposes of engaging in sexual conduct. Linderman then traveled from Indiana to Kentucky to meet the undercover agent to engage in sexual conduct. This case was the result of a joint federal, state, and local operation called Operation Angel, aimed at making federal arrests of individuals who preyed upon children in the Owensboro area. The United States Secret Service, the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, the Kentucky State Police, and the Owensboro Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case. 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Green Bay Woman Sentenced to 8 years’ Imprisonment for Trafficking Fentanyl disguised as Percocet®

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 21, 2023, Senior United States District Court Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Marianna KJ Zimmer (age: 20) to a total sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment and 8 years of supervised release after Zimmer pled guilty to Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841, and Title 18, United States Code, Section 922. According to court filings, in August 2022, while Zimmer was on probation for a prior felony conviction, Wisconsin probation agents arrested Zimmer and learned that from jail she was directing a friend to hide and destroy evidence of Zimmer’s fentanyl trafficking. Probation agents, with assistance from the Brown County Drug Task Force, successfully recovered and seized over 8,400 fake Percocet® pills containing fentanyl, over $38,500 in US currency, and a stolen and loaded .45-caliber pistol. The fentanyl was in the form of blue pills imprinted with “M30” to mimic the legitimate prescription drug Percocet®. Counterfeit “M30” pills are commonly made by Mexican drug cartels and smuggled into the United States. In sentencing Zimmer, Judge Griesbach stressed that Zimmer’s fentanyl dealing and unlawful firearm possession were serious offenses that presented a danger to the public, warranting significant punishment and a strong deterrent message to others. The judge also stressed that Zimmer’s offense was aggravated because she posted numerous images and videos of herself on Facebook in which she glamorized the life of a drug dealer, posing with large amounts of cash that she made by distributing drugs. Legitimate Percocet® contains oxycodone and acetaminophen but not fentanyl. Like fentanyl, oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance that can be highly addictive and abused, but fentanyl is more dangerous. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), 60% of the counterfeit “Percocet” pills tested in 2022 had a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl, up from 40% in 2021. The following is from a Public Safety Alert posted on the DEA’s website The DEA Laboratory has found that, of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills analyzed in 2022, six out of ten now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. This is an increase from DEA’s previous announcement in 2021 that four out of ten fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills were found to contain a potentially lethal dose. . . . . Last year, the DEA issued a Public Safety Alert on the widespread drug trafficking of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills in American communities. These pills are largely made by two Mexican drug cartels, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco (CJNG) Cartel, to look identical to real prescription medications, including OxyContin®, Percocet®, and Xanax®, and they are often deadly. In 2021, the DEA seized more than 20.4 million fake prescription pills. Earlier this year, the DEA conducted a nationwide operational surge to target the trafficking of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills and, in just over three months, seized 10.2 million fake pills in all 50 states . . . Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country. It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel in Mexico, using chemicals largely sourced from China, are primarily responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in communities across the United States. https://www.dea.gov/alert/dea-laboratory-testing-reveals-6-out-10-fentanyl-laced-fake-prescription-pills-now-contain This case was investigated by the Brown County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Former Indiana High School Teacher Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Traveling to Kentucky to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor

body_text: Owensboro, KY – A former Evansville, Indiana high school teacher was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for traveling to Kentucky to engage in sexual conduct with a minor. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service Kentucky Field Division, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Chief Art Ealum of the Owensboro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Cody Sean McCormick, 28, was sentenced to 10 years, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for traveling across state lines with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. There is no parole in the federal system. McCormick used the internet to communicate with an undercover agent he believed to be a 14-year-old girl for the purposes of engaging in sexual contact. McCormick traveled from Evansville, Indiana to Owensboro, Kentucky to meet the undercover agent engage in sexual conduct. This case was the result of a joint federal, state, and local operation called Operation Angel, aimed at making federal arrests of individuals who preyed upon children in the Owensboro area. The United States Secret Service, the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, the Kentucky State Police, and the Owensboro Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case. 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Passenger vessel operator convicted of operating illegal charter cruise business

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: GALVESTON, Texas - A 66-year-old Seabrook man has pleaded guilty to a violation of captain of the port order in connection with his illegal charter cruise business, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Gordon Johnson admitted to operating the MV SPANISH PRINCESS without complying with an order of the highest ranking U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officer in the Houston-Galveston area. Johnson made false statements to authorities claiming he did have paying passengers on his ship. He also instructed passengers, one of whom was a police officer, to inform USCG personnel they were not paying passengers. “The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) is firmly committed to partnering with law enforcement agencies to identify and stop those who pose a hazard to the boating public,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Jeanfreau, CGIS Gulf Region. “Ensuring mariners are fully qualified to safely operate passenger vessels is of upmost importance to the USCG.” As part of his plea, Johnson also admitted he engaged in another scheme in which he took money from a couple for a trip that never occurred. The couple paid him $20,000 to transport them on the MV SPANISH PRINCESS to Roatan, Honduras, where they were going to live. The trip did not happen, and Johnson only returned $1,000 of their money. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown accepted the plea and set sentencing for Nov. 1. At that time, Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He could also be ordered to forfeit the MV SPANISH PRINCESS. Previously released on bond, Johnson was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. The CGIS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam L. Goldman prosecuted the case.


title: Murray Man Charged with Possessing Molotov Cocktail

body_text: Paducah, KY – On August 8, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Murray, Kentucky man with possessing a Molotov cocktail, a destructive device. United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement. According to the indictment, on September 10, 2022, in Calloway County, Kentucky, Jack Thomas Epperson, 20, possessed a Molotov cocktail, a destructive device that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Epperson made his initial court appearance on August 21, 2023, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, Epperson faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The ATF Paducah Satellite Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, Murray Police Department, and Murray State University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case. ###