title: Previously Convicted Felon from McKees Rocks Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on August 15, 2024, to 12 years of prison on his convictions for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Reginald Bernard Blunt, 32. According to information presented to the Court, an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police between August 2022 and June 2023 into a drug trafficking organization operating in McKees Rocks revealed that Blunt was a member of the organization and lived at a residence where firearms and controlled substances were being stored. On June 14, 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant upon that residence and recovered from Blunt’s bedroom a backpack containing two prescription pill bottles bearing Blunt’s name, a loaded handgun containing 17 rounds of ammunition, and a “Glock switch” that, when attached to the handgun, would render the firearm fully automatic. Law enforcement also recovered from the residence approximately 60 grams of a fentanyl and methamphetamine mixture, 20 grams of fentanyl, and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition, in addition to seizing $4,300. The firearm recovered by law enforcement was determined to be the same one that Blunt—who has previous felony drug trafficking and firearms convictions—had used just before law enforcement responded to a call at Blunt’s residence nearly one month earlier, where it was reported that two individuals were fighting and that one of the individuals possessed a gun. Traffic camera footage of this May 16, 2023, incident obtained by investigators in preparation for the federal search warrant revealed Blunt repeatedly pointing a firearm at an adult male who was accompanied by a child, with the adult carrying the child while ducking behind a vehicle to avoid Blunt as he pointed the firearm. The footage further recorded Blunt permitting the adult to place the child in the vehicle before Blunt brought the individual back to his residence, where, on the porch, the two males began exchanging punches. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Blunt.


title: Man convicted for Springfield mail theft ring

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Springfield man yesterday on three charges of possessing and receiving stolen mail. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kenshaun Thompson, 26, participated in a conspiracy to steal mail on several occasions in October 2023. Thompson’s co-conspirator, Adam Bekele, 33, of Annandale, accessed several mailboxes including the mailbox at the West Springfield Post Office on Rolling Road and took the mail from the box into a vehicle. On multiple occasions, and specifically on Oct. 24, 25, and 26, 2023, Bekele transported the stolen mail to an apartment in Falls Church where he transferred it to Thompson, who knew when he received the mail that it had been stolen. On Feb. 22, Bekele pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail theft. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when he is sentenced on Oct. 3. Thompson faces a maximum of 15 years, five years for each count of receiving stolen mail in prison when sentenced on Dec. 5. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Antara Saikat Joardar are prosecuting the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Hiller provided valuable assistance on this case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-137.


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced To 92 Months For Possessing Stolen Firearms

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carl Ray Holland, age 35, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 92 months in prison for one count of Possession of Stolen Firearms. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On November 9, 2022, Holland pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 1, 2022, ATF agents investigating the burglary of a local firearms business received information about Holland’s possible involvement. Agents approached Holland, who denied being involved in the burglary but gave consent to search his residence for the missing firearms. During the search, agents recovered eight of the missing firearms hidden in Holland’s refrigerator. “Enforcing federal firearm regulations is a crucial part of protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and ensuring public safety,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Mr. Holland’s attempt to jeopardize public safety by possessing firearms stolen from a licensed dealer is a crime deserving of this sentence.” “No one likes a thief, especially one that steals firearms from lawful owners. Mr. Holland tried to be sneaky and play hide and seek with the police. Unfortunately for him, most of the time we find what we are looking for. I’d like to thank all those involved in bringing him to justice, especially the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Because of their efforts, Mr. Holland will now have 92 months in the Federal penitentiary to think of better hiding spots than a refrigerator,” stated ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. 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. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Holland will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Lanesborough Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lanesborough man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Robert Kend, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 68 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2024, Kend pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. Kend was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Sept. 12, 2023. During a search of Kend’s residence on Sept. 12, 2023, law enforcement located an iPhone and MacBook, both containing numerous videos showing minors performing lewd acts, with Kend, sometimes appearing in a picture-in-picture box also performing lewd acts. Law enforcement found similar videos in Kend’s iCloud account as well. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Ocala Man Arrested For Attempted Enticement Of A Minor

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Scott Alan Colson (59, Ocala) on an indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a minor. If convicted, Colson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A federal grand jury indicted Colson on August 6, 2024. His case is set for trial in October 2024 before U.S. District Judge Thomas Patrick Barber. According to court records, on July 24, 2024, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) undercover detective posed as a 15-year-old girl on an online messaging application. Colson contacted the undercover detective’s account and inquired as to whether the fictional minor had ever been with older men and asked to meet her. He told her, “You keep secrets if we meet up.” Colson then engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover detective. During the conversation, Colson asked the fictional minor to “make it easy to get down ur pantys.” The following day, they agreed to meet at a predetermined location in Marion County. When Colson drove to the location, he was arrested by law enforcement. An examination of Colson’s cellphone revealed child sexual exploitation materials. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Hannah Nowalk. 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Woman Charged for Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley's Family

component: Criminal Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – A Missouri woman was arrested this morning on federal charges in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Lisa Jeanine Findley, also known as Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today after her arrest. Findley will make her initial appearance later today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. “As alleged in the complaint, the defendant orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland, falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged the historic landmark as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As part of the brazen scheme, we allege that the defendant created numerous false documents and sought to extort a settlement from the Presley family. Now she is facing federal charges. The Criminal Division and its partners are committed to holding fraudsters to account.” “As a Memphian, I know that Graceland is a national treasure,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “This defendant allegedly used a brazen scheme to try to defraud the Presley family of their interest in this singularly important landmark. Of course, all homeowners deserve to have their property protected from fraud, and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits financial crimes or identity theft.” According to court documents, Findley allegedly posed as three different individuals affiliated with a fictitious private lender named Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC (Naussany Investments). Findley allegedly claimed falsely that Elvis Presley’s daughter had borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 from Naussany Investments, pledged Graceland as collateral for the loan, and failed to repay the debt. To settle the purported claim, Findley allegedly sought $2.85 million from Elvis Presley’s family. Findley allegedly fabricated loan documents on which Findley forged the signatures of Elvis Presley’s daughter and a Florida State notary public. Findley then allegedly filed a false creditor’s claim with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, and a fake deed of trust with the Shelby County Register’s Office in Memphis. Findley also allegedly published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in The Commercial Appeal , one of Memphis’s daily newspapers, announcing that Naussany Investments planned to auction Graceland to the highest bidder on May 23. Finally, when Naussany Investments was sued by Elvis Presley’s family in Tennessee state court as part of an effort to stop the sale of Graceland, Findley allegedly submitted false court filings. After the scheme attracted global media attention, Findley allegedly wrote to representatives of Elvis Presley’s family, the Tennessee state court, and the media to claim falsely that the person responsible for the scheme was a Nigerian identity thief located in Nigeria. “Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person’s celebrity status,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “In this case, Ms. Findley allegedly took advantage of the very public and tragic occurrences in the Presley family as an opportunity to prey on the name and financial status of the heirs to the Graceland estate, attempting to steal what rightfully belongs to the Presley family for her personal gain. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners put an end to her alleged scheme, protecting the Presley family from continued harm and stress. This is an example of our relentless investigative work and commitment to bringing criminals to justice for their illegal activity.” “Today’s announcement of charges and law enforcement action shows our broad approach to investigating allegations of identity theft and mail fraud, which can affect people from all walks of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “We will continue to vigorously pursue cases against individuals, in the United States and abroad, who would steal an identity and use fraud to benefit themselves personally.” Findley is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud. USPIS and the FBI Memphis Field Office are investigating the case with significant assistance from the FBI Kansas City Field Office. Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### CRM 24-1025


title: Lynn Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for participating in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Christopher Tejeda, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV to one year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release, with the first year to be served in home confinement. In February 2024, Tejeda pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. On behalf of the DTO, and at the direction of his relative, Javier Bello, Tejada picked up, transported and delivered controlled substances to various individuals as well as collected and delivered proceeds from drug sales. This included collecting counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl from Lawrence Nagle Sr.,. Bello, meanwhile, supervised Tejeda as well as several other individuals in the DTO. Bello pleaded guilty in May 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2024. In August 2024 , Nagle Sr., was sentenced to 151 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ocala Gang Member Sentenced To Federal Prison For Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Clinton Darnelle Kaham (24, Ocala) to 20 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Kaham pleaded guilty in February 2024. According to court records, on July 6, 2022, officers from the Ocala Police Department discovered Kaham, a gang member, in possession of a loaded firearm. The firearm had previously been reported stolen in Marion County. A subsequent FBI forensic analysis found very strong support that Kaham was the source of the DNA profile developed from the trigger, grip, frame, and trigger guard of the firearm. At the time he possessed the firearm, Kaham was a convicted felon for possession of heroin (2021). As a convicted felon, Kaham is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. 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: Previously Convicted Felon Returns to Federal Prison

body_text: ATLANTA - Mamadou D’Jire, a previously convicted felon, has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a firearm while illegally selling drugs, damaging a government vehicle while fleeing from law enforcement, and for violating the terms of his supervised release. “D’Jire is a dangerous felon who resumed his criminal activity shortly after being released from prison,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This successful prosecution is the result of the collaborative work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners whose investigation and apprehension of D’Jire make our community safer.” “Criminals must understand that there are serious repercussions for the illegal possession of firearms,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones. “The ATF and our law enforcement partners will contribute all necessary time and effort to ensure criminals are brought to justice.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On June 14, 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) special agents, and law enforcement officers with the DeKalb County, Georgia, Police Department, surveilled a gas station on Hairston Road in Stone Mountain, Georgia, when they saw Mamadou D’Jire make several marijuana sales. As D’Jire departed the gas station driving a white Nissan Altima, a Dekalb County police officer pulled behind the Altima and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. D’Jire pulled into an apartment complex where children were playing outside, but he refused to come to a complete stop. ATF agents then used their government vehicle to block the Altima. As the agents exited their vehicle, D’Jire accelerated, crashed into the agents’ vehicle, and smashed the driver’s side door, causing extensive damage. D’Jire then fled the scene but was quickly apprehended and placed under arrest. Agents searched the vehicle D’Jire was driving and found a semi-automatic 9mm caliber pistol with an extended magazine, ammunition, marijuana packaged for sale, and a federal supervised release identification card. D’Jire, a convicted felon, was released from prison approximately a month prior to committing these offenses. He had been previously convicted of three violent felonies, including two burglaries and an armed robbery. Mamadou D’Jire, 29, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones to 12 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,631.99. D’Jire was convicted of destruction of government property and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 14, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with valuable assistance provided by the DeKalb County Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bethany L. Rupert prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Dubuque Woman Sentenced for  Participating in Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who was involved in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in which a young woman died from using cocaine distributed by the conspirators, was sentenced on August 15, 2024, to more than nine years in federal prison. Whitaker Jo Ingles, age 30, from Dyersville, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 14, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine between 2019 and February 17, 2021, near Madison Park in Dubuque, Iowa. At the guilty plea and sentencing, Ingles admitted she was a member of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the Dubuque area. She helped get the cocaine from the individual who brought it from Chicago, and then worked with others to distribute the cocaine to customers in Dubuque. On February 14, 2021, one of her partners distributed cocaine to a young woman in Dubuque who went home, used the cocaine and died from using the cocaine. Ingles was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Ingles was sentenced to 115 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $13,911.02 in restitution to the victim’s family. She must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Ingles is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Reinert and Nicole Nagin and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office and the Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of Dubuque Police Department, Dubuque Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-01006. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Two Cedar Rapids Fentanyl Dealers Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: Two Cedar Rapids men that distributed hundreds of pills containing fentanyl were recently sentenced to federal prison. Henry Sorrell Barnes, Jr., age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 12, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Noah Christopher Ward, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 13, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence disclosed at prior hearings and their respective sentencings showed that between January 2023 and September 27, 2023, Barnes distributed at least 4,000 pills containing fentanyl in Cedar Rapids. Between May 2023, and late October 2023, Ward obtained at least 815 pills containing fentanyl from different sources, including Barnes, and Ward distributed many of the pills that he obtained. On two occasions, Ward sold Barnes a firearm in exchange for pills containing fentanyl. On August 13, 2024, Barnes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Barnes was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. On August 7, 2024, Ward was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Williams. Ward was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a four‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Barnes and Ward are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force, consisting of the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office, the Iowa City Police Department, the Coralville Police Department, the North Liberty Police Department, the University of Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the United States Parcel Service. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file numbers are 23‑CR‑70 and 23‑CR‑77. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Chicago Man Charged in Federal Court With Plotting To Kill Two Witnesses in Cousin’s Murder Trial

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been indicted on federal murder-for-hire charges for allegedly plotting to kill two potential witnesses in his cousin’s upcoming murder trial. An indictment returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges CHRISTOPHER YATES, 39, with two counts of murder-for-hire and one count of unlawful transfer of a firearm and ammunition. According to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in the case, Yates sought the killings of two individuals he believed would testify against his cousin in a state murder trial. Yates’s cousin is currently detained in state custody on murder and attempted murder charges for allegedly shooting two individuals, one fatally, in 2020. The trial was set to begin this fall. Last month, Yates allegedly recruited a man to carry out the killings and provided him with a handgun and ammunition. Yates allegedly told the man, “I want them both off the board. Both of them got to [expletive] go.” Yates provided the man with $250 in cash and said he could offer more money later as payment for the killings, the charges allege. “Whatever you charge, I’m working on that,” Yates allegedly said. Yates was arrested on July 31, 2024, and he remains detained in federal custody without bond. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment Thursday in federal court in Chicago. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The unlawful transfer charge is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison, while each murder-for-hire count is punishable by up to ten years. Yates complaint Yates indictment


title: Federal Prisoner Sentenced To Six Years For Assaulting His Cellmate Causing Serious Bodily Harm

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Walter Lamar Jackson (43, Georgia) to six years for assault within the special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States (a federal prison) resulting in serious bodily harm. A federal jury found Jackson guilty on January 30, 2024. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Jackson was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex Coleman in Sumter County, Florida. On July 15, 2021, he was housed in a cell with another inmate inside the facility’s special housing unit. At approximately 5:50 p.m., correctional officers responded to an emergency alarm and discovered Jackson’s cellmate lying on the floor unconscious. Jackson was standing over his cellmate and slamming the man’s head into the concrete floor, which resulted in severe injuries. The officers immediately stopped the assault and restrained Jackson in handcuffs. Jackson subsequently stated to medical personnel that he had attacked his cellmate after giving him three warnings to be quiet. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Nowalk and William S. Hamilton.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF Announce Federal Charges in Santa Fe Shooting and Carjacking Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – The United States Attorney's Office has filed federal charges against Zachary Babitz in connection with a fatal shooting and carjacking that occurred on August 6, 2024, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The charges include carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Babitz , 38, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for August 20, 2024. According to the criminal complaint, on the morning of August 6, Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) officers responded to a call reporting a shooting in the parking lot of Best Buy, located at 3533 Zafarano Dr. Upon arrival, officers found a male victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. Despite life-saving efforts by medics, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses provided cellphone videos and photographs of the incident, while surveillance footage from nearby businesses, including Famous Footwear and Panera Bread, captured the suspect, later identified as Babitz, approaching the victim and engaging in a physical altercation before the shooting. Babitz was seen leaving the scene in the victim's Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was later reported stolen. Further investigation revealed that Babitz had absconded from probation and was identified by the Adult Probation and Parole Office as the individual in the photos disseminated to the public. According to APPO, on August 1, 2024, Babitz cut his electronic monitoring device off and left a note for law enforcement on the door of his residence in Edgewood, New Mexico. The note stated, “ To Law Enforcement this needs to be very clear. My wife had absolutely no clue as to what I planned or am about to do. These were my decisions, and I hid them from her signed this day 8-1-24 10:55am Zachary Babitz .” On August 10, 2024, Babitz was apprehended in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where a 9mm firearm was recovered. Testing is underway to determine if this weapon was used in the Santa Fe incident. Babitz has a history of felony convictions, including armed robbery and carjacking, and was released from prison in March 2024. The investigation is ongoing. If convicted of the current charges, Babitz faces any term of years and up to life in prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department, Albuquerque Police Department and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Letitia Carroll Simms is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Hart County Company Sentenced to 3 Years of Probation and Fined $100,000 for Federal Criminal Violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – Yesterday, Logsdon Valley Oil, Inc., a/k/a Hart Petroleum, a Hart County, Kentucky, company was sentenced to 3 years of probation and fined $100,000 for violating the Safe Drinking Water Act. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Leslie Carroll of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division covering Kentucky made the announcement. According to court documents, in 2019 Logsdon Valley Oil, Inc., a/k/a Hart Petroleum, illegally discharged produced fluid also known as brine water from oil and gas production into sinkholes without a permit in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Logsdon Valley Oil, Inc. was previously convicted of violating the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2013. “The enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water Act is vital to keeping Kentucky’s groundwater safe,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to pursue, in partnership with the EPA, those who violate federal environmental laws in order to keep our citizens safe and to protect Kentucky’s natural resources.” “Illegally injecting brine water into an unpermitted well violates the Safe Drinking Water Act and threatens the quality of groundwater,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Carroll. “Our nation’s environmental laws are designed to protect public health and safety, and the sentencing of Logsdon Valley Oil demonstrates that the EPA and its law enforcement partners will take action to protect communities and their local water supplies.” This case was investigated by the Environment Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Judd prosecuted the case. ###


title: Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Drug Distribution

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Viagrande, age 42, of Latham, New York, pled guilty today to distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. Viagrande admitted that from May 2021 through January 2024, he issued a total of 149 controlled substance prescriptions, to a total of five people, for no legitimate medical purpose. Viagrande also admitted to improperly issuing an additional 28 controlled substance prescriptions, to two people, from June 2019 to April 2020. Nearly all of the prescriptions were for amphetamine. Viagrande admitted to prescribing dangerous amounts of amphetamine to someone (identified in court papers as “Individual-1”) who was not seeing him for patient visits in 2023 and 2024, while he also failed to keep medical records for Individual-1 and ignored indications that she was abusing the drug. Viagrande also admitted to regularly prescribing amphetamine to “Individual-2” at Individual-1’s request, even though Individual-2 was never his patient. Viagrande admitted to ignoring indications that Individual-1 was picking up Individual-2’s prescriptions at pharmacies. At sentencing, before Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr., Viagrande faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, as well as at least 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. As part of his plea agreement, Viagrande surrendered his DEA registration, which had allowed him to prescribe controlled substances. The DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS) investigated this case. TDS is comprised of DEA Special Agents and Diversion Investigators, as well as Investigators from the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting this case.


title: Swain County Man Pleads Guilty To Cold Case Murder In Indian Country

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Ernest D. Pheasant, Sr., 47, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), pleaded guilty today to first-degree murder in Indian Country, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Pheasant entered his guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf. According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearing, on December 29, 2013, the body of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant was discovered inside a burned-out vehicle parked near Big Cove Road within the Qualla Boundary in the Western District of North Carolina. Investigators determined that the vehicle had been intentionally set on fire. An autopsy revealed that Marie died from stab wounds to the neck and abdomen. DNA retrieved from a baseball cap found near the vehicle was linked to the defendant, who was Marie’s estranged husband. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Pheasant killed Marie at their home, then transferred her body to the car, drove it to Big Cove Road, and set it on fire. By today’s guilty plea, Pheasant admitted to murdering Marie willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation. On April 7, 2022, following a review of unsolved homicides in the region, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) opened a full interagency investigation into the case. Today’s guilty plea is the result of the joint investigation conducted by the MMU, the FBI in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, and the EBCI Office of the Tribal Prosecutor. Pheasant remains in federal custody. At sentencing, Pheasant faces a statutorily required sentence of life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. Assistant United States Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of cases involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) and bringing justice to victims and their families. For more information about the Justice Department’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the MMIP section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/mmip .


title: Bradenton Drug Trafficker Sentenced To 20 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Bradenton, Florida– U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Jamal Trevorah (31, Bradenton) to 20 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing various controlled substances with the intent to distribute them and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Trevorah entered a guilty plea on June 30, 2022. According to court documents, on the morning of on May 4, 2021, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) observed Trevorah exit a motel room in Manatee County carrying a brown and red shoebox. Agents watched Trevorah as he traveled throughout Manatee County. Trevorah made multiple stops in the area. Agents believed, based on their training, experience, and knowledge of the investigation, that the multiple stops were narcotics transactions where Trevorah distributed narcotics to others. Trevorah eventually parked at a residence on 16th Street W. in Bradenton and entered the home through the front door. Agents then executed a search warrant at the location and encountered Trevorah standing in the residence approximately five feet inside the open door. Trevorah was in the residence. In the same room where Trevorah was initially observed, officers found three plastic baggies containing white and tan powder. Also, in the same room, agents located the red and brown shoebox that Trevorah had with him earlier in the day. Inside the box officers located multiple plastic baggies containing narcotics. Lab testing confirmed the drugs to be 66 grams of cocaine base, 83 grams of cocaine, 40 grams of methamphetamine, and 18 grams of fentanyl. In a cabinet in the same room as the narcotics, investigators located a loaded American Tactical .45 caliber handgun loaded with eight rounds of ammunition. Various rounds of ammunition were also strewn throughout the home. Agents also located a cutting agent, razor blades, scales, and white powdery residue in that same room, all indicative of drug trafficking. Later that afternoon, agents executed a search warrant at the motel room where Trevorah was seen leaving earlier. Agents located a lunchbox inside a trash bag full of clothes. The lunchbox contained approximately $22,540 in cash. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.


title: Watauga Man Sentenced for Assault by Striking, Beating or Wounding

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Watauga, South Dakota man convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating or Wounding. The sentencing took place on August 15, 2024. Justin James Schneider, age 39, was sentenced to time served, equal to one year in custody, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25. Schneider was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023. A jury found him guilty of Assault by Striking, Beating or Wounding following trial on May 15, 2024. On October 26, 2022, in McIntosh, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation, Schneider was taking out the trash when he saw another man. Schneider believed the other man had wronged him several months earlier. Schneider gestured for the man to join him in a neighbor’s yard. When they met, Schneider accused the man of misconduct, then punched him several times in the face. Schneider walked the man to his wife’s workplace, forced him to apologize for the alleged misdeed, and then punched him once more on the nose, breaking it. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the General Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes federal prosecution of certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country. This case was investigated by the Corson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Schneider remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on separate charges.


title: Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty Of Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Antoine Johnson (45, Indialantic) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Johnson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 10, 2024. Johnson was indicted on July 26, 2023. According to the evidence presented at trial, after being stopped for violating a Florida traffic law on May 9, 2023, Johnson was found with a loaded firearm in his waistband. Johnson admitted to law enforcement that he knew he was a convicted felon and should not have been carrying a firearm. In a special finding, the jury found that before being stopped by the police, Johnson had been convicted three different times in the State of Florida, including robbery and two the sale of cocaine. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Palm Bay Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie McNeff. 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: Havre woman admits lunging at airplane flight controls during landing at Havre airport

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Havre woman who was a passenger on a small commercial airplane admitted on Thursday to interfering with the flight by lunging at the controls as the plane was landing, causing it to accelerate and turn on the runway, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Tracy Lynn Eagleman, aka Tracy Badmoccasin, 36, pleaded guilty to interfering with an aircraft in flight. Eagleman faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 11. Eagleman was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that on March 21, 2023, Eagleman was a passenger on Cape Air flight 1793, a small passenger plane that departed from Billings and was bound for Havre. On the final approach into Havre, about 10 miles out, Eagleman stood up and started yelling about the landing. The flight crew – a captain and first officer – were able to calm Eagleman down and get her back into her seat. However, just as the plane touched down, Eagleman lunged forward from her seat and hit the flight controls. Eagleman hit the throttle for one of the two engines, causing it to accelerate and prompting the plane to “yaw” or turn on the runway. At the time, the plane was traveling between 70 and 75 knots, which is approximately 80 mph. The flight crew regained control of the plane without further incident, stopped on the tarmac and eventually taxied safely to the airport terminal. One of the passengers recorded the incident on a cellphone. While the recording failed to capture the moment, Eagleman lunged at the control deck, other passengers are heard yelling in fear that they could have been killed. In later interviews, the flight crew indicated that yawing at 70 knots in an unbalanced aircraft could cause it to roll and crash. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Hill County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. XXX


title: Two Texas Men Indicted, Arrested for Dealing Firearms Without a License

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned indictments charging two Texas men with offenses related to the unlawful dealing of firearms. According to court documents, Ronin Michael Rhoades, 24, of Georgetown, and Tristan James Banda, 42, of Pflugerville, were both allegedly engaged in the business of dealing in firearms, despite not being licensed firearms dealers. Additionally, Rhoades allegedly conspired to traffic and straw purchase a variety of firearms, including AR- and AK-style rifles, FN SCAR rifles, pistols, and a .50 caliber rifle. Rhoades was arrested Aug. 1 and is charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms, one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, and one count of dealing in firearms without a license. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison for the firearms trafficking charge, up to 25 years imprisonment for the straw purchasing charge, and up to five years for dealing firearms without a license. Banda was arrested Aug. 14 and is charged with one count of dealing in firearms without a license. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve is prosecuting the cases. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mercer County Accounting Professor Found Guilty of Tax Evasion and Filing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was convicted of evading federal income taxes and filing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Gordian A. Ndubizu, 69, of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, was convicted on Aug. 15, 2024, of all eight counts of an indictment charging him with four counts of tax evasion and four counts of filing false tax returns in tax years 2014 through 2017. The jury deliberated for two hours before returning the guilty verdict following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial: During tax years 2014 through 2017, Ndubizu was a professor of accounting at a university in Pennsylvania as well as the co-owner of Healthcare Pharmacy in Trenton, New Jersey. Healthcare Pharmacy was organized as an S corporation, the income of which flowed through to Ndubizu and his wife and was to be reported on their personal income tax returns. Ndubizu prepared fraudulent books and records for Healthcare Pharmacy inflating the pharmacy’s costs of goods sold to reduce and underreport the pharmacy’s actual profits flowing through to Ndubizu and his wife. In the fraudulent books and records, among other things, Ndubizu identified certain wire transfers as payments to purchase goods sold by the pharmacy when these wire transfers were in fact made to personal bank accounts under Ndubizu’s control and to bank accounts in Nigeria associated with an automotive company under Ndubizu’s control. Each of Ndubizu’s tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2017 falsely underreported his income and falsely reported that he had no financial interest in or signature authority over any foreign bank accounts. Ndubizu failed to report approximately $3.28 million in income from the pharmacy, resulting in the evasion of approximately $1.25 million in tax due and owing. Each count of tax evasion carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Each count of filing a false tax return carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict. He also thanked special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and officers of the Trenton Police Department and Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Ramey and Ashley Super Pitts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.


title: Virginia Beach man sentenced for distributing horrific images of child sexual abuse

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). According to court documents, on Oct. 12, 2023, Dustin Roy Harrell, 39, distributed CSAM in a group on an end-to-end encryption messaging app that keeps communications private. Harrell shared a link to a Mega.nz account within the private channel that allowed users to download a video depicting the sexual abuse of a newborn baby. Law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices, including three cellphones. Forensic examinations of the phones revealed 267 images, 32 computer-generated images, and five videos of CSAM. One device contained conversations in which Harrell discussed topics of child pornography and incest. Harrell engaged in online groups named “Cute Teens 16-19,” “Uncensored Teens,” Family Maza Incst,” and more. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-19.


title: Charlotte Car Dealership Owner And Sales Manager Plead Guilty To Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The owner of a Charlotte area car dealership and a sales manager have pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. John Harvey Martin, 50, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty today, and Vincent Emmanuel Jefferson, Jr., 47, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, and Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Martin was the owner of iNetwork Auto Group Inc. (iNetwork), a car dealership located in Charlotte. Martin owned and operated The Scorpio nightclub, also located in Charlotte. Martin employed Jefferson as a sales manager for iNetwork. Court documents show that, from July 2017, through January 2021, Martin and Jefferson engaged in a money laundering scheme by selling approximately 20 luxury vehicles to G.D., an individual who the defendants knew was a drug dealer or of whom they were willfully blind to that fact. The defendants received cash payments from G.D., also knowing or being willfully blind to the fact that the cash represented property derived from some form of criminal activity. Jefferson and Martin further facilitated the fraud by allowing G.D. to buy the vehicles using the names of straw purchasers in order to conceal G.D.’s identity and hide the illicit source of the cash G.D. was using to pay for the vehicles. To further the conspiracy, Martin and Jefferson at times forged the signatures of straw purchasers on sales, registration, and title paperwork for the vehicles sold to G.D., and frequently notarized the paperwork knowing that the straw purchasers were not the true purchasers of the vehicles. Court records show that Martin and Jefferson received from G.D. cash payments for the vehicles totaling over $520,000. According to court documents, Martin used at least $200,000 in cash that he received from G.D. to pay for renovations to a building adjacent to iNetwork. Martin also solicited and received at least $100,000 in cash from G.D. to buy The Scorpio nightclub, while concealing G.D.’s ownership interest in The Scorpio. As Martin admitted in court today, he subsequently bought out G.D.’s ownership interest in The Scorpio for at least $100,000 in cash. G.D. gave that money to another individual, identified in court documents as J.M., who then attempted to drive the money to G.D.’s drug trafficking source of supply in California. After law enforcement seized the money from J.M., J.M. – at G.D.’s direction – submitted a fraudulent claim to the United States government under penalty of perjury falsely representing that J.M. was the lawful owner of the money and that he legally obtained the money from the sale of The Scorpio. Court documents show that Martin provided fraudulent documentation and made false representations in support of J.M.’s false and fraudulent claim. Martin and Jefferson have been released on bond. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. The prosecution was the result of a joint investigation by IRS-CI and the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor Stout and Thomas Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.


title: Two Defendants Sentenced For “Horrific” Fraud Scheme That “Preyed Upon” Elderly Victims

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that two defendants were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in an international fraud conspiracy that stole over $11 million from mostly senior citizens in multiple states. A victim in West Michigan lost $398,000 to the conspiracy. Jayesh J. Panchal, 55, of Hicksville, New York, was sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $7,930,287 in restitution to 40 victims of the conspiracy. Vijaya C. Shetty, 53, of Flushing, New York, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $596,800 in restitution to victims. Shetty pleaded guilty in February 2024 and Panchal pleaded guilty in April 2024. U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering, who imposed the sentence, said Panchal and Shetty were involved in a “horrific” fraud scheme that “preyed upon some of our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly.” She noted that many of the victims “worked, saved, and scrimped their whole lives and now have little or nothing to live on.” “We teamed up with multiple law enforcement partners to pinpoint and punish these fraudsters who preyed on vulnerable elderly victims, and we’ll continue to aggressively chase these criminals wherever they strike,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “Raising awareness of elder fraud is critical to help protect our older loved ones from losing their life savings to these types of crimes. My office is committed to fighting all types of elder abuse in our community.” Information on other co-defendants who have been sentenced can be found here and here . Co-defendant Everette Thibou pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31. The fraud scheme began when victims received a pop-up message on their computers warning that a virus had infected their devices. The messages urged the victims to call a number to get help. When the victims called the number provided, they got a response from someone claiming to work for a tech company, such as Microsoft or Apple. In truth, they were scammers located in India, who scared the victims into giving money to the conspiracy with a variety of different ruses. In one version of the scam, victims were told that their bank accounts had been compromised and they needed to withdraw all their cash and give it to fake “federal agents” for safekeeping. In another version, victims were told that their computers had been infected by a virus and they needed to pay for technical support. In a third version, victims were told that they had been identified in a criminal investigation and needed to turn over money to clear their names. Regardless of which ruse was used, the result was the same: victims were convinced to give $11 million money to the scammers. Victims did this during in-person meetings with fake “federal agents,” by mailing boxes of cash to addresses provided by the scammers, by wire transfers to bank accounts controlled by the scammers, or through gift cards they purchased at the direction of the scammers. Panchal and one of his co-defendants, McKhaela McNamara, made six trips to meet with a victim in Lake County, Michigan, to collect $398,000 in fraud proceeds from her. The victim had been convinced that her bank accounts had been compromised and that she was giving cash to “federal agents” for safekeeping. It is alleged that a different co-defendant helped arranged the meetings with the Lake County victim. Panchal and Shetty travelled throughout the United States at the direction of the leaders of the conspiracy in India to collect millions of dollars in cash from the victims. They also laundered fraud proceeds by depositing cash into various bank accounts. “Fraudsters are targeting our senior community at an alarming rate nationwide. Criminals continue to take advantage of their trusting nature and generosity,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson , Special Agent in Charge for the FBI in Michigan . “We must empower our seniors with knowledge about elder fraud and its various forms to protect them from this intolerable manipulation. If you or someone you know has been a victim of elder fraud, we ask that you report it immediately to the National Elder Fraud Hotline or file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. We will not allow these criminals to continue exploiting our seniors.” The FBI Detroit, Grand Rapids Resident Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Lake County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Clay Stiffler prosecuted it. For more information on preventing elder fraud and help for victims, visit the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative website , which includes a list of Michigan-specific resources . The FBI Elder Fraud website also provides several resources, including the following tips to help seniors protect themselves: Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator. Search online for the contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) and the proposed offer. Other people have likely posted information online about individuals and businesses trying to run scams. Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one. Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, text messages, mailings, and door-to-door services offers. Never give or send any personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses. Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls. Disconnect from the internet and shut down your device if you see a pop-up message or locked screen. Pop-ups are regularly used by perpetrators to spread malicious software. Enable pop-up blockers to avoid accidentally clicking on a pop-up. Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don't know and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you. Take precautions to protect your identity if a criminal gains access to your device or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov to receive consumer complaints. ###


title: West Memphis Man Sentenced to Over 16 Years in Federal Prison For Being A Felon In Possession of A Firearm

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Cornelius Corwine Sandlin, a multi-convicted felon, will spend 195 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. On February 9, 2024, Sandlin, 46, West Memphis, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Moody also sentenced Sandlin to three years supervised release. Sandlin was indicted on February 7, 2023, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. An investigation by the West Memphis Police Department (WMPD) revealed that on January 20, 2022, WMPD Violent Crime detectives received a tip from a confidential source that Sandlin was trying to sell the confidential source an AR-style rifle from his motel room for approximately $300. The detectives conducted a surveillance operation and observed Sandlin exiting a hotel room clutching an object thought to be a firearm inside his jacket and enter his vehicle. Marked WMPD patrol units conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in Sandlin’s driveway. Sandlin fled on foot and was able to elude law enforcement at that time. During a search of the Sandlin’s vehicle, detectives discovered the Hämmerli, model Tac R1 22c .22 caliber, rifle laying in the front passenger seat. The rifle was loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. Detectives also located a casino players card ID and a pill bottle with Sandlin’s name on them. Through further investigation, Sandlin was located and taken into custody on February 24, 2022. At the time of his arrest, Sandlin was in possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, plastic baggies, a scale, ammunition, and a CB radio. Sandlin is classified as an armed career criminal offender due to his violent criminal history that includes: robbery, theft of property, aggravated robbery, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, possession of ecstasy with purpose to deliver, and possession of cocaine with purpose to deliver. Therefore, the maximum penalty Sandlin faced was not less than 15 years and not more than life in prison, no more than five years supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the West Memphis Police Department and the. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reese Lancaster. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Carjacking of Delivery Driver and Related Firearm Offense

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dennis Vanison, 31, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of carrying a pistol without a license, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Vanison entered his guilty plea on August 13, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Robert A. Salerno. Judge Salerno scheduled sentencing for November 15, 2024. Carjacking carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration. During the plea hearing, Vanison admitted that he and an unidentified accomplice carjacked a food delivery driver on May 2, 2023. The victim had just dropped off a delivery in the 2400 block of Wagner Street Southeast when Vanison’s accomplice stole items from the victim’s car. When the victim went to retrieve his belongings, Vanison and his accomplice attacked the victim and attempted to take his phone. During the attack, the accomplice produced a gun and pointed it at the victim, and at Vanison’s direction, snatched the victim’s keys from his pocket. Vanison and his accomplice then fled the scene, driving away in their car and the victim’s car, respectively. The next morning, members of the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department encountered Vanison inside an SUV several feet from the victim’s car, which was parked and idling in an alley. Vanison’s cellphone and keychain were found inside the victim’s car, and a fully-loaded pistol was found at Vanison’s feet inside the SUV. Vanison was apprehended on May 3, 2023, and has been in custody ever since. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Parron and Daniel Bromwich.


title: Career criminal sentenced to 27 years in prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms crimes

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for fentanyl distribution and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, from Feb. 10, 2022, to March 3, 2022, law enforcement in Richmond conducted three controlled purchases of fentanyl from Jason Dominic Coley, 38. On March 22, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants for locations and vehicles associated with Coley. During a search of Coley’s residence, investigators recovered two semiautomatic handguns, a semiautomatic rifle, 13.8 ounces of fentanyl, and 4.3 ounces of cocaine. At another residence associated with Coley, investigators recovered $16,085, and a .45 caliber handgun. The same day, law enforcement detained and arrested Coley, whom they found in possession of a .40 caliber handgun. Coley admitted that for the past year, he had been purchasing approximately two kilograms of fentanyl from California for distribution. Coley is a career criminal with previous felony convictions, including in federal court. As a convicted felon, he cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-126.


title: Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 192 Months in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Allen Ambrose, age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court further sentenced Ambrose to serve five years of supervised release. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office narcotics agents were investigating the drug trafficking activities of Ambrose and his live-in girlfriend, which included physical surveillance, ping warrants, and controlled purchases of methamphetamine. On June 22, 2022, agents located Ambrose at a hotel on Energy Drive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and planned execution of an arrest warrant and several search warrants. Ambrose fled when he saw agents, and during the pursuit, he discarded approximately three ounces of methamphetamine over a fence. During execution of the search warrants and Ambrose’s person, agents located over four kilograms of methamphetamine, $4,850 in various denominations, a scale, a pill press, and a quantity of suspected marijuana, LSD, and MDMA. The defendant was questioned after his arrest and admitted knowing and intentional possession of the narcotics located in the hotel room. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Richland Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison on Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Gerald Alan Nott, age 63, of Richland, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of Receipt of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 180 months (15 years) imprisonment to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, between December of 2022 and March of 2023, a Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (SER-ICAC) detective developed information that Nott, who is a registered sex offender, was using the internet at his parent’s home in Richland, Washington to distribute child pornography. The more than 1600 image and video files depicted young children, including those approximately one to four years old, being sexually abused. On March 16, 2023, detectives executed a search warrant at the home where Nott had accessed the internet. Nott told officers that he thought police might be coming to talk to him, so he attempted to delete the files containing child pornography from his tablet. Nott also admitted to hiding the tablet behind a cabinet. That same day, SER-ICAC officers executed a search warrant at Nott’s residence in Richland and seized a second tablet. A certified forensic examiner with SER-ICAC examined both tablets and located more than 100 video and image files of child pornography. “This sentence sends a powerful reminder to Mr. Nott and others like him: Crimes that exploit children cannot, and will not be tolerated,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Mr. Nott ignored the conditions of his release and used the internet to view and distribute horrific depictions of young children being abused. However, thanks to the dedicated work of the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and prosecutors from my office, we were able to hold Mr. Nott accountable and prevent him from further victimizing the most vulnerable among us.” “HSI’s resolve to protect children from exploitation is unwavering,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentencing is a critical reminder of our relentless pursuit of justice for the youngest and most vulnerable victims. Each image he possessed represents a child’s suffering, and our work is driven by a profound commitment to ensuring these children are safeguarded. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to hold offenders accountable and prevent future abuse.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov This case was investigated by the Southeast Regional ICAC Task Force, consisting of Homeland Security Investigations and the Richland and Kennewick Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel Holland.


title: Two Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Illegally Acquire Codeine and Identity Theft

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – Richard Rogers Jr., 33, and Chad Wolf, 27, were sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 44 months and 39 months, respectively, for conspiracy to acquire and possess codeine and aggravated identity theft. Rogers and Wolf were also each ordered to forfeit $57,336 – the amount of their illegal codeine resale profits. According to their plea agreements, Rogers and Wolf conspired, over multiple years, in submitting numerous fraudulent prescriptions for Promethazine-Codeine syrup, which were sent to pharmacies in various Kentucky locations. Neither Rogers nor Wolf had valid prescriptions for codeine cough syrup in their own name. Instead, Rogers and Wolf acquired identity information from unsuspecting individuals – often in the form of driver’s licenses. Rogers and Wolf also acquired DEA numbers of medical providers from others, including from physicians in Michigan and Kentucky, without the physicians’ authorization or consent. They used this information to create fraudulent prescriptions for codeine cough syrup and organized others to retrieve the prescriptions as they were filled. Under federal law, Rogers and Wolf must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for one year. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentences. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Moynahan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Northern District of California Bankruptcy Court Extends Sexual Abuse Claims Bar Deadline in Bankruptcy filed by Franciscan Friars of California, Inc

body_text: On July 11, 2014, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (“Court”), Oakland Division, Case No. 23-41723 WJL, the Court entered an order extending the General Bar Date, as defined in the Bar Date Order, to August 30, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). Debtor was ordered by the Court to serve the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota with a copy of the Notice Package, and Debtor’s counsel requested that we post the provided Sexual Abuse Claim Notice Package. Attached is the Notice Package received as well as the Court order. The US Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota is not involved in this matter. For additional information, the “Notice of Extended Bar Date Requiring Filings of Proofs of Claim” indicates, in part, that you may contact Donlin Recano & Company, Inc. at (888) 444-4055 or email inquiries to ffcinfo@drc.equiniti.com . Order Extending The Claims Bar Date and Granting Related Relief order_from_bk_ct_-_ndca.pdf


title: Orlando Man Sentenced To 50 Years In Federal Prison For Producing Child Sexual Abuse Videos

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Brian Hamilton (43, Orlando) to 50 years in federal prison for production and receipt of child sexual abuse material. Hamilton pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024. According to court documents, tips about a user distributing child sexual abuse material online led the FBI to Hamilton. After the FBI executed a search warrant at Hamilton’s residence on October 11, 2023, they located numerous videos of child sexual abuse material on Hamilton’s laptop, some of which had been produced by Hamilton. Hamilton admitted that he had sexually abused one of the child victims in the videos and stated that he had done so to “get even” with the child’s parent. Hamilton also admitted to sexually abusing the child victim on multiple occasions, including in a public restroom. “Compassion for the victims is what drives our agents to work these incredibly disturbing cases. While today’s sentencing ensures the end of this defendant’s despicable crime, the FBI continues its effort to expose those preying on the innocent and make certain justice is served,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie McNeff. 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches Agreement with Hackensack Meridian Health to Ensure it Permits Service Animals at Medical Appointments

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached an agreement with Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) to resolve allegations that HMH violated the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) by prohibiting individuals with disabilities from bringing service animals to medical appointments, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. During its investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office determined that HMH violated the ADA by refusing to allow a service animal into a medical office. The matter stems from a complaint alleging that Dr. Abigail Whetstone’s office, part of HMH, did not permit an individual with a disability using a service animal to bring the service animal into the office for an appointment. Under the ADA, places of public accommodation must make reasonable modifications to policies and practices to permit persons with disabilities who require service animals to use service animals while participating in its services. Places of public accommodation also cannot require individuals using service animals to produce documents or tags verifying that the animal is a service animal. HMH has agreed to make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, and procedures to permit the use of service animals by persons with disabilities, to ensure that all employees working at Whetstone’s office have a hard copy of HMH’s service animal policy, and to ensure that all employees working at Whetstone’s office receive training on Title III’s service animal compliance. HMH will also pay damages to the complainant. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may call the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339 and/or file a complaint with the U.S Attorney’s Office at http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement/complaint . Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov , or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TDD). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Horan Florio, Senior Civil Rights Counsel in the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Division.


title: Trafficking illegal machine guns and silencers sends Pasadena man to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 28-year-old man has been sentenced for the unlicensed sale of firearms and possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Austin Shofner pleaded guilty May 23, admitting he sold multiple privately manufactured firearms and machine gun conversion devices (MCDs). U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now ordered Shofner to serve a 120-month-term of imprisonment for the possession and transfer of a machine gun charge and 60 months for unlicensed firearms sales which will be served concurrently. The total 10-year prison term will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Shofner was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,000. In handing down the sentence, the court noted this sentence reflects the need for deterrence due to the nature of the offense and Shofner’s criminal history. “Austin Shofner wanted to build his illegal gun manufacturing business, supplying deadly machine guns, devices that converted handguns into machine guns, automatic rifles and silencers to anyone who would pay,” said Hamdani. “He had big dreams until he ran into an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Entrepreneurs are an important part of America’s fabric, but not Austin Shofner’s kind. Instead of counting his profits, Shofner will be counting down days, the thousands of days he will spend in a federal prison.” “Engaging in the business of firearms sales without proper licensing is a violation of law that the ATF will continue to investigate aggressively,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the ATF. “MCDs pose a grave risk to law enforcement and the general public. We are committed to fighting against the dangers that they pose.” Beginning in January, Shofner sold several privately manufactured firearms with no mark or serial number, commonly known as “ghost guns.” He also sold machine gun conversion devices aka switches and firearm silencers at various locations in the Houston metropolitan area to undercover authorities via Instagram. During one transaction, Shofner described a silencer he was selling as “illegal as [expletive].” Additionally, Shofner had stated that selling firearms and switches was his primary source of income and detailed his plans to expand his firearm manufacturing operation. On March 7, authorities executed a search warrant at Shofner’s residence in Pasadena where they found a Glock pistol, a pistol frame, an assault-style pistol and a suppressor. As part of the overall investigation, law enforcement also seized five MCDs, two silencers and five ghost guns which included a machine gun and a short-barreled rifle. About an inch long, switches may be made of metal or plastic and printed on commercially available 3D printers. They generally slide into the butt of a gun and allow the shooter to fully automatically fire, unloading dozens of rounds with a single pull of the trigger. In contrast, regular semi-automatic firearms require a separate trigger pull for each round fired. Shofner will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.


title: Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges Of Possessing Sexually Explicit Images Of Children

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Yesterday, Chad Christopher Langgle, age 30, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron of the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced Langgle’s guilty plea. According to his guilty plea, in December 2022, Langgle emailed more than 50 videos containing child pornography. He also possessed images of child pornography on his cell phone and had additional videos stored in his email account. Langgle was previously convicted of sex abuse of a minor and second-degree assault on a minor in the Circuit Court for Calvert County, Maryland. Additionally, he was previously convicted of second-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County, Maryland. At sentencing, Langgle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison followed by up to lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin has scheduled sentencing for October 10, 2024 at 10 a.m. 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, and the United States Marshals Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood, who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach .