title: Tampa Man Charged In Connection With Armed Robbery

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Brandale Swails (29, Tampa) with Hobbs Act Robbery. If convicted, Swails faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. According to the complaint, on October 15, 2023, Swails entered a gas station, pointed a firearm at the victim’s head, and demanded the victim open the cash register. The victim immediately hid behind the counter. Swails jumped over the counter towards the victim while continuing to point the firearm at him. Swails told the victim he would shoot him if the victim did not open the register. Swails then took the cash and fled. Hours later, law enforcement officers found Swails driving a vehicle. When officers attempted to pull him over, Swails fled. On October 31, 2023, Swails was arrested inside a home, hiding in a closet. Two loaded firearms were found in his possession. A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes. 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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Man Admits Laundering Money for Drug Dealers in St. Louis

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Lake St. Louis, Missouri on Monday admitted laundering money for methamphetamine dealers operating in the St. Louis area. Melvin Hayes, 66, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to misprision of a felony. Hayes admitted working on behalf of Demond Bernard McDaniels Jr., Dawaune Lamont Rhodes Jr. and others who were distributing methamphetamine. He also admitted being caught on Oct. 8, 2020, in Kansas with 45 bundles of meth weighing about 100 pounds. Hayes had picked the meth up in Colorado and was bringing it to McDaniels. He told investigators that he would be paid for the trip but didn’t tell them he shared the profits from drug sales. Hayes made three to four additional trips bringing cash from drug sales to Los Angeles and picking up meth, his plea says. A subsequent investigation recovered a total of $115,755 in cash associated with Rhodes and McDaniels. Hayes also admitted amassing assets worth about $2.6 million by using drug profits to buy real estate, vehicles and other assets and using his limousine business to hide the source of cash. Hayes is scheduled to be sentenced March 26, 2024. The misprision charge is punishable by up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Hayes has already agreed to forfeit $250,000, which represents the approximate value of properties he bought via his money laundering activities. Rhodes, of St. Louis, and McDaniels, of St. Charles, were each sentenced this year to 10 years in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Minneapolis-Area Attorney Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crimes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Minnesota man pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay to the IRS employment taxes withheld from the wages of his law firm’s employees. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2013 and 2015 through 2019, Kassius Orlando Benson owned and operated Kassius Benson Law P.A., a law practice in Hennepin County, Minnesota. During each of these years, Benson’s firm had employees, paid them wages and withheld income and Social Security and Medicare taxes from their wages. Benson, however, despite knowing of his obligation to do so, did not file the legally-required quarterly employment tax returns or pay the withholdings to the IRS. In total, he caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $213,000. Benson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Tax Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Hospital Executive and Three Texas Physicians to Pay Over $880,000 to Settle Kickback Allegations Involving Laboratory Testing

component: Civil Division

body_text: Former hospital executive Peggy Borgfeld, of Lexington, Texas, and physicians Linh Nguyen, M.D. and Thuy Nguyen, M.D., of Dallas, and Heriberto Salinas, M.D., of Cleburne, Texas, have agreed to pay a total of $880,199 to resolve False Claims Act allegations involving illegal remuneration in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The parties also have agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations of, and litigation against, other participants in the alleged schemes. “The False Claims Act protects taxpayer-funded programs against those who seek to misuse them for their personal gain,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to enforce the law to protect the integrity of federal healthcare programs, including by pursing arrangements that involve the payment of kickbacks.” The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. The settlements announced today resolve allegations that Drs. Linh Nguyen, Thuy Nguyen and Heriberto Salinas received kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute in return for their laboratory testing referrals. Linh Nguyen and Thuy Nguyen. Drs. Linh Nguyen and Thuy Nguyen have agreed to pay $404,813 to resolve two allegations from October 2015 to February 2018. First, the physicians allegedly received thousands of dollars in payments from a purported management service organization (MSO) named Ascend MSO of TX LLC (Ascend) in return for ordering laboratory tests from Little River Healthcare (Little River), a critical access hospital in Rockdale, Texas, and Boston Heart Diagnostics Corporation (Boston Heart), a clinical laboratory in Framingham, Massachusetts. Second, the physicians allegedly received thousands of dollars in payments from an MSO named Geminorium MG LLC in return for ordering laboratory tests from True Health Diagnostics LLC, a clinical laboratory in Frisco, Texas. Heriberto Salinas. Dr. Salinas agreed to pay $150,386 to resolve two allegations from December 2015 to May 2017. First, Dr. Salinas allegedly received thousands of dollars in MSO payments from Ascend in return for ordering laboratory tests from Little River. Second, Dr. Salinas allegedly received thousands of dollars in payments from a purported MSO named Herculis MG LLC in return for ordering laboratory tests from Boston Heart. In addition, the United States announced that Peggy Borgfeld, the former controller, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Little River, agreed to pay $325,000 plus additional contingent payments to resolve allegations that she caused the submission of false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE. Borgfeld allegedly knew that Little River paid commissions to recruiters who used MSOs to pay kickbacks to doctors to induce their laboratory testing referrals to Little River. The settlement resolves allegations that Borgfeld knowingly caused Little River to submit claims to federal healthcare providers for the laboratory tests that the kickback recipients referred to Little River. The settlement also resolves allegations that, despite her knowledge of the MSO kickbacks, Borgfeld signed false certifications in Medicare cost reports regarding Little River’s compliance with the Anti-Kickback Statute. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Borgfeld agreed to be excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs for five years. “These settlements demonstrate our firm commitment to holding individuals accountable for their part in this healthcare kickback scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “We will continue to pursue those who cover up improper payment arrangements with pass-through entities, sham marketing contracts and faux investment opportunities to enrich themselves at the expense of the taxpayers, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.” “Illegal kickback payments not only corrupt the medical decision-making process but also cause harm and financial loss to Medicare and other federally funded healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG works closely with our law enforcement partners to root out and hold accountable those who put profit and personal gain ahead of legitimate medical services.” “Today’s outcome is a testament to the dedication and determination of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and our law enforcement partners to protect our military’s healthcare system, known as TRICARE,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mentavlos of the DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work closely with the Justice Department to hold accountable those that attempt to defraud the TRICARE program, pilfering taxpayer resources and undermining military readiness.” The settlements were the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, with assistance from HHS-OIG and DCIS. The settlements announced today were handled by Trial Attorneys Christopher Terranova and Gavin Thole in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Betty Young for the Eastern District of Texas. The United States has recovered over $36 million relating to conduct involving MSO kickbacks to healthcare providers, which includes recoveries from 43 physicians. The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Boise Man Sentenced To 7.5 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Use Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information About a Minor

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: BOISE – Japheth Shipp, 35, of Boise, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for attempted use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, the investigation began in April 2023 when the Boise Police Department (BPD) received a report that Shipp had engaged in inappropriate communications with a 13-year-old. A BPD detective began communicating with Shipp posing as the child. During the electronic communications, Shipp sent explicit images and discussed engaging the child in sexual acts. Shipp was arrested when he traveled to meet the child. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Shipp to ten years of supervised release. Shipp will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the investigation by the Boise Police Department, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Agreement to Ensure Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder at Big Sandy Regional Detention Center

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV, announced Monday that the federal government has reached an agreement with the Big Sandy Regional Jail Authority, which operates the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center (BSRDC), to ensure that people with opioid use disorder (OUD) receive medically appropriate treatment with any FDA-approved medication for OUD, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits state and local governments from discriminating against individuals with disabilities and protects people in recovery from OUD, including individuals who are taking OUD medication at the direction of a medical provider. “Eastern Kentucky has long been on the front lines of the opioid epidemic and our office remains committed to a comprehensive approach to fighting this public health crisis, including enforcement of the ADA’s requirements safeguarding treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Shier. “Considering the impact this crisis has had on our area, treatment must be a critical tool in our efforts to fight back. Access to medications that treat opioid use disorder saves lives, and we are pleased we were able to reach a settlement with the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center to better ensure access to this important treatment for the people in its custody.” The settlement agreement requires BSRDC to revise its policies to provide access to all three forms of FDA-approved medications to people with OUD and ensure that decisions about treatment are based on an individualized determination by qualified medical personnel. Specifically, BSRDC will medically evaluate all individuals for OUD at the start of their incarceration. It will ensure that individuals who were receiving OUD medication from a licensed treatment provider before their incarceration are continued on that medication. The facility will also offer all individuals with OUD booked into the jail the option to receive treatment with any FDA-approved medically appropriate OUD medication, even if they were not being treated with that medication before their incarceration. BSRDC will not change or discontinue an individual’s use of a particular OUD medication unless doing so is based on an individualized determination by a qualified medical provider. The jail also will not use incentives, rewards, or punishments to encourage or discourage individuals at the facility from receiving any particular OUD medication. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Pond as part of an ongoing effort by the Justice Department to combat the opioid epidemic, including by eliminating discriminatory barriers to treatment for OUD. For more information about the Justice Department’s work to address discrimination against individuals with opioid use disorder, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/opioid-use-disorder/. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/civil-rights. More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information line at (800) 514 0301 or (800) 514 0383 (TTY) and on the ADA website at www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by emailing usakye.civilrights@usdoj.gov or by contacting the Office’s Civil Rights Hotline at (859) 685-4880. — END —


title: California Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Oscar Villa, 37, from California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Villa to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On August 17, 2022, in Wayne County, Nebraska, a call came in about two suspicious people attempting to get into a resident’s car. Nebraska State Patrol troopers responded and encountered Oscar Villa and Johana Madrid on the side of the road on Nebraska Highway 35 and 849 Road. Both claimed they were on their way to Iowa for drug treatment but couldn’t really explain how they wound up on the side of the road. Madrid admitted to having meth in her bookbag and a firearm was located on the ground nearby. They also found a large meth shard in the fitted sheet Madrid had originally draped over herself. Villa and Madrid were taken into custody. While in custody, troopers searched Madrid’s phone which showed a map of a field near the intersection where the two were encountered which contained a location pin. Using that map and pin, troopers found a bookbag that was covered by soybean plants. Inside the bookbag was approximately 20 pounds of pure meth. Madrid has pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing on January 3, 2024. This case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts New Albany Felon for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on November 21, 2023, charging a New Albany, Indiana man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to the indictment, Demetrus Forrest II, also known as Demetrius Forrest, 22, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On November 15, 2023, Forrest possessed a Glock, model 17c, 9-millimeter handgun. Forrest was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On December 9, 2022, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Forrest was convicted of fraudulent use of a credit card under $10,000, receiving stolen property under $10,000, theft by unlawful taking from a vehicle $500 or more but under $10,000 (2 counts), theft by unlawful taking – firearm, and receiving stolen property (firearm). The defendant made his initial court appearance last week, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The defendant remains detained pending trial. If convicted, Forrest faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the ATF and the LMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting 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. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Nine Plead Guilty to Impaired Driving on the Natchez Trace

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, MS – Nine defendants pled guilty on Wednesday, November 29 th , 2023, to impaired driving offenses on the Natchez Trace Parkway in the Northern District of Mississippi. These convictions stemmed from the defendants operating motor vehicles while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The defendants were all sentenced to serve a term of probation. United States Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi said, “Driving under the influence is a choice that needlessly endangers the lives of innocent people traveling on the Natchez Trace; we are thankful that these defendants were arrested before they could harm others or themselves.” The National Park Service Rangers assigned to the Natchez Trace Parkway made the arrests in each case and prepared these matters for prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office. “We are grateful for the work of the Rangers in helping to keep our roadways safe from impaired drivers” Joyner said. Chief Ranger for the Natchez Trace Parkway Prashant Lotwala said “The law enforcement park rangers at the Natchez Trace Parkway are a dedicated group of individuals who ensure the parkway is as safe as possible for park visitors to enjoy a scenic, leisurely drive.” The defendants who pled were: Caleb Agnew, Saltillo, Mississippi Geoffrey Allen, 30, McCool, Mississippi Daphne Barr, 27, Houston, Mississippi Derrick Brister, 32, Tylertown, Mississippi Angel Clements, 29, Tupelo, Mississippi Nathan Frank, Booneville, Mississippi Jocelyn Grimes, 21, Terry, Mississippi Fantasia Judon, 29, Pontotoc, Mississippi Asa Sewell, 36, El Dorado, Arkansas Assistant U.S. Attorney John Herzog Jr. prosecuted these offenses. With the holiday season approaching, the Rangers of the National Park Service will be continuing their enforcement efforts to apprehend impaired drivers before they can endanger the public at large. Impaired driving led to the deaths of more than 13,000 people in 2021, the latest year that statistics were available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.


title: Four-Time Deported Mexican National Sentenced To Federal Prison For Trafficking Cocaine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Americo Bautista-Villarreal (59, Mexico) to seven years and eight months in federal prison months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Bautista-Villarreal had pleaded guilty on November 20, 2021. According to court documents, Bautista-Villarreal was deported from the United States on four previous occasions, including in 1998, 2008, 2015, and 2017. In February 2020, Bautista-Villarreal participated in coordinating and planning shipments of cocaine from Mexico and Texas for delivery in the Middle District of Florida. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.


title: Federal Prisoner Charged with Escape Pleads Not Guilty at Arraignment

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A recently convicted felon charged with escaping the Bibb County Jail on Oct. 16 pleaded not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle today during a brief arraignment at the U.S. Courthouse in Macon. Johnifer Dernard Barnwell aka “Whoop” aka “Malixe,” 37, of Macon, is charged by indictment with one count of escape from custody. Co-defendant Janecia Green, 30, of Macon, is charged by indictment with one count of aiding and abetting Barnwell’s escape from custody and one count of assisting escape of a person committed to custody. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Barnwell remains in federal custody as ordered by the Court. According to the indictment, Barnwell was being held in the Bibb County Jail on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) after he was convicted by a federal jury on Oct. 2 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base for which Barnwell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been scheduled by the Court. In the indictment, Barnwell is alleged to have escaped the custody of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of Green. Green had her initial appearance in Macon on Nov. 15 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle of the U.S. Court for the Middle District of Georgia. On Nov. 21, Green had a detention hearing where she was ordered to remain in federal custody pending trial. The case is being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Springfield, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to Three and a Half Years in Prison for Threatening to Kill DCFS Employees

component: Department of Justice

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, woman, Lerin E. Hughes, 25, was sentenced on November 30, 2023, to 42 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following her conviction for cyberstalking. At the jury trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government presented evidence to establish that Hughes repeatedly made threatening Facebook posts directed towards an employee of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) who was assigned to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect. Hughes also sent threatening text messages and e-mail messages and sought out the personal Facebook page of a case worker employed by an agency contracted to work on behalf of DCFS. The threats occurred over a period of four months during the summer of 2022. These threats included threats to kill the two child protection workers. The government also presented evidence that Hughes made statements to other people indicating her desire to shoot the victims and other juvenile court personnel, as well as the governor of Illinois. At sentencing, Judge Lawless said the victims were doing their job and should not have had to endure Hughes’s threats and harassment. Judge Lawless noted that the sentence was needed to deter others so that DCFS workers could continue to do their important jobs without fear of similar behavior. Hughes was indicted on October 18, 2022, and was arrested on October 20, 2022. Hughes has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since her arrest. The penalties for cyberstalking are not more than five years’ imprisonment, not more than three years’ supervised release, not more than a $250,000 fine, and restitution pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3663A. “DCFS employees work tirelessly to protect children in the State of Illinois,” said Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Seberger. “The defendant’s words caused real and severe emotional distress that these victims never should have had to endure for merely doing their jobs. This sentence sends a strong message that there are consequences for online threats of violence towards government employees. I am grateful to the FBI for their work on this case, as well as the important assistance of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.” “The FBI takes threats of violence very seriously and works diligently to protect the communities we serve,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and investigate those who engage in violent rhetoric—holding accountable anyone who threatens to harass, intimidate, or harm another.” The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seberger and Sierra Senor Moore represented the government at trial.


title: Med First Agrees to Pay $1,450,000 to Resolve Health Care Fraud Allegations in South Carolina Clinic

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO - Med First Immediate Care & Family Practice, P.A. (Med First) has agreed to pay the government $1,450,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that its clinic in Dillon, South Carolina had been operating as a pill mill and falsely filing claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary urine drug testing (UDT), as well as lengthy and complex office visits that were not performed, announced U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. The United States and the State of North Carolina alleged that between January 1, 2015, and August 15, 2019, Med First, through its Dillon clinic, knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for presumptive and definitive UDT that were not medically reasonable or necessary. Presumptive UDT are tests that screen for the presence of drugs, and definitive UDT are tests that identify the concentration of those drugs in a patient’s system. The government contended that Med First performed both of these tests at nearly every patient office visit for patients on opioid therapy, and that the majority of patients at the Dillon clinic were receiving opioids during the relevant time period. Med First performed the repetitive testing without conducting individualized determinations of need or risk profile. In addition, the results of the UDT were often disregarded as the opioid prescription rarely altered despite unexpected UDT results. The United States and the State of North Carolina further alleged that Med First billed for office visits, known as Evaluation and Management (E/M) services, at higher levels of complexity than actually provided to patients. There are five levels of E/M services, and the higher the level billed, the more complex and often lengthier the office visit must be. The government alleges that the Dillon clinic provider did not engage in complex office visits when spending little time with patients and simply refilling opioid prescriptions. The United States initiated its investigation when a whistleblower filed a lawsuit under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower will receive $261,000 as his share of the governments’ recovery in this matter. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can also be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800 HHS TIPS (800-447-8477). “This office is committed to fighting against the opioid epidemic using all available resources, including the False Claims Act,” said Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “The government must deter all providers, and particularly those who prey on vulnerable populations, from enriching themselves off the federal health care programs with the submission of services that are not provided for legitimate medical need.” “We are continuing to confront a deadly opioid crisis, brought on in part by irresponsible health care providers who flooded their community with unnecessary opioids pills,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “My office will continue working with our state and federal partners to hold accountable providers who defraud North Carolina taxpayers and harm our people.” "Providers who put their own profits above their professional responsibilities to appropriately serve their patients and to honestly bill federal health programs put both patient well-being and taxpayer funding at risk,” said Tamala E. Miles, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. "Our agency, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate alleged health care fraud schemes to protect these safety net programs and the enrollees relying on them." This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina with assistance from the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the North Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Unit. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Mayer. The lawsuit is captioned United States of America and the State of North Carolina ex rel. Piramzadian v. Med First Immediate Care and Family Practice, P.A., et al. , No. 20-CV-352 (M.D.N.C.). The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The Settlement Agreement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by Med First. ###


title: Four Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses in Bennington County

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Javon Calderon (also known as “Juju,”) of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Christopher Morgan (also known as “Mula,”) of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Shavonne Doucette of Bennington, Vermont, and Kyle Winnie also of Bennington, were indicted in the District of Vermont on November 29, 2023. The three-count indictment alleges that, between August and November of 2022, Calderon, Morgan, Doucette, and Winnie conspired to distribute fentanyl and cocaine; Calderon and Morgan brandished a firearm in connection with that drug trafficking conspiracy; and Doucette and Winnie made their residence in Bennington available for drug trafficking. Doucette and Winnie appeared in court this afternoon for their arraignments before Chief United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford. Both Doucette and Winnie pleaded not guilty and were detained pending further proceedings. Calderon and Morgan will appear for arraignment later this month. The charges against these defendants are accusations only, and they are each presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant would face a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. For brandishing a firearm in connection with the alleged drug trafficking conspiracy, Calderon and Morgan face a mandatory minimum penalty of 7 years in prison. The sentences, however, would be determined by the court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the governing sentencing statutes. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the HSI Special Response Team, the Vermont State Police, the Bennington Police Department, the Bennington County Sheriff’s Department, the Rutland City Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne Smith and Jon Ophardt. Javon Calderon is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael L. Desautels. Christopher Morgan is represented by Peter F. Langrock, Esq. Shavonne Doucette is represented by Brooks G. McArthur, Esq. Kyle Winnie is represented by Jordana M. Levine, Esq. 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 more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Green Bay Pastor Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Online Sex Crimes Targeting Children Overseas

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 4, 2023, Cory J. Herthel (age: 40) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment (15 years) for the online enticement of children located in Venezuela, Cuba, and Spain. In May 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was contacted by the church where Herthel was employed as a pastor regarding information it had obtained indicating that Herthel had possibly been involved in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a minor living in Venezuela. An ensuing investigation revealed that Herthel sent the child videos of himself masturbating, and at Herthel’s request, the minor sent similar videos and images in return. According to court documents, Herthel acknowledged knowing the minor from a mission trip he had taken to Ecuador, where he met the child begging on the streets. The child and his mother returned to his native Venezuela, and Herthel kept in touch with the child. Herthel was confronted by law enforcement with images of him masturbating and acknowledged sending the videos to the child whom he knew to be a minor. Herthel also acknowledged asking the child to send him sexually explicit images and masturbation videos and admitted sending the child monetary payments via various online applications. According to court records, further investigation by the FBI revealed that Herthel was also exchanging sexually explicit images and videos with a minor child located in Cuba. Herthel assisted the child’s move to Spain with the ultimate goal of bringing him to the United States. Herthel visited the minor on several occasions in Spain and acknowledged engaging in a sexual relationship with the child. Finally, court records indicate that Herthel also solicited sexually explicit images and videos from a second child in Cuba, to whom Herthel also sent monetary payments. At the sentencing hearing, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach described Herthel’s crime as “terrible” and “an abuse of spiritual authority.” Judge Griesbach also referenced the strong need to deter Herthel and others who may attempt to engage in similar conduct. Judge Griesbach further noted the serious psychological and emotional scars that Herthel imposed on his victims. Following his 15-year prison sentence, Herthel will spend 20 years on supervised release and will be required to register as a sexual offender for the remainder of his life. This case was investigated by the Green Bay and Milwaukee offices of the FBI, with the assistance of the Green Bay Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: District Man Sentenced to 36-Month Prison Term for Burglary

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jonathan Robinson-Gripper, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 36-month prison term for burglarizing a home near Observatory Circle, NW, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Robinson-Gripper pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one count of second-degree burglary in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and, today, the Honorable Jason Park sentenced Robinson-Gripper to 36 months in prison. Following his prison term, Robinson-Gripper will be placed on three years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, on August 19, 2022, Robinson-Gripper was canvassing the Observatory Circle neighborhood on behalf of a non-profit organization. He broke into one of the homes he visited while the homeowner slept inside. Robinson-Gripper stole some money and left the house. His actions were recorded by the home’s surveillance system and the nonprofit organization cooperated with MPD’s investigation, providing evidence that led to Robinson-Gripper’s arrest. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos A. Valdivia.


title: Tulsan Sentenced for Second Degree Murder

body_text: U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Dillon Charles Wilson, 27, citizen of Muscogee (Creek) Nation, to 262 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for second degree murder. “Dillon Wilson made a fatal decision that took the life of another man,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Jamitric Landrum’s family and loved ones are forever altered by this decision. My condolences go out to Mr. Landrum’s loved ones.” According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, Jamitric Landrum and his girlfriend were at home when someone attempted to force the door open. They opened the door and saw a dark figure going around the corner. They left the apartment and got into their vehicle to look for the suspect. Jamitric was driving and pulled into a parking lot. He got into a brief verbal interaction with Dillon Charles Wilson. Jamitric’s girlfriend saw that Wilson was armed and told Jamitric to drive away. As they drove away, Wilson deliberately and intentionally began shooting at the vehicle striking Jamitric in the back. Law enforcement responded to the shooting. Jamitric was transported to the hospital where he later died from the gunshot wound. Wilson has a prior criminal conviction for conduct related to robbery with a firearm as well as eluding a police officer. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher prosecuted the case. This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s DOJ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.


title: California Lawyer Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison

body_text: United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on November 30, 2023, Matthew Browndorf (age: 53) was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for his willful failure to account for and pay over taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service. Browndorf was also ordered to pay over $830,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. Publicly filed documents reflect that Browndorf—a lawyer—owned and operated a holding company named Plutos Sama, LLC. Through Plutos Sama, Browndorf also owned subsidiary law firms across the United States, including BP Peterman, which was based in Brookfield, Wisconsin. As Plutos Sama’s CEO, Browndorf was responsible for ensuring that Plutos Sama and BP Peterman appropriately: collected and remitted payroll taxes; filed the appropriate payroll tax forms with the IRS; remitted funds associated with their employee pension benefit plan; and remitted funds associated with their health care benefit program. Browndorf unlawfully failed to fulfill these obligations. All told, the total tax loss associated with Browndorf’s crimes exceeded $5,000,000. In addition, Browndorf’s conduct hurt his employees. Court filings indicate that some employees were forced to move in with relatives or borrow money from friends. Others underwent serious medical procedures, unaware that Browndorf had failed to appropriately remit their health insurance premiums, resulting in a lack of coverage and the need to pay out-of pocket for their treatment. Court filings also documented that Browndorf enjoyed substantial income by virtue of his law practice and other ventures, and nevertheless chose to use the funds associated with his crimes to fund a lavish lifestyle, featuring sports cars, private flights, club memberships, and luxurious vacations. Court filings also revealed that Browndorf committed additional misconduct while on court supervision, including possessing over $30,000 in stolen goods. When imposing sentence, Judge J.P. Stadtmueller noted that the extent of harm Browndorf caused his victims “jump[ed] off the page.” Judge Stadtmueller also observed that Browndorf, as a lawyer, “had the skill set” to “know better” but nevertheless chose to enrich himself at his employees’ expense. Browndorf is currently facing a separate federal prosecution for other federal crimes in the District of Maryland. “Business owners who willfully flout our tax laws not only cause harm to every taxpayer but also put law-abiding businesses at a competitive disadvantage,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “This is especially galling when professionals abuse positions of trust and use their criminal proceeds to fund extravagant lifestyles on the backs of their employees and other hardworking Americans. I commend the excellent work and collaboration by all involved in bringing this individual to justice.” “As a nation, we collectively rely on all citizens to meet their tax obligations,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office. “Individuals who attempt to evade paying their taxes add an unfair financial burden to honest taxpayers. IRS Criminal Investigation remains steadfast in its commitment to investigate and bring to justice those who attempt to sidestep their tax obligations.” Ruben R. Chapa, Chicago’s Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (“EBSA”) commented, “EBSA will continue to work aggressively with our criminal law enforcement partners to address the financial harm caused by these types of schemes.” This matter was investigated by IRS-CI and EBSA. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Knight. # # # For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: New Bedford Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced on Dec. 1, 2023 for evading taxes on income he earned as a commercial fisherman. Joaquin Sosa was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Sosa was also ordered to pay restitution of $520,415. Sosa worked as a commercial fisherman and deckhand operating primarily out of the Port of New Bedford. Despite receiving approximately $1.9 million in income between 2012 and 2021, Sosa did not file tax returns reporting the income and did not pay the substantial income taxes owed on the income he earned. Sosa also worked under false identities over the years. To further conceal the source and disposition of his income, Sosa cashed his paychecks from fishing companies at check-cashing businesses, at times using false identities and used the cash to fund his personal lifestyle. In total, Sosa caused a tax loss to the IRS of $520,415. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Harry Chavis Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit as well as Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro and Acting Chief John Kane of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: Former Employee of Beaver County Health Care Facility Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime Charges Related to Assaults Against Disabled Residents

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to federal hate crime charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Tyler Smith, 32, of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan. According to admissions made during Smith’s plea hearing, he and co-defendant Zachary Dinell were employees of an in-patient health care facility located in New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Residents of the facility suffered from a range of severe physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities, and required assistance with all activities of daily life, including bathing, using the bathroom, oral hygiene, feeding, and dressing. As members of the facility’s Direct Care Staff, Smith admitted that he and Dinell were responsible for providing this daily assistance to residents. From approximately June 2016 to September 2017, Smith further admitted that he and Dinell engaged in a conspiracy to commit hate crimes against residents of the facility because of the residents’ actual or perceived disabilities. Smith and Dinell carried out assaults in a variety of ways, including by punching and kicking residents, rubbing liquid irritants in their eyes, spraying liquid irritants in their eyes and mouths, and in one instance removing a resident’s compression stocking in a manner intended to inflict pain. Several of these assaults were recorded on Dinell’s cell phone. In one instance, Smith admitted jumping on top of a 13-year-old minor, while the child was lying prone on his bed, and while Dinell filmed the incident on his cellular phone. Smith further acknowledged that immediately after recording the video, Dinell texted the video to him. As part of the conspiracy, Smith also acknowledged that he and Dinell exchanged text messages in which they expressed their animus toward the disabled residents, shared photographs and videos of residents, described their assaults, and encouraged each other’s continued abuse of residents. Smith further admitted that he and Dinell were able to avoid detection by, among other things, exploiting their one-on-one access to residents of the facility and the fact that the victims were non-verbal and could not report the defendants’ abuse. Due to their physical disabilities, the residents also were not able to defend themselves against the assaults. The maximum penalty for the conspiracy charge is a term of imprisonment of five years and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for the hate crime charge is a term of imprisonment of ten years and a $250,000 fine. As part of his plea agreement, and subject to the approval of Judge Ranjan, Smith has agreed to a term of imprisonment of not less than 60 months and not more than 120 months. Zachary Dinell previously pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced on January 26, 2023, to 17 years’ imprisonment, followed by three years’ supervised release. Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn J. Bloch and Brendan J. McKenna are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.


title: Former Milford Teacher Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A former Milford second grade teacher pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to possessing child pornography. Vincent Kiejzo, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2024. Kiejzo was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020. He remains in custody. During a search of Kiejzo’s Milford home in September 2020, a USB drive plugged into a television in Kiejzo’s bedroom was located and found to contain links to websites dedicated to the sexual exploitation of minors. The USB drive also contained well as over 6,000 images of child pornography including images that involved infants. The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. The Milford Police Department assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Office is prosecuting 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: St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for ID Theft and Stealing Rental Car

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Monday sentenced a St. Louis County, Missouri man who used counterfeit identification and a fake credit card to steal a rental car to three years in prison. Kelvin N. Ford, 32, of Dellwood, pleaded guilty in September to aggravated identity theft and access device fraud. He admitted stealing an Audi Q3 SUV worth about $37,000 from Alamo Car Rental in Woodson Terrace, Missouri by using a stolen credit card number and fake identification in the name of a Connecticut resident. The driver’s license had the victim’s name, birth date and address but Ford’s picture. Ford was also using a credit card that had been encoded with the stolen credit card number. Ford admitted that he did not plan to return the SUV to Alamo. At the end of the rental period, Alamo discovered the fraud and reported the Audi stolen. Bridgeton police found it in their city, with Ford sitting in the driver’s seat. Officers found multiple counterfeit debit cards using other people’s names, $736 in cash, gift cards and multiple fake IDs. Ford also opened an account at Scott Credit Union in someone else’s name, his plea agreement says. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Woodson Terrace Police Department and the Bridgeton Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.


title: Honduran national gets 50 years for kidnapping and raping 15-year-old

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 33-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for interstate travel with intent to engage in a sex act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Wilmer Rivera-Hernandez pleaded guilty Aug. 24. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Rivera-Hernandez to 600 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including a statement from the victim describing her transformation from a young, innocent girl into someone who feels anger, pain, guilt, numbness, depression and humiliation. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted how what Rivera-Hernandez did was reprehensible, and he could not be allowed to walk among civilized people. He was further ordered to serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Rivera-Hernandez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. “Words cannot describe the damage Rivera-Hernandez did after he kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old child,” said Hamdani. “His loathsome and abhorrent actions deserve the stiffest punishment. As the father of a 15-year-old girl myself, I am thankful every day for local, state and federal law enforcement. And in this case for the coordinated efforts of the brave men and women of Montgomery County, Texas, and Knox County, Tennessee, who were able to save a child from a monster’s grasp.” In June 2020, Rivera-Hernandez took a 15-year-old girl on what was supposed to be a date, but it quickly turned into a nightmare. After she realized he was just driving around, she asked him to take her home. He refused. Instead, he grabbed this young girl by the head, strangled her, threatened both her and her family’s safety, seized her phone and then forced her to drink alcohol and take medicine to make her drowsy and unable to resist him. He then drove her from Houston to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he took her to a motel and raped her. The next day, he began driving her through Arkansas and into Tennessee. However, the victim was able to get access to a phone and contact her family members, telling them he could kill her and to call the police. They contacted law enforcement who, using geolocation on the phone, was eventually able to locate Rivera-Hernandez and the victim parked at a truck stop in Knoxville, Tennessee. After his indictment and arrest, Rivera-Hernandez also engaged in a scheme to obstruct justice from prison. He arranged the creation and delivery of fabricated WhatsApp messages purporting to be from the minor victim. In these manufactured messages, Rivera-Hernandez made it appear as if the minor had recanted her claims of kidnapping and rape and that she was always in love with him. By having these messages delivered to the prosecution, Rivera-Hernandez hoped it would lead to the dismissal of his charges. A thorough investigation, however, quickly revealed the messages were fake and that Rivera-Hernandez attempted to obstruct justice. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the future. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Sheriff’s Offices in Montgomery County, Texas, and Knox County, Tennessee, assisted with the victim’s rescue. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharad Khandelwal and Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case.


title: Westchester Felon Charged With Distributing Fentanyl That Killed A Man And Illegally Possessing Ammunition

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Robert Noble, Chief of the Yorktown Police Department, announced that PERRY FREEMAN was charged today with distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a victim and illegally possessing ammunition. FREEMAN was arrested and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Perry Freeman sold fentanyl to a victim who died a horrific death shortly after taking the drugs. Investigators concluded that the victim parked his car and, with his foot on the gas, passed out from ingesting lethal levels of the drugs allegedly provided by Freeman. The engine sparked a fire that engulfed the vehicle and burned the victim’s body. We also allege that Freeman regularly sold fentanyl to a confidential informant and warned the informant to be careful with the drugs, indicating he knew how unsafe his product was. This Office will not rest until those who peddle this poison have been brought to justice.” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “Data doesn’t lie, and law enforcement continues to track fatal fentanyl poisonings to the person responsible. This arrest is an example of DEA and our law enforcement partners’ efforts to thwart more drug poisonings and bring to justice those responsible for causing the most harm to our communities. I commend the men and women of the Yorktown Police Department, the DEA’s Westchester Resident Office’s Tactical Diversion Squad, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their tenacious work on this investigation.” Yorktown Police Chief Robert Noble said: “It is good for our community to see their local police department request assistance from federal agencies like the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and have it culminate with the arrest of an alleged dangerous drug dealer. I commend the determination, intelligence, and teamwork demonstrated throughout this investigation. Yorktown is a law and order community. We’ll continue to work hard, share information, and work shoulder to shoulder on our streets with all of our partners in law enforcement to keep it that way.” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] On or about November 10, 2021, FREEMAN sold fentanyl to his victim. Shortly thereafter, the police responded to a report of a burning car in a parking lot in Mohegan Lake, New York, approximately a three-minute drive from FREEMAN’s apartment building. They found a Ford Focus on fire; the victim was in the driver’s seat with his foot on the accelerator pedal. After the fire department put the fire out, the victim, declared dead, was pulled out. Investigators determined that the car caught on fire after overheating while the accelerator pedal was depressed for an excessive period and the car was in park, i.e. , while the victim was passed out in the driver’s seat with his foot on the pedal. The Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office, which is part of the Westchester Department of Laboratories and Research, performed an autopsy on the victim. According to a report prepared by the Department of Laboratories and Research, as well as a conversation between a law enforcement officer and a member of the Medical Examiner’s office, the victim had lethal levels of both fentanyl and norfentanyl, a metabolite of fentanyl, in his blood and there was some darkening of his lungs, which indicated smoke inhalation before his death. Moreover, the victim’s cause of death was certified as both acute fentanyl intoxication and accident. * * * FREEMAN, 37, of Mohegan Lake, New York, is charged with one count of fentanyl distribution resulting in death, which carries a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the DEA and the Yorktown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Maimin and Ben Arad are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitutes only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.


title: New Mexico Man to Spend More Than 12 Years in Prison For Illicit Conduct with a Minor

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 150 months in prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to court documents, registered sex offender Alexandre Theodore Banta, 37, of Roswell, New Mexico, traveled with a juvenile from Roswell to El Paso, Texas in April 2020, engaging in sexual acts in the vehicle along the way. Banta and the juvenile spent between one and a half to two weeks in an El Paso motel, where Banta further engaged in sexual acts with the minor and arranged for the minor to have sex with other individuals in exchange for payment. The El Paso Police Department was alerted by someone at the motel who said they had seen a young girl entering and exiting various motel rooms and overheard a tenant of one of the rooms describe a sexual encounter with her. Banta was arrested on June 12, 2020 for Sexual Assault of a Minor. He was served a federal arrest warrant on Aug. 18, 2020, and extradited to El Paso. “This predator committed heinous sexual acts of his own with a minor, while also forcing her into prostitution out of a motel room and lining his pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the vigilance of those who alerted the El Paso Police Department, and our partner agencies who conducted the ensuing investigation. This case serves as an important reminder that sexual exploitation can and does occur in our communities, and we can all play a role in prevention.” “Child exploitation is one of the most heinous crimes in modern society, and this case exemplifies one of the worst. The sentence fits the crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the HSI El Paso Division. “Our robust partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies continues to allow HSI special agents to ensure those responsible for victimizing children are removed from our communities and placed behind bars for a long time.” HSI and EPPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Valenzuela prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 . ###


title: Laredo man guilty of drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Laredo man pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas on the day his jury trial was set to begin, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Jorge Elias Golarte, 54, of Laredo, Texas and Monterrey, Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana before U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan today. According to information presented in court, Golarte, who is in the shipping business in Laredo, Texas and Monterrey, Mexico, admitted to his role in the conspiracy, distributing marijuana and cocaine from various sources which would then be provided to co-conspirators and distributed during the conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas and elsewhere. Golarte will also forfeit ownership of one of his Margo Logistics tractor-trailers. Golarte faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case is investigation involves the Drug Enforcement Administration, Laredo and Dallas, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Dallas Police Department, and the Lewisville Police Department and is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Rattan and Kevin McClendon. ###


title: Pascagoula Man Pleads Guilty to Possession  with Intent to Distribute over 60 Grams of Methamphetamine

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. – A Pascagoula man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 60 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, law enforcement received information that Jerome Clifton Clegg, 38, was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Pascagoula, MS (Jackson County). In August 2023, agents set up surveillance of Clegg’s apartment and observed two drug transactions take place. A traffic stop with the first individual who purchased drugs from Clegg yielded 58 grams of methamphetamine and a second traffic stop with the second individual yielded an additional 3 grams. Based on this information, agents conducted a search of Clegg’s home which yielded additional narcotics and a handgun. Clegg is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Enfield Resident Sentenced to 28 Months in Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OCTAVIO RAZON-MEJIA, also known as “Pachas,” 37, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Enfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 28 months of imprisonment for trafficking cocaine. According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization, with ties to a Mexican drug cartel, operating in the area of Enfield, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases and seizures of narcotics, revealed that Sergio Horta-Molina, of Suffield, arranged the shipment of cocaine and other narcotics to Connecticut, and then distributed the drugs to others, including Razon-Mejia who, in turn, sold the drugs to street-level traffickers and drug customers. Razon-Mejia has been detained since his arrest on May 5, 2022. On August 8, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Razon-Mejia faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. Horta-Molina pleaded guilty and, on June 6, 2023, he was sentenced to 94 months of imprisonment for both the offense and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal narcotics trafficking conviction. This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the Enfield Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Involving Orthodox Jewish Congregation

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey filed a statement of interest today explaining that an Orthodox Jewish congregation’s claims under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) are ready to be decided in federal court. “RLUIPA is designed to ensure that religious groups of all faiths do not face unjust barriers when seeking to establish places to worship,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Local land use boards cannot unfairly or discriminatorily deny a religious group’s application to use land for religious purposes. When local officials use the guise of zoning restrictions to block or restrict religious groups, this not only contravenes our nation’s commitment to religious freedom, it also violates federal law.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that all religious communities in our District have the ability to worship freely and without discrimination,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “We will continue our work to enforce RLUIPA, and to ensure that local boards apply the law fairly and correctly so that communities of faith may exercise their fundamental rights and that their land use applications are not unlawfully denied on the basis of their religion or in a manner that unlawfully burdens the free exercise of religion.” The statement of interest was filed in Chai Center for Living Judaism v. Township of Millburn , as part of a lawsuit centering around an Orthodox Jewish congregation’s application to build a synagogue that was denied. The lawsuit alleges that denial of the application imposed a substantial burden on the congregation’s religious exercise, discriminated against the congregation based on its religion, unreasonably limited its religious assembly and treated it worse than comparable secular uses. The lawsuit also alleges that certain parts of the township’s land-use regulations, including its requirement that houses of worship be located on lots at least three-acres in size, violate RLUIPA. The township filed a motion, arguing that the RLUIPA claims should be dismissed based on a state-law standard used by New Jersey state courts in reviewing zoning decisions. The motion also argues that the RLUIPA claims are not ready to be heard in federal court because the zoning denial was based on procedural grounds. The statement of interest explains that the congregation’s claims must be evaluated based on the statutory elements laid out in RLUIPA, and that state-law standards of review do not apply to RLUIPA claims. The statement of interest also argues that the congregation’s RLUIPA claims are ready to be adjudicated by the federal court because the township reached a final decision on the zoning application, which, as plaintiffs alleged, inflicted an injury on plaintiffs by preventing them from using their land for their religious needs. RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative , which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship . As part of this initiative, the department has obtained relief under RLUIPA to combat antisemitism and other forms of religious hate, including in Airmont, New York, where the department recently secured a consent order requiring the Village of Airmont to stop discriminating against its Orthodox Jewish residents. Additionally, the department recently hosted an outreach forum with religious leaders at Seton Hall Law School in Newark, New Jersey, on combating religious discrimination under RLUIPA, and plans to hold additional outreach events in the coming months. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division at (855) 281-3339 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php . millburn_statement_of_interest_filed.pdf


title: Edmond Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, MATTHEW RYAN STROBL , 34, of Edmond, pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a four-count Indictment against Strobl, charging him with attempted sexual exploitation of a child, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sex offender, and distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, beginning March 20, 2023, Strobl began communicating with a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) undercover special agent (UCA), posing in an undercover capacity as a juvenile female. Court documents allege Strobl requested the UCA send him photos of a sexual nature on multiple occasions, despite knowing the UCA’s purported age of 14. Strobl also sent several child pornographic images and videos to the UCA. As the conversation between the UCA and Strobl continued, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received numerous reports from Instagram of an account associated with Strobl transmitting digital files believed to depict child pornography. Court records further reflect that even after law enforcement seized Strobl’s cell phone on June 26, 2023, he continued messaging the UCA using another cell phone. The Indictment alleges these felony offenses took place, despite Strobl’s previous convictions for sexual battery and rape in the second degree in Oklahoma County District Court case numbers CF-2018-4518 and CF-2012-2113. These convictions required Strobl to register as a sex offender. Today, Strobl pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography. As part of his plea, Strobl admitted to using a cell phone to distribute images that depict child pornography. At sentencing, Strobl faces up to 40 years, and no less than 15 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces a term of supervised release of up to life and registration as a sex offender. Strobl has been in federal custody since August 18, 2023. This case is the result of an investigation by the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force, led by HSI, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Probation and Parole Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ganz and Brandon Hale are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Readout of Reproductive Rights Task Force Meeting

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: On Monday, Dec. 4, the Reproductive Rights Task Force (RRTF) provided a briefing to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Task Force Chair Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta on the Department’s work to protect reproductive freedom under federal law. The RRTF was created in July 2022, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization , to formalize the Department’s ongoing work to protect reproductive rights. “The Justice Department has been working to defend the reproductive freedoms that are protected by federal law,” Attorney General Garland said during his remarks . “As part of that work, we are continuing to vigilantly monitor state laws and enforcement actions that threaten to infringe on women’s reproductive rights.” “There is no understating the devastation wrought by the Dobbs decision,” Associate Attorney General Gupta said in her remarks . “Our work on these matters is doubtless ongoing, but we remain committed to doing all we can to defend the constitutional right to travel, among other federal protections for reproductive freedom.” The RRTF provided updates on the recent work of the Civil Division and the Office of the Solicitor General to defend reproductive rights in court, including by filing a statement of interest to protect the right to travel, defending the Food and Drug Administration’s expert decisions regarding the abortion drug mifepristone, and ensuring that women receive the emergency care to which they are entitled under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. The RRTF also described the Civil Rights Division’s recent work enforcing the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, under which the Department has brought 24 cases against 55 defendants resulting in 23 convictions since January 2021; the Office of Legal Counsel’s work advising federal agencies as they consider policies and actions to preserve access to reproductive services; and the work of the Office of Legislative Affairs to assist Congress in drafting legislation to codify reproductive rights. The RRTF also discussed challenges ahead and expected work in the new year. The Task Force will continue to work in the new year to protect reproductive rights and access. Attorney General Garland and Associate Attorney General Gupta give remarks at convening of the Reproductive Rights Task Force Meeting. Read Attorney General Garland’s full remarks here , and Associate Attorney General Gupta’s remarks here .


title: Maryland man sentenced for fentanyl trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Warren Thomas Gray, also known as “Stix,” age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to24 months for his role in an Eastern Panhandle fentanyl trafficking operation. According to court documents and statements made in court, Gray was one of the ringleaders of the fentanyl trafficking operation, supplying fentanyl from Baltimore to Shanklin and others to distribute in Hampshire, Mineral, and Morgan Counties. During the investigation, officers seized several firearms, ammunition, and U.S. currency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the investigation. The Task Force consists of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia State Police, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Keyser Police Department. The Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office assisted. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. ###


title: San Diego Man Admits Bank, Tax Fraud

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 4, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Alvin Pates of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank and tax fraud charges, admitting that he participated in a scheme to deceive banks by using straw borrowers and bogus financial information to obtain loans. According to his plea agreement, beginning as early as July 2014 and continuing through at least April 2020, Pates admitted that he used the names, social security numbers, and credit of the straw borrowers to obtain loans and lines of credit that primarily benefited Pates. Pates prepared, or directed others to prepare, the fraudulent loan and credit card applications. The applications included information about the borrowers’ income and employment that Pates knew to be false and were supported by false paystubs, W2s, and bank statements procured by Pates. In exchange for the use of the straw borrowers’ personal identifying information and credit, Pates typically paid a 10 percent kickback from the loan proceeds to the straw borrower, and falsely promised to make all the payments on the loans. On at least one occasion, Pates communicated by telephone directly with a financial institution, pretending to be the straw borrower, in order to pass security questions and obtain approval of a loan. Pates acknowledged in his plea agreement that he funneled the majority of the loan proceeds through the bank accounts of one of his shell companies to use for his personal benefit. For example, Pates admitted to using the funds for numerous personal transactions, cash withdrawals, personal living expenses for himself and his family, and to make payments to other credit unions. Pates admitted that the value of the fraudulent loans charged in the indictment is $87,000, and that he will be required to pay restitution of at least $40,500. In addition to the bank fraud, Pates also admitted to aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns for two taxpayers for the calendar year 2015. The tax return for one of the taxpayers falsely stated that the individual received “Other Income” in the amount of $538,462 and had paid federal income taxes of $543,643, thus entitling him to a refund of $376,260. Pates supplied false Forms 1099 to the taxpayer to support the return and accompanied the taxpayer to the IRS to submit the false return. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a refund check to the taxpayer for $376,260, which was ultimately returned to the IRS. Pates is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2024, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie K. Pierson and Loren G. Rene. DEFENDANT Case Number 20CR2204-CAB Alvin Pates a.k.a. Al Noble Age: 54 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Count 8 Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1344(1) and 2 Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, $1 million fine, forfeiture and restitution Count 9 Aiding and Advising Preparation of a False Tax Return—Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7206(2) Maximum penalty: Three years in prison, $250,000 fine, 3 years’ supervised release, forfeiture and restitution AGENCIES U.S. Secret Service IRS Criminal Investigation


title: Eagle Point Woman Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Taking Sexually Explicit Photos of a Child and Distributing Them Online

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—An Eagle Point, Oregon woman was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison today for taking sexually explicit photos of an 8-year-old child and sending them to multiple individuals she met online. Kayla Dee Lester, 31, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison and 20 years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in 2020, Lester took sexually explicit photos of an 8-year-old child and distributed them to multiple individuals online using Whisper, a social media application that allows users to post and share photo and video messages anonymously. When interviewed by police, Lester admitted to using Whisper and other social media applications to meet people and solicit child pornography. She further admitted to sending the images she took of the 8-year-old child to others in hopes they would send her child pornography in return. On September 17, 2020, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Lester with using a minor to produce visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct and distributing and possessing child pornography. On May 10, 2023, Lester pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography. On July 6, 2023, while awaiting sentencing, Lester was arrested for possessing an internet-connected cell phone in violation of her release conditions. Her cell phone was found to contain nude images of herself and other adults who she was chatting with online as well as chats between Lester and others wherein she described sexually abusing her 8-year-old victim. A forensic search later conducted on her phone revealed 44 videos of child pornography. On July 10, 2023, Lester’s pretrial release was revoked. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Southern Oregon High-Tech Crimes Task Force. It was prosecuted by Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org . Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Created in January 2007, the Southern Oregon High-Tech Crimes Task Force provides cybercrime investigations and digital evidence forensic analysis for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Southern Oregon. Member agencies include the Medford Police Department, Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, and HSI.


title: U.S. Attorneys Office for District Of New Jersey and Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division File Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Involving Orthodox Jewish Congregation

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey explaining that an Orthodox Jewish congregation’s claims under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) are ready to be decided in federal court. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that all religious communities in our District have the ability to worship freely and without discrimination. We will continue our work to enforce RLUIPA, and to ensure that local boards apply the law fairly and correctly so that communities of faith may exercise their fundamental rights and that their land use applications are not unlawfully denied on the basis of their religion or in a manner that unlawfully burdens the free exercise of religion.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger “RLUIPA is designed to ensure that religious groups of all faiths do not face unjust barriers when seeking to establish places to worship,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Local land use boards cannot unfairly or discriminatorily deny a religious group’s application to use land for religious purposes. When local officials use the guise of zoning restrictions to block or restrict religious groups, this not only contravenes our nation’s commitment to religious freedom, it also violates federal law.” The statement of interest was filed in Chai Center for Living Judaism v. Township of Millburn , a lawsuit alleging that the denial of an Orthodox Jewish congregation’s application to build a synagogue imposed a substantial burden on the congregation’s religious exercise, discriminated against the congregation based on its religion, unreasonably limited its religious assembly, and treated it worse than comparable secular uses. The lawsuit also alleges that certain parts of the township’s land-use regulations, including its requirement that houses of worship be located on lots at least three acres in size, violate RLUIPA. The township filed a motion, arguing that the RLUIPA claims should be dismissed based on a state-law standard used by New Jersey state courts to review zoning decisions. The motion also argues that the RLUIPA claims are not ready to be heard in federal court because the zoning denial was based on procedural grounds. The statement of interest explains that the congregation’s claims must be evaluated based on the statutory elements laid out in RLUIPA, and that state-law standards of review do not apply to RLUIPA claims. The statement of interest also argues that the congregation’s RLUIPA claims are ready to be adjudicated by the federal court because the township reached a final decision on the zoning application, which inflicted an injury on plaintiffs by preventing them from using their land for their religious needs. RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative , which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship . As part of this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division have obtained relief under RLUIPA to combat antisemitism, including in Woodcliff Lake and Toms River, New Jersey. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Civil Rights Division have also enforced RLUIPA to combat other forms of religious discrimination, including securing a consent decree to allow the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge build a mosque in Bernards Township, New Jersey, as well as filing Statements of Interest on behalf of legal positions put forward by a Muslim congregation in Vineland, New Jersey, and a Native American tribe, in Mahwah, New Jersey. Additionally, the Department recently hosted an outreach forum with religious leaders at Seton Hall Law School in Newark, New Jersey, on combating religious discrimination under RLUIPA, and plans to hold additional outreach events in the coming months. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division at (855) 281-3339 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Division and Trial Attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. millburn.statementofinterest.pdf