title: Denver Area Tax Preparer Indicted for Preparing Fraudulent Tax Returns for Clients

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Thuan Bui has been indicted by a federal grand jury on forty-nine counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns. According to court documents, from 2018-2022, Bui owned and operated a tax return preparation business and allegedly fabricated business expenses and falsified filing statuses for his clients. Bui allegedly falsified information on his client’s Individual Tax Return, Form 1040, for the purpose of reducing the clients’ tax liability or inflating the clients’ tax refunds. The charge of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns carries a sentence of no more than three years imprisonment and no more than a $250,000 fine for each count. This case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. The charges contained in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Case Number: 23-cr-447-RMR


title: Federal prosecutors stand ready to address voting rights violations or election fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Two Assistant U.S. Attorneys will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) nationwide Election Day Program for the Nov. 7 election, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Civil Chief Daniel Hu has been appointed to serve as the election officer for civil matters, while Deputy Criminal Chief Sharad Khandelwal will act as the criminal election officer. In their capacities, both are responsible for overseeing the Southern District of Texas’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff and election fraud in consultation with DOJ headquarters in Washington. DOJ has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers as well as election fraud. DOJ will address these violations wherever they occur. DOJ’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Khandelwal and Hu will be on duty in this district while the polls are open and can be reached at 713-567-9345 and 713-567-9518, respectively. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The main number in Houston is 713-693-5000, while South Texas residents can contact the San Antonio office at 210-225-6741. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931. Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. Those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud should make that information available to DOJ. Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Pine Ridge Man Indicted on Murder Charges

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man for two counts of Second-Degree Murder. Jonathan Eagle Elk, age 18, was indicted in October of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on October 30, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. In June of 2022, Eagle Elk killed Louis Swift Bird by beating him to death. Then in July of 2022, he beat Maria Makes Him First to death. Both murders occurred in Pine Ridge, within blocks of each other. Both Swift Bird and Makes Him First were homeless at the time and laying defenseless on the ground when Eagle Elk attacked them. The charge is merely an accusation and Eagle Elk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case. Eagle Elk was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: California Man Sentenced To 102 Months In Prison For Multimillion-Dollar Stolen Identity Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced earlier today that RUSSELL DWAYNE LEWIS, a/k/a “Clifford Ari Getz,” a/k/a “Clifford Ari Getz Cohen,” a/k/a “Ari Getz,” a/k/a “Aryeh Getz,” was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain to 102 months in prison for defrauding multiple individuals out of millions of dollars over a period of years, using several aliases and stolen identities. LEWIS previously pled guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identify theft. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Russell Dwayne Lewis orchestrated a sophisticated fraud and stolen identity scheme to engage in a pattern of serial fraud, seeking to defraud friends, associates, and a major corporation by lying about his identity, wealth, and business activities. As today’s sentence demonstrates, serial fraudsters like Lewis will be caught and brought to justice for their crimes.” According to the charging documents and other filings and statements made in court: Between 2016 and 2020, RUSSELL DWAYNE LEWIS, a/k/a “Clifford Ari Getz,” a/k/a “Clifford Ari Getz Cohen,” a/k/a “Ari Getz,” a/k/a “Aryeh Getz,” engaged in a series of brazen schemes to misrepresent his identity, his wealth, and his professional and personal background in order to defraud multiple individuals and at least one corporate entity. LEWIS used aliases for years, utilizing the name, birth date, and social security number of real individuals to perpetrate his schemes. LEWIS told increasingly outrageous lies to individuals around him, including a close friend of many years, an individual who turned to him for his claimed expertise in astrology, and representatives of a major company he falsely purported to intend to purchase. LEWIS repeatedly and falsely claimed that he was a billionaire businessman in order to commit several different frauds, including by soliciting “investments” from his victims totaling millions of dollars over the course of years. As part of his fraudulent investment schemes, he defrauded and attempted to defraud friends, associates, and representatives of a major corporation. In particular, LEWIS stole more than $3 million from one victim, more than half a million dollars from another, and fraudulently attempted to acquire a corporate entity in bankruptcy proceedings for $290 million. This case resulted in LEWIS’s third felony conviction for fraud and theft offenses. * * * In addition to the prison term, LEWIS, 53, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,788,143.58 and to forfeit the same amount of ill-gotten gains. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Beverly Hills Police Department for its exceptional investigative assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Rossmiller is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Sharon Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Crimes

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Zachariah Owens was convicted of cocaine and crack trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Owens, age 37, of Sharon, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Owens pled guilty to (1) conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack in October 2021, and (2) possessing cocaine and crack with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and a playground. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on March 19, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of at least one year and up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000,000. Under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Mercer County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions in this case.


title: New Castle Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA– Rayjzon Sams pled guilty to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Sams, age 31, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pled guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Sams pled guilty to (1) conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack, (2) distributing crack within 1,000 feet of a school, and (3) possessing fentanyl and crack with intent to distribute. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing to occur on March 7, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence of at least one year and up to 120 years in prison and a fine of up to $8,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is to be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department led the investigation resulting in the conviction in this case. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Watertown Woman Sentenced for Her Role in Fentanyl Conspiracy

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 30, 2023. Taylor Hoff, 29, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hoff was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. She pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023. During her involvement in the conspiracy, Hoff obtained pills containing fentanyl from a co-conspirator on front and re-sold the pills to drug customers in northeastern South Dakota, to include on the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate reservation. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Hoff was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Chattanooga Man Sentenced To 110 Months For Unlawful Possession Of  A Firearm In Connection With June 5, 2022, McCallie Avenue Shootings

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

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. On November 3, 2023, Garrian King, 29, of Chattanooga, TN, was sentenced to 110 months in prison by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. King was also sentenced to a consecutive two years for violating a federal term of supervised release on an unrelated case. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, King pled guilty on April 12, 2023, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1). Following his imprisonment, Harris will be on supervised release for 3 years. According to court records, King, who had previously been convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession of a firearm, took an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 AR-pistol with an arm brace from his co-defendant Rodney Harris who had been shot in front of Mary’s Bar and Grill on McCallie Avenue. King left the scene with the firearm, which law enforcement later recovered. United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Special Agent Charge, Joseph E. Carrico, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Chattanooga Police Department, ATF, and FBI. Several other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, including the United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community face. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Poole represented the United States. ###


title: Sharon Naylor Sentenced For Her Role In Operating Pill Mill

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On November 2, 2023, Sharon Naylor, 58, of Junction City, Kentucky, was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months and one day by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Naylor waived an indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to an information charging her with one count of maintaining a drug premises, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856; Naylor also pleaded guilty to an indictment charging her with one count of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. Following her incarceration, Naylor will be on supervised release for one year. In addition, Naylor was also ordered to forfeit the proceeds of her crime, including approximately $1.9 million in real property, cash, gold and silver coins and bouillon, all of which were seized by the United States. According to court documents, Naylor, a nurse practitioner, owned and managed a non-insurance, cash-equivalent pain clinic named Lafollette Wellness Center (LWC), in Campbell County, Tennessee. Naylor continued to own and operate LWC, despite knowing that the medical director, co-defendant Dr. Henry Babenco, and the physician’s assistant, co-defendant Alicia Taylor, were prescribing opioids to patients outside professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. Naylor, Babenco, Taylor, and LWC office manager, Gregory Madron, were charged with drug-related offenses as part of the April 2019 Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force Surge; Taylor pleaded guilty to her role in the distribution of controlled substances in May 2021, Madron pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor offense for his role in September 2023. Babenco died in a plane crash in February 2021. Madron and Taylor are scheduled to be sentenced in January and February 2024, respectively. U.S. Attorney Francis. M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott, of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. The charges were the result of an investigation by the DEA, the FBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and assisted by the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne-Marie Svolto of the Eastern District of Tennessee is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Fraud Section Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force (ARPO) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Petro of the Middle District of Tennessee, formerly of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section, provided valuable assistance. ###


title: Harrison County man sentenced 15 years for drug and firearms charges

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jesse James Wilson, age 40, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for methamphetamine and firearms charges. Wilson pled guilty in March 2023 to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of firearm during in furtherance of drug trafficking. This week, he was ordered to serve a 188-month sentence. According to court documents and statements made in court, Wilson was selling methamphetamine in Harrison County and a search of his home yielded drugs, firearms, and $9,000 in cash. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force and the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, both HIDTA-funded initiatives; the West Virginia State Police, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department; and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Ohio man sentenced to 14 years for solicitation of child pornography

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – An Ohio man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for solicitation of child pornography. Steven Wolford, age 26, of Cadiz, Ohio, was ordered to serve 168 months in federal prison after admitting to enticing and receiving sexually explicit images from a 9-year-old girl in Wetzel County, West Virginia. Wolford communicated with the victim through Facebook Messenger and officers discovered child pornography on two cellular phones that were seized from him during the execution of a search warrant. “Thanks to the excellent work of law enforcement, Mr. Wolford won’t be able to victimize anyone for the next fourteen years,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “Predators like Wolford walk among us, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to do everything in its power to protect children in our community.” Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department and the Cadiz Police Department. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.


title: Panama City Woman Sentenced To Federal Prison For Passing Counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Lyndsey Rhea Markland (41, Panama City) to 12 months in federal prison for passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. The court also ordered Markland to pay restitution to the victims she defrauded. On June 8, 2023, Markland pleaded guilty to four counts of passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. According to court documents and public records, in 2022, Markland entered various businesses in Brevard, Clay, Duval, and Seminole counties and purchased gift cards, merchandise, and food using counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. Law enforcement subsequently determined that Markland and her co-defendant, Neal Evan Pollman (42, Panama City), were staying at a hotel in Palm Bay. In November 2022, the Palm Bay Police Department (PBPD) executed a search warrant at their hotel room and located Markland inside the room. Also located in the room was approximately $30,000 in counterfeit currency and a printer, along with other tools used by Pollman to manufacture counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. Shortly after the execution of the search warrant, the PBPD located Pollman in the vicinity of the hotel and arrested him. When the officers searched Pollman, they recovered various counterfeit Federal Reserve notes on him which were traced back to his manufacturing activities. During a subsequent forensic examination of Pollman’s cellphone, law enforcement located images of Federal Reserve notes that Pollman used to manufacture the counterfeit currency. Pollman and Markland appeared in federal court on April 27, 2023, pursuant to a writ bringing them to Jacksonville from the Bay County Jail, where they were serving jail sentences for violating their state probation on multiple charges related to passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. The court ordered Pollman and Markland detained. On September 25, 2023, U.S. District Judge Davis sentenced Pollman to 18 months in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. The court also ordered Pollman to pay restitution to the victims he defrauded. This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Palm Bay Police Department, the Orange Park Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.


title: Jury Convicts East St. Louis Man on Federal Meth Charge

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict for an East St. Louis man accused of distributing ounce quantities of meth in St. Clair County. Aaron Wallace, 42, was charged with one count of meth distribution in November 2021. “DEA works aggressively to remove meth dealers from southern Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Thanks to their diligent efforts, we’re working to eradicate drug trafficking from our communities.” According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, Drug Enforcement Administration agents opened an investigation into Wallace in September 2020, after learning he was dealing large quantities of crystal meth in St. Clair County. During DEA’s investigation, a confidential source purchased four ounces of crystal meth from Wallace in East St. Louis. Wallace’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2024, at the U.S. District courthouse in East St. Louis. DEA led the investigation with support from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Kapsak and Daniel Carraway are prosecuting the case.


title: Atlanta penitentiary guard pleads guilty to theft from an inmate and PPP fraud

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Andy Steven Johnson, a correctional officer and member of the Special Investigative Services team at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta, pleaded guilty to stealing money from an inmate’s CashApp account and also using a business that did not exist to fraudulently apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan. “Johnson exploited his position at the prison to victimize inmates and steal from them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “He also tried to steal pandemic disaster relief funds by defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program, all while being responsible for seizing contraband and investigating misconduct at the prison. The Department of Justice will prosecute corrupt insiders and seek to hold them accountable for their misconduct.” “Johnson committed brazen acts of theft and fraud. Rather than conducting himself with integrity, he sought to personally gain, stealing from an inmate and attempting to fraudulently obtain pandemic relief funds meant to help those with legitimate hardships. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will aggressively pursue justice for victims of these kinds of shameless acts,” said Sandra D. Barnes, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for the Investigations Division at the DOJ OIG.” “Lying to gain access to economic stimulus funds will be met with justice,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “SBA OIG will aggressively pursue evidence of fraud against SBA’s programs aimed at assisting the nation’s small businesses struggling with the pandemic challenges. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.” According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: Since January 2015, Johnson worked as a correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta. Starting in December 2018, he was assigned to the Special Investigative Services (“SIS”) team, where he was responsible for conducting investigations into inmate misconduct, including smuggling and possession of contraband. As part of his SIS duties, he searched inmates and seized various types of contraband, including drugs, tobacco, and cell phones. In that role, on January 13, 2021, Johnson seized a contraband mobile phone from an inmate. Instead of processing the phone pursuant to policy, he opened CashApp on the phone and transferred $300 to his own CashApp account. He later transferred those funds into his personal checking account. Johnson also defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act – a federal law enacted in March 2020 that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized an initial $349 billion in loans to small businesses for payroll, mortgage interest, rent/lease, and utilities through the PPP program. Congress subsequently increased the amount of funding. PPP loans did not have to be paid back if certain conditions were met. On March 4, 2021, Johnson submitted an online application for a PPP loan for a business named Performance Customs. Johnson claimed on the application that the business had operated since January 1, 2020; produced an annual revenue of $76,000 and paid an average monthly payroll of $6,333; and would use the PPP loan proceeds to pay wages, rent or mortgage interest, and utilities for the business. Based on that application, Johnson was approved for a forgivable loan of $15,832. In reality, Performance Customs did not exist and Johnson had completely fabricated the information on the application. Andy Steven Johnson, 42, of Peachtree City, Georgia, pleaded guilty to theft by an employee of the United States and wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for February 7, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford, Chief of the Public Integrity and Civil Rights Section, is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Honduran Nationals Sentenced In Multi-Million Dollar Wire And Tax Fraud Scheme

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Court Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Omar Wilkin Santos-Calix and Oscar Rene Santos-Santos, both Honduran nationals and both illegally present in United States, to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. The court also ordered Santos-Calix to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $3,245,161 and entered a money judgment against Santos-Calix in the amount of $897,870, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud. The court ordered Santos-Santos to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1,773,429 and entered a money judgement against Santos-Santos in the amount of $490,634, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud. According to court documents, Santos-Calix and Santos-Santos established a shell company that purported to be involved in the construction industry. They obtained a workers’ compensation insurance policy in the name of the shell company to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees, then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who had obtained subcontracts with construction contractors on projects in various Florida counties as well as contractors in other states. Santos-Calix and Santos-Santos sent the contractors a certificate as “proof” that the work crews had workers’ compensation insurance, as required by Florida law. By sending the certificate, the defendants falsely represented that the work crews worked for the two companies. Over the course of the scheme, the defendants “rented” the certificates to dozens of work crews, defrauding the worker’s compensation insurance carrier. As part of the scheme, the contractors issued payroll checks for the workers’ wages to the shell companies and Santos-Calix and Santos-Santos cashed these checks, then distributed the cash to the work crews after deducting their fee, which was typically about 6% of the payroll. During the scheme, both defendants cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $19 million, with their fees totaling over $1 million. Neither the shell company nor the contractors reported to government authorities the wages that were paid to the workers, nor did they pay either the employees’ or the employer’s portion of payroll taxes – including Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax. According to the IRS, the amount of payroll taxes due on wages collected by Santos-Calix and Santos-Santos totaled $5,018,590. The scheme also facilitated the avoidance of the higher cost of obtaining adequate workers’ compensation insurance for the numerous workers on the work crews to whom Santos-Calix and Santos-Santos “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance. The two policies that the defendants purchased and then “rented” out was for an estimated payroll of $175,000, and the insurance company issued policies for a premium of approximately $21,000. Had a workers’ compensation insurance policy been purchased for the actual payroll totaling approximately $19,000,000, the policy premium would have totaled about $2.5 million. “Through their illegal workers compensation payroll and insurance fraud scheme, these individuals sought to defraud the U.S. government and undercut legitimate private businesses, while taking advantage of noncitizen workers, for their own personal profit,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips, HSI Jacksonville. “Rest assured that HSI special agents, IRS Criminal Investigation, and our law enforcement partners will vigilantly pursue those who think they can operate without regard to U.S. laws.” “Through their actions, these defendants attempted to create an environment that favored cheaters,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Tara K. Reed. IRS-CI prioritizes cases involving individuals who seek to hurt tax-compliant individuals and businesses. Through our partnership with HSI and the United States Attorney’s Office, we will continue to identify bad actors and work together to vigorously investigate and prosecute these payroll tax and worker’s compensation insurance schemes.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.


title: Two Former Corrections Officers Plead Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charges in Connection with Death of Inmate at West Virginia Jail

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Two former corrections officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, pleaded guilty yesterday for their respective roles in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Steven Nicholas Wimmer and Andrew Fleshman each pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to use unreasonable force against Q.B. According to their plea agreements, Wimmer and Fleshman each acknowledged that they separately responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod and that, when each arrived at the pod, Q.B. was on the floor as force was being used against him. The officers restrained and handcuffed Q.B. Wimmer, Fleshman and other members of the conspiracy then escorted Q.B. to an interview room where members of the conspiracy, aided and abetted by each other, struck and injured Q.B. while he was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Wimmer and Fleshman each admitted that the members of the conspiracy struck and injured Q.B. in the interview room in order to punish him for attempting to leave his assigned pod. In his plea agreement, Fleshman further admits that he was one of the members of the conspiracy who injured Q.B. inside the interview room while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat. Fleshman acknowledged that he and others then removed Q.B. from the interview room to a cell, where members of the conspiracy struck and injured Q.B. to punish him while he was restrained, handcuffed and while he posed no threat to anyone. In his plea agreement, Wimmer further admitted that he struck and injured Q.B. after he was brought to the cell to punish Q.B. while he was restrained, handcuffed and while he posed no threat to anyone. Wimmer and Fleshman each pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Volk. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for Feb. 22, 2024. According to their respective plea agreements, Wimmer and Fleshman each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney William S. Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Deputy Criminal Chief Monica Coleman for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.


title: Fort Myers Man Sentenced To 24 Years In Prison For Killing An FBI Informant

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. has sentenced James Franklin Broomfield, Jr. (37, Fort Myers) to 24 years in federal prison for tampering with an informant by killing. The court ordered the sentence to run consecutive to a sentence Broomfield is currently serving for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Broomfield had pleaded guilty on January 9, 2019. According to court documents and evidence presented in the related trial of United States v. Robert Lee Ward , Robert Ward was the leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Fort Myers that distributed cocaine in Fort Myers and other locations for over a decade until Ward’s arrest in 2018. In 2012, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were investigating Ward and his DTO when the FBI obtained the assistance of Kristopher Smith, a member of Ward’s DTO, who agreed to cooperate in the investigation. Ward learned about Smith’s cooperation with investigators and solicited Broomfield to kill Smith. Broomfield agreed to kill Smith for $30,000. Ward provided Broomfield with a loaded firearm and told him where to locate Smith. On January 7, 2013, Broomfield and another individual followed Smith and his girlfriend as they drove to their son’s school in Fort Myers. Smith remained in the car while his girlfriend entered the school to deliver lunch to their son, who was a first-grade student at the school. Broomfield and his accomplice parked their vehicle behind the informant’s car. Broomfield ran up to the car and shot Smith several times, killing him. A jury has found Ward guilty of conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, and tampering with an informant by killing, and he is pending sentencing. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore. This investigation is the result of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.


title: Indiana Man Sentenced to 25-Months Imprisonment on Federal Identity Theft, Fraud Charges

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a man from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to 25 months imprisonment after he admitted to participating in an identity theft and fraudulent check scheme. Jamaine D. Brooks, 46, pled guilty to possession of five or more identification documents, possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices and aggravated identity theft in a U.S. District courtroom in July. Following imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release. “Financial exploitation and identity theft crimes are serious offenses with lasting effects on victims,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Thankfully, our law enforcement partners worked swiftly to apprehend this offender, and I commend this collaborative effort to pursue justice.” According to court documents, Brooks stole identities to commit financial fraud and buy merchandise using his victims’ means from various Walmart locations and other retail stores. He was arrested by police after he traveled to southern Illinois with 23 Indiana identification cards and driver’s licenses, 39 stolen credit and debit cards, nine Social Security cards, four checkbooks in one individual’s name and equipment to alter checks in March 2021. “The U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating, and pursuing those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means,” said Stephen Webster, the Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service. “We are proud of our partnerships with the federal, state, and local agencies who work collectively to hold these individuals accountable for their actions.” At the time of his arrest, Brooks had already used his victim’s identity and financial means to purchase more than $5,000 in retail goods, most recently at a Walmart in Collinsville, Illinois. In addition to the federal prison sentence, Brooks was ordered to pay $5,154.75 in restitution back to this specific victim. The identification cards, credit and debit cards, and social security cards belonged to at least 40 separate victims. “We are very proud of the great work done by our officers that led to this arrest,” said Chief Steve Evans of the Collinsville Police Department. “More importantly, these kind of results are only possible due to the strong relationship and collaboration between local law enforcement and federal law enforcement.” Chelci Johnson, 33, also of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was a named co-defendant also charged in the indictment. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. The Collinsville Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed prosecuted the case.


title: Utah Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Pedro Lee Benally pled guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact. Benally, 22, of Montezuma Creek, Utah, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to court documents, between April 1, 2022 and November 29, 2022, Benally engaged in sexual contact with Jane Doe, a child who had not attained the age of 12 years, on multiple occasions. The incidents occurred at Jane Doe’s grandmother’s house in Shiprock and afterward Benally told Jane Doe not to tell anyone about his conduct. At sentencing, Benally may face up to 23 years in prison and must register as a sex offender upon his release. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-258


title: Crownpoint Woman Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Ryntana Yazzie pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Yazzie, 34, of Crownpoint, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was placed on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. According to court documents, on August 4, 2020, Yazzie had been drinking alcohol and was driving south on Highway 371 outside Farmington when her vehicle veered into oncoming traffic and struck a truck driven by John Doe, who was driving northbound. John Doe died as a result of the crash. At sentencing, Yazzie may face up to 8 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-259


title: Justice Department Announces New Nationwide Public Safety Commitments

component: Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)

body_text: New Haven – On November 2, the Justice Department announced several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime . Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide. “Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.” Through this funding, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut is pleased to announce that the Justice Department’s COPS Office has awarded more than $8.8 million to Connecticut and several of its municipalities to combat violent crime and maintain public safety. Included in the grant awards are: COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awards of $3,161,790 to the Hartford Police Department to hire 10 police officers, and $500,000 to the North Branford Police Department to hire four police officers; An Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program Award of $3,882,182 to Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; A COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) Award of $500,000 to the New Hartford school system; And Community Policing Development (CPD) Program Awards of $153,806 to Colchester, $160,000 to Deep River, $190,000 to Fairfield, $126,660 to Norwalk, $28,615 to Vernon, and $174,342 to the Connecticut State Police. “We are pleased that communities across Connecticut will benefit from these substantial Justice Department grant awards,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. “These funds will help fight violent crime, curb the illegal distribution of dangerous narcotics, improve policing, and keep our children safe.” The Department has also named the five new cities to join the more than 50 jurisdictions currently part of the Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which has a proven track record of helping partner sites reduce crime, improve homicide clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for community members. The 2024 PSP sites are: Knoxville, Tennessee; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Vallejo, California. Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA. Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here .


title: BOP Inmate Admits to Sending Death Threats to Federal Officials

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – An inmate already serving a federal sentence pled guilty to new charges Thursday, admitting he threatened to murder a federal judge and former federal probation officer and blow up a U.S. District courthouse. Richard L. Russell, 57, pled guilty to two counts of retaliating against a federal official, two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of threatening to destroy a building by fire or explosion, namely the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis. “Threats against the lives of federal judges and probation officers will be met with equally severe punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The defendant intended to disrupt operations and endanger workers at the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, and I commend the U.S. Marshals Service for their work investigating and thwarting the threats.” According to court documents, Russell was serving a 112-month sentence in the Bureau of Prisons after being charged by the Eastern District of Missouri in January 2014 for mailing threatening communications and threatening to murder a U.S. magistrate judge. On June 1, 2022, officials at the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse received two similarly handwritten letters containing death threats addressed to a sitting federal judge and retired probation officer that were each signed by Russell. A deputy U.S. marshal recovered the letters and envelopes. Russell sent the letters to retaliate against the individuals who has previously worked on his court cases. He threatened the judge who sentenced him to 112 months’ imprisonment and the former probation officer who supervised him. Russell mailed the letters from the Grady County Criminal Justice Authority, a BOP transfer facility located in Chickasaw, Oklahoma. Russell’s charges are each punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count. Federal judges, probation officers and prosecutors with the Eastern District of Missouri are recused from this case. The U.S. Marshals Service led the investigation, and Steve Weinhoeft of the Southern District of Illinois is serving as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and prosecuting the case.


title: Three Individuals Sentenced for Bribery Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Virginia couple and Missouri man were sentenced yesterday for conspiring to bribe a public official. Susan May Keim, 54, of Hopewell, Virginia, was sentenced to 30 months in prison; Russell John Keim Sr., 60, also of Hopewell, was sentenced to 18 months in prison; and Rodney Gale Wilson, 67, of Imperial, Missouri, was sentenced to 45 months in prison. All three defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to offer bribes to a public official and to accept bribes as a public official. According to court documents, Susan Keim and her husband Russell Keim accepted bribes from Wilson in return for Susan Keim’s award of purchase orders to Wilson’s company to sell parts and materials to U.S. Army Garrison Fort Lee (redesignated as Fort Gregg-Adams). Susan Keim worked for Skookum Educational Services, a company that contracted with the federal government to provide maintenance and supply services at Fort Lee. Under the contract, the federal government reimbursed Skookum for the cost of the supplies it purchased for Fort Lee. Wilson was the owner of C&L Supply, a company formed for the sole purpose of selling supplies to Skookum for use at Fort Lee. C&L Supply sometimes sold the supplies to Skookum at a substantial markup, a cost which was passed on to the federal government. From 2013 to 2018, in return for the award of purchase orders worth over $900,000, Wilson provided checks and cash payments to Susan and Russell Keim disguised as compensation to Russell Keim for work he purportedly performed for C&L Supply and payments for work done on a property owned by the Keims. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Curran of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID)'s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office (MPFFO), and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS)'s Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Richmond Field Office, Army CID’s MPFFO, and DCIS investigated the case. Trial Attorney Lauren Britsch Slater of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.


title: Indiana U.S. Attorney’s Offices Announce $6 Million in Department of Justice Funding for Hoosier Public Safety Programs

component: Department of Justice

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced several new commitments as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime . Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state and local law enforcement. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders nationwide, awarded today by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The COPS grants announced today include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide. Through this funding, U.S. Attorney’s Offices for both the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana are pleased to announce that the Department’s COPS Office awarded a total of $6,689,417.00 to combat violent crime and maintain public safety in the state. Specific recipients and amounts are as follow: Award Recipient Amount COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program Indiana State Police $2,000,000 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program City of Hobart $500,000 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program Lake Station Community Schools $375,000 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program Logansport Community Schools $478,843 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program New Castle Community Schools $358,132 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program Valparaiso Community Schools $390,000 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program Vincennes Police Department $337,422 COPS Hiring Program City of Frankfort $250,000 COPS Hiring Program Porter County $125,000 COPS Hiring Program Town of Roseland $125,000 COPS Hiring Program Tippecanoe County $1,250,000 COPS Hiring Program Vincennes Police Department $500,0000 Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that the Justice Department will host a Violent Crime Reduction Summit December 11-13, in Indianapolis. The summit, organized by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs and Bureau of Justice Assistance will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including community and law enforcement representatives from Project Safe Neighborhoods and the more than 50 jurisdictions that have participated in the National Public Safety Partnership . “We are excited to announce this important Justice Department funding to help make our communities safer, and to host the Department’s 2023 Violent Crime Reduction Summit right here in Indianapolis,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I welcome the many dedicated community and law enforcement leaders from across the country to our wonderful city as we work together to reduce violent crime. The work done at this summit will help make our communities safer by sharing interventions and strategies to prevent violence and hold violent criminals accountable.” “These grants will help departments, in my District and throughout the State, address a myriad of issues that undermine public safety, such as violence in schools, illicit methamphetamine activities, and a shortage of law enforcement officers.” Said Clifford D. Johnson, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana. “These grants also exhibit yet another way the Department of Justice provides support to our public safety partners.” “Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1,700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.” Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found at cops.doj.gov/grants . ###


title: Former Gadsden Pharmacist and City School Board Member Sentenced for Drug Distribution Conspiracy and Tax Crimes

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A former Gadsden-area pharmacist and city school board member was sentenced yesterday for drug distribution conspiracy and tax crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Demetrius D. Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Nathan Thomas Carter , 41, of Gadsden, to 54 months in prison. In July, Carter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and three counts of filing false tax returns. Carter was also ordered to forfeit $110,620 in illicit drug proceeds and pay restitution to the IRS of $124,547 in unpaid taxes. According to the plea agreement, between 2015 and late 2021, Carter conspired with others to distribute controlled substances including oxycodone and hydrocodone. Between February 2018 and 2023, Carter worked as the pharmacist in charge at Midtown Pharmacy in Gadsden. Records reflect that Midtown Pharmacy ordered at least 80,000 more oxycodone pills than the pharmacy dispensed to patients. Carter diverted opioid pills from the pharmacy and sold those pills to other drug distributors. He regularly took distributor bottles from his pharmacy to his house, where he repackaged the pills in plastic bags for resale. Carter admitted to earning about $450,000 in illicit income, which he failed to report on his income tax returns. According to the plea agreement, during the execution of a search warrant at Carter’ house, authorities found more than $110,000 in cash. The FBI, DEA, and IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward prosecuted the case.


title: Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to  Embezzling the Mail

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – COI MORRIS , age 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana pled guilty on November 1, 2023 to embezzling the mail, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, COI MORRIS was employed by the United States Postal Service as a mail handler at the processing center in New Orleans when he was apprehended stealing items from the mail he was entrusted to handle. The defendant pled guilty before United States District Sarah S. Vance and sentencing is set for February 21, 2024. The maximum penalty for the offense is five years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim, followed by up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of one hundred dollars. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Three Individuals Sentenced for Bribery Scheme at Ft. Gregg-Adams

component: Criminal - Public Integrity Section

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Hopewell couple and Missouri man were sentenced yesterday for conspiring to bribe a public official. Susan May Keim, 54, was sentenced to 30 months in prison; Russell John Keim Sr., 60, was sentenced to 18 months in prison; and Rodney Gale Wilson, 67, of Imperial, Missouri, was sentenced to 45 months in prison. All three defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to offer bribes to a public official and to accept bribes as a public official. According to court documents, from approximately June 2013 through October 2018, Susan Keim and her husband Russell Keim accepted bribes from Wilson in return for Susan Keim’s award of purchase orders to Wilson’s company to sell parts and materials to U.S. Army Garrison Fort Gregg-Adams, formerly known as Fort Lee. Susan Keim worked for Skookum Educational Services, a company that contracted with the federal government to provide maintenance and supply services at Fort Gregg-Adams. Under the contract, the federal government reimbursed Skookum for the cost of the supplies it purchased for Fort Gregg-Adams. Wilson was the owner of C&L Supply, a company formed for the sole purpose of selling supplies to Skookum for use at Fort Gregg-Adams. C&L Supply sometimes sold the supplies to Skookum at a substantial markup, a cost which was passed on to the federal government. From 2013 to 2018, in return for the award of purchase orders worth over $900,000, Wilson provided checks and cash payments to Susan and Russell Keim disguised as compensation to Russell Keim for work he purportedly performed for C&L Supply and payments for work done on a property owned by the Keims. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office; Michael C. Curran, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Field Office (MPFFO); and Christopher Dillard, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Senior U.S District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore and Trial Attorney Lauren Britsch Slater of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-083.


title: Texas Man Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Trafficking In Lackawanna County

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Luis Gonzalez, age 27, of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty on November 2, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gonzalez admitted to possessing between 15 kilograms and 50 kilograms of cocaine for further distribution in the Lackawanna County area in September 2022. The charges stem from an incident on September 29, 2022, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle in Lackawanna County. Gonzalez and codefendant, Jose Torres, age 27, of El Paso, Texas were the occupants of the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of sixteen individually wrapped kilograms of cocaine, having a street-value of approximately $500,000. The charges against Jose Torres remain outstanding. The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pennsylvania State Police and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara 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. Under federal law, the offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison. The maximum penalty under federal law is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Mother and Son Indicted for Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on October 26, 2023, JERAD M. BARRETT, a/k/a “Mackenzie,” “Mack,” “Big Mack,” age 40, and JENNIE L. JAMES , age 66, both of New Orleans, , were charged in a recently unsealed four-count indictment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a quantity of amphetamine, and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C), possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a quantity of amphetamine, and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C), possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), and maintaining a drug-involved premises in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a)(1). The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating BARRETT after receiving information regarding his narcotics distribution activity. As a result of this investigation, agents recovered over 500 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of amphetamine pills, and approximately 940 kilograms of marijuana stored in plastic bins and barrels from within his residence and multiple storage units. Agents also uncovered communications between JAMES and BARRETT related to the distribution, packaging, and relocation of narcotics within the Eastern District of Louisiana. If convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to controlled substances, BARRETT and JAMES each face a minimum of ten (10) years up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and a minimum of five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, BARRETT faces a minimum of ten (10) years up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and a minimum of five (5) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, BARRETT faces a minimum of five (5) years up to forty (40) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, and a minimum of four (4) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of maintaining a drug-involved premises, BARRETT and JAMES each face up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to each of the charged counts, BARRETT and JAMES, individually, face payment of a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Making Violent Online Threats

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Parrish, Florida, man pleaded guilty today to sending threatening messages online. According to court documents, in April and May 2023, John Muccio, 39, sent numerous online threats to a debt collection company located in Norfolk. The company had sent letters and attempted to call Muccio about money he owed. In response, Muccio sent several different threatening messages via the company’s Artificial Intelligence Chatbot. In the messages, Muccio used racial slurs and threatened to kill the employees of the company and sexually assault the co-founders’ family members. The FBI was able to trace the threats to Muccio at his residence in Florida. A review of Muccio’s cell phone showed he had the company’s website bookmarked on his internet browser. Muccio pleaded guilty to making threatening interstate communications and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2024. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-87.


title: U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten Announces Funding for Law Enforcement Agencies, Investments in Public Safety

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that The Justice Department has awarded several grants as part of its Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime . Instituted by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in May 2021, the strategy focuses on harnessing federal resources, intelligence, and expertise as a force-multiplier with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. “Fighting violent crime is one of our top priorities, especially at this moment when gunfire has become the #1 killer of our young people,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “We’re thrilled to see these grants given to multiple agencies across Michigan to help prevent and prosecute violent crime.” Through this funding, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan is pleased to announce that the Department’s COPS Office awarded funding to the below agencies to address violent crime and maintain public safety. 2023 COPS Office Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) Awards Officers Funded Amount for Hiring Amount for Equipment & Training Total Amount of Awards Bay Mills Indian Community - - $558,895 $558,895 Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians 1 $545,529 $117,375 $662,904 Keweenaw Bay Indian Community 1 $395,978 $140,902 $536,880 Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi 1 $521,675 $166,836 $688,511 2023 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awards Officers Funded Award Amount Portage, City of 8 $1,000,000 White Cloud, City of 1 $125,000 2023 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) Awards Recipient Award Amount Godfrey Lee Public Schools $500,000 2023 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Implementation Projects Agency Estimated Award Amount Michigan Department of State Police $200,000 Complete lists of all program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here . “Law enforcement officers across the country are showing up every day to protect their communities in the face of unprecedented challenges,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland . “These grants, which support the hiring of more than 1,700 new officers and make critical investments in school safety and crisis intervention efforts, will help provide local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to keep their communities safe, support officers, and build public trust.” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta highlighted the more than $334 million in critical grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders awarded yesterday by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).The COPS grants announced include funding to help law enforcement agencies hire over 1,730 new law enforcement officers across the country while also providing critical funding to support school safety and continue to advance community policing nationwide. Lastly, the Deputy Attorney General and Associate Attorney General announced that this December 11-13, in Indianapolis, the Justice Department’s will bring together 1,500 local and federal partners from across the country, including representatives from the more than 50 PSP jurisdictions and from Project Safe Neighborhoods for a Violent Crime Reduction Summit, to be hosted by OJP BJA. # # #


title: New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy, Firearm Conspiracy, and Hobbs Act Robbery

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 2, 2023, JAMAL CLAY , a/k/a “Mal,” a/k/a “Young Mal,” a/k/a “O,” a/k/a “YM,” pled guilty to various violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the Federal Gun Control Act, and Hobbs Act robbery. CLAY specifically pled guilty to Counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the superseding bill of information pending against him before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. CLAY pled guilty to Count 1 of the superseding bill of information, in which he was charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and a quantity of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 84l(a)(l), (b)(l )(B), (b)(1)(D), and 846. CLAY faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least 4 years supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. CLAY pled guilty to Count 2 of the superseding bill of information, in which he was charged with participating in a conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(o). CLAY faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, 3 years supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee for this count. CLAY pled guilty to Count 3 of the superseding bill of information, in which he was charged with participating in a Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951. CLAY faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee for this count. CLAY also pled guilty to Count 4 of the superseding bill of information, in which he was charged with possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of and during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and 2 (aiding and abetting). CLAY faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. This sentence must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence. According to public documents, in 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated a group for committing various violent crimes and illegal drug trafficking, primarily in New Orleans East and the Ninth Ward section of New Orleans. Thereafter, CLAY , along with nine others, were indicted, for conspiring to possess firearms, traffic drugs and commit armed robberies of drug dealers. CLAY’s plea documents detail his role as a drug trafficker who often possessed firearms, as well as his participation in the armed robbery of a drug dealer’s home and the residents within it on September 25, 2019, in Violet, Louisiana. CLAY’s sentencing is scheduled for February 21, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit and Elizabeth Privitera, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Cleveland Man Sentenced to More Than 27 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: AKRON – Ramel Drew, age 45, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 327 months (more than 27 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams. In March 2023, a jury convicted Drew of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Adams also ordered Drew to pay a $400 special assessment and to serve a term of supervised release to follow his term of incarceration. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the FBI and other law enforcement partners conducted a long- term investigation and determined that members of the conspiracy were selling fentanyl to customers at multiple locations in Cleveland, and that Ramel Drew was involved in the drug trafficking conspiracy. On August 31, 2021, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies executed search warrants at seven houses connected to the drug organization, and seized over a kilogram of fentanyl, numerous firearms, ammunition, high-speed money counters, drug presses, a vacuum-sealer used to package drugs and money, over $68,000 in cash, jewelry, and multiple high-end vehicles, including two Range Rovers and a Jaguar. One of the houses searched was on East 89th Street in Cleveland, which the FBI had identified as a location where customers came from as far away as Lorain County and Ashland County to buy fentanyl. Video evidence revealed Ramel Drew and other conspirators were selling drugs to customers in the driveway of a residence. Testimony at trial also established that Drew and his coconspirators shared a cell phone that drug customers would call to arrange the drug purchases. Drew was one of 24 defendants indicted in the case, which was the result of a coordinated effort by the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). All 24 defendants, including Drew, were convicted. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force (CGNL) and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Investigative Unit, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force (SEALE), the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, the DEA, and the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Lewis, Joseph Dangelo, and James Morford.


title: New York man sentenced to 35 years in prison for surveilling and shooting a man in Miami

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Nov. 1, a New York man was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for surveilling and later shooting a victim from point-blank range. Julian Jimenez, 27, of New York, flew down from New York to Miami to kill the victim. Once Jimenez arrived in Miami, he surveilled his victim at the victim’s home and business. After four days of surveillance, Jimenez entered his victim’s residential community wearing a mask, gloves and holding a firearm. While the victim was in his vehicle about to pull into his garage, Jimenez ran up behind him and started shooting. Jimenez fired eight rounds at the victim. The victim survived but was hit three times and needed surgery to remove the projectiles left inside his body. The sentence comes after Jimenez’s guilty plea in August. A restitution hearing is scheduled on Jan. 30, 2024. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman. FBI Miami’s Violent Crimes and Fugitive Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman, Michael E. Gilfarb and Katherine W. Guthrie prosecuted it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 22-cr-20389. ###


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl and Gun Crimes

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – La Percy Demond Allen, also known as “Pete,” 44, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for the distribution of fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 27, 2021, Allen sold approximately 26 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Beckley. Allen admitted to that transaction and to selling approximately 3.4 additional grams of fentanyl and approximately 53 grams of heroin to the informant during other transactions in Beckley between July 9, 2021, and August 4, 2021. On August 10, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence and found approximately 53 grams of fentanyl, a loaded Hi-Point Model 995 9mm rifle, and $6,730. Allen admitted to possessing the firearm, cash and fentanyl. Allen further admitted that intended to distribute the fentanyl and that the money was from the distribution of heroin. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Allen knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of felony convictions for heroin trafficking and evidence tampering in the Scioto County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas on December 10, 2013, and for trafficking and possessing cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Lawrence County, Ohio, Common Please Court on December 29, 2008. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beckley Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Beckley Police Department. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-154 and 5:22-cr-2. ###


title: Individual Convicted of Firearms Trafficking with Los 27 Prison Gang

body_text: SAN JUAN – A federal jury convicted Héctor Kalie Figueroa-Marbelt for helping a member of Los 27 prison gang with engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Los 27 gang was a criminal organization which operated from within the prisons of Puerto Rico using illegally introduced cellphones. To make money from prison, Los 27 members engaged in murder, drug trafficking, extortion, and firearms trafficking. Los 27 members also engaged in firearms trafficking to supply firearms to the members of the criminal organization who would leave prison. Figueroa-Marbelt helped Los 27 with this crime. The evidence at trial showed that Figueroa-Marbelt was the “outside person” for a Los 27 member considered to be the point of contact for firearms within Los 27—Victor Elias-Boza, aka “Grilla.” From prison, Elias-Boza brokered the sale of a firearm, and Figueroa-Marbelt delivered the firearm. In December 2019, Figueroa-Marbelt delivered a firearm, which Elias-Boza agreed to sell to another member of Los 27. That day, Figueroa-Marbelt showed that he was ready and able to engage in firearms trafficking, offering to sell more firearms. Figueroa-Marbelt had numerous firearms for sale at his disposal. In September 2021, the FBI arrested Figueroa-Marbelt and seized eight firearms, over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, and money in Figueroa-Marbelt’s possession. The FBI also found that Figueroa-Marbelt had sufficient firearm parts that arrived in the mail, accessories, and tools to manufacture additional firearms. In sum, the evidenced showed that Figueroa-Marbelt was ready and able to sell firearms for profit with Elias-Boza. Figueroa-Marbelt is now facing a sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a supervised release term of up to three years. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo-Hernández was in charge of prosecuting the case. ###


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Nov. 2 was: Nicholas David Decker, 33, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Decker faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Decker was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-114. Armondo Anthony Ronquillo, 37, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ronquillo faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Ronquillo was detained pending further proceedings. The Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-64. Appearing on Nov. 1 was: Billy Joe Chavez, 40, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearm and ammunition. If convicted of the most serious crime, Chavez faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chavez was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-19. Appearing on Oct. 26 was: Joshua David Heafner, 39, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hafner faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Heafner was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-109. Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 31 was: Nicholas Geoffrey Combs, 28, of Portland, Oregon, on charges of distribution child pornography, receipt of child pornography and transportation of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Combs faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Combs was detained pending further proceedings. The Missoula Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-44. Appearing on Oct. 30 was: Efren Zanabriga Zuniga, 35, of Oaxaca, Mexico, on charges of production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Zuniga faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Zuniga was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and the Missoula Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-46. Caleb Gerard Diamond, 24, of Missoula, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Diamond faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Diamond was detained pending further proceedings. The Missoula Police Department, Montana Probation and Parole and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-41. Appearing on Oct. 27 was: Bryan Michael Balog, 30, of Missoula, on receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Balog faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Balog was detained pending further proceedings. The Missoula Police Department and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-45. Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint on Oct. 31 was: Frank Espinoza, 32, of Venezuela, on charges of improper entry by alien. If convicted of the most serious crime, Espinoza faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Espinoza was detained pending further proceedings. The Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-102. Fatima Brito, 29, of Venezuela, on charges of improper entry by alien. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brito faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Brito was detained pending further proceedings. The Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-103. Diana Ruiz-Gomez, 26, of Mexico, on charges of improper entry by alien. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ruiz-Gomez faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Ruiz-Gomez was detained pending further proceedings. The Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-104. Emilio Fernando Dominguez-Martinez, 24, of Mexico, on charges of improper entry by alien. If convicted of the most serious crime, Dominguez-Martinez faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Dominguez-Martinez was detained pending further proceedings. The Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-105. Fredy Hernandez-Morales, 28, of Mexico, on charges of improper entry by alien. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hernandez-Morales faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Hernandez-Morales was detained pending further proceedings. The Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-106. Viridiana Macias-Espinosa, 38, of Mexico, on charges of improper entry by alien. If convicted of the most serious crime, Macias-Espinosa faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Macias-Espinosa was detained pending further proceedings. The Border Patrol investigated the case. PACER case reference. 23-107. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX