title: Kagawaran ng Katarungan, Naglabas ng Update sa Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantay

body_text: Ang Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay naghayag ngayong araw ng pagpapalabas ng 2023 Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantay (Plano), na bahagi ng mas malawak na pagsisikap ng Kagawaran na ipatupad ang Nakatataas na Kautusan ni Pangulong Biden sa Higit pang Pagsusulong ng Pagkakapantay-pantay at Pagsuporta sa Lahi para sa Kulang sa Serbisyong mga Pamayanan sa Pamamagitan ng Pederal na Pamahalaan . Ang update sa Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantay ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay tinapos noong Disyembre 2023 at tutulong sa pag-gabay sa mahusay na pamamaraan sa pagkakapantay-pantay sa Taon ng Pananalapi 2024 ng Kagawaran . Ang Plano ay nagpapaalala sa pangako ng Kagawaran sa pagtulong sa lahat ng mga tao - kabilang ang minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyo na mga pamayanan sa kasaysayan – sa pag-kamit sa mga programa ng Kagawaran at mapagkukunan, pagtimon sa mga kumplikadong legal at regulasyong hadlang upang maitaguyod ang kanilang mga karapatan, maunawaan ang lawak ng gawain ng Kagawaran, at makabuluhang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga taga-gawa ng desisyon sa Kagawaran ng Katarungan. Ang Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay nakatuon sa katiyakan na ang aming mga programa at serbisyo ay makakarating sa bawat pamayanan na nangangailangan ng mga ito,” ayon kay Pangunahing Abogado Merrick B. Garland. “Ang limang mga mabisang pamamaraan sa Planong ito ay naghahangad na isulong ang mas malawak na misyon ng Kagawaran na panindigan ang patakaran ng batas, panatilihing ligtas ang mga tao, at protektahan ang mga karapatang sibil sa pamamagitan ng pagkilos na alisin ang mga hadlang na pumipigil sa mga mahihinang komunidad/ pamayanan na makapag-kamit ng mga kritikal na mapagkukunan. Para sa Taon ng Pananalapi ng 2024, ang Kagawaran ng Katarungan ay nangako na isusulong ang limang sumusunod na mga pamamaraan sa pagkakapantay-pantay: Ang pag-aalis ng mga balakid para makamit ang pag-gawad ng pondo at mga mapagkukunan para sa mga organisasyong pinangungunahan ng at siyang pangunahing nagsisilbi sa mga minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyong mga komunidad/ pamayanan na naharap na sa mga pang-lipunan at nakapaloob ng balakid sa pagkamit at pagtanggap ng mga mapagkukunang Pederal, gayundin sa mga pamayanang lubusang naapektohan ng krimen, karahasan, at pambibiktima. Ang pagsuporta sa mga programang pagwawasto at muling pagpasok na naglalayon na bawasan ang muling pagkakasala at mapabuti ang mga resulta para sa sangkot-hustisyang mga indibidwal (kabilang ang mga mula sa minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyong mga pamayanan sa kasaysayan at yung mga pamayanan na lubusang naapektohan ng krimen, karahasan, at pambibiktima), kasama na ang pagpapabuti ng saklaw ng pangangalagang pangkalusugan at pagpapatuloy ng mga suporta sa pangangalaga, pagbabawas ng mga balakid sa pagkuha ng pagkakakilanlan na bigay ng pamahalaan, pagtugon sa mga pasanin na nauugnay sa kawalan ng kakayahang magbayad ng mga multa at bayarin, at pagpapaunlad ng mga modelo ng pangangasiwa ng komunidad/pamayanan upang mabawasan ang insidente ng pagpapawalang bisa dahil sa mga teknikong paglabag. Ang pagsusulong ng nagpapabilang, magkakaiba, at dalubhasang manggagawa sa pagpapatupad ng batas upang palakasin ang tiwala ng madla at mapaunlad ang mga resulta ng kaligtasang pampubliko sa pamamagitan ng pag-aalis ng mga balakid sa sa pagkatawan sa loob ng mga ahensyang nagpapatupad ng batas ng Pederal, Estado, Panlipi, lokal, at maka-teritoryo para sa mga pamayanan na kulang sa pagkatawan. Ang pagpapaunlad sa pagtugon ng mga tagapag-patupad ng batas at mga tauhan ng hustisyang pangkrimen sa mga krimen na lubusang naka-apekto sa mga kababaihan, kabataang babae, mga indibidwal na nagpalit ng kasarian, at mga mga kasariang hindi umaayon sa inaasahang gawi (kabilang ang karahasang nakabatay sa kasarian at pangangalakal na sekswal) sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay at/o pagsuporta: naka-tuon na pagsasanay kung paano imbestigahan at usigin ang mga krimeng ito; pagsasanay at mga mapagkukunan sa mga taong tinatayang dumanas ng matinding karanasan at mga pamamaraang nakakatugon ayon sa kultura, pangangalaga, at mga serbisyong nakalaan sa mga biktima; at mga mapagkukunan at suporta para sa pagbuo ng mga relasyong kasama at pagdaragdag ng ng paraan patungo sa serbisyo at tulong para sa minamaliit at kulang sa serbisyong mga pamayanan sa kasaysayan. Ang pagtitiyak na ang kulang sa serbisyong mga pamayanan (kabilang ang mga taong may limitadong kasanayan sa ingles at mga taong may kapansanan, at iba pa) ay may kamalayan at kakayahan na magkamit ng mga serbisyong legal upang pagtuuan ng pansin ang krimeng pang-kapaligiran, polusyon, pagbabago ng klima, at iba pang mga panganib pangkapaligiran at magkaroon ng tulong sa pagtimon ng legal at pinamamahalaang pananaw na kinakailangan para makakuha ng paraan para sa malinis na tubig, hangin, at iba pang likas na yaman. Ang mga pamamaraang ito sa pagkakapantay-pantay ay naglalayong sumunod sa mga mandato na itinakda sa Utos ng Nakatataas 14091 at binuo batay sa limang mga priyoridad ng pagkakapantay-pantay na nakabalangkas sa 2022 Equity Action Plan ng Kagawaran ng Katarungan . Habang ang kritikal na gawaing ito ay nagbabagong anyo, ang mga update ay ipo- post sa www . https://www.justice.gov/equity . Maaari kang matuto nang higit pa tungkol sa agenda ng pagkakapantay-pantay at mga kaugnay na pangunguna ng Administrasyong Biden-Harris sa www.whitehouse.gov/equity at suriin ang lahat ng iba pang mga Plano ng Aksyong Pagkakapantay-pantay ng Pederal sa www.performance.gov/equity .


title: Bộ Tư pháp phổ biến bản cập nhật về Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Hôm nay, Bộ Tư pháp đã phổ biến Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng năm 2023 (gọi tắt là Kế hoạch), là một phần trong nỗ lực rộng hơn của Bộ nhằm thực hiện Sắc lệnh Hành pháp của Tổng thống Biden về Thúc đẩy hơn nữa công bằng chủng tộc và hỗ trợ cho các cộng đồng không được phục vụ đúng mức, thông qua Chính quyền Liên bang . Bản cập nhật Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng của Bộ Tư pháp đã được hoàn tất vào tháng 12 năm 2023 và sẽ hướng dẫn các chính sách tạo công bằng của Bộ trong Năm tài chánh 2024. Kế hoạch nhắc lại quyết tâm của Bộ trong việc hỗ trợ tất cả mọi người – bao gồm các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức – khi tiếp cận các chương trình và nguồn lực của Bộ, giúp họ len lỏi qua các rào cản pháp lý và các quy định phức tạp để đòi hỏi các quyền của họ, giúp họ hiểu được tầm rộng lớn công việc của Bộ để giao tiếp có ý nghĩa với những người trong Bộ Tư pháp có quyền đưa ra quyết định. “Bộ Tư pháp cam kết đảm bảo rằng các chương trình và dịch vụ của chúng tôi sẽ đến được với mọi cộng đồng cần chúng,” Bộ trưởng Tư pháp Merrick B. Garland cho biết. “Năm chiến lược trong Kế hoạch này nhằm mục đích thúc đẩy sứ mệnh rộng lớn hơn của Bộ nhằm duy trì pháp quyền, giữ an toàn cho mọi người và bảo vệ quyền công dân bằng cách nỗ lực xóa bỏ các rào cản ngăn cản các cộng đồng nguy hiểm tiếp cận các nguồn tài nguyên quan trọng.” Trong năm tài chánh 2024, Bộ Tư pháp đã cam kết thúc đẩy năm chính sách tạo công bằng sau đây: Loại bỏ các rào cản đối với việc tiếp cận các khoản tài trợ và nguồn lực cho các tổ chức được lãnh đạo bởi và chủ yếu phục vụ các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức, đã từng đối mặt với các rào cản mang tính xã hội và hệ thống khi muốn tiếp cận và nhận các nguồn lực của Liên bang, cũng như các cộng đồng bị ảnh hưởng không đồng đều bởi tội phạm, bạo lực và trở thành nạn nhân. Hỗ trợ các chương trình khắc phục và tái hòa nhập xã hội nào có mục tiêu giảm bớt tình trạng tái phạm và cải thiện kết quả cho những người bị vướng mắc vào công lý (bao gồm cả những người thuộc các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức và những người bị ảnh hưởng không đồng đều bởi tội phạm, bạo lực và trở thành nạn nhân), bao gồm những chương trình nhằm cải thiện cách chăm sóc sức khỏe và liên tục hỗ trợ chăm sóc, giảm các rào cản để có được giấy tờ tùy thân do chính quyền cấp, giải quyết gánh nặng liên quan đến việc không đủ khả năng trả tiền phạt và lệ phí, cải thiện các mô hình giám sát cộng đồng để giảm tỷ lệ phải thu hồi quyết định do lỗi kỹ thuật. Tiến đến việc thành lập một đội ngũ nhân viên thực thi pháp luật toàn diện, đa dạng và chuyên nghiệp để củng cố niềm tin của công chúng và cải thiện kết quả an toàn công cộng bằng cách loại bỏ các rào cản đối với tỷ lệ đại diện trong các cơ quan thực thi pháp luật liên bang, tiểu bang, bộ lạc, địa phương và lãnh thổ cho các cộng đồng ít được đại diện. Cải thiện cách phản ứng của nhân viên thực thi pháp luật và tư pháp hình sự đối với các tội phạm gây ảnh hưởng không đồng đều đến phụ nữ, thiếu nữ, người chuyển giới và người không biểu lộ giới tính truyền thống (bao gồm bạo lực dựa trên giới tính và buôn bán tình dục) bằng cách cung cấp và/hoặc hỗ trợ: đào tạo có chủ đích về cách điều tra và truy tố các tội phạm này; đào tạo và nguồn lực về các phương pháp tiếp cận, chăm sóc và phục vụ cho nạn nhân, các phương pháp này có giải thích cho nạn nhân về chấn thương và phù hợp với văn hóa của nạn nhân; và các nguồn lực và hỗ trợ để xây dựng mối quan hệ và tăng mức tiếp cận các dịch vụ và giúp đỡ dành cho các cộng đồng mà trải qua lịch sử đã bị thiệt thòi và không được phục vụ đúng mức. Bảo đảm rằng các cộng đồng không được phục vụ đúng mức (bao gồm thành phần trình độ tiếng anh hạn chế và thành phần khuyết tật, bên cạnh thành phần khác) nhận thức được và có thể tiếp cận các dịch vụ pháp lý để giải quyết tội phạm môi trường, ô nhiễm, biến đổi khí hậu và các mối nguy môi trường khác và được giúp đỡ để len lỏi qua các khung cảnh pháp lý và quy định cần thiết để có được nước sạch, không khí sạch và các tài nguyên thiên nhiên khác. Các chiến lược tạo công bằng này nhằm tuân thủ các nhiệm vụ được quy định trong Sắc lệnh Hành pháp 14091 và xây dựng dựa trên năm chính sách về công bằng được nêu trong Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng năm 2022 của Bộ Tư pháp. Trong quá trình thực hiện công việc quan trọng này, chúng tôi sẽ có các bản tin cập nhật và được đăng tại https://www.justice.gov/equity. Quý vị có thể tìm hiểu thêm về chương trình thực hiện công bằng và các kế hoạch có liên quan của Chính quyền Biden-Harris tại www.whitehouse.gov/equity và xem xét tất cả các Kế hoạch Hành động Công bằng Liên bang khác tại www.performance.gov/equity .


title: 司法部发布公平行动计划更新

body_text: 司法部今天宣布发布2023年公平行动计划（计划），该计划是司法部为执行拜登总统关于 通过联邦政府进一步促进种族平等和支持服务欠缺社区的行政命令而做出的更广泛努力的一部分 。司法部公平行动计划的更新于2023年12月完成，将有助于指导司法部2024财年的公平战略。该计划纪录了司法部致力于帮助所有人（包括历史上被边缘化和服务欠缺的社区）参与司法部计划的承诺和资源，克服复杂的法律和监管障碍以维护自己的权利，了解司法部工作的广度，并与司法部决策者进行有意义的接触。 “司法部承诺保证我们的计划及服务贯彻到每一个需要它们的社区,” 司法部长Merrick B. Garland 指出. “该计划中的五项公平战略旨在通过努力清除阻止弱势社区获取关键资源的障碍来推进司法部的更广泛的职责以维护法制, 保障公众安全, 及保护公民权利.” 2024 财年，司法部承诺推进以下五项公平战略： 清除障碍，使历史上边缘化和服务欠缺的社区领导并主要其服务的组织和受到不成比例的犯罪、暴力和其他危害的社区得以获得赠款资金和资源，前者在获取和接受联邦资源时，面临社会和系统性障碍。 支持惩戒和重返社会计划，旨在减少累犯并改善司法行动涉及者（包括来自历史上边缘化和服务欠缺的社区者及受到不成比例的犯罪、暴力和其他危害者）的结果，包括通过改善医疗保健覆盖率和连续性护理支持，减少在获得政府颁发的身份证明时的障碍，解决与无力支付罚款和费用相关的负担，并改进社区监督模式，以减少因技术违规而被撤销的发生率。 通过消除联邦、各州、部落、地方和地区执法机构中招募来自人数欠缺的社区的人员的障碍，促进一支包容、多元化和专业的执法队伍，以加强公众信任并改善公共安全成果。 通过提供和/或支持以下措施，改善执法和刑事司法人员对严重影响妇女、女童、跨性别者和非常规性别不合者（包括基于性别的暴力和性贩运）的犯罪的反应：如何调查并起诉这些罪行的针对性培训；为受害者提供有关创伤知情和文化响应方法、护理和服务的培训和资源；提供资源和支持，为同历史上边缘化和服务欠缺的社区建立关系，并增加其获得服务和援助的机会。 确保服务欠缺的社区（包括英语水平有限的人和残疾人等）了解并能够获得法律服务，以解决环境犯罪、污染、气候变化和其他环境危害，并帮助其了解必需的法律和监管信息，确保其获得清洁水、空气和其他自然资源。 这些公平战略力求遵守第14091 号行政命令中规定的任务，并在司法部 2022 年公平行动计划中概述的五个公平优先事项为基础 上百尺竿头，更进一步。 随着此项关键工作的进展，更新将发布于网站 https://www.justice.gov/equity。您可在 www.whitehouse.gov/equity 上了解有关拜登-哈里斯政府的公平议程和相关举措的更多信息，并在 www.performance.gov/equity 上查看所有其他联邦公平行动计划。


title: 司法部發佈公平行動計畫更新

body_text: 司法部今天宣佈發佈2023年公平行動計畫（計畫），該計畫是司法部為執行拜登總統關於 通過聯邦政府進一步促進種族平等和支援服務欠缺社區的行政命令而做出的更廣泛努力的一部分 。司法部公平行動計畫的更新於2023年12月完成，將有助於指導司法部2024財年的公平戰略。該計畫紀錄了司法部致力於幫助所有人（包括歷史上被邊緣化和服務欠缺的社區）參與司法部計畫的承諾和資源，克服複雜的法律和監管障礙以維護自己的權利，瞭解司法部工作的廣度，並與司法部決策者進行有意義的接觸。 “司法部承諾保證我們的計劃及服務貫徹到每一個需要它們的社區,” 司法部長 Merrick B. Garland 指出. “該計劃中的五項公平戰略旨在通過努力清除阻止弱勢社區獲取關鍵資源的障礙來推進司法部的更廣汎的職責以維護法制, 保障公衆安全, 及保護公民權利.” 2024 財年，司法部承諾推進以下五項公平戰略： 清除障礙，使歷史上邊緣化和服務欠缺的社區領導並主要其服務的組織和受到不成比例的犯罪、暴力和其他危害的社區得以獲得贈款資金和資源，前者在獲取和接受聯邦資源時，面臨社會和系統性障礙。 支持懲戒和重返社會計畫，旨在減少累犯並改善司法行動涉及者（包括來自歷史上邊緣化和服務欠缺的社區者及受到不成比例的犯罪、暴力和其他危害者）的結果，包括通過改善醫療保健覆蓋率和連續性護理支持，減少在獲得政府頒發的身份證明時的障礙，解決與無力支付罰款和費用相關的負擔，並改進社區監督模式，以減少因技術違規而被撤銷的發生率。 通過消除聯邦、各州、部落、地方和地區執法機構中招募來自人數欠缺的社區的人員的障礙，促進一支包容、多元化和專業的執法隊伍，以加強公眾信任並改善公共安全成果。 通過提供和/或支持以下措施，改善執法和刑事司法人員對嚴重影響婦女、女童、跨性別者和非常規性別不合者（包括基於性別的暴力和性販運）的犯罪的反應：如何調查並起訴這些罪行的針對性培訓；為受害者提供有關創傷知情和文化回應方法、護理和服務的培訓和資源；提供資源和支援，為同歷史上邊緣化和服務欠缺的社區建立關係，並增加其獲得服務和援助的機會。 確保服務欠缺的社區（包括英語水準有限的人和殘疾人等）瞭解並能夠獲得法律服務，以解決環境犯罪、污染、氣候變化和其他環境危害，並幫助其瞭解必需的法律和監管資訊，確保其獲得清潔水、空氣和其他自然資源。 這些公平戰略力求遵守第14091 號行政命令中規定的任務，並在司法部 2022 年公平行動計畫中概述的五個公平優先事項為基礎 上百尺竿頭，更進一步。 隨著此項關鍵工作的進展，更新將發佈於網站 https://www.justice.gov/equity。您可在 www.whitehouse.gov/equity 上瞭解有關拜登-哈里斯政府的公平議程和相關舉措的更多資訊，並在 www.performance.gov/equity 上查看所有其他聯邦公平行動計畫。


title: Heath Street Gang Members and Associates Charged in Federal Sweep

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Over 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang in Boston were charged today in federal court in Boston with racketeering conspiracy; drug trafficking; firearms; wire fraud; and financial frauds, including COVID fraud, following a two-year investigation into gang violence in Boston. According to the charging documents, the Heath Street Gang operates primarily out of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments (previously known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development), a public housing development located in Jamaica Plain. It is one of the largest housing developments in the greater Boston area. Formed in the 1980s, it is alleged that the Heath Street Gang is comprised of over 150 members and has historically been involved in acts of violence to preserve and protect the Gang’s power, territory and reputation. According to the charging documents, in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy, members/associates are implicated in a number of murders, attempted murders and shootings – many of which targeted rival gang members/associates of other Boston-based street gangs, particularly the Mission Hill Gang and the H-Block Gang. This allegedly includes an October 2016 shooting targeting rivals in the Mission Hill Gang’s territory, in which a nine-year-old female victim was shot and severely injured, as well as a June 2021 murder allegedly committed by a juvenile Heath Street member/associate in Mission Hill Gang territory. It is alleged that the Heath Street Gang commonly recruits juveniles living in the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments to join the Gang and participate in crimes on the Gang’s behalf, including shootings. It is further alleged that members of the Heath Street Gang require younger prospective members/associates to commit acts of violence as an act of initiation and often reward the juveniles with appearances in Heath Street Gang songs or music videos, which are used to publicly assert and affirm Gang membership/association, brag about acts of violence they have committed and denigrate and threaten rival gangs. On numerous occasions, members/associates of the Heath Street Gang have allegedly brazenly assaulted local law enforcement officers while engaged in official duties. According to the charging documents, Heath Street Gang members/associates have used the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments as a point for drug trafficking activities and, over a period of multiple years, have worked together to establish drug distribution networks throughout Massachusetts, Maine and California. Heath Street members/associates often use social media platforms to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances including fentanyl, fentanyl pills, cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana – specifically using social media posts to advertise, negotiate and arrange drug sales. It is further alleged that the Heath Street Gang engages in a number of financial and theft crimes. This includes an organized retail theft group that, since at least approximately 2019, has allegedly openly and brazenly stolen merchandise from various stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Additionally, it is alleged that members/associates of the Heath Street Gang have engaged in widespread CARES Act loan and unemployment fraud. The charge of RICO conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years or 15 years (for offenses committed after June 25, 2022) in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime provides for a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years in prison up to life, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Harry T. Chavis Jr, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Marshals Service; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the New England State Police Information Network; U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Quincy, Randolph and Lincoln Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley, Sarah Hoefle and Lucy Sun of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the cases. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### APPENDIX A Jaquori Lyons, a/k/a “Gizzle,” a/k/a “Y Gizzle,” 25, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Joan Avalo-Quezada, a/k/a “Trouble,” 26, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; Trevon Bell, a/k/a “Moula,” 27, of Roslindale, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Keonte Campbell, a/k/a “Keko,” 28, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Amos Carrasquillo, a/k/a “Cruddy,” 35, of Mattapan, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Deshawn Cirino, a/k/a “D,” a/k/a “Lil D,” 26, of Boston, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Dominique Finch, a/k/a “Heff,” 34, of Boston, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Zion Ford, a/k/a “Bricks,” 24, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Tyrre Herring, a/k/a “Blick,” a/k/a “Smoov,” 26, of Billerica, is charged with RICO conspiracy; De’vonne Mcdonald-Jones, a/k/a “Daedae,” a/k/a “D Jones,” 27, of Roslindale, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Rickquille Mckinney, a/k/a “Ricky Mazarati,” a/k/a “Mozzy,” 30, of Arlington, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Amani Perkins, a/k/a “Chop,” a/k/a “Choppa,” 25, of Mattapan, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Michael Riley, a/k/a “Snyda,” a/k/a “Sneed,” 46, of Malden, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Keyon Roberson, a/k/a “Beano,” 23, of Dorchester, is charged with RICO conspiracy; Randy Diaz-Pizarro, 32, of Central Falls, R.I., is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; Bryon Palmer, 36, of Charlestown, is charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl; Rolando Coxon, 31, of Hyde Park, is charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl; Cerone Davis, 30, of Arlington, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility; Donte Daily, 33, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; Theodore Gamble-Williams, 39, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; Jameel Gibbons, 39, of Roslindale, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; Charles Bomman, 33, of Roxbury, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; Deondre Blanding, 27, of Roslindale, is charged with possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime; Gelson Rodrigues, 33, of Randolph, is charged with possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime; Riccara McKinney, 28, of Roxbury, is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) and wire fraud; Rachel McKinney, 32, of Arlington, is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) and wire fraud; Teshawnda Knight, 41, of Hyde Park, is charged with wire fraud; Antawn Davis, 39, of Boston, is charged with wire fraud; Taisha Garcia, 27, of Lynn, is charged with wire fraud; Dawan Searcy, 32, of Somerville, is charged with wire fraud; Nathan Bootman, 26, of Randolph, is charged with wire fraud; Jameela Gross, 27, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with wire fraud; Robert Platt, 44, of Brockton, is charged with wire fraud; Donovan Scarlett, 25, of West Roxbury, is charged with wire fraud; David Avalo, 28, of Hyde Park, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; Victor Pimentel, 27, of Brockton, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; Amanda LaPointe, 39, of Ripley, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; Krystin Mathewson, 38, of Enfield, Conn., is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; Jacob Lyford, 32, of Milo, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; Michael St. Pierre, 54, of Dedham, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and Kayla Tasker, 31, of Dexter, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.


title: Buffalo man sentenced for his role in narcotics conspiracy which resulted in a triple homicide

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jariel Cobb a/k/a Doobie a/k/a Black, 52, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct justice, use of fire to commit a felony, and conspiracy to damage and destroy a vehicle used in interstate commerce by fire, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, Maeve E. Huggins, and Joseph M. Tripi, who handled the case, stated that beginning in 2014, Cobb, and others, began receiving and selling marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. Cobb, and his co-conspirators utilized 973 Fillmore Avenue to store, package, and sell the illegal narcotics. In furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy, on September 15, 2019, Cobb arranged a purchase of a kilogram of cocaine from Miguel Anthony Valentin-Colon and Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred, who served as Cobb’s sources of supply. Valentin-Colon, along with his wife. Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud, their minor son, and Roman-Audiffred, arrived in their vehicle, a white minivan, at a residence on Roebling Avenue, as directed by Cobb. Roman-Audiffred exited the van and entered the residence’s kitchen, at which time a co-defendant hit her in the head with a blunt object and she fell to the floor. The co-defendant then went outside and shot and killed both Valentin-Colon and Merced Plaud, in the presence of their minor son, who was seated in a child’s car seat. The co-defendant then drove the minivan and parked it on Scajaquada Street near Kilhoffer Street in Buffalo. A short time later, Cobb and a co-defendant moved the body of Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred from the kitchen into the residence’s basement, where they dismembered her body. Cobb placed the body parts into multiple trash bags and placed them into the trunk of his vehicle, and then drove to a residence on Box Avenue, removed the trash bags, and placed them into a burning fire in a fire pit area in the backyard. The following day, during the early morning hours of September 16, 2019, Cobb and another co-defendant retrieved the minivan from Scajaquada Street, with the bodies of Miguel Valentin-Colon and Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud still inside, as well as their minor son. Cobb and the co-defendant drove the minivan into the yard of a residence on Tonawanda Street and doused the vehicle and the bodies with gasoline, lighting the vehicle and bodies on fire. They took the minor child and left him on a stranger’s porch on Potomac Avenue in Buffalo. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; the Erie County Central Police Services Forensic Laboratory, under the direction of Commissioner James Jancewicz. Additional assistance was provided by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn. # # # #


title: Ex-Director of Technical Education Program, Contractor, and Company Plead Guilty to Theft of over $200,000 from the Puerto Rico Department of Education

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Kelvin Pagán-La Luz, Javier Santiago-Rodríguez, and Star Enterprises Inc. (“Star Enterprises”) pleaded guilty today to Federal Program Theft in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A). According to the plea agreements, from June 2019 and continuing through August 2021, the defendants aiding and abetting each other, stole, embezzled, and obtained by fraud $213,201.07 owned by, and under the care, custody, and control of the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDOE). Defendant Kevin Pagán-La Luz was employed by the PRDOE as the director of the Technical Education Program, a component of the PRDOE that was responsible for the administration of public post-secondary institutions operated under the auspices of the PRDOE. Pagán-La Luz lived with defendant Javier Santiago-Rodríguez, the owner and president of defendant Star Enterprises, a corporation with a registered physical address identical to the residential address that Pagán-La Luz and Santiago-Rodríguez shared. In November 2017, Star Enterprises failed to renew its certificate of eligibility to contract with the Puerto Rico Department of Education or other local governmental entities. In December 2019, the Puerto Rico Department of State cancelled Star Enterprises certificate of incorporation because of its failure to comply with the Puerto Rico General Corporations Law. As of December 2019, Star Enterprises could neither lawfully enter into any contracts with the government of Puerto Rico, nor lawfully conduct business in Puerto Rico. Despite not having either a valid certificate of eligibility or a valid certificate of incorporation, Kelvin Pagán-La Luz authorized payments to Star Enterprises totaling $213,210.07 for work that Star Enterprises purportedly performed for the PRDOE. In September 2020, Pagán-La Luz used an intermediary business that was an authorized contractor to funnel $59,999 to Star Enterprises and Santiago-Rodríguez for services that were never rendered. “Today’s convictions should send a clear message that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal and state partners will aggressively work to bring to justice those who defraud the government, especially institutions devoted to serve our children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Public corruption undermines confidence in our government institutions and the rule of law. We will continue to hold accountable those who breach the public’s trust for their personal gain.” “These individuals abused their positions of trust for personal gain, and with today’s action, will now be held accountable for cheating those they promised to serve – Puerto Rico students,” said Robert Wolfe, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, Southeastern Region. “The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own selfish purposes. Puerto Rico’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.” “In this case, the public official was called primarily to act to benefit children and instead acted to benefit himself and his partner. I can't stress this enough: no scheme is invisible, and the People of Puerto Rico are tired of putting up with this behavior from those who are supposed to serve them,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Our Public Corruption team is trained to detect and disrupt plots to defraud the government and its constituents. We will not stop and will continue to urge the public to report these schemes. Together, we can continue our work to make Puerto Rico a place where our children get the educational services they need and deserve.” The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 at 10 a.m. and face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year term of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, Southeastern Region, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum is prosecuting the case. ###


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Heroin Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 8, 2024, JUAN CARLOS MOSQUERA-AMARI , age 52, of New Orleans, was sentenced, after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe. According to court documents, between July 19, 2017 and June 29, 2018, MOSQUERA-AMARI, and others, conspired to traffic heroin from Houston to New Orleans and discussed their transactions on intercepted phone calls. Twelve other co-defendants were indicted and convicted of related drug trafficking crimes in this matter. Judge Ashe sentenced MOSQUERA-AMARI to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Michigan Woman Arrested For Role In Fraud Scheme Involving Theft Of Over $800,000 In Luxury And Designer Apparel And Accessories

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging BRANDALENE HORN with mail fraud, wire fraud, and the interstate transportation of stolen property in connection with a scheme to defraud victim clothing rental companies by opening hundreds of accounts to rent women’s apparel and accessories, stealing those rented items, and selling them on an e-commerce marketplace. HORN was arrested this morning in Freeland, Michigan, and she will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Stafford in the Eastern District of Michigan. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Brandalene Horn perpetrated a lucrative scheme in which she defrauded at least three victim companies, stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of luxury and designer items, and then sold those stolen items online. Thanks to the work of the prosecutors and investigators of my Office, Horn now faces criminal federal charges for her alleged deceptive behavior and fraudulent activity.” As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court: [1] From at least April 2022 through at least February 2024, HORN engaged in a fraud scheme that involved opening hundreds of accounts with at least three victim companies that offer subscription-based clothing rental services. Those services enable customers to access and rent from the companies’ inventory of apparel and accessories, including luxury and designer items. After receiving rental items, including pieces worth thousands of dollars, HORN kept, instead of returned, the items from the victim companies and sold them on an e-commerce marketplace. HORN’s listings for the stolen items on the e-commerce marketplace often used the victim companies’ proprietary photographs and item descriptions that substantially matched the descriptions used by the victim companies. An image of HORN’s listing for a stolen designer dress on an e-commerce marketplace is below: An image of a listing by one of the victim companies for this same designer dress is below: Although the victim companies attempted to charge HORN for the items she stole, HORN avoided those charges by disputing them with her credit union or canceling the credit and debit cards she had provided to the victim companies. HORN’s fraudulent activity caused the victim companies to flag or close her accounts, but HORN opened new accounts so she could continue stealing and selling luxury and designer goods. During this period, HORN stole over 1,000 items, valued at over $823,000, from the victim companies and sold over $750,000 worth of stolen items. * * * HORN, 42, of Freeland, Michigan, is charged with one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the exceptional investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Police and the Michigan State Police for their assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Connie L. Dang and Katherine Cheng are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: “Ghost” Tax Preparer Is Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Tijan Mboob, a/k/a “TJ,” a/k/a “Teejay McBoob,” a/k/a “Sheikhtijan,” 59, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for tax fraud, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, from 2014 to 2021, Mboob prepared or caused to be prepared hundreds of fraudulent tax returns for clients, that were submitted to the IRS. The tax returns included fabricated and fraudulent items, including false filing status, false American Opportunity and education credits, false itemized deductions, and false reforestation credits, among others. Mboob’s inclusion of the fabricated and fraudulent items resulted in the reduction of his clients’ tax liabilities and inflated refunds totaling more than $4.7 million. Court records show that after Mboob prepared the fraudulent returns, he refused to assist clients who received correspondence from the IRS questioning items on their tax returns that Mboob had prepared and filed. According to court records, Mboob operated as a “ghost” preparer, because contrary to IRS requirements he failed to identify himself as a paid tax preparer on the tax returns he prepared or submitted for his clients. Court documents further show that Mboob failed to report any of the preparation fees he earned as income for tax years 2017 and 2020, and did not file any tax returns for tax years 2018 and 2019. On September 21, 2023, Mboob pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns. Mboob will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked IRS-CI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassye Cole and Graham Billings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case. The IRS’s annual Dirty Dozen Tax Scams campaign lists the worst of the worst tax schemes that taxpayers may encounter and typically peak during filing season. To learn more about the Dirty Dozen scams and for help with recognizing and avoiding abusive tax schemes, the IRS offers educational material at IRS.gov . Suspected tax fraud can be reported to the IRS using Form 3949-A found on the IRS.gov website. If you have been financially impacted by a tax preparer’s misconduct or improper tax preparation practices you can file a complaint here .


title: Middle Georgia Felon Sentenced to Prison for Mailing Guns to Chicago

body_text: MACON, Ga. –A Middle Georgia resident with a felony criminal history was sentenced to federal prison for mailing packages containing handguns to different addresses in the East Side of Chicago. Khalif Lee aka “Killa,” 29, of Barnesville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 65 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Feb. 7. Lee previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of illegally mailing a firearm. Lee is not eligible for parole. “We have zero tolerance for gun traffickers and will pursue justice in their cases in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to thank the United States Postal Inspection Service and ATF for their ongoing efforts to intercept firearms before they get into the hands of dangerous individuals and criminal organizations plaguing our communities.” “Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice. This is an excellent example of such an investigation that was worked cooperatively by multiple partner agencies with outstanding results,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “This sentence sends a clear message that anyone who decides to maliciously utilize the mail system will be held accountable,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Postal Inspectors worked jointly with our law enforcement partners to prevent illegal firearms from getting into the hands of individuals that pose a threat to the public.” According to court documents, United States Postal Service (USPS) workers found a suspicious package addressed to a location in the East Side of Chicago at an Atlanta processing and distribution center on Dec. 23, 2022. The package contained four handguns: a Berretta 9mm pistol, a Springfield XD-9 sub-compact 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol and a Hi-Point .40 caliber pistol. An investigation found that Lee lived at the sender’s address. A nonlicensee (an individual or organization not licensed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to buy or sell firearms) may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another state. In addition, handguns are not mailable, but a common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. On Dec. 28, 2022, Lee attempted to mail another package to a different address in the East Side of Chicago. A federal search warrant was issued, and inspectors found the package contained four firearms: a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol and a Glock .357 caliber pistol. Lee contacted USPS on Jan. 5, 2023, to inquire about the missing parcel and said that it contained his mother’s personal belongings. A forensic examination of both packages contained Lee’s fingerprints. Lee has a prior felony drug conviction in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by bringing together a broad spectrum of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. 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. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Former Owner of Seaford Drug Rehab Center Pleads Guilty To False Statements on Tax Return

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Milton man pled guilty in federal court yesterday to a one count Information charging him with of Making False Statements on a Tax Return. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly accepted the plea. According to court documents, Amir Mohamed, 58, of Milton, Delaware, the former owner of Addiction Medical Facility, LLC, a Seaford drug rehab center, failed to declare on his federal tax returns all the income he received in calendar year 2021. As a result, Mohamed underpaid taxes in 2021. Mohamed faces a maximum of 3 years in prison when sentenced on June 27, 2024. Judge Connolly will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Weiss commented, “Amir Mohamed’s scheme to evade taxes for the purpose of lining his own pockets was a theft from the American public. He stated that his taxable income was just over $12,000 when it was in fact over $1,000,000. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect the interests of law-abiding taxpayers by pursuing those who shirk their lawful tax obligations.” “Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agents work tirelessly, year-round, to investigate tax and financial crimes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “Our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their taxes.” IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli H. Klein is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-CR-00007.


title: Tulsa Man Sentenced for Intentionally Ramming into 3 Police Cars

body_text: Andrew Leon Roberts, 67, of Tulsa was sentenced today for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Destruction of Property While Placing Life in Jeopardy in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Roberts to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents, witnesses observed Roberts trying to run people off the road with his vehicle. Roberts came upon two Tulsa Police officers there were transporting an unrelated arrestee to jail. He then side swiped the first officers patrol car and attempted to rear end the second patrol car. Roberts turned around and attempted to T-bone the second patrol car, who was able to evade the attempt. Roberts then left the scene. Later that day, Roberts was at his friend’s house. He began threatening to ram his friend’s vehicle. The friend asked Roberts to leave and called 911. Witness said that Roberts was driving erratically through the neighborhood. He pulled up to an elderly witness and stated to leave the area because, “there was going to be a killing.” As officers responded to the 911 call, Roberts was still in the neighborhood. Upon sight of the first responding officer, Roberts immediately began ramming into a third patrol car several times. His rampage was finally stopped when an officer discharged their duty weapon at Roberts, while Roberts attempted to run him over. This caused Roberts to wreck into a tree where he was taken into custody. Roberts is a member of the Cherokee Nation. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.


title: Anchorage man sentenced to 20 years following drug, firearm conviction

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, subsequent to his conviction by a federal jury of one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in July 2023. According to court documents, Charles Rashid Malik Lee, aka “Cheese,” 41, had been under investigation by federal authorities. The FBI And Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant on Lee’s residence and vehicle in Anchorage in Oct. 2021. Agents found Lee inside the residence in the process of flushing heroin down the toilet. Agents searched the residence and discovered a total of over 150 grams of meth, 100 grams of heroin and 90 grams of cocaine. According to evidence presented at trial, these drugs had a street value of over $54,000. Agents also found tools commonly used by drug traffickers, including digital scales, branded baggies and two loaded handguns, among other items. It was later determined that one of the digital scales had Lee’s fingerprint on it. Agents also discovered over $165,000 in cash hidden in multiple locations around the residence, including in a crawl space. “This successful prosecution shows that illegal drug distribution has no place in Alaska and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office, in partnership with our law enforcement partners, will investigate and vigorously prosecute any perpetrator who chooses to distribute these dangerous drugs and seek justice for any damage they cause.” “The defendant’s dangerous drug trafficking activities threatened the safety of our community and his own family,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Anyone who profits from violence and drug trafficking activities at the expense of public safety will be held accountable by the FBI and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.” “Cases like this clearly demonstrate the resolve of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to hold criminals such as Mr. Lee accountable for his actions,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We will not tolerate armed drug traffickers in our community, as the sentence in this case shows.” The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the DEA Seattle Field Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Brickey and Alana Weber prosecuted the case. This investigation and prosecution were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. UPDATE: This release has been amended to include a quote from FBI Anchorage. ###


title: Queens Man Sentenced for Smuggling Snakes

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Calvin Bautista, age 38, of Richmond Hill, New York, was sentenced today to one year of probation and fined $5,000 for smuggling three Burmese pythons into the United States at the Champlain Port of Entry. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Ryan Noel, Regional Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, made the announcement. Bautista previously admitted that on July 15, 2018, he smuggled three Burmese pythons in his pants as he rode on a bus that crossed the U.S.-Canadian border at the Champlain Port of Entry in Clinton County, New York. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers discovered the snakes while reviewing Bautista’s passport and conducting a border search. The young adult snakes were in snake bags attached to Bautista’s pants near his inner thigh. Bautista did not obtain the required permits and documentation to import the snakes into the United States. As their name suggests, Burmese pythons are not native to North America and are an invasive species. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and CBP investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case.


title: Transporting $800,000 of liquid meth sends trafficker to prison for over two decades

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 54-year-old naturalized citizen residing in Mexico has been sentenced for importing nearly 91 pounds of meth from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Manuel Ignacio Ley Villa pleaded guilty Nov. 28, 2023. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Ley Villa to serve 255 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Ley Villa had been previously convicted for the same offense. On April 30, 2023, Ley Villa approached the Hidalgo port of entry driving a maroon Chrysler Pacifica. Law enforcement noticed he appeared nervous and referred him to secondary inspection. There, an X-ray inspection revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s fuel tank. Upon further investigation, law enforcement discovered a fuel tank filled with a liquid material which crystalized upon contact with the floor. The weight of the liquid meth was approximately 41.14 kilograms and had an estimated street value of $810,000. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Two Charged With Possessing Fentanyl Intended For Distribution

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Two Dane County men were charged yesterday with possessing more than 400 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. Corvalis M. Stewart, 36, Madison and Larry D. Williamson Jr., 35, Waunakee will make their initial appearance in federal court today at 1:45 pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen L. Crocker. The complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Madison alleges that on February 8, 2024, law enforcement arrested Stewart and Williamson Jr. at the Middleton Municipal Airport. At the time of their arrest, the two men allegedly possessed approximately 46.4 pounds of M30 Fentanyl pills and approximately 17.5 pounds of a methamphetamine and fentanyl mixture. According to the complaint, on February 6, 2024, law enforcement received a tip from someone who interacted with Stewart and Williamson, Jr. at an airport in Arizona, who described suspicious behavior. The tipster provided Homeland Security with the airplane tail number. The plane was a private rental plane. The complaint indicates that law enforcement was able to determine on February 8, 2024, that the plane was traveling to the Middleton Municipal Airport. Law enforcement officers canvassed the airport parking lot and found a pickup truck parked there that was registered to Williamson Jr. A Jeep registered to Stewart was parked directly next to Williamson Jr.’s truck. A Middleton Police Officer and his narcotics detection-trained K-9 conducted a free air sniff around Stewart’s Jeep and the K9 positively alerted for the presence of controlled substances. According to the complaint, the plane arrived at approximately 10:56 pm. Two individuals, later identified as Stewart and Williamson Jr., exited the plane and observed Stewart carrying bags and putting them in the back of his Jeep. Law enforcement detained Stewart and Williamson Jr. Based on a second positive K-9 alert on Stewart’s Jeep, investigators searched it and found 5 bundles wrapped with black electrical tape, each containing a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. Law enforcement also located a duffle bag with zip lock bags full of blue pills that field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. If convicted, Stewart and Williamson, Jr. face a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charge against the men is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Narcotics and Gangs Task Force, and the Middleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) in Riverside, CA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case. A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Out of state man imprisoned for organizing meth shipment via local POE

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Belton, South Carolina, has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for trafficking meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jeffery Wills pleaded guilty June 20, 2023. Senior U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Wills to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how Wills served as a key player in handling narcotics imported from Mexico for distribution along the East Coast. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that drug trafficking throughout the United States impacts the safety and security of communities along the U.S. border. At the time of his plea, Wills admitted he facilitated a shipment of meth into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry. On July 31, 2021, co-conspirators Jasmine Dorsey, 28, and Iyana Carter, 25, both of Newnan, Georgia, attempted to enter the United States with 35 baggies of meth totaling 17 kilograms concealed in the fuel tank of their vehicle. They admitted to smuggling narcotics and identified Wills as the individual who assisted and contributed to the drug trafficking ring by coordinating cash transfers and providing cell phones. Dorsey and Carter were ordered to deliver the meth to Wills for further distribution. Law enforcement later arrested Wills at his residence in South Carolina. At that time, he was in possession of significant quantities of marijuana, heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, meth and dimethyltryptamine – a hallucinogenic drug – as well as 11 firearms. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Dorsey and Carter also pleaded guilty and were ordered to serve 64 and 78 months in federal prison, respectively, to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release for both. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore Parran III and Daniel Chung prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Law Enforcement Seizes $70k Vehicle to be Applied to Former CEO's $74 Million Restitution Order

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that it has seized a vehicle purchased for Jon Harder, the former CEO of Sunwest Management and associated companies, who previously admitted to orchestrating a $120 million fraud scheme—one of the largest in Oregon history—and that the proceeds of the vehicle’s sale will be applied to the former defendant’s court-imposed restitution order. According to court documents, in July 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office obtained information that Harder had purchased a 2023 Ford F-150 truck for a cash sale price of approximately $70,000 using funds provided by a non-familial person. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle was registered solely to Harder and was being stored at his residence in Canyonville, Oregon. On January 19, 2024, acting on a U.S. District Court order, the U.S. Marshals Service entered Harder’s property and seized the vehicle. The court issued an order Tuesday authorizing the sale of the vehicle and the application of the proceeds to Harder’s outstanding restitution balance. Harder formerly controlled a network of companies that bought, constructed, and managed assisted living facilities. At its height, the organization, Sunwest Management and its related companies, owned approximately 300 assisted living facilities that served more than 15,000 residents. As CEO of Sunwest, Harder knowingly and intentionally misled hundreds of investors about the nature and risks of their investment in Sunwest housing facilities and development projects. He further misled his investors about the financial health of Sunwest, failing to disclose that the company continuously operated at substantial monthly losses. In total, Harder misled more than 1,400 investors, causing losses exceeding $120 million. Harder was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering, and ordered to pay more than $74 million in restitution to his victims. This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program. The United States was represented in this matter by Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and the District of Oregon’s Financial Litigation Program staff. The District of Oregon’s Financial Litigation Program (FLP) is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division. The mission and goal of FLP is to fairly achieve the maximum recovery of civil and criminal debts consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and Justice Department policies. FLP attorneys and support staff work with individuals subject to restitution orders to bring closure for crime victims and recoup losses incurred by United States taxpayers.


title: Carmel Man Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Federal Prison for $2 Million International Identity Theft Scheme

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Tuong Quoc Ho, a/k/a Robert Parker, 36, a resident of Carmel, Indiana, has been sentenced to 102 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to twenty counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of multiple unauthorized access devices, one count of unlawful possession of identification, and two counts of money laundering. According to court documents, beginning in 2013 and lasting through February of 2020, Ho devised and led a complex, international scheme to defraud multiple victims throughout the United States and abroad of approximately $2 million. To carry out the scheme, Ho and his co-conspirators unlawfully obtained personally identifiable information (“PII”) including names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, social security numbers, and credit card numbers of hundreds of victims throughout the United States and worldwide. They used that PII to create fraudulent PayPal and eBay accounts in the victims’ names. Ho then placed expensive items, such as Vera Bradley handbags, American Girl dolls, PlayStations, and blood pressure monitoring devices for sale on eBay. Ho did not have the majority, if any, of the items on hand at the time of the sale, but instead purchased the items after they were sold through online retailers using stolen credit card information that he unlawfully obtained, and had those items directly shipped from the retailer to the buyer. Ho and his co-conspirators sold many of the items at prices lower than market value, but still profited off those items because they were purchased with stolen credit cards. Ho linked his personal bank information to the fake PayPal and eBay accounts and collected the money. Ho’s personal bank accounts were linked to over 500 hundred fraudulent PayPal accounts. When PayPal suspected suspicious activity on the account, it restricted the accounts and required additional documentation to re-establish access. Ho modified and used PII of identity theft victims to create fraudulent driver’s licenses, passports, utility bills, and bank statements to make them appear to belong to the account holder. In total, Ho stole over $2 million and wired $1.2 million to family and other individuals in Vietnam. Ho also laundered the money, using over $300,000 to purchase his home in Carmel, Indiana. On October 24, 2018, Carmel Police Department officers executed search warrants at Ho’s residence and other buildings owned by Ho and arrested him on state charges. CPD recovered over 400 packages of merchandise addressed to Ho’s alias, “Robert Parker.” At least $78,000 worth of that merchandise was purchased with stolen credit cards. Ho continued to operate his scheme after his home was searched by law enforcement until his arrest by federal authorities in 2020. “Over seven years, the Defendant stole hundreds of identities and millions of dollars, exploiting eCommerce and financial platforms in a complex international scheme,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Making the public safer from these pernicious identity theft schemes is a critical priority for our office, in partnership with outstanding investigators like the FBI and Carmel Police Department. The serious federal prison sentence imposed today should serve as a warning to fraudsters that we are dedicated to finding you and holding you accountable for the harm you cause.” “This case shows the significant value of partnership in the law enforcement community,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The Carmel Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI combined our efforts in a complicated and intricate case to put a long-time criminal behind bars for many years to come.” The FBI and Carmel Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Ho be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison and pay $217,147.87 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and James M. Warden, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Newcomb Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Upon a Federal Officer and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

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’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Kenneth Lee Begay pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of assault upon a federal officer inflicting bodily injury and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Begay, 59, of Newcomb, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. On June 4, 2023, after Begay interrupted a Chapter House meeting with verbal threats, two Navajo Nation Police Department officers went to his home. As the officers tried to arrest Begay, he unlawfully resisted. Begay struck both officers. One of the officers, Jane Doe, received various injuries, to include cuts, abrasions, and a shoulder injury that persists to the present day. At sentencing, Begay faces up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # # 24-70


title: Greenville Man Indicted for Threatening a Federal Judge

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. — A federal grand injury returned a two-count indictment against Alvin Bernard Parks, 42, in connection with sending a threatening letter to a federal judge. According to court documents, Parks is alleged to have sent a letter to a specifically named United States District Court Judge for the District of South Carolina. The handwritten letter contained threats to harm the judge. An excerpt from the letter reads: “I have watched you leave the courthouse numerous times and plotted to get my revenge.” The letter goes on to say, “you best to make sure they lock me away for good cause I’m going to kill you or blow that courthouse up.” The return address on the letter was listed as Alvin Parks with the address to the Greenville County Detention Center, where Parks is detained. “Our public officials should have the freedom to carry out their work without fear of harm,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Targeted and violent threats like this will be prosecuted in the District of South Carolina.” The case is being investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Cauthen is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the complaint are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Middlesex County Man Charged with Possession, Receipt, and Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey man was charged with possessing, receiving, and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Francisco Villafane, 37, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of possession, one count of receiving, and one count of distributing child pornography. Villafane was arrested on Feb. 12, 2024, made his initial appearance on Feb. 13, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court, and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 2020, Villafane communicated with a minor victim over text message. They lost contact but they communicated again in late 2023. Villafane exchanged sexually explicit content with the victim and solicited explicit material from victim, including videos of the victim engaging in sexual acts at Villafane’s request. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges of receipt and distribution of child pornography each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and the Perth Amboy Police Department under the direction of Chief of Police Larry Cattano, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Rosenblum of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. villafane.complaint.pdf


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Carjackings, Jail Escape and Fatal Shooting of De Smet High School Football Coach

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis, Missouri man involved in fatal and nonfatal carjackings and a jail escape to 60 years in prison. Kurt Wallace, 31, shot the drivers during three separate carjackings in 2017 that were set up via a dating app and Wallace’s co-defendant, Jherrica Dixon. On Oct. 16, 2017, he fatally shot Jaz Granderson, a football coach at De Smet Jesuit High School, while stealing his Jeep Grand Cherokee in St. Louis. Wallace shot the driver of a 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the shoulder in the 300 block of Walsh Street in St. Louis on Sept. 16, 2017. On Oct. 15, 2017, while carjacking a Cadillac CTS in the 5800 block of Kennerly Avenue in St. Louis, Wallace shot that driver in the leg. Wallace was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November 2017 and detained in jail pending trial. Wallace escaped from jail on July 15, 2019. He and fellow inmate James Flannel then carjacked a vehicle before leading police on a multi-jurisdiction pursuit that ended with Wallace crashing the vehicle. Wallace pleaded guilty in September 2023 to four counts of carjacking, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of carjacking, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of carjacking resulting in death and one count of escape. Wallace is the seventh individual convicted in connection with a series of violent crimes. Dixon, 30, pleaded guilty to four counts of carjacking, three counts of discharge and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. She admitted setting up a series of meetings with men so that they could be carjacked by her then-boyfriend Wallace and others. Judge White sentenced her in December to 19 years in prison. Flannel, 43, was sentenced in November 2021 to life in prison for the fatal carjacking of Boris Iouioukine, a Laclede Cab Company driver on June 25, 2018. He is scheduled to be sentenced February 20 for the escape and carjacking. Floyd Barber, 28, was sentenced in December to 22 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking, one count of discharge and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. He admitted the Sept. 9, 2017 carjacking of a Kia Optima in St. Louis and admitted participating in the carjacking of Granderson and the fatal drug robbery of Ladareace Pool, 26, in the 4700 block of Goodfellow Avenue on Oct. 3, 2017. In 2022, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Jerell Henderson, 33, to 42 ½ years in prison for Pool’s robbery and murder. Larenta Jones, 30, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and Stephan Jones, 33, the driver the day of Pool’s murder, was sentenced to five years in prison on a drug charge. “While this sentencing, as well the others, will not bring back Mr. Granderson, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will always work to bring trigger-pullers who terrorize our communities to justice” said Kansas City Field Division Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, the Troy Police Department, the Saint Ann Police Department and the Saint Louis County Police Department.


title: Albion man arrested, charged with production of child pornography

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Norman Kelly, 66, of Albion, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography, which carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 20, 2023, Kelly arrived at the Port of Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Michigan, on a flight from Incheon, South Korea. During an inspection of his baggage, Kelly removed a cellular phone from his pocket, and had a computer bag, which contained a laptop computer, and four USB thumb drives. Due to a lack of eye contact during questioning, inconsistencies in his travel story, and nervous behavior, the devices were authorized to be examined. A Customs and Border Protection officer examined the cell phone, laptop and one of the thumb drives and discovered what appeared to be suspected child pornography. The phone, laptop and thumb drives were seized, and a subsequent forensic review recovered 530 image files and six video files of child pornography. Kelly made an initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Leader, final defendant in Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy sentenced to nearly 13 years in federal prison

body_text: AUGUSTA, GA: The last of 10 defendants in an Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison. Justin Wayne Fields , 40, of Swainsboro, Ga., was sentenced to 168 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine and Heroin, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also fined Fields $2,500 and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Justin Fields and his network conspired with a Georgia state prison inmate to facilitate methamphetamine and heroin shipments from Atlanta to Richmond and Emanuel Counties,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The investigation and prosecution of this operation and a related conspiracy sent more than a dozen defendants to federal prison, removing their malign influence from our communities.” As described in court documents and testimony, the investigations that led to the indictments of 10 defendants in USA v. Fields et. al in October 2022 and seven defendants in USA v. Wheatley et. al in April 2022, together dubbed Operation Wheat Fields, identified a conspiracy to transport and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin in the areas of Richmond and Emanuel counties. The multi-agency investigation, led by the Swainsboro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, identified a pipeline of illegal drugs from Mexico routed through Atlanta and into the greater Augusta area, facilitated by defendants that included those housed in Georgia prisons who used contraband devices to communicate via text message and Facebook. The investigation led to multiple searches of residences, vehicles, and hotel rooms that led to the seizure of illegal drugs and firearms. Fields’ nine co-defendants, along with the seven defendants in the related indictment, all pled guilty to federal charges. Of the 17 defendants, 16 have been sentenced to terms of up to 240 months in federal prison for their roles in the conspiracies. They include: Jayson Dwayne Wheatley , 42, of Augusta, sentenced to 240 months in prison. Wheatley was identified as the leader in the parallel conspiracy indicted in USA v. Wheatley et. al . Joshua Brooks Woodward , 30, of Augusta, sentenced to 134 months in prison. Woodward, while an inmate in a Georgia state prison, used contraband cell phones to coordinate distribution from an Atlanta-area drug supplier to Fields and others in the conspiracy. Elizabeth Sarah Hagan, 39, of Augusta, sentenced to 120 month in prison. Hagan assisted Woodward with transporting money and buying drugs for which Woodward coordinated distribution. “This sentence is a direct message to criminals that ATF will not allow egregious violations of our laws go unpunished,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “If you traffic guns and drugs, you will be targeted, and we will ensure that you are prosecuted and removed from our streets.” “Those who distribute deadly drugs, such as methamphetamine and heroin, create serious risks to our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Division. DEA will use any resource necessary to remove these dangerous drug traffickers from our communities.” “This sentencing shows that the GBI and our partners will not tolerate the nefarious acts of those who seek to traffic drugs in Georgia,” said Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “These drugs poison our communities and destroy families. There is no place for illegal drugs in our state, and we will continue to work to remove them from our streets and keep our communities safe.“ The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Operation Wheat Fields was investigated by the Swainsboro Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office; the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes.


title: Essex County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children

body_text: PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Logan Lafountain, age 27, of Essex County, New York, pled guilty today to sexually exploiting two children and possessing child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino of the Buffalo Field Office; and Acting New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement. Lafountain admitted that in 2021 and 2022, he sexually abused two girls between the ages of 6 and 8 years old and used his phone to photograph the victims’ genitals. Lafountain further admitted that along with the images he produced, he possessed images of other prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2024. Lafountain faces at least 15 and up to 80 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The judge may also order Lafountain to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses. Lafountain will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. HSI and NYSP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Kopita is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Cocaine Trafficker Is Sentenced To 10+ Years In Prison

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dante Rashaun Ramseur, 44, of Hickory, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release on federal drug charges, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, law enforcement conducting an investigation into drug trafficking networks in Catawba County determined that Ramseur was distributing significant quantities of cocaine in the Hickory area. The cocaine was supplied to Ramseur by his co-defendants, Holly Christine Furlough, 31, and Carlos Hernandez Landeiro, 33, both of Charlotte. Court records show that, between September 2022 and January 2023, Ramseur sold cocaine to an undercover officer on multiple occasions. Ramseur was arrested in February 2023, after he attempted to sell six kilograms of cocaine to the undercover officer. During the investigation, Ramseur conducted the drug transactions with the undercover officer throughout the Hickory area, including within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court determined that Ramseur obstructed justice by intimidating an individual associated with the case. As a result, Ramseur received a sentencing enhancement. On September 20, 2023, Ramseur pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture of cocaine, and distribution of cocaine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Furlough and Landeiro have each pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine near a school. A sentencing date for the defendants has not been set. This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes the DEA, the FBI, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Jefferson County Carjacker Sentenced to 17 ½ Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a carjacker that permanently injured his victim in 2020 to 17 ½ years in prison. Brandon Vandoren, 29, of St. Louis County, stole a Saturn Aura parked at a Jefferson County, Missouri MotoMart gas station and convenience store on May 20, 2020, and began driving away. Vandoren was armed at the time. The Aura’s driver, who was inside the store, ran outside and was struck by the stolen vehicle. The victim nearly died due to the carjacking and has been left with permanent injuries, including brain damage, but is now recovering. Officers found the Aura the next day at a motel in St. Louis County. They arrested Vandoren and found a firearm in the room. Vandoren is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm. Vandoren pleaded guilty November 8 to one count of carjacking. Matthew Carver, 31, of St. Louis, who drove Vandoren to the Moto Mart in a stolen Dodge Dart, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Carver’s sentencing is pending. The felon in possession charge carries a potential penalty of up to ten years in prison. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassandra Wiemken is prosecuting the case.


title: Repeat Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 420 months (35 years) in federal prison for committing firearm and drug trafficking crimes while on federal supervised release following convictions and a prison sentence for prior firearm and drug trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Randale Chapman, 36, was sentenced by United States Senior District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. Judge Schwab also ordered that Chapman serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Chapman was convicted at the conclusion of a federal jury trial in July 2023 of committing the following crimes on April 30, 2020: (1) possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and methylenedioxyamphetamine with intent to distribute, (2) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and (3) possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. He was also convicted at the trial of possessing with intent to distribute oxycodone and methamphetamine on February 5, 2021. According to the information presented to the Court, Chapman was on federal supervised release when he committed those drug trafficking and firearm crimes in 2020 and 2021. His supervised release term started in 2019 following a prior 109-month federal prison sentence for conspiring to distribute heroin and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in 2010. The trial and sentencing evidence also established that Chapman was on probation for a Pennsylvania state-court heroin trafficking conviction when he committed his prior federal drug trafficking and gun crimes in 2010. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pittsburgh Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Chapman. 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Jeannette Resident Indicted for Felony Firearms Violation

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The one-count Indictment named Akeem Vance, 39, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on August 2, 2023, Vance knowingly possessed ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: St. Louis County Man Accused of Depositing Checks Stolen from the Mail

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri has been accused in an indictment of depositing thousands of dollars’ worth of checks that had been stolen from the mail. Malik Jones, 26, of Berkeley, Missouri, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Nov. 8, 2023, with three counts of bank fraud, one count of possession of stolen mail matter and two counts of aggravated identity theft. He was arrested January 31 in Florida and appeared in court in St. Louis Wednesday to plead not guilty. The indictment alleges that Jones recruited other people to supply their debit cards and banking information to him, which he then used to deposit forged and fraudulent checks that Jones obtained from mail stolen out of collection boxes and mailboxes in the St. Louis area. Jones altered the amount payable on the checks and the payee’s name before depositing them, the indictment says. He then withdrew the money before the banks discovered that the checks, each written for thousands of dollars, were bogus, the indictment says. The indictment says Jones would pay kickbacks to the bank account holders and those who helped him deposit the fraudulent checks. Each bank fraud charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, or both prison and a fine. The possession of stolen mail is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The aggravated identity theft carries a penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to all other charges, and a fine of up to $250,000. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Harrisburg Drug Dealer Affiliated With “NFL” Rap Group Sentenced To 129 Months In Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anderson Ortiz, age 24, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 129 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the sentencing was the latest sentence imposed of the eight people charged in the indictment for running a drug trafficking conspiracy from 2018 to 2020. Members of the conspiracy were affiliated with a music group named “Never Forget Loyalty” or “NFL.” As a part of their drug trafficking operation, the “NFL” posted videos on YouTube which were filmed in various Harrisburg locales, including the drug involved premises of 1621 Market Street. In the videos, members of the group brandished various weapons, flashed cash, and displayed drugs. In a yearlong investigation, ATF and the local law enforcement conducted a series searches. During these searches, police recovered part of “NFL’s” arsenal, including a machine gun, assault rifles, and various weapons with extended magazines. After resolving various sentencing issues, Judge Conner sentenced Anderson Ortiz to the top of the sentencing guideline range. Ortiz had previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to traffic drugs and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. All defendants have entered guilty pleas to drug trafficking and/or firearms offenses. Judge Conner sentenced the defendants as follows: Kaleaf Brown, age 28 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 140 months in prison; Qushawn Brown, age 32 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 137 months in prison; Tyquann Langston, age 28 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 120 months in prison; Adieas Johnson, age 35 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 120 months in prison; Donza Brown, age 60 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 37 months in prison; and, Jaionne Miller, age 23 of Harrisburg, was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Co-defendant Wesley Garner entered a guilty plea to weapons and drug trafficking offenses. He is awaiting sentencing. The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio 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. # # #