title: Colorado Man Arrested for Allegedly Distributing Fentanyl to Texas Resident

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: ALPINE, Texas – A Colorado man was arrested Saturday in Denver on criminal charges related to his alleged possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to the indictment, Douglas Christopher Steele, 53, of Denver allegedly conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, which contained a detectable amount of fentanyl. The indictment alleges that Steele’s alleged fentanyl distribution resulted in the death of an Alpine resident. Steele made his initial appearance Monday in a federal court in Denver. He is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, he faces 20 years to life in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the case with assistance from the Alpine Police Department, Brewster County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that WALLACE BEST, also known as “Coop,” 57, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 180 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and heroin. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force began investigating an organization that was distributing heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine in an around Bridgeport. During the investigation, Task Force members made four controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Frank Best. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and hundreds of consensual recordings, revealed that Frank Best’s uncles, Wallace Best and Jeffrey Thomas, were supplying Frank Best and others with narcotics. The investigation further revealed that Jeffrey Thomas worked with Jason Cox to establish a connection to Mexican-sourced drug suppliers in California who could provide kilogram quantities of narcotics for distribution on the East Coast. In December 2019, a cooperating source working in conjunction with Wallace Best, Thomas, and Cox, traveled to a Home Depot parking lot in San Diego and purchased from their suppliers 1.1 kilograms of fentanyl, cut with Xylazine, which is a veterinary sedative, and Tramadol, in exchange for $27,000. After this successful transaction, the conspirators arranged to purchase five kilograms of heroin from their Mexican suppliers. On February 10, 2020, four individuals were arrested after they arrived at the same parking lot to conduct the transaction and investigators seized a box containing approximately 4.9 kilograms of heroin. A related search of a storage locker in San Diego revealed an additional five kilograms of heroin. On October 14, 2022, a jury found Wallace Best, Thomas, and Cox guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of heroin and fentanyl, and Wallace Best, Thomas, and Frank Best guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base (“crack”). In addition, Frank Best was found guilty of five counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base. Wallace Best’s criminal history includes a federal cocaine trafficking conviction in 2002. Wallace Best was arrested on February 11, 2020. Released on a $150,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on July 15. On April 24, 2024, Cox was sentenced to 125 months of imprisonment. Thomas and Frank Best await sentencing. This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the DEA San Diego Field Division. The DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Lauren C. Clark, and Katherine E. Boyles through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to production of child pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Bevill, 36, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. to production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz T. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2022, and August 2023, Bevill engaged in prohibited sexual conduct with a minor child under 12-years-old. Bevill produced photographs and video recordings of himself sexually abusing the minor child on multiple occasions. He admits that he gave the minor child sedatives before producing the child pornography. Bevill then distributed the visual depictions he produced to another individual using the Telegram messaging application. The plea is the result of an investigation by the federal bureau of Investigation, under under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. # # # #


title: Two St. Louis Men Accused of Murder-for-Hire in Teen's Shooting

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two men from St. Louis, Missouri have been accused of a role in the murder of an 18-year-old St. Louis man in 2021. Anthony Stewart, 25, and Patrick Robinson, 23, were each indicted May 8 on one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of murder-for-hire. The indictment accuses them of conspiring to murder Dwayne Wysinger Jr., who was killed Aug. 14, 2021, in St. Louis. A motion seeking to hold Stewart and Robinson in jail until trial says they were told there was a bounty on Wysinger’s head. After locating Wysinger’s vehicle, they waited until he appeared and got into the car before opening fire, striking him multiple times. 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 St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to lying during drug overdose investigation

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Roman Lapp, 49, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to obstruction of Justice, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2019, an individual known to law enforcement contacted Lapp, asking for narcotics. As a result, Lapp obtained heroin/fentanyl/acetyl fentanyl from his supplier, Steven Gonzalez, then delivered the narcotics to the individual’s residence. After using the heroin/fentanyl/acetyl fentanyl, the individual overdosed and died. Lapp was initially interviewed by the Buffalo Police Department, during which he identified the source of the narcotics as someone other than Steven Gonzalez. Lapp reiterated this information during a follow up interview with members of federal law enforcement. Later in the interview however, he admitted that he was not truthful about the identity of the source of the narcotics. Lapp then stated Steven Gonzalez was the actual source and that he lied to protect Gonzalez, among other reasons. Gonzalez was convicted and sentenced to serve 188 months in prison. 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 plea of the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. # # # #


title: Laguna Man Pleads Guilty to Domestic Violence

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Laguna man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault of an intimate partner by strangling and assault with a dangerous weapon. In his plea agreement, Bret Anthony Vallo , 38, admitted that on May 30, 2019, he engaged in a verbal argument with Jane Doe that escalated into a physical altercation. Vallo approached Doe from behind, wrapped his arm around her neck, and strangled her until she lost consciousness. Then, in July 2019, Vallo again engaged in a verbal dispute with Jane Doe that turned violent. This time, Vallo punched Doe in the face and struck her multiple times with a metal futon leg. The Court ordered that Vallo remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Vallo faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Vallo will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case with the assistance of the Acoma Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty Domestic Violence

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE - A Mescalero man pleaded guilty in federal court on May 7, 2024. According to court records, Fulton C. Potter , 29, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, pleaded guilty in federal court to assault of an intimate partner by strangling or suffocating. In his plea agreement, Potter admitted that he strangled his wife, Jane Doe, on November 24, 2023. The Court ordered that Potter remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Potter faces up to 7 years in prison per the terms of the plea agreement. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. Agrees to Pay $8.5 Million Criminal Penalty for Fraudulent Revenue Recognition

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today that Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. (EVOQUA), a Pennsylvania company with a division in Rhode Island, has entered a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office relating to EVOQUA’s securities fraud arising from improper revenue recognition and false statements to its external auditors between late 2016 and 2018. Under the NPA, EVOQUA will pay an $8.5 million criminal penalty. This amount adds to an $8.5 million civil penalty EVOQUA paid to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and $16.65 million that EVOQUA paid to settle shareholder class-action claims based on the same course of conduct. The NPA also imposes monitoring, reporting, and compliance obligations on EVOQUA for two years. United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha commented, “EVOQUA deceived investors by claiming it had earned revenue when it had not. As the agreed-upon Statement of Facts makes clear, the Government’s investigation identified serious misconduct for which our agreement holds the company accountable. We will continue to use all of our tools to hold accountable those who commit fraud on the financial markets and thus undermine confidence in our public markets.” “Today’s settlement should make it clear to companies that we are watching to make sure they are accurately reporting their revenue so investors can make a fair assessment of their stock values. What EVOQUA did in this case by falsely claiming it earned revenue when it did not, seriously undermines the public’s trust in our financial system,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Investor confidence is essential to keeping our financial markets afloat and the FBI is committed to vigorously investigating complex financial crimes and ensuring corporate accountability.” Under the NPA, EVOQUA accepts responsibility for the actions of its employees and admits to facts sufficient to prove securities fraud, including the following: Until May 2023, EVOQUA was a corporation headquartered in Pennsylvania with its Aquatics and Disinfection (“A&D”) Division based in Coventry, Rhode Island that provided municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment and water filtration equipment and services. In May, 2023, EVOQUA’s stock was acquired by XYLEM INC. From late 2016 through 2018, EVOQUA’s A&D Division falsely inflated and improperly recognized revenue in violation of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. EVOQUA intentionally and improperly booked revenue from purported sales of products where: the sale was contingent and receiving revenue was not reasonably assured; the products had not shipped to customers in the quarter during which the revenue was recognized; and/or the component parts had not been completed and/or assembled. The A&D Division’s improper revenue recognition caused EVOQUA to misstate financial statements as part of its November 2017 initial public stock offering and in subsequent annual and quarterly filings with the SEC. From in or about the fall of 2017 through 2018, EVOQUA also made materially false and misleading statements to and omitted material facts necessary to make statements not misleading to its external auditors concerning EVOQUA’s revenue-recognition practices. This resolution reflects EVOQUA’s cooperation, acceptance of responsibility for its criminal conduct, remediation efforts, and commitment to enhanced compliance efforts, as well as its prior resolution with the SEC and the shareholder class action. It also takes into account the fact that EVOQUA was acquired by XYLEM, INC. after the conduct at issue in this investigation occurred. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was investigated and prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom and Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Bolan. United States Attorney Cunha thanks the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its valuable assistance with the investigation. ### non_prosecution_agreeement.pdf


title: Drug smuggler sent to prison for six-kilo cocaine seizure at bridge

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 22-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Matamoros, Mexico, has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute 6.16 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Javier Eduardo Vicencio pleaded guilty Aug. 24, 2023. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Vicencio to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that while Vicencio had some character references, the court needed to consider the seriousness of the offense, protecting the public and a deterrence to criminal conduct because Vicencio had committed at least five prior successful drug crossings. On May 2, 2023, Vicencio drove into the United States through the Gateway Port of Entry in Brownsville. He was the sole occupant of a Chevy Cobalt bearing Mexican license plates. Upon initial inspection, Vicencio denied possessing alcohol, weapons, drugs or other items. However, authorities noticed he appeared nervous and referred him to secondary inspection. There, they observed anomalies in the side passenger fire wall which resulted in the discovery of 35.4 pounds of cocaine. Vicencio claimed his family had owned the vehicle for about 10 years and he was trying to “help” them. He believed he was crossing the border with cocaine and would receive payment of $1,000 per trip for delivery to others in Brownsville. Vicencio will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.


title: Fallen Missouri Law Enforcement Officers Honored During National Police Week

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. The week will be observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024. “Each year, during National Police Week, we honor those officers and agents who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in the line of duty in service to our community,” Moore said. “National Police Week is also an opportunity to express our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers and agents. We recognize their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.” National Police Week is a week set aside to honor and remember law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the line of duty while serving in federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and National Police Week is held annually to commemorate fallen officers. “As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.” U.S. Attorney Moore recently attended the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department’s memorial service honoring the 120 officers in department history who died in the line of duty. Another event held in conjunction with National Police Week is the inclusion of the names of fallen officers on the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the memorial’s wall were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . The fallen officers who were memorialized include five members of the law enforcement community from Missouri: Charles Lee Burns, Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; Mason Evans Griffith, Hermann, Mo., Police Department; James Matthew Muhlbauer, Kansas City, Mo., Police Department; Kelly Bernard Rolando, Missouri Department of Corrections; Jason Scott Pulliam, Missouri Department of Corrections. To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org .


title: U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe celebrates the contributions of law enforcement during National Police Week

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI — In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. National Police Week is observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024. “Every day, our invaluable law enforcement partners are called upon to protect and serve our south Florida communities. They do so without hesitation, often under the most challenging of circumstances. The agents and officers who patrol our streets, respond to our pleas for help, and safeguard our loved ones, work on the front lines to combat our nation’s most pressing public safety challenges. On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the men and women in law enforcement for your tireless dedication and service,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe. “May you stay safe and may the memory of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice never be forgotten.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. Today, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will be read during a Candlelight Vigil at 8:00 p.m. EDT. To view a livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org . ###


title: Medford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of a Teenager

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—A Medford man was sentenced to federal prison Monday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a local teenager. John Rocha, 31, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, officers from the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a local 17-year-old high school student. Investigators soon learned that the teenager had taken counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl. Within days, investigators identified Rocha as the victim’s fourth-level drug supplier and, when confronted by law enforcement, he admitted to having recently sold counterfeit pills. On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Rocha and four others with distributing fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On February 20, 2024, Rocha pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.


title: U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery Recognizes National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: In honor of National Police Week, which is observed this year from May 11 through May 17, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. “As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. The names included Detective Robert “Bobby” Carl Garten, an eight-year member of the Hartford Police Department, who was killed on September 6, 2023, when his patrol car was struck by a vehicle driven by an individual fleeing an attempted traffic enforcement stop. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . “National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day serve as a sober reminder of the brave, dangerous, and critically important work members of law enforcement perform every day,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “At any hour of the day, officers respond to shootings, assaults, homicides, robberies, drug related violence, domestic violence, and other calls for help, and we are grateful for their service. We should also take time to focus on the importance of officer wellness. Law enforcement is an enormously stressful profession with pressures that can take a toll and have a cumulating effect over time. As a result, far too many officers die by suicide each year. We encourage officers to seek the help they need and have earned. Please join me in honoring all officers who have died in service to their communities, and remember their families and loved ones who continue to endure their loss.” To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.


title: Maine Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison For Threatening Portsmouth High School

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Maine man was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for an online threat he made to the Portsmouth High School on April 12, 2023, and a related firearm charge, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Kyle Hendrickson, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Samantha Elliott to 37 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for August 12, 2024. On December 11, 2023, Hendrickson pleaded guilty to one count of interstate threatening communications and one count of possessing a firearm in a school zone. “The defendant’s threat to ‘shoot up’ the Portsmouth High School sent a terrifying chill throughout the Portsmouth community,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “I commend the FBI, the Portsmouth Police Department, the Portland Maine Police Department, the ATF, and all of our other law enforcement partners who did an excellent job in quickly locating and arresting Mr. Hendrickson to mitigate the threat and allow students to return to school. Threats to commit violence have no place in our society and those who make such threats will swiftly be brought to justice.” “On behalf of the City of Portsmouth and the members of the Portsmouth Police Department, we would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, the Portland Maine Police Department, and all other law enforcement participants who assisted with the apprehension of Kyle Hendrickson,” said Chief Mark Newport of the Portsmouth Police Department. “His careless actions victimized our community, causing school to be canceled until we could assure our community that there was no longer a threat, and the students could safely return to school. Our community and department have zero tolerance for such actions. We have used all available resources to bring forward the appropriate criminal charges to hold Mr. Hendrickson accountable for his actions.” “The danger posed by Kyle Hendrickson in this case was very real. He not only threatened to commit a mass shooting at Portsmouth High School, but he had the means to do it, illustrated by the AR-15 rifle, shotgun, and body armor that we recovered inside his vehicle,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message – regardless of motivation, when someone is intent on conduct that may lead to violence and breaks federal law, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will move swiftly to bring them to justice. This type of behavior puts our entire community in danger, and simply put, we will not let it go unaddressed.” Hendrickson posted a video to his SnapChat account on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in which he brandished a handgun while in a vehicle outside of the Portsmouth High School. The video includes a text overlay that reads “imma shoot up the school.” School surveillance footage placed Hendrickson’s vehicle outside the high school at the time of the video. Law enforcement later recovered an AR-15 rifle, a shotgun, camouflage body armor, a handgun holster, a red-dot sight, and numerous rounds of ammunition from Hendrickson’s vehicle. The handgun that Hendrickson used in the SnapChat video was also recovered near a motel where Hendrickson had stayed in Maine on the night of April 12, 2023. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, and the Portsmouth Police Department led the investigation. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Somersworth Police Department, the Portland (Maine) Police Department, and the Berwick (Maine) Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau prosecuted the case. ###


title: U.S. ATTORNEY KEVIN G. RITZ RECOGNIZES NATIONAL POLICE WEEK

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN — In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024. “As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.” United States Attorney Kevin Ritz stated: “In my almost two decades as a federal prosecutor, I have had the honor of working hand-in-hand with the law enforcement officers who keep us safe. I have also visited with the families of those officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the people of West Tennessee. The bravery and dedication of these officers inspire me every day. On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I extend our deepest gratitude to the women and men in law enforcement who risk their lives to protect us.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org .


title: Justice Department Finds Nebraska Violates Federal Civil Rights Laws by Unnecessarily Institutionalizing People with Serious Mental Illness

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it found that Nebraska is unnecessarily segregating people with serious mental illness (SMI) in assisted living facilities and day program facilities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C . The department found that Nebraska is restricting access to critical community-based services that people with SMI need to live and work in the community. “Far too often, people with mental health disabilities are institutionalized when they could succeed and thrive in the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It’s time to bring an end to the days of funneling people with disabilities down a dead-end road towards institutionalization and unemployment when they could succeed if provided pathways towards independence and dignity. The Justice Department remains committed to protecting the rights of people with disabilities and ensuring that the ADA’s promise of integration becomes a reality.” “By increasing its investment in community-based services for Nebraskans with SMI, the State can help these individuals become engaged and vibrant members of their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr for the District of Nebraska. The ADA and the Olmstead decision require states to make their services for people with disabilities available in the most integrated setting appropriate to each person’s needs — places like people’s homes and workplaces. With the right services, people with SMI can live in their own homes. They can also get and keep jobs where they work alongside people without disabilities doing the same work for the same pay. Instead of helping Nebraskans with SMI find jobs, Nebraska relies heavily on segregated day programs that group these individuals together in facilities. People with SMI may spend years in segregated day programs with no path to employment. Instead of being able to live in their own homes, many people with SMI are forced to enter assisted living facilities to get help. Nebraska already offers services that could help its citizens with SMI find jobs and live independently. For example, Nebraska offers a service called “supported employment” that helps people with SMI find jobs and supports them in the workplace. Nebraska also offers services that help people with SMI succeed in their own homes. But the department found that Nebraska limits access to community-based services and has not developed sufficient service capacity to enable people with SMI to avoid unnecessary institutionalization. As a result, many Nebraskans with SMI struggle to access community-based services. Instead, for many Nebraskans with SMI, the only options are institutions and unemployment. Nebraska could expand access to its existing community-based services so that people with SMI can get the support they need to live and work in the community. The department describes its findings and minimum remedial measures necessary in a letter to Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. View the department’s letter of findings here . For more information about the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt . For more information about the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or (TTY 833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov . ADA complaints may be filed online at www.ada.gov/complaint .


title: Ex-Riverside Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Hate and Gun Crimes for Shooting Two Jewish Men Leaving L.A. Synagogues Last Year

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Riverside resident who last year shot and wounded two Jewish men as they left religious services in the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles has agreed to plead guilty to hate crimes and firearms offenses, the Justice Department announced today. Jaime Tran, 29, has agreed to plead guilty to all charges against him: two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Tran is expected to plead guilty to the felony charges before United States District Judge George H. Wu in the coming weeks. Upon entering his guilty plea, Tran will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each hate crime count, and a maximum of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for each firearm count. Under the plea agreement, which prosecutors filed today, Tran would receive a prison sentence of between 35 years and 40 years. “This defendant sought to murder two men simply because they were Jewish,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Rather than allow these horrific crimes to divide us, however, our community came together and swiftly brought the perpetrator to justice. Hate and intolerance have no place in America. We will remain firm in our approach of using all the tools at our disposal to aggressively prosecute acts of hate.” “The defendant’s hatred led him to plan the murder of two innocent victims simply because he believed they were practicing their Jewish faith,” said Krysti Hawkins, the Acting Assistant Director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “I’m relieved that the hard work by investigators and prosecutors led to Tran’s admission to these abhorrent crimes, and hope that members of the Jewish community take some solace in knowing that he will not be in the position to target their fellow members.” “I’m thankful for the hard work our investigators and prosecutors have put into this case,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi. “Hate crimes tear at the fabric of our communities and safety. The Los Angeles Police Department is stronger through our federal partnerships, better serving the people of Los Angeles.” According to his plea agreement, Tran developed and espoused antisemitic beliefs and made violent threats toward Jewish people. In 2018, Tran left dental school after making hate-filled statements about other students whom he perceived to be Jewish. From August 2022 to December 2022, Tran’s antisemitic statements escalated and included increasingly violent language, including against a former classmate whom he repeatedly called and texted with messages such as “I want you dead, Jew,” “Someone is going to kill you, Jew,” and “Burn in an oven chamber.” In November 2022, Tran emailed two dozen former classmates a flyer containing antisemitic propaganda, including the statement, “EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF THE COVID AGENDA IS JEWISH.” The following month, Tran emailed his former classmates excerpts from a website describing Jewish persons as “primitive” and having “thick skulls.” As a result of previous mental health holds, as of 2023, Tran was prohibited from purchasing firearms. In January 2023 in Phoenix, Tran asked a third party to buy two firearms for him. Tran selected the firearms he wanted and paid approximately $1,500 in cash to the third party, who then purchased them. On the morning of February 15, 2023, Tran used the internet to research locations with a “kosher market,” and planned to shoot someone near a kosher market because he believed there would be Jewish people in the area. Tran drove to Pico-Robertson and shot a Jewish victim wearing a yarmulke as he was leaving religious services at a synagogue. Tran, believing the victim was Jewish, shot him at close range in the back, intending to kill him. Tran then fled the scene in his car. The next morning, February 16, 2023, Tran returned to the Pico-Robertson area, intending to shoot another Jewish person. Tran shot a second Jewish victim, also wearing a yarmulke and leaving a synagogue after attending religious services. Tran shot the victim at close range, intending to kill him, as the victim crossed the street. Tran again fled the scene. Both victims survived the attacks. Law enforcement arrested Tran on February 17 and he has remained in custody since then. The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Cathedral City Police Department, and the Fountain Valley Police Department provided substantial assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Pornography

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography, which was discovered on his cell phone during an investigation into threats he made to a sheriff’s department employee. Joshua Emanuel Wood, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wood to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. On Dec. 12, 2023, Wood pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Wood is required to register as a sex offender due to his 2018 conviction of possessing child pornography. The investigation began when Wood left 41 threatening voice mail messages on May 29 and 30, 2022, for the employee of the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department who was in charge of registering sex offenders. The sex offender registrar reported those threats and law enforcement officers arrested Wood; the state felony charge related to this harassment is still pending. Wood had a Google Pixel cell phone in his possession when he was arrested. Investigators found child sexual abuse material on the phone, including 107 images of child pornography, including depictions of infants being raped, as well as web searches for child pornography and visits to suspected child pornography websites. According to court documents, the forensic analysis of Wood’s cell phone demonstrated that he had been wiping his cell phone frequently, and the child pornography files had been received over a period of just a few days. Because he was regularly wiping his cell phone, it is difficult to know the extent of his involvement with child pornography. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Glynn County woman sentenced to federal prison for defrauding real estate company

body_text: BRUNSWICK, GA: A Glynn County woman who managed the office of a real estate company has been sentenced to prison for siphoning off more than a quarter of a million dollars from her employer. Tabitha Dobi , 46, of Brunswick, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to Wire Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Dobi to pay $251,569 in restitution and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Tabitha Dobi misused her position to defraud hundreds of thousands of dollars from an employer who trusted her,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence holds her accountable for her fraudulent activity.” As described in court records and testimony, a real estate company located in St. Simons spurred an investigation after a missing cash deposit led to the discovery of discrepancies in their financial records. FBI investigators determined that Dobi, the company’s office manager for four years, used her position to steal cash deposits intended for the company’s property rentals, then manipulating the company’s accounting system to conceal the thefts. Dobi also instructed one rental tenant to pay her directly through an online payment app and used the money for her personal benefit, and allowed friends to stay at the company’s rental properties without charge and without the company’s authorization. As a result of those schemes, the company lost $251,569. “Dobi violated the trust placed in her by her employer and will now spend time in prison paying for her crimes,” said Will Clarke, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Brunswick office. “Hopefully, this sentence sends a message that the FBI is dedicated to working with our partners to protect companies from anyone seeking to defraud them for their own personal greed.” The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson.


title: New Port Richey Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Stealing Funds From Department Of Veterans Affairs

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Katheryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Anthony Green (71, New Port Richey) to 15 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for theft of government funds. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $163,379.76, the proceeds of the offense. Green entered a guilty plea on January 24, 2024. According to court documents, Green’s mother, E.G., received Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). E.G. passed away in October 2014. At the time of her death, her benefits were being sent via U.S. Treasury check, and the VA continued to issue these checks on behalf of E.G. after her death. Green forged E.G.’s signature on each monthly benefit check and deposited the checks into a bank account he controlled. In total, Green knowingly and willfully stole or converted approximately $163,379 in VA DIC. “This sentence should send a message that the VA Office of Inspector General will vigorously investigate those who would fraudulently exploit VA programs intended to benefit surviving family members of deceased veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.” This case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs - Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.


title: Convicted felon sentenced after being caught again in possession of a firearm

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2023, Henrico County Police officers performed a traffic stop on Nathaniel Jay Brown, 35, after observing Brown committing traffic infractions. During the traffic stop and in response to an officer’s questions, Brown indicated that he was in possession of a firearm. After Brown got out of the vehicle, the officer retrieved from Brown’s waistband a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun with a fully loaded magazine. As a previously convicted felon, Brown cannot legally possess a firearm. At the time of the incident, Brown had multiple felony convictions, including a 2013 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. McGorman and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-146.


title: Indian national convicted of abusive sexual contact of juvenile on-board plane from Dubai to Seattle

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 39-year-old Indian citizen was convicted of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The jury deliberated about four hours following a three-day jury trial. Abhinav Kumar was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Sunday February 18, 2024, after groping the breast of a juvenile sitting near him on the aircraft. Abhinav Kumar was remanded to custody and faces up to two years in prison when sentenced on August 1, 2024. According to records in the case and testimony at trial, the victim was traveling with family members who were sitting in the seats in front of the victim and across the aisle from the victim. The Emirates flight was from Dubai to Seattle. Kumar was seated in a window seat with an open center seat between him and the victim. Kumar engaged the 17-year-old in conversation and asked her to meet him for coffee. She politely declined the invitation. Later, while the victim was trying to sleep under a blanket, Kumar spread his blanket over himself and over the middle seat. The on-board video shows the movement of his arm under the blanket reaching toward the victim. The victim awoke to feel a hand under her blanket, and she pulled away. The hand returned, moving up her arm, then inside her shirt, and eventually reaching her breast. The victim froze at first but then got up and asked her mother to come to the bathroom with her. The Emirates crew was notified, and they alerted law enforcement to meet the plane. Law enforcement interviewed the victim and family members and spoke with the defendant. He was arrested on a criminal complaint and then was indicted by the grand jury. In closing argument, Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi talked about how the victim was frozen with fear: “Nobody expects for a person to grope them on a flight… The defendant did not expect the victim to be brave enough to report him.” Abusive sexual contact is punishable by up to two years in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Port of Seattle Police and Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Miriam Hinman and Sanaa Nagi.


title: Utah Man Found Guilty of Defrauding Organic Produce Distributor Out of $5.8 Million via Sham Invoices Sent by Shell Company

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Utah man has been found guilty by a jury for participating in a long-running scheme in which he sent fake invoices on behalf of a shell company to defraud a family-owned organic produce distributor out of $5.8 million, the Justice Department announced today. Kevin Scott Horton, 56, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, was found guilty of seven counts of mail fraud late Monday. According to evidence presented at a nine-day trial, from February 2000 to April 2018, Horton schemed with Tony Anhtuan Rawlings, 57, of Garden Grove, the information technology (IT) director at Melissa’s World Variety Produce Inc., a Vernon-based company, to defraud Melissa’s out of its money through the approval of payment of invoices for IT services that were never provided. In February 2000, Horton created a shell company called Creative Network Solutions (CNS), whose purpose was to send fraudulent bills to its sole client, Melissa’s. In consultation with Rawlings, Horton created two fictitious invoices per month, in which CNS billed Melissa’s for IT services that CNS did not provide, for approximately 18 years, through February 2018. Horton provided the fictitious invoices to Rawlings, who approved them, vouched for their operational necessity, and then forwarded them to a Melissa’s executive who was asked to have Melissa’s pay CNS the amounts listed on the sham invoices. Horton and Rawlings falsely represented to Melissa’s executives that CNS provided IT services to Melissa’s. In fact, CNS never provided services to Melissa’s or any other company, and by using CNS, deceived and concealed from Melissa’s that CNS was affiliated with one of their own employees. Horton, along with Rawlings, caused Melissa’s to send CNS payment in the form of checks mailed through the U.S. Mail to a post office box to which Horton had sole access. Horton deposited the checks he received through the scheme into a bank account that he exclusively controlled. Horton then funneled Rawlings a portion of the money that Melissa’s paid to CNS, in the form of checks sent via U.S. Mail to addresses where Rawlings lived. In total, Horton, along with Rawlings, caused Melissa’s to pay CNS approximately $5,852,604 because of the fictitious invoices. United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi scheduled an August 5 sentencing hearing, at which time Horton will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each mail fraud count. Rawlings pleaded guilty in August 2022 to one count of mail fraud. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 20. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Eli A. Alcaraz of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Kelsey A. Stimson of the General Crimes Section, and Haoxiaohan H. Cai of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.


title: INTERPOL WASHINGTON PROJECT TERMINUS BOOSTS BORDER SECURITY CAPABILITIES IN COLOMBIA

component: Interpol Washington

body_text: Through INTERPOL Washington’s Project TERMINUS and U.S. Department of State Counter Terrorism funding, a team from INTERPOL Washington’s Border Security Division traveled to Bogotá, Colombia to further ongoing support efforts under Project TERMINUS. In addition to discussing available Project TERMINUS solutions to enhance screening of travelers against INTERPOL databases and enhance critical day-to-day operations of National Central Bureau Bogotá, the team delivered computer equipment and two custom software solutions developed by INTERPOL Washington, the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) Workbench and the Stolen Motor Vehicles (SMV) workbench. The two solutions empower INTERPOL member countries to quickly and easily share, manage, and extend vital information pertaining to SLTD and SMV in the INTERPOL databases. “Colombia has achieved a significant milestone, becoming the first INTERPOL partner nation to implement the SLTD Workbench and SMV Workbench solutions,” announced INTERPOL Washington Border Security Division Deputy Assistant Director Keith Hood, emphasizing the country's pioneering role in enhancing global security. “This is thanks to NCB’s Bogota’s willingness to lean forward in the fight to make our international borders more secure.” A team from INTERPOL Washington meets with Colombian police and security officials in Bogota during the Project TERMINUS support efforts. Project TERMINUS seeks to establish or enhance INTERPOL screening and record submission by INTERPOL member countries through computer hardware and custom software solutions that ease service adoption and enhance the data's usability and effectiveness. Beyond its primary capacity-building objective, Project TERMINUS assists the broader U.S. government law enforcement mission by connecting U.S. government law enforcement agencies to partner nation entities, benefiting the partner nation and the global law enforcement effort. In Bogota, Project TERMINUS introduced the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Attaché to NCB Bogotá, including him in meetings with NCB Bogotá and Columbia Immigration. The CBP Attaché participated in detailed discussions with NCB Bogota regarding Colombia’s current capabilities, some of its challenges, and opportunities for improvement.


title: Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Destroy The Baltimore Region Power Grid

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Sarah Beth Clendaniel, Catonsville, Maryland resident, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1366(a), and to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Maryland United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office announced Clendaniel’s guilty plea. “Ms. Clendaniel’s hate-fueled plans to destroy the Baltimore region power grid threatened thousands of innocent lives,” said U.S. Attorney Barron. “But, when law enforcement and the communities we serve are united in partnership, hate cannot win.” “Ms. Clendaniel, a felon, spent months plotting, planning and taking steps to inflict grave damage to Maryland’s power grid in furtherance of her white supremacist ideology,” said Special Agent in Charge DelBagno. “Today’s guilty plea highlights the commitment of the FBI to hold individuals accountable for their actions. The FBI will continue to investigate violent threats as the safety and security of all Marylanders remains a priority.” According to Clendaniel’s guilty plea: In 2018, Clendaniel became acquainted with Brandon C. Russell, a Florida resident, who is currently charged with conspiracy to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and is awaiting trial. Clendaniel and Russell espouse a white supremacist ideology and advocate a concept known as “accelerationism.” To “accelerate” or to support “accelerationism” is based on a white supremacist belief that the current system is irreparable and without an apparent political solution, and therefore violent action is necessary to precipitate societal and government collapse. According to court documents, from at least December 2022 and continuing through February 2023, Clendaniel conspired with Russell to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. As part of her guilty plea, Clendaniel admitted that she communicated and planned over encrypted communication applications (“ECA”) to carry out attacks against energy facilities. Russell and Clendaniel communicated their plans to commit an attack on the Baltimore Region power grid to a confidential human source (“CHS-1”). Their plans began to culminate on January 12, 2023 when CHS-1 and Russell discussed the planned substation attack in Maryland with a goal of working with Clendaniel to “maximize impact” and “to coordinate to get multiple [substations] at the same time.” Later that same day, Clendaniel, using the moniker “Nythra88,” sent a message to CHS-1 on ECA confirming her support of the attack. In the ensuing conversation, which continued through January 14, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she lived near Baltimore. She also stated that she was a felon, and had previously, but unsuccessfully, attempted to obtain a rifle. She asked CHS-1 to purchase a rifle for her, stating that she wanted to “accomplish something worthwhile” and that she wanted the rifle “within the next couple of weeks” to “accomplish as much as possible before June, at the latest.” On January 18, 2023, on ECA, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she had identified a few potential locations to target in her attack. CHS-1 stated that CHS-1 would have to be the “driver” and Clendaniel would have to be the “shooter” in the attack. Clendaniel confirmed that she was “determined to do this” and stated she would have done something earlier on her own if she had not lost her rifle “a few months ago.” The conversation continued with CHS-1 and Clendaniel discussing the specifics of the desired rifle and agreeing that Clendaniel would send CHS-1 a “wish list,” which she did the following day. At various times from January 21, 2023 through January 29, 2023, CHS-1 exchanged encrypted messages, separately, with Clendaniel and with Russell in which they discussed in detail the rifle and specific firearms accessories that Clendaniel wanted and potential targets for their attack. On January 29, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that the five substations she planned to target included: “Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall.” Clendaniel described how there was a “ring” around Baltimore and if they hit a number of them all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city.” She added that they needed to “destroy those cores, not just leak the oil . . . ” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Further, she stated that: “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.” When CHS-1 asked if it would accomplish a “cascading failure,” Clendaniel replied, “[y]es . . . probably” and that the attack targets are all “major ones.” Clendaniel also said that the most difficult target that they would have to do together has “fire walls on three sides.” During that conversation, Clendaniel sent CHS-1 five links to the “Open Infrastructure Map” which showed the locations of five specific Baltimore, Gas and Electric (“BGE”) electrical substations in Maryland. BGE is an energy company that utilizes substations, like the five targeted sites, to produce, convert, transform, regulate and distribute energy. Three of the five substations were located near the towns of Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall. The remaining two substations were in the vicinity of Baltimore City. Each location is a BGE substation with significant infrastructure. On or about January 31, 2023, Russell discussed with CHS-1 the attack of the targeted substations on ECA, including how to “make sure it’s done right,” how “it has been studied,” and how to make it “cascading” so as to maximize damage. Russell and Clendaniel believed that attacking these five electrical substations in the greater Baltimore area would serve accelerationism and help to break down society. On February 3, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Clendaniel’s residence in Catonsville, Maryland. During the search, law enforcement agents recovered from Clendaniel’s bedroom various firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits Clendaniel from possessing these items because she is a convicted felon, including convictions in Cecil County, Maryland for Robbery in 2006 and Robbery and Attempted Robbery in 2016. Clendaniel faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and 15 years on the felon in possession charge followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for the conspiracy charge. Senior United States District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for September 3, 2024 at 11 a.m. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Michael Aubin who are prosecuting the federal case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. Department of Justice Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the nationwide launch of the initiative and its expansion to all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston Recognizes National Police Week

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO - In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024. “As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.” “During National Police Week, we pay tribute to and honor our courageous law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” said U.S. Attorney Hairston. “To our federal, state, and local officers who, each day, bravely serve our communities and keep us safe, we sincerely thank you for your service. To the families of our fallen officers, and to the families of the officers who leave home each day to carry out the mission, you have our heartfelt gratitude and support.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org . ###


title: New Britain Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAMON RAMOS-ACEVEDO, 48, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 135 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his trafficking fentanyl and cocaine. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force identified suspicious packages that were being mailed to a New Britain address connected to Ramos-Acevedo and his associate, Victor Rodriguez-Gomez, also known as “Calami,” who resided in Desert Hot Springs, California. A court-authorized search of one package, which had been mailed from California, revealed approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and one kilogram of heroin. In July 2022, USPIS investigators in San Bernardino, California, contacted Connecticut investigators to report that a court-authorized search of a package that was addressed to a residence on Willow Street in New Britain revealed eight cell phones. On August 1, 2022, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the package in New Britain and observed Ramos-Acevedo and Rodriguez-Gomez take possession of it. Investigators identified several additional suspicious packages associated with Ramos-Acevedo and, on August 11, 2022, observed Ramos-Acevedo in California mailing packages to an address in New Britain. Investigators also developed evidence that Rodriguez-Gomez had an associate who used a van to transport narcotics from California, or another location in the southwestern United States, to addresses in Connecticut associated with Ramos-Acevedo. On August 25, 2022, investigators observed Ramos-Acevedo unloading items from the van in New Britain. On September 7, 2022, the Connecticut State Police, which was assisting with surveillance, stopped a vehicle that Ramos-Acevedo was driving in Newington for a motor vehicle violation. Rodriguez-Gomez was a passenger in the vehicle. After a K-9 alerted to several items within the vehicle, a search revealed $179,578 in cash and nine cellphones. A subsequent search of a house in Farmington where Ramos-Acevedo claimed he was living resulted in the seizure of an additional $30,426 in cash. On November 30, 2022, the Iowa State Patrol stopped an associate of Rodriguez-Gomez who was driving the van that had been identified in August 2022. A search of the van revealed approximately 22 kilograms of cocaine and two kilograms of fentanyl, which was destined for Ramos-Acevedo in New Britain. Ramos-Acevedo has been detained since his arrest on December 1, 2022. On January 22, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine. Rodriguez-Gomez pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on April 11,2024, he was sentenced to 156 months of imprisonment. This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force. The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The USPIS Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone and Shan Patel.


title: Comfort Care Medical Equipment, Inc. And Its Owner Agree To Pay $352,800 To Settle False Claims Act Allegations Regarding Its Submission Of False Claims For Compression Garments

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Comfort Care Medical Equipment, Inc. (“Comfort Care”) and one of its owners, Patrick Chalmers, have agreed to pay the United States $352,800 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which administers the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) (collectively, the “United States”). Comfort Care is a durable medical equipment provider that provides compression and lymphedema garments, for various body parts including legs and arms, to patients. Patrick Chalmers was an owner of Comfort Care. He owned 100% of its stock and served as Comfort Care’s President from September 2005 until December 31, 2019. The civil settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron, and Special Agent in Charge for the OPM Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Derek M. Holt. The civil investigation was opened by the United States Attorney’s Office based upon a referral from OPM, OIG regarding excessive billings. Comfort Care billed almost all compression stockings (arms, legs, bras, etc.) utilizing HCPCS Code A6459 (gradient compression garment, not otherwise specified). According to the contract that Comfort Care had with Care First, which administered the FEHBP plan, Comfort Care could utilize this code only if no other HCPCS code could be billed for the compression garment provided. Once the A6549 HCPCS code was used, Comfort Care could bill FEHBP contracted plans for any amount and would be reimbursed at 65% of that amount. “Federal contractors are required to bill the appropriate code for services rendered, not the code that puts the most money in their pockets. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners are committed to ferreting out unlawful compliance with government contracts," said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “False claims threaten the integrity of the FEHBP and can make health care more expensive for American taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt, OPM OIG. “I applaud our investigative staff and partners at the Department of Justice for their hard work on this case.” The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations. The settlement is not an admission of liability by Comfort Care nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well-founded. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General, for its work in this investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Corcoran and Sarah Marquardt, who handled the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Four imprisoned in Mexican Mafia murder-for-hire plot

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – Several California residents have received significant sentences for their roles in a South Texas murder-for-hire scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Viola Elizabeth, Garcia, 53, following a four-day trial in November 2022. Christopher Andrade, 33, also proceeded to trial and was convicted in July 2023. Two others - Noah Solis, 25, and Ronaldo Gallegos, 25, had previously pleaded guilty. All four are from Oxnard, California. Diego Morales, 38, was incarcerated at the time, but also pleaded guilty to his role in the crime prior to trial. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Garcia, Andrade and Gallegos to each serve 120 months in federal prison, while Morales received a 60-month-term of imprisonment. All sentences will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Solis will be sentenced at a later date. “The Mexican Mafia, a deadly criminal enterprise that traffics in fear and terror, imported a mother and son duo - Garcia and Andrade - from California to murder a local man for $20,000,” said Hamdani. “Garcia and Andrade thought the scheme would raise their family’s fortunes, but thanks to the work of law enforcement, there won’t be any family reunions for years to come.” “These four individuals crossed state lines to carry out senseless acts of violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We want to thank the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, Mission Police Department, Oxnard Police Department and California Department of Corrections for their continued partnership in keeping our communities safe.” The jury heard that in 2018, Mexican Mafia gang members arranged for the murder of a male residing in Mission. Morales was in California State prison serving a sentence for attempted murder when he recruited others to commit the murder via a contraband cell phone in his possession. Andrade was a Colonia Chiques gang member who recruited and conspired with the others, including his mother - Garcia - to execute the murder in exchange for $20,000. Evidence showed Mexican Mafia members ordered the murder. On Aug. 30, 2018, Garcia and co-conspirators attempted to forcibly enter the victim’s residence near Mission. The murder attempt was unsuccessful. They then tried to flee from the scene. At that time, Garcia led responding law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase until she crashed the vehicle. At Andrade’s trial, the jury heard testimony regarding text messages and phone calls he had made from his phone coordinating the murder attempt. The jury also heard that in July 2018, they attempted to murder the same victim. At her trial, Garcia admitted she traveled to Texas in July and August 2018 with the co-conspirators while they were in possession of firearms. She also admitted to being present and witnessing gunshots fired in the July 2018 murder attempt. However, she attempted to convince the jury she was unaware of any agreement or attempt to commit murder. She claimed the purpose of the trip was to transport the individuals to visit family members and to look at potential real estate for her daughter who resided in Arizona. Andrade said he was not in fact the user of the phone and was unaware of any agreement or attempt to commit murder. The jury did not believe either claims and found both guilty as charged. All have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and police departments in Mission and Oxnard, California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Cahal P. McColgan and Sarina S. DiPiazza prosecuted the case.


title: Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Destroy the Baltimore Region Power Grid

body_text: Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 36, of Catonsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland. According to court documents, in 2018, Clendaniel became acquainted with Brandon C. Russell, a Florida resident, who is currently charged with conspiracy to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and is awaiting trial. Clendaniel and Russell espouse a white supremacist ideology and advocate a concept known as “accelerationism.” To “accelerate” or to support “accelerationism” is based on a white supremacist belief that the current system is irreparable and without an apparent political solution, and therefore violent action is necessary to precipitate societal and government collapse. From at least December 2022 and continuing through February 2023, Clendaniel conspired with Russell and others to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. As part of her guilty plea, Clendaniel admitted that she communicated and planned over encrypted communication applications (ECA) to carry out attacks against energy facilities. Russell and Clendaniel communicated their plans to commit an attack on the Baltimore Region power grid to a confidential human source (CHS-1). Their plans began to culminate on Jan. 12, 2023 when CHS-1 and Russell discussed the planned substation attack in Maryland with a goal of working with Clendaniel to “maximize impact” and “to coordinate to get multiple [substations] at the same time.” Later that same day, Clendaniel, using the moniker “Nythra88,” sent a message to CHS-1 on ECA confirming her support of the attack. In the ensuing conversation, which continued through Jan. 14, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she lived near Baltimore. She also stated that she was a felon, and had previously, but unsuccessfully, attempted to obtain a rifle. She asked CHS-1 to purchase a rifle for her, stating that she wanted to “accomplish something worthwhile” and that she wanted the rifle “within the next couple of weeks” to “accomplish as much as possible before June, at the latest.” On Jan. 18, 2023, on ECA, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she had identified a few potential locations to target in her attack. CHS-1 stated that CHS-1 would have to be the “driver” and Clendaniel would have to be the “shooter” in the attack. Clendaniel confirmed that she was “determined to do this” and stated she would have done something earlier on her own if she had not lost her rifle “a few months ago.” The conversation continued with CHS-1 and Clendaniel discussing the specifics of the desired rifle and agreeing that Clendaniel would send CHS-1 a “wish list,” which she did the following day. At various times from Jan. 21, 2023 through Jan. 29, 2023, CHS-1 exchanged encrypted messages, separately, with Clendaniel on ECA and Russell in which they discussed in detail the rifle and specific firearms accessories that Clendaniel wanted and potential targets for their attack. On Jan. 29, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that the five substations she planned to target included: “Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall.” Clendaniel described how there was a “ring” around Baltimore and if they hit a number of them all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city.” She added that they needed to “destroy those cores, not just leak the oil…” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Further, she stated that: “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.” When CHS-1 asked if it would accomplish a “cascading failure,” Clendaniel replied, “[y]es . . . probably” and that the attack targets are all “major ones.” Clendaniel also said that the most difficult target that they would have to do together has “fire walls on three sides.” During that conversation, Clendaniel sent CHS-1 five links to the “Open Infrastructure Map” which showed the locations of five specific Baltimore, Gas and Electric (BGE) electrical substations in Maryland. BGE is an energy company that utilizes substations, like the five targeted sites, to produce, convert, transform, regulate and distribute energy. Three of the five substations were located near the towns of Norrisville, Reisterstown and Perry Hall. The remaining two substations were in the vicinity of Baltimore City. Each location is a BGE substation with significant infrastructure. On or about Jan. 31, 2023, Russell discussed with CHS-1 the attack of the targeted substations on ECA, including how to “make sure it’s done right,” how “it has been studied,” and how to make it “cascading” so as to maximize damage. Russell and Clendaniel believed that attacking these five electrical substations in the greater Baltimore area would serve accelerationism and help to break down society. On Feb. 3, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Clendaniel’s residence in Catonsville, Maryland. During the search, law enforcement agents recovered from Clendaniel’s bedroom various firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits Clendaniel from possessing these items because she is a convicted felon, including convictions in Cecil County Maryland for robbery in 2006 and robbery and attempted robbery in 2016. Clendaniel pleaded guilty to conspiracy and felony possession charges. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and 15 years on the felon in possession charge followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for the conspiracy charge. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept 3. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Michael Aubin for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case with valuable assistance from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division’s and Counterterrorism Section. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the nationwide launch of the initiative and its expansion to all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.


title: United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown Recognizes the Law Enforcement Community During National Police Week

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. The week is being observed May 11 through May 17, 2024. “During National Police Week, it’s important that we as a community take the time to recognize the law enforcement officers in the Western District of Louisiana who work tirelessly to keep our neighborhoods safe,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Many times, the job of policing is taken for granted by those of us in the community and the sacrifices the men and women who wear the law enforcement badge and uniform oftentimes go unnoticed. To those who have taken an oath to serve and protect, we honor and thank you for your service to these communities throughout our district. We stand with you and pledge to continue to join with you in fighting this battle for justice in our country and on our streets.” “As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Here in the Western District of Louisiana, we also solemnly commemorate Ville Platte Deputy City Marshal Barry Giglio who tragically died in the line of duty on July 31, 2023. Deputy Marshal Giglio was tragically killed while assisting in the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Ville Platte, Louisiana. Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. In 2023, there were 136 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers that died in the line of duty. Of those officers who died, 47 were shot and killed in the line of duty; 37 officers died due to traffic-related crashes; and 52 officers died of other causes, including fire-related incidents and medical-related illnesses or events suffered while in the performance of their official duties. Eight of those officers who died in the line of duty were from Louisiana. On Monday, May 13, 2024, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil at 8:00 p.m. EDT. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/ . To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org . # # #


title: Portland Gang Leader Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The leader of Portland’s 18 th Street Gang was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine into the Portland area for redistribution and sale. Gustavo Torres-Mendez, 38, a Portland resident, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in 2019, following his release from state prison for first degree robbery with a firearm, Torres-Mendez established himself as the leader of the 18 th Street Gang in Portland. At the time, investigators were aware that Torres-Mendez maintained a significant stature with and history in the gang developed while serving time in Oregon state prisons and for his activities out of custody. By late summer 2022, investigators had obtained significant evidence that Torres-Mendez and a close associate were leading a criminal enterprise active in selling counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in and around the Portland metro area. In early September 2022, investigators uncovered a major effort by Torres-Mendez and several associates to collect money for a large drug purchase and, within days, the group had collected more than $126,000 in cash. At around the same time, on September 7, 2022, police stopped a vehicle connected to the group traveling near Grants Pass, Oregon. A search of the vehicle returned more than 104 pounds of methamphetamine and eight pounds of cocaine. On November 15, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Torres-Mendez and six associates for conspiring with one another to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Two days later, on November 17, 2022, a multi-agency law enforcement operation was conducted targeting Torres-Mendez and his associates. A search of Torres-Mendez’s North Portland home returned a handgun, ammunition, tactical body armor, a small bag of “M30” counterfeit Oxycodone pills, and $6,386 in cash. On the same day, investigators located and seized 10 additional firearms at a location in Portland used by the 18 th Street Gang to store and distribute drugs and keep weapons. On September 6, 2023, Torres-Mendez pleaded guilty to conspiring with his associates to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Three of Torres-Mendez’s co-conspirators have also pleaded guilty and been sentenced to federal prison. This case was investigated by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by Thomas H. Edmonds and Nicole M. Bockelman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. This case is 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. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. 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.


title: Missouri And New Orleans Men Charged with $174 Million Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JAMIE P. McNAMARA (“McNAMARA”) , age 48, of Missouri, and JOHN M. SPIVEY (“SPIVEY”) , age 53, of New Orleans, were charged by a grand jury on May 10, 2024 in an 18-count superseding indictment for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, offering and paying kickbacks, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. McNAMARA was previously charged in the original indictment, returned on July 14, 2022, and the May 10, 2024 superseding indictment added SPIVEY . According to the superseding indictment, McNAMARA and SPIVEY orchestrated a scheme to defraud Medicare by billing for cancer genetic testing and cardiovascular genetic testing that was ineligible for Medicare reimbursement because the testing was not medically necessary and was procured through the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes. McNAMARA and SPIVEY operated several laboratories, which obtained doctors’ orders for genetic testing from telemarketers and call centers that used aggressive telemarketing campaigns to induce Medicare beneficiaries to agree to receive genetic testing. Orders for genetic testing were signed by purported telemedicine doctors who were not the beneficiaries’ treating physicians, did not perform consultations with the beneficiaries, and did not follow up with the beneficiaries after the testing was performed. The superseding indictment alleges that from in or around November 2018 through July 2020, the laboratories operated by McNAMARA and SPIVEY submitted over $174 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing and received over $55 million in reimbursements. Following receipt of proceeds, McNAMARA and SPIVEY conspired to and did launder the funds. The government seized several luxury vehicles and over $7 million in bank accounts. McNAMARA is charged in every count of the superseding indictment, and SPIVEY in charged in the Count 1 conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. If convicted of the conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, McNAMARA and SPIVEY face up to twenty years in prison. For each of the eight the health care fraud counts, McNAMARA faces up to ten years in prison. For the conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, McNAMARA faces up to five years in prison, and for both of the counts of offering and paying kickbacks, McNAMARA faces up to ten years in prison. For the conspiracy to commit money laundering and the two concealment money laundering counts, McNAMARA faces up to twenty years in prison, and for the transactional money laundering counts, McNAMARA faces up to ten years in prison. Both defendants face up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain to any defendant or loss to any person. The defendants also face a $100 mandatory special assessment per count. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses and Department of Justice Trial Attorneys Kelly Z. Walters and Justin M. Woodard.