title: Belen Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Six Businesses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon pleaded guilty in federal court to committing armed robberies of six Albuquerque businesses over a span of six days in 2023. At the time of the offenses, the defendant was wanted for a violation of the terms of his federal supervised release. Brandon Sanchez , 30, of Belen, pleaded guilty to six counts of interference with commerce by threats and violence by robbing six Albuquerque businesses: Jan. 4, 2023: Little Caesars at Montgomery and San Pedro. Jan. 4, 2023: Subway at San Mateo and McLeod. Jan 8, 2023: Little Caesars at Montano and Fourth Street. Jan 9, 2023: Starbucks at San Mateo and Pan American. Jan. 9, 2023: Big 5 Sporting Goods at Wyoming and Paseo. Jan 9, 2023: Domino’s at Holly and San Pedro. At the time, Sanchez was on federal supervised release for a 2022 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, for which he served 27 months in prison. The Court ordered that Sanchez remain in detention pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Sanchez faces up to 20 years in prison as to each count, followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and Albuquerque Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Samuel Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years for His Orchestration of Multiple Fraudulent Schemes

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Samuel Bankman-Fried, also known as SBF, 32, of Stanford, California, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture for his orchestration of multiple fraudulent schemes. Bankman-Fried, who was the founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the cryptocurrency trading firm Alameda Research, misappropriated billions of dollars of customer funds deposited with FTX, defrauded investors in FTX of more than $1.7 billion, and defrauded lenders to Alameda of more than $1.3 billion. Bankman-Fried was previously found guilty on two counts of wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, following a one-month trial before U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who imposed today’s sentence. “There are serious consequences for defrauding customers and investors,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, “Anyone who believes they can hide their financial crimes behind wealth and power, or behind a shiny new thing they claim no one else is smart enough to understand, should think twice. I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI for their outstanding work in bringing Mr. Bankman-Fried to justice.” “The FBI will aggressively investigate individuals, like Samuel Bankman-Fried, who engage in fraudulent schemes at the expense of the American public and our financial systems,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are proud of the successful collaboration that ended this massive mismanagement and misappropriation of billions of dollars. Today's sentencing should serve as a warning to others looking to use fraudulent means for personal gain — there are consequences for your actions.” “Samuel Bankman-Fried orchestrated one of the largest financial frauds in history, stealing over $8 billion of his customers’ money,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “His deliberate and ongoing lies demonstrated a brazen disregard for customers’ expectations and disrespect for the rule of law, all so that he could secretly use his customers’ money to expand his own power and influence. The scale of his crimes is measured not just by the amount of money that was stolen, but by the extraordinary harm caused to victims, who in some cases had their life savings wiped out overnight. As a result of his unprecedented fraud, Bankman-Fried faces 25 years in prison and forfeiture of over $11 billion dollars. Today’s sentence will prevent the defendant from ever again committing fraud and is an important message to others who might be tempted to engage in financial crimes that justice will be swift, and the consequences will be severe.” According to the allegations contained in the indictment, the evidence offered at trial, and matters included in public filings: Samuel Bankman-Fried was the founder and chief executive officer of FTX, an international cryptocurrency exchange. From 2019 to 2022, Bankman-Fried was the leader and mastermind of a scheme to defraud customers of FTX by misappropriating billions of dollars of those customers’ funds. Bankman-Fried took FTX customer funds for his personal use, to make investments and millions of dollars of political contributions to candidates from both parties, and to repay billions of dollars in loans owed by Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading fund that Bankman-Fried also founded. Bankman-Fried also defrauded lenders to Alameda and equity investors in FTX by providing them false and misleading financial information that concealed his misuse of customer deposits. Samuel Bankman-Fried repeatedly told his customers, his investors, and the public that customer deposits into FTX were kept safe and were held in custody for the customers, that customer deposits were kept separate from company assets, and that customer deposits would not be used by FTX. He also repeatedly claimed that his trading company, Alameda, did not have any privileged access to FTX and did not receive special treatment from FTX. Those statements were false, and Bankman-Fried in fact channeled billions of dollars in customer deposits from FTX to Alameda, and then used those funds to make investments for his own benefit, to make political contributions, and to spend on real estate, among other expenditures. He employed a variety of fraudulent means to perpetrate this fraud. For instance, Bankman-Fried directed co-conspirators to alter FTX’s computer code to allow Alameda to withdraw effectively unlimited amounts of cryptocurrency from the exchange. Bankman-Fried also made false statements to financial institutions to conceal his misuse of customer dollar deposits. And he directed the creation of false financial statements for Alameda’s lenders, inflated FTX’s revenues and profits in numbers provided to investors, and backdated contracts and other documents to conceal his fraudulent conduct. Judge Kaplan authorized the government to use the funds recovered through the forfeiture process to provide compensation to victims of Bankman-Fried’s crimes. The FBI investigated the case. The Southern District of New York’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, with assistance from the office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering and Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Units are handling the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas Roos, Danielle Sassoon, Samuel Raymond, Thane Rehn, and Danielle Kudla are prosecuting the case.


title: Long Beach Man Charged with Transporting 14-Year-Old Arizona Runaway While Intending to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he traveled with a 14-year-old runaway from Arizona – whom he met in a Reddit internet forum – across state lines to his apartment, where he engaged in criminal sexual activity with her, the Justice Department announced today. Trevon Nathaniel Langstaff, 32, is charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Langstaff was arrested at his residence early Wednesday morning. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, law enforcement officials on Tuesday received a report of a missing 14-year-old girl who ran away from a residence in Arizona. Early Tuesday morning, the victim’s family discovered she was missing. The victim’s family searched for the girl in the neighborhood and reached out to her friends for information about the victim’s whereabouts and learned that the victim – one week earlier – said that she was planning to run away from home. The victim also told a friend that she had met a man who harbored runaways and who currently had two other teenagers staying with him, and that he would give her a cellphone and a room in which to stay, the affidavit alleges. The victim and Langstaff allegedly met on a Reddit internet forum about runaways. A phone record search revealed numerous contacts between the victim and Langstaff, according to the affidavit. Early Wednesday morning, law enforcement officials visited Langstaff’s Long Beach apartment to locate and rescue the victim. The victim was found hidden in a closet at Langstaff’s apartment, the affidavit alleges. The victim said Langstaff and she engaged in sexual contact after their arrival at his apartment. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Langstaff would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The FBI and the Long Beach Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Damaris Diaz of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Russian National Sentenced to 15 Years for $11 Million Wire Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Russian national was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to use stolen identities to file thousands of federal income tax returns that claimed more than $11 million in fraudulent refunds. Anton Vikharev, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Vikharev to pay $2,020,569 in restitution and to forfeit to the government $537,000. On July 26, 2023, Vikharev pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Vikharev admitted that he engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States by filing false and fraudulent federal income tax returns using stolen identities from January 2015 through March 1, 2018. In this scheme, 7,167 false and fraudulent tax returns were filed for tax years 2011- 2016. The returns, which used the stolen names and Social Security numbers of other people, claimed $11,178,361 in fraudulent refunds. The Internal Revenue Service actually paid at least $2,020,569 in fraudulent tax refunds. Fraudulent refunds were deposited into bank accounts the conspirators controlled. Vikharev’s role in the conspiracy was to withdraw fraudulent tax refunds from bank ATMs in cash, launder the cash through gold purchases and through high volume cash deposits into other accounts, and send the stolen money to Russia via wire transfers. Conspirators bought gold bullion with some of the proceeds. After the proceeds were laundered, conspirators wired at least $1,411,082 to accounts in Russia. Vikharev personally received $156,120 in proceeds wired to Russian bank accounts in his control. Vikharev laundered some of the proceeds from the fraud conspiracy by purchasing a total of $537,000 in gold, some of which was sold with the proceeds wired to co-conspirators in Russia, which is the basis for the forfeiture money judgment. Vikharev left the United States in early July 2017. He exited the United States at the southern border into Mexico. From Mexico, Vikharev flew to Cuba and then to Russia. On June 4, 2021, Vikharev was arrested in Toronto, Canada. Vikharev was detained in custody while he litigated extradition to the United States for approximately two years. According to court documents, Vikharev, a Russian citizen, originally came to the United States on June 12, 2012, on a student visa that expired on Sept. 9, 2012. Vikharev stayed illegally in the United States for five more years. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Vikharev agreed to a judicial order of removal from the United States following incarceration. Two co-defendants in this case are last known to be in Russia, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigations.


title: Brevard County Man Sentenced To More Than 16 Years For Fentanyl Distribution

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced E’Chavion Semaj Flewellen (24, Cocoa) to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for distribution of 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Flewellen entered a guilty plea on January 4, 2024. According to court documents, from June through August 2023, Flewellen distributed fentanyl six times – with one transaction involving cocaine – to a confidential source working for the Drug Enforcement Administration. From these controlled buys, Flewellen was responsible for distributing 27.96 grams of cocaine and 187.24 grams of fentanyl mixtures to the DEA confidential source. Following Flewellen’s arrest, a search warrant was executed on his residence, during which agents located an additional 14.6 grams of fentanyl, over 50 grams of cocaine, and 263 grams of pure methamphetamine. Additionally, agents located a loaded Shadow Systems 9mm handgun, a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun, and an unloaded FEG 9mm handgun, as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition. As part of the plea agreement, Flewellen has agreed to abandon all rights to the handguns and associated ammunition that were seized from his residence. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Melbourne Police Department, the West Melbourne Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Swiss Commodities Trading Company Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Trafigura Beheer B.V. (Trafigura), an international commodities trading company with its primary operations in Switzerland, pleaded guilty today and will pay over $126 million to resolve an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), stemming from the company’s corrupt scheme to pay bribes to Brazilian government officials to secure business with Brazil’s state-owned and state-controlled oil company, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras (Petrobras). Trafigura pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Trafigura will pay a criminal fine of $80,488,040 and forfeiture of $46,510,257. The department will credit up to $26,829,346 of the criminal fine against amounts Trafigura pays to resolve an investigation by law enforcement authorities in Brazil for related conduct. “For more than a decade, Trafigura bribed Brazilian officials to illegally obtain business and reap over $61 million in profits,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea underscores that when companies pay bribes and undermine the rule of law, they will face significant penalties. The department remains determined to combat foreign bribery and hold accountable those who violate the law.” “Our office will continue to target anyone who uses the Southern District of Florida to further foreign corrupt practices and bribery schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our Criminal Division colleagues to identify and prosecute those responsible, including both individuals and corporations.” According to court documents, between approximately 2003 and 2014, Trafigura and its co-conspirators paid bribes to Petrobras officials in order to obtain and retain business with Petrobras. Beginning in 2009, Trafigura and its co-conspirators, who met in Miami to discuss the bribery scheme, agreed to make bribe payments of up to 20 cents per barrel of oil products bought from or sold to Petrobras by Trafigura and to conceal the bribe payments through the use of shell companies, and by funneling payments through intermediaries who used offshore bank accounts to deliver cash to officials in Brazil. Trafigura profited approximately $61 million from the corrupt scheme. “Trafigura’s corrupt practices violated the FCPA, and today’s resolution demonstrates that there are steep penalties for any company that tries to bribe government officials,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. The department reached this resolution with Trafigura based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Trafigura received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation and affirmative acceptance of responsibility, which included (i) providing timely updates on facts learned during its internal investigation; (ii) making factual presentations to the department; (iii) facilitating the interviews of employees and agents, including an employee located outside the United States, and arranging for counsel for employees where appropriate; (iv) producing relevant non-privileged documents and data to the department, including documents located outside the United States in ways that navigated foreign data privacy laws, accompanied by translations of certain documents; and (v) providing all relevant facts known to it, including information about individuals involved in the conduct. However, and particularly during the early phase of the department’s investigation, Trafigura failed to preserve and produce certain documents and evidence in a timely manner and, at times, took positions that were inconsistent with full cooperation. Trafigura also engaged in remedial measures, including: (i) developing and implementing enhanced, risk-based policies and procedures relating to, among other things, anti-corruption, use of intermediaries and consultants, third party payments, and joint venture and equity investment risk assessment; (ii) enhancing processes and controls around high-risk transactions; (iii) investment of additional resources in employee training and compliance testing; (iv) enhancing ongoing compliance monitoring and controls testing processes; and (v) proactively discontinuing the use of third-party agents for business origination. However, Trafigura was slow to exercise disciplinary and remedial measures for certain employees whose conduct violated company policy. In addition, Trafigura’s prior misconduct, though not recent, includes a 2006 guilty plea by Trafigura AG for entry of goods by means of false statements; as well as Trafigura’s 2010 conviction of violating Netherlands export and environmental laws in connection with the discharge of petroleum waste in Côte d’Ivoire. While Trafigura ultimately accepted responsibility for its criminal conduct in this investigation, its early posture in resolution negotiations also caused significant delays and required the department to expend substantial efforts and resources to develop additional admissible evidence before Trafigura constructively reengaged in agreeing to a negotiated resolution. Accordingly, the department determined that the appropriate resolution in this case was for Trafigura to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA. The criminal fine calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the fifth percentile of the applicable guidelines fine range, which accounts for Trafigura’s cooperation and remediation, as well as its prior history. The FBI Los Angeles Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI’s International Corruption Unit. Trial Attorneys Natalie Kanerva and Clayton P. Solomon and Assistant Chiefs Derek J. Ettinger and Jonathan P. Robell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in Brazil, Switzerland, and Uruguay provided assistance in the matter. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . Information Plea Agreement


title: Billings man sentenced to more than nine years in prison for fentanyl trafficking, firearm possession

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man convicted of armed trafficking of fentanyl in the community was sentenced today to nine years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Cameron Dimich-Laster, 27, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in September 2023, law enforcement received information that a male person named “Cam” was selling large amounts of fentanyl. Law enforcement believed the person could be Dimich-Laster, who was on state felony probation and had an active arrest warrant for being a probation absconder. Agents observed Dimich-Laster coming and going from a Billings residence over an extended period and driving a BMW. Officers made a traffic stop on Dimich-Laster, who was detained and handcuffed. In a probation search of his vehicle, officers located a .380-caliber handgun, a loaded magazine, a single live round of .380 ammunition, fentanyl pills and $755 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement also searched the residence and located cocaine, a digital scale, ammunition, $1,075 in U.S. currency in the bedroom where Dimich-Laster had been staying. In a search of a small secondary residence Dimich-Laster had been using on the same lot, officers located fentanyl pills, $440 in U.S. currency and a digital scale. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: U.S. Attorney Announces $3.1 Million False Claims Act Settlement With Radiology Company And Its CEO For Fraudulent Billing Practices

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”); Brian J. Solecki, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the U.S. Department of Defense - Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”); and Christopher Algieri, the Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (“VA OIG”), announced today that the United States has settled a civil fraud lawsuit against THE RADIOLOGY GROUP LLC and its CEO, ANAND LALAJI. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP is a teleradiology company based in Atlanta, Georgia, that provides diagnostic radiology services to hospitals, urgent care centers, and primary care physician centers located across the country. The settlement resolves claims that THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing federal health care programs when the U.S.-based radiologist just “rubber stamped” interpretation reports prepared by contractors in India who were not permitted to practice medicine in the United States or bill federal health care programs. The Government further alleges that THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI misrepresented who actually rendered the radiology services when seeking payments and improperly sought reimbursement for services furnished entirely by persons located outside of the United States in violation of applicable statutes and regulations. Under the settlement approved yesterday by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI will pay a total sum of $3.1 million, of which $2,678,387.21 will be paid to the United States with the remainder being paid to various states. As part of the settlement, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI also made extensive factual admissions regarding their conduct. Among other things, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI admitted that they failed to ensure that their U.S.-based radiologists were conducting a meaningful and adequate review of draft interpretations of radiology scans prepared by India-based contractors. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI also admitted that, on numerous occasions, they submitted claims to federal health care programs where the radiologist who reviewed and interpreted the imaging was someone other than the individual listed on the claim for reimbursement. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The Radiology Group failed to put in place appropriate safeguards to ensure that their U.S.-licensed radiologists adequately reviewed non-credentialed contractors’ findings before transmitting the reports to physicians who relied on the findings to make patient care decisions. This Office is committed to holding healthcare providers accountable when they violate clear rules and regulations designed to ensure the integrity of taxpayer funded healthcare programs and protect patient quality of care.” HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “As part of the settlement, The Radiology Group and Anand Lalaji admitted that they failed to ensure that their U.S.-based radiologists were conducting a meaningful and adequate review of draft radiology interpretation reports. Defendants potentially jeopardized patients’ health by taking shortcuts when it came to ensuring that important radiological tests were done and reviewed properly. Individuals and entities that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate, quality services to patients.” VA OIG Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri said: “The VA OIG is dedicated to ensuring veterans receive the quality health care they deserve, and we will continue to work to make certain that VA healthcare programs are not compromised by fraudulent billing practices. The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.” As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court: Diagnostic radiology involves the diagnosis of diseases and injuries using imaging techniques, such as Computed Tomography scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and ultrasounds. Radiologists review the generated images and prepare written reports summarizing their findings (an “Interpretation Report”). Health care providers rely on these Interpretation Reports when diagnosing patient conditions and when making important decisions regarding patient medical care. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP is a teleradiology practice that provides diagnostic radiology services to hospitals, urgent care centers, and primary care physician offices (the “Referring Providers”) located throughout the United States. The Referring Providers transmitted imaging to THE RADIOLOGY GROUP so that THE RADIOLOGY GROUP could review the images and prepare Interpretation Reports. Using online-based teleradiology platforms, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP sent the images to contractors located outside the United States, who would conduct initial reviews of the imaging and prepare draft Interpretation Reports. After that process was complete, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP’s U.S.-based radiologists were supposed to conduct an independent and separate review of the imaging and make all necessary changes to the Interpretation Reports before transmitting them to the Referring Provider. The final Interpretation Reports were signed by the U.S.-based radiologist, who was responsible for the Interpretation Report’s content. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI knew that contractors located in India who prepared draft Interpretation Reports were not permitted to practice medicine in the United States or bill federal health care programs. Nevertheless, certain radiologists at THE RADIOLOGY GROUP merely “rubber stamped” the draft reports and transmitted them to the providers without conducting a meaningful and adequate review of the findings. For instance, one radiologist (“Radiologist A”) approved, signed, and transmitted to providers over 100,000 Interpretation Reports and frequently approved draft CT scan reports in less than 30 seconds. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI also understood that they were prohibited by federal health care program rules from submitting claims for reimbursement for radiology services if the radiologist listed as the rendering provider on the claim for reimbursement had not actually rendered the services. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI, however, consistently submitted, or caused to be submitted, claims for payment to federal health care programs that identified either LALAJI or the other owner of THE RADIOLOGY GROUP as the rendering provider, even though they had not in fact rendered the radiology services for which reimbursement was sought. Further, on numerous occasions, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI submitted, or caused to be submitted, claims for payment for diagnostic radiology services provided by a radiologist who resided and worked in the United Kingdom, in violation of relevant Medicare regulations. As part of the settlement, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the United States, including the following: THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI knew that they could not bill federal health care programs for the radiology services unless a U.S.-based and licensed radiologist reviewed all of the images associated with the scan, reviewed the Interpretation Report prepared by the individual in India, and made any necessary changes to the Interpretation Report. However, there were some instances when this did not occur. For example, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP employed a U.S.-based radiologist (“Radiologist A”) who repeatedly approved Interpretation Reports prepared by non-licensed individuals in India without reviewing relevant images associated with the scan and without conducting any meaningful review of the report or properly considering whether any changes needed to be made to it. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI failed to ensure that their U.S.-based radiologists were conducting a meaningful and adequate review of the draft interpretations of scans prepared by the non-licensed contractors in India. On numerous occasions, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI submitted claims to federal health care programs where the radiologist who reviewed and interpreted the imaging was someone other than the individual listed on the claim. THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI understood that Medicare did not pay for medical services rendered by individuals located outside of the United States. Nonetheless, on numerous occasions, THE RADIOLOGY GROUP and LALAJI submitted claims to Medicare for diagnostic radiology services rendered in the United Kingdom by a radiologist employed by THE RADIOLOGY GROUP who lived there. In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act. * * * Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HHS-OIG, DCIS, and VA-OIG, and thanked the Wisconsin Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit for their extensive collaboration in the investigation and resolution of this case. The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles S. Jacob is in charge of the case.


title: Haverhill Man Arrested and Charged With Filing Fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Claim

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man was arrested and charged today in connection with a Massachusetts Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claim he filed in 2020 for a man who was living in Brazil and who has since been charged with migrant smuggling, among other offenses. Julio Roncaly Morais, 41, was charged by complaint with mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. The defendant was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court at 2:30 p.m. today. According to the charging document, Julio Morais filed a Massachusetts PUA claim on June 3, 2020, on behalf of Chelbe Willams Moraes, who was living in Brazil when the PUA claim was filed. In the PUA application, Julio Morais allegedly certified under penalty of perjury that Chelbe Moraes was a current resident of Massachusetts and was able and available to work in Massachusetts but was unable to due to the pandemic. As a result of this alleged claim, the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance paid a total of $5,202 in benefits before suspending payments due to an inability to reach Chelbe Moraes. Chelbe Moraes is currently charged in a separate case in the District of Massachusetts for alleged forced labor conspiracy, encouraging and inducing an alien to come to, enter and remain in the United States for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, and residence is or will be in violation of law and conspiring to do so; money laundering conspiracy and money laundering. The charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in charge for the Homeland Security Investigations New England Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston. Valuable assistance was provided by the Woburn and Norwood Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Begg Lawrence, James D. Herbert, and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bridgeport Man Charged with Narcotics Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment yesterday charging JERMEL BATES, also known as “Mel Kitty” and “Kitty,” 28, of Bridgeport, with narcotics trafficking offenses. As alleged in the indictment, court documents, and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 25, 2023, Bates crashed his vehicle into a parked car in Bridgeport and fled the scene on foot. Law enforcement conducted an inventory search of Bates’ vehicle and found plastic bags containing approximately 550 blue/green fentanyl pills stamped “M/30,” more than 500 wax paper folds containing heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, and approximately 78 grams of crack cocaine. Bates was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on March 19, 2024. It is further alleged that, in conjunction with his arrest, investigators searched his person and his Newfield Avenue apartment and found plastic bags with thousands of blue-green fentanyl pills, hundreds of wax paper sleeves containing fentanyl, and a bag containing crack cocaine. The indictment charges Bates with two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, based on the type and quantities of controlled substances identified in each count of the indictment, Bates faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, on each count. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Bates has been detained since his arrest. This matter is being investigated by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Norwalk Police Department. The Task Force is composed of personnel from the FBI, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.


title: Albuquerque Man Convicted of Federal Firearms Offense

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

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was convicted by a federal jury, after less than 40 minutes of deliberation, of a federal firearms offense after he shot his wife at her workplace. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 21, 2022, Maurice Lacey , 65, of Albuquerque, entered the employee breakroom at the Walmart Neighborhood Market located a 4700 Cutler Ave NE in Albuquerque and shot his wife in the back of the head. Lacey then walked to the customer service desk near the front of the store, tossed a black handgun on the counter, and said “I just shot my wife.” Lacey had been previously convicted of seven felony offenses, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and trafficking controlled substances. The evidence presented at trial proved Lacey knew that he was a convicted felon and therefore he could not legally possess a firearm and ammunition. The Court ordered that Lacey remain in detention pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Lacey faces up to 15 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Trembley and Patrick E. Cordova are prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Florida Man Admits Role in $4.6 Million Kickback Scheme Related to Genetic Testing

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man admitted his role in a conspiracy to receive kickbacks and bribes from laboratories in exchange for referrals of patient DNA samples and genetic tests, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced today. Jeffrey Tamulski, 50, of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court on March 26, 2024, to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States in connection with a scheme to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. Tamulski and five co-defendants were previously charged by indictment in September 2019 in connection with the conspiracy and a related health care fraud scheme. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On behalf of certain laboratories, Tamulski recruited outside marketing groups, including Ark Laboratory Network LLC, a company owned by Tamulski’s conspirators, to refer patients’ DNA samples to the laboratories for genetic tests. Tamulski and certain conspirators entered into kickback agreements with laboratories under which the laboratories paid Ark bribes in exchange for delivering DNA samples and orders for genetic tests. Ark concealed these kickback arrangements by issuing sham invoices to laboratories that purportedly reflected services provided at an hourly rate even though the parties had already agreed upon the bribe amount, which was based on the revenue the laboratories received from Medicare or an amount paid for each DNA sample. From January 2018 through January 2019, Medicare paid these laboratories approximately $4.6 million for genetic tests that resulted from the referrals and DNA samples that Ark delivered to the laboratories in exchange for bribes. In turn, the laboratories paid Ark at least $1.8 million in bribes. The charge to which Tamulski pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross grain or loss from the offense whichever is greatest. Tamulski’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6, 2024. Co-defendants Kacey C. Plaisance, of Altamonte Springs, Florida; Kyle D. McLean, of Arlington Heights, Illinois; Edward B. Kostishion, of Lakeland, Florida; and Jeremy Richey, of Mars, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty and all are awaiting sentencing. Matthew Ellis, of Gainesville, Florida, was charged in connection with a related health care fraud scheme and his case is still pending; the charges and allegations against Ellis are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bernard J. Cooney of the National Security Unit and George L. Brandley of the Health Care Fraud Unit. tamulski.sinformation.pdf


title: East Bay Man Pleads Guilty to Selling $3.5M Counterfeit Electronics Used in Sophisticated Military Weapons Systems

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND — Steve H.S. Kim pleaded guilty today to a scheme to defraud the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) by selling over $3.5 million worth of fan assemblies to the DLA that were either counterfeit or misrepresented to be new. The plea was accepted by the Hon. Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., United States District Judge. “Through his company, Kim delivered counterfeit products to our armed services and tried to pass off non-conforming products with fake invoices,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “Swindling our military is a sure way to find oneself in jail. This office is always on the lookout for fraudsters and will prosecute anyone caught cheating our military by providing products that endanger our service people or compromise our readiness.” “The defendant sold counterfeit and deficient fan assemblies for use in military systems to increase his profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Criminals who cheat the U.S. military by selling deficient or counterfeit goods put our national security at risk. This case demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting the military supply chain and Americans’ security.” According to court documents, Kim, 63, of Alameda County, and Company A sold counterfeit fan assemblies to the DLA, including used and surplus fan assemblies that he claimed were new. To trick the DLA into accepting the fan assemblies, Kim created counterfeit labels – some of which used Company B’s registered trademarks – that he attached to the fan assemblies he sold to the DLA. When the DLA questioned Kim about the origin of the fan assemblies he sold to the DLA, Kim concealed his scheme by giving the DLA fake tracing documents that he created and often signed using a false identity. Some of these counterfeit fans were installed or intended to be installed with electrical components of a nuclear submarine, a laser system on an aircraft, and a surface-to-air missile system. “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the law enforcement arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General, is fully committed to protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryan D. Denny of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Western Field Office. “Supplying counterfeit products to the DoD endangers the mission and betrays the public’s trust. This investigation demonstrates DCIS’ ongoing commitment to working with its law enforcement partners to hold individuals who defraud the DoD accountable.” “NCIS and our law enforcement partners work diligently to thwart attempts to infiltrate the DoD supply chain with potentially damaging counterfeit product,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “This case highlights the efforts of the investigative team to expeditiously shut down such a scheme and prevent possible grievous harm to our ability to conduct effective combat operations.” “This case reflects HSI’s core mission set of investigating national security threats as well as protecting global trade and government supply chains,” said Special Agent in Charge Tatum King of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “In this case, the serious risks posed to mission readiness were especially alarming. HSI appreciates the joint efforts of NCIS, DCIS, and Army CID, together with the Justice Department, in bringing the violator to justice.” “The result of this joint investigation underscores the importance of our federal law enforcement partnerships and shows that by working together we can identify, prosecute, and dismantle businesses that supply the U.S. military with fraudulent parts and services,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (Army CID) Fraud Field Office. “Our army communities and the public can rest assured that we are committed to pursuing anyone that would defraud the U.S. government for their own personal gain and put combat readiness at risk.” Kim pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Judge Gilliam scheduled a hearing for Kim’s sentencing for July 17. Kim and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on the trafficking in counterfeit goods count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. DCIS, NCIS, HSI, and Army CID are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Lloyd-Lovett for the Northern District of California, Criminal Division Fraud Section Assistant Chief Kyle C. Hankey, and Trial Attorneys Louis Manzo and David D. Hamstra of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant Chief Adrienne Rose and Senior Counsels Jason Gull and Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section provided substantial assistance with the investigation.


title: Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI Beckley

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jonathan Webb, 27, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 26, 2023, an FCI Beckley staff member conducted a pat-down search of Webb and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his right front pants pocket. The shank was a piece of metal approximately six inches long with a sharpened point on one end and a cloth handle. Webb admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon. Webb is scheduled to be sentenced on July 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-45. ###


title: Swiss commodities trading company pleads guilty to foreign bribery scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Trafigura Beheer B.V. (Trafigura), an international commodities trading company with its primary operations in Switzerland, pleaded guilty today and will pay over $126 million to resolve an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), stemming from the company’s corrupt scheme to pay bribes to Brazilian government officials to secure business with Brazil’s state-owned and state-controlled oil company, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras (Petrobras). Trafigura pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Trafigura will pay a criminal fine of $80,488,040 and forfeiture of $46,510,257. The department will credit up to $26,829,346 of the criminal fine against amounts Trafigura pays to resolve an investigation by law enforcement authorities in Brazil for related conduct. “Our office will continue to target anyone who uses the Southern District of Florida to further foreign corrupt practices and bribery schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our Criminal Division colleagues to identify and prosecute those responsible, including both individuals and corporations.” “For more than a decade, Trafigura bribed Brazilian officials to illegally obtain business and reap over $61 million in profits,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea underscores that when companies pay bribes and undermine the rule of law, they will face significant penalties. The department remains determined to combat foreign bribery and hold accountable those who violate the law.” According to court documents, between approximately 2003 and 2014, Trafigura and its co-conspirators paid bribes to Petrobras officials in order to obtain and retain business with Petrobras. Beginning in 2009, Trafigura and its co-conspirators, who met in Miami to discuss the bribery scheme, agreed to make bribe payments of up to 20 cents per barrel of oil products bought from or sold to Petrobras by Trafigura and to conceal the bribe payments through the use of shell companies, and by funneling payments through intermediaries who used offshore bank accounts to deliver cash to officials in Brazil. Trafigura profited approximately $61 million from the corrupt scheme. “Trafigura’s corrupt practices violated the FCPA, and today’s resolution demonstrates that there are steep penalties for any company that tries to bribe government officials,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. The department reached this resolution with Trafigura based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Trafigura received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation and affirmative acceptance of responsibility, which included (i) providing timely updates on facts learned during its internal investigation; (ii) making factual presentations to the department; (iii) facilitating the interviews of employees and agents, including an employee located outside the United States, and arranging for counsel for employees where appropriate; (iv) producing relevant non-privileged documents and data to the department, including documents located outside the United States in ways that navigated foreign data privacy laws, accompanied by translations of certain documents; and (v) providing all relevant facts known to it, including information about individuals involved in the conduct. However, and particularly during the early phase of the department’s investigation, Trafigura failed to preserve and produce certain documents and evidence in a timely manner and, at times, took positions that were inconsistent with full cooperation. Trafigura also engaged in remedial measures, including: (i) developing and implementing enhanced, risk-based policies and procedures relating to, among other things, anti-corruption, use of intermediaries and consultants, third party payments, and joint venture and equity investment risk assessment; (ii) enhancing processes and controls around high-risk transactions; (iii) investment of additional resources in employee training and compliance testing; (iv) enhancing ongoing compliance monitoring and controls testing processes; and (v) proactively discontinuing the use of third-party agents for business origination. However, Trafigura was slow to exercise disciplinary and remedial measures for certain employees whose conduct violated company policy. In addition, Trafigura’s prior misconduct, though not recent, includes a 2006 guilty plea by Trafigura AG for violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 542 (entry of goods by means of false statements); as well as Trafigura’s 2010 conviction of violating Netherlands export and environmental laws in connection with the discharge of petroleum waste in Côte d’Ivoire. While Trafigura ultimately accepted responsibility for its criminal conduct in this investigation, its early posture in resolution negotiations also caused significant delays and required the department to expend substantial efforts and resources to develop additional admissible evidence before Trafigura constructively reengaged in agreeing to a negotiated resolution. Accordingly, the department determined that the appropriate resolution in this case was for Trafigura to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA. The criminal fine calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the fifth percentile of the applicable guidelines fine range, which accounts for Trafigura’s cooperation and remediation, as well as its prior history. The FBI Los Angeles Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI’s International Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Joshua Paster, Trial Attorneys Natalie Kanerva and Clayton P. Solomon, and Assistant Chiefs Derek J. Ettinger and Jonathan P. Robell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in Brazil, Switzerland, and Uruguay provided assistance in the matter. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov . ###


title: Houston Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A Houston man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children. According to court documents, Xzavier Martin-Mari Drescher, 32, revealed his sexual interest in minor females through online conversations with FBI covert employees beginning in May 2022. During one of the conversations, Drescher sent the FBI employee 11 videos of himself in a room with a clothed prepubescent female. Drescher also admitted that he had gone “hands on” with the girl within the past 24 hours. FBI agents located Drescher in Houston and confirmed he had used his phone to produce multiple videos depicting sexual acts with a prepubescent minor on or about July 9, 2022. Additionally, Drescher’s phone contained other child sexual abuse material that he had received via the Internet. Drescher was arrested July 15, 2022 and has remained in federal custody. He pleaded guilty Oct. 18, 2023 to one count of sexual exploitation of children, a charge which carries a penalty of 15 to 30 years in federal prison. In addition to the imposed 30-year imprisonment, Drescher was ordered to pay $50,000 restitution to the victim. “This defendant preyed on a young child by producing sexual abuse material, then sent it into the stream of commerce, using the illicit images for sexual gratification.,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “The 30-year sentence imposed by the court appropriately reflects the immense harm and long-term trauma inflicted on children who are sexually exploited by predators.” “Xzavier Martin-Mari Drescher victimized innocent children,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “Those who exploit and abuse these most vulnerable among us are a danger to society. The FBI is committed to putting them behind bars where they can no longer cause harm.” The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Co-Conspirators Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Gang-Related Murders  of Three Athens Residents

body_text: MACON, Ga. – Two metro Atlanta residents who pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges for their roles in the gang-related shooting deaths of three Athens, Georgia, residents were sentenced to prison this week. Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka “Lil Larry,” 29, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy. Robert Maurice Carlisle, aka “Different,” 37, of Lithonia, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy. Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell handed down the sentences on March 27. There is no parole in the federal system. “These sentences conclude a lengthy investigation and complex prosecution of all those involved in the murderous conspiracy that took the lives of three Athens men whose murders have caused unbearable pain for their families and friends,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “While these sentences won’t ease the pain felt by the victim’s families and friends, this does send a message of hope to our community that we will fight for the rights of those targeted by violent street gangs,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Dismantling violent criminal organizations is a priority for the FBI, and a goal we share with our law enforcement and prosecution partners across the country.” “While these sentences will never undo the loss of the affected families, it sends a message that justice will prevail,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “We are grateful to our officers for their continued support of this case and those involved in the prosecution. Our community is safer because of your efforts.” Three co-conspirators were found guilty on all counts on Aug. 17, 2023, and were sentenced to prison this year: Philmon Deshawn Chambers, aka “Dolla Phil,” 35, of Atlanta, was sentenced to serve two consecutive Life terms plus 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on March 20. Chambers was found guilty of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy; Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering - Murder (VICAR-Murder); Carry and Use of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Causing the Death of a Person Using a Firearm. Andrea Paige Browner, aka “Drea,” 29, of Athens, was sentenced to serve two concurrent sentences of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on March 20. Browner was found guilty of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy; Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering - Murder (VICAR-Murder); and Causing the Death of a Person Using a Firearm; and Lesley Chappell Green, aka “Grip,” 35, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 20. Green was found guilty of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy. According to court documents, Chambers held a “Position of Authority” within the national Gangster Disciples criminal organization, which included overseeing members of the “Enforcement Team.” Enforcement Teams within the Gangster Disciples are directed to discipline gang members for violations of gang rules through physical assault or murder. Co-defendant Green was a member of the Enforcement Team and held the title of “Assistant Chief Enforcer.” Co-defendant Browner was a member of the “Sisters of the Struggle” (SOS), a parallel female component of the Gangster Disciples, and held a leadership position in the gang. Evidence presented at trial proved that on Dec. 10, 2018, Gangster Disciples member Walter Brown was murdered in Athens, Georgia. Chambers and Browner sought retaliation for Brown’s death and believed three unnamed Athens residents were responsible. On Dec. 14, 2018, Browner met Rodriquez Apollo Rucker, of Athens, at a downtown Athens hotel and learned that Rucker was related to one of the individuals she believed killed Brown. Browner sent text messages directing Chambers to travel to the motel, which he did. Chambers then followed Rucker home and shot and killed him. Browner notified an associate of the Gangster Disciples that she and Chambers would be leaving town because the police would be looking for them. Browner was taken into custody in Mt. Enterprise, Texas, on Dec. 15, however Chambers, who had been in the vehicle with Browner, fled from law enforcement. Chambers was suspicious that someone was cooperating with law enforcement and focused his suspicions on Derrick Ruff and Joshua Jackson who were, in fact, not cooperating with law enforcement. Chambers incorrectly concluded that Ruff and Jackson were “snitches” and directed Green, who held a subordinate position on the Enforcement Team, to carry out the murders of Ruff and Jackson. Text messages and intercepted phone calls between Chambers, Green, Carlisle and Guidry revealed that Ruff and Jackson were lured by Green, as directed by Chambers, to drive from Athens to Lawrenceville, Georgia, to break into storage sheds and steal items to send to Chambers as “aid and assistance” as he was hiding out from law enforcement in a Gangster Disciple “safe house” in Killeen, Texas. The ruse worked, and Ruff and Jackson were murdered on Dec. 19 and their bodies concealed in the storage unit until March 17, 2019, when police with the assistance of cadaver sniffing dogs located them. Additional messages between Chambers, Green, Carlisle and Guidry showed that they conspired to dispose of the victims’ bodies, which included potentially burning the bodies or dumping the bodies in a landfill. Law enforcement recovered the bodies and made arrests before these plans could be carried out. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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. The case is being investigated by the FBI Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Gwinnett County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison of the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Kenneth Kaplan, formerly of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, are prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Walker of the Middle District of Georgia.


title: Justice Department’s Investigation into International Commodities Trading Companies’ Foreign Bribery Schemes Results in Six Corporate Resolutions and 20 Individuals Convicted

component: Civil Rights - Criminal Section

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that its long-running investigation into international commodities trading companies that paid bribes to win business with state-owned and state-controlled oil companies in Latin America and Africa has resulted in six corporate resolutions, 20 convictions of individuals, and total fines, forfeitures, and other penalties of more than $1.7 billion. Since 2017, the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Unit, in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the FBI, has been investigating corruption committed by international commodities trading companies, which paid millions of dollars in bribes to corrupt government officials to secure billions of dollars in business with state-owned enterprises. Through this work, the Criminal Division has entered into six corporate resolutions, which have included mandatory cooperation, disclosure, and compliance obligations and resulted in total fines, forfeitures, and other penalties of more than $1.7 billion: In September 2020, Sargeant Marine Inc. , an asphalt company based in Boca Raton, Florida, with an asphalt trading arm, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York to schemes to bribe government officials in Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador; In December 2020, Vitol Inc. , entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in the Eastern District of New York, admitting to schemes to pay bribes to government officials in Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico; In May 2022, Glencore International AG pleaded guilty in the Southern District of New York to a scheme to pay bribes to government officials in seven countries across Africa and Latin America; In December 2023, Freepoint Commodities LLC entered into a DPA in the District of Connecticut and admitted to a scheme to bribe government officials in Brazil; In March, Gunvor S.A. pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York to a scheme to bribe government officials in Ecuador; and Today, Trafigura Beheer B.V. pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida to a scheme to bribe government officials in Brazil. These corporate resolutions are connected to the guilty pleas of 19 culpable individuals, including six government officials, eight corrupt intermediaries, and five trading company employees. In addition, last month, Javier Aguilar , a former trader at Vitol Inc., was convicted on FCPA and money laundering charges following a seven-week trial in the Eastern District of New York. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, thanked the Criminal Division’s partners in these matters, including U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut, and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Argentieri also thanked the Criminal Division’s law enforcement partners, including the FBI’s International Corruption Unit, New York Field Office, Miami Field Office, and Los Angeles Field Office. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa .


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon  While Firing at Officers During a High-Speed Pursuit

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon while firing at officers during a high-speed pursuit. According to court documents, on July 21, 2021, Jerry Shannon McAlister, 47, failed to yield when officers with the Clinton Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle he was driving. This led to a high-speed pursuit into the city of Jackson with McAlister firing shots at an officer during the pursuit. McAlister has previous felony convictions, including a conviction for statutory rape. It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess any firearm. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. The ATF and Clinton Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Broward County, Florida Tax Return Preparer

component: Tax Division

body_text: The Justice Department filed a civil injunction suit today to permanently bar Dexter Bataille and his tax return preparation business, Capital Financial Holdings LLC, from preparing federal income tax returns for others. The United States also seeks an order demanding Bataille disgorge his ill-gotten gains earned by preparing fraudulent tax returns. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleges that Bataille prepared hundreds of federal income tax returns from 2015 through 2023 that intentionally understated customers’ tax liabilities and overstated the refunds to which they were entitled. The complaint describes the various schemes Bataille allegedly used to, among other things, fraudulently increase customers claims for Earned Income Tax Credits and Additional Child Tax Credits by manipulating customers’ taxable income in fabricating household help income, misreporting their filing statuses or claiming false business income and losses. Bataille’s alleged, systematic fraudulent manipulation of customers’ tax liabilities and refund claims has caused a significant loss in federal tax revenue, estimated to be over $1.5 million for tax year 2021 alone. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Attorneys from the Tax Division are handling the case. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer. In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. Bataille Complaint.pdf


title: Former School Bus Driver Sentenced to 9 Years for Cyberstalking a Child

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An Eliot, Maine, man was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for cyberstalking an 8-year-old boy, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Michael Chick, age 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Landya McCafferty to 9 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On February 1, 2024, Chick pled guilty to one count of cyberstalking stemming from his course of conduct targeting an 8-year-old child who was a student on Chick’s school bus route. “Michael Chick’s crimes caused unimaginable pain and fear for the survivor and his family. It is only because of their bravery and diligence that the defendant’s crimes were uncovered,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “While Michael Chick’s incarceration will not erase the trauma he inflicted, it will hopefully provide some measure of justice for the survivor and his family.” “Michael Chick used his access to children as a bus driver to manipulate a child, striking fear across multiple communities he worked. We cannot undo the pain Chick inflicted but we hope the end of this case marks a chance for a new beginning for those he harmed and a time to heal,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. Over the course of several months, Chick told the survivor elaborate lies about a secret organization that would harm the survivor and his family unless the survivor complied with certain demands. Chick harassed and intimidated the survivor, telling him that he would be kidnapped and tortured and his family murdered if he did not do as “the organization” directed. Chick gave the survivor several cell phones, directing the survivor to call Chick on the phones when he was alone. Unbeknownst to the survivor and his family, Chick also followed and photographed them in public, placed GPS tracking devices on their vehicles, made surreptitious recordings of the survivor on the school bus, and went to the family’s home in the middle of the night, even taking photographs of the inside of their home through the windows. Chick used the information he collected to further harass and intimidate the survivor, manipulating the survivor into believing that the organization was watching and following him. Homeland Security Investigations led the federal investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Greenland Police Department, the Eliot, Maine, Police Department, the Old Town, Maine, Police Department, New England State Police Information Network, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Utah Residents Accused of Running a COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme Face Federal Charges

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Three Tooele County residents accused of running a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud ring will appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge today following a federal indictment. The indictment, returned by a grand jury on Feb. 28, 2024, includes charges of wire fraud and aiding and abetting during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to court documents, Halee Ann Mehlbauer, 38, Timothy George Lopez, 62, and Rick A. Bolton, 65, of Tooele, allegedly ran a PPP Loan fraud ring from July 2020 to January 2022. Mehlbauer, Lopez, and Bolton fraudulently applied for at least 10 PPP loan applications and five PPP loan forgiveness applications that attempted to defraud lenders and the Small Business Administration (SBA) of approximately $422,242.50. These were funds Congress allocated for the SBA to provide low-interest loans to eligible small businesses experiencing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When applying for the loans, Mehlbauer, Lopez, and Bolton used fictitious businesses that did not exist before the pandemic hit, and therefore did not qualify for PPP loans. The defendants also exaggerated and fabricated the number of employees, average monthly payroll, and gross income of their fictitious businesses. Mehlbauer, Lopez and Bolton also submitted fake tax forms and payroll tax forms to support their fabricated payroll and gross income. The defendants never filed the fake tax forms they submitted to their lenders with the IRS. Mehlbauer also transferred at least $49,475.02 of PPP loan funds to herself in checks. The defendants spent the rest of the fraudulently obtained PPP loan funds on unauthorized personal expenses, including debt payments, car expenses and gambling. By lying on the PPP loan applications, Mehlbauer, Lopez and Bolton fraudulently obtained at least approximately $195,930.50 in PPP loan funds and obtained forgiveness of at least approximately $155,477.50 of their approved PPP loans, that they were not eligible to receive. Mehlbauer, Lopez and Bolton are charged with seven counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting. Mehlbauer is also charged with money laundering. Their initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 28, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. The Utah Federal COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force is investigating the case, which includes Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of Inspector General’s U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The public is encouraged to share information about the abuse of the Paycheck Protection Program or other SBA programs by submitting a complaint here . On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . 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: Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Firearms Violations

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 111 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon and for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on February 13, 2023, law enforcement responded to a report of a man wearing a mask and waving a handgun in a white Kia with Colorado plates. Upon arrival law enforcement ordered the sole occupant of the car, identified as Tracrill Smith, 26, out of the Kia and placed him in handcuffs. Law enforcement searched the Kia and found a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number and loaded with an extended magazine, 3,340 fentanyl pills and approximately 47.15 grams of fentanyl powder. Because Smith has a previous prior felony conviction, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Smith pleaded guilty on October 19, 2023, to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Senior Judge Michael J. Davis. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Maplewood Police Department, and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.


title: Disturbance Call Results in Fort Dodge Man Pleading Guilty to Federal Firearm and Methamphetamine Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Nicholas Janvrin, 32, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Janvrin pled guilty March 27, 2024, in federal court in Sioux City. Janvrin was previously convicted of burglary, third degree, in the Iowa District Court for Hamilton County, in 2021. This type of conviction prohibits Janvrin from possessing any firearm. At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 1, 2023, law enforcement was called to a local hotel in Webster City regarding a disturbance and observed Janvrin. Janvrin was arrested for outstanding arrest warrants. During a search of the hotel room, law enforcement officers seized a Smith & Wesson .22 revolver and drug paraphernalia from a bag in the room. The Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory matched DNA from a known sample of Janvrin to the handle of the firearm and a toothbrush. Evidence further established Janvrin’s involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from January 2023 through August 2023. Janvrin obtained at least 40 pounds of methamphetamine from a source in Des Moines to distribute in the Fort Dodge area. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Janvrin remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the firearm conviction, Janvrin faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. On the conspiracy conviction, Janvrin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-3026. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Niagara Falls man with prior child sexual abuse conviction going back to prison on new child pornography charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Albert Smith, 40, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and having a prior conviction under the laws of any state relating to sexual abuse involving a minor, was sentenced to serve 188 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the case, stated that in 2003, Smith was convicted in North Tonawanda City Court of Sexual Abuse 2nd: Sexual Contact with Person Less Than 14 Years Old. On October 22, 2021, a search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence, during which investigators seized two cell phones. Investigators also located another electronic device containing child pornography, which Smith had attempted to discard. In total, Smith possessed 314 images and 25 videos of child pornography on the three devices. The images included depictions of prepubescent minors less than 12 years old, and the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Nicholas Ligammari, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. # # # #


title: Waterloo Felon Returned to Federal Prison  for Possessing Firearm

body_text: A Waterloo man who illegally possessed a firearm shortly after his release from federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison. Shaquan Coffer, age 25, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 26, 2023, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Evidence at Coffer’s guilty plea and sentencing hearings established that, in 2018, Coffer was sentenced in federal court to 34 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release after a conviction on one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Coffer has an extensive prior criminal history in state court, including convictions for possessing a firearm by a felon, first-degree harassment, escape from custody, and theft. In early March 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons released Coffer after he completed his federal sentence, and he began his three-year term of supervised release. On April 2, 2023, Cedar Falls Police Department (“CFPD”) officers were dispatched to investigate a domestic assault in a moving vehicle. Coffer’s girlfriend had called 911, because Coffer, the passenger in the vehicle, had kicked and cracked her windshield during an argument in the vehicle. When the CFPD officers attempted to conduct a pat-down search of Coffer, he fled the scene on foot. During a foot chase, Coffer tossed a firearm on the ground in the driveway of a local business. The firearm was stolen and loaded with an extended magazine. Coffer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Coffer was sentenced to a total of 85 months’ imprisonment, 71 months for one count of possessing a firearm as a felon and an additional 14 months for violating the terms of his supervised release. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Coffer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Cedar Falls Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file numbers are 23-CR-2025 and 18-CR-2041. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Four Gun Traffickers Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Traffic Firearms into Brooklyn

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, David Mccann and Calvin Tabron pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York to conspiring to traffic firearms. Mccann also pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Today’s proceedings took place before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II. Co-defendants Raymond Minaya and Tajhai Jones pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic firearms earlier this month. When sentenced, Mccann faces up to 40 years in prison, Minaya faces up to 20 years in prison, and Jones and Tabron each face up to 15 years in prison. The defendants were charged in January 2023 in the first case in New York to publicly charge the gun trafficking provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino, III, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty pleas. “With these guilty pleas, the defendants have admitted to bringing dozens of deadly weapons and dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, to the streets of Brooklyn,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will vigorously use all tools available, such as Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, to ensure that no one is able to illegally feed the cycles of gun violence and drug abuse in our community.” “These pleas resonate public sentiment that gun and drug trafficking will not be tolerated. These deadly weapons have been removed from circulation, saving lives along the way. I commend our law enforcement teams from the DEA Group D-41, NYPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York for their diligent work,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Tarentino. “Today’s guilty pleas underscore the unwavering commitment of our investigators to disrupt the flow of illegal guns and deadly drugs coming into our communities,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I thank our colleagues at the DEA for their partnership, and I commend our NYPD undercover officer for their diligent work, performed under the most dangerous of circumstances. I also applaud everyone at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York for delivering this prosecution to its righteous conclusion.” According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceedings, the gun-trafficking operation involved the sale of at least 50 illegal firearms over multiple transactions in Brooklyn between January 2022 and August 2022. The defendants conducted these firearms sales in broad daylight in a public park, in shopping center parking lots, and in vehicles in and around the New York City Housing Authority’s Breukelen Houses complex, located in Canarsie, Brooklyn, across from a church, and blocks away from a preschool and grade school. Two members of the gun-trafficking operation obtained the firearms in Virginia and then transported them to New York to be sold on the streets of Brooklyn. Some of the firearms the defendants sold had defaced serial numbers or were made from ghost gun kits, making them harder for law enforcement to trace. Two defendants also engaged in significant narcotics trafficking conspiracies, including a fentanyl distribution conspiracy that introduced thousands of lethal doses of fentanyl into the community. Firearms sold in the conspiracy have also been linked to several shootings in Brooklyn. For example, on June 22, 2022, a defendant sold an undercover officer a Glock 30, .45 caliber handgun. The investigation revealed that this gun was used in an August 21, 2021 shooting in Bedford-Stuyvesant during which armed perpetrators shot into a large crowd gathered for a family day celebration. In total, eight individuals were struck by gunfire. Another gun trafficked by a defendant—a Glock 43, 9 millimeter caliber handgun—is linked to a December 18, 2021 shooting of an individual in Canarsie, in the blocks surrounding the Breukelen Houses complex. That individual sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body, including his right hand, shoulder, neck, and the base of his skull. This prosecution is among the first in the country, and the first in New York, to charge the gun trafficking provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress and the President enacted in June 2022. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir, Irisa Chen, and James R. Simmons are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : DAVID MCCANN Age: 29 Brooklyn, New York TAIJHAI JONES Age: 29 Portsmouth, Virginia RAYMOND MINAYA Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York CALVIN TABRON Age: 26 Virginia Beach, Virginia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-8 (WFK)


title: KC Man Sentenced for Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who boasted about having associates selling cocaine in several local bars and nightclubs was sentenced in federal court today for distributing cocaine. Manuel A. Contreras, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 11 years and three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Contreras to forfeit to the government $40,600, which represents the proceeds of his illegal cocaine trafficking. On Oct. 26, 2023, Contreras pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing cocaine. According to his plea agreement, Contreras sold more than a kilogram of cocaine to an FBI confidential source over five separate occasions in 2022, for a total of $40,600. On Oct. 14, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Contreras’s residence. Officers found a loaded SCCY 9mm semi-automatic handgun, 196.7 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $2,526 in cash in his bedroom. According to court documents, Contreras told the confidential source that he had people who sell cocaine for him at several bars and nightclubs in the Kansas City area. Contreras also told the confidential source that he had done business with another defendant who was indicted in a separate and unrelated drug-trafficking case. Contreras said he had taken that person’s BMW i8 for a period of time for a drug debt, only returning the car when he was paid $15,000, and that he had taken guns and drugs from this person because he owed Contreras approximately $28,000. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI.