title: Rapid City Man Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (fentanyl). The sentencing took place on August 10, 2023. Phillip Moore, 33, was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Moore was indicted for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in October of 2021. He pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on May 5, 2023. Beginning in 2021, Moore coordinated with other persons to bring fentanyl in the form of small blue pills from Arizona to South Dakota for distribution. Once the fentanyl arrived in the Rapid City area, Moore worked with others to disperse the fentanyl. On October 15, 2021, a local Rapid City man purchased fentanyl from a batch of fentanyl that had been brought into Rapid City as part of Moore’s conspiracy. The man overdosed and CPR and NARCAN were administered to revive him. This case was investigated by the local Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Nelson prosecuted the case. Moore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Derry Man Indicted in Connection with Importing, Manufacturing, and Distributing Steroids

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Derry man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with importing, manufacturing, and distributing steroids, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Ralph Cardarelli, 44, was indicted with distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and causing a drug to become misbranded after shipment in interstate commerce. Cardarelli was charged by complaint on July 17, 2023. According to the charging documents, during the execution of a search warrant at Cardarelli’s residence on March 23, 2023, federal investigations discovered over 4800 vials and bottles of suspected controlled substances and prescription drugs, including: Nandrolone Phenylpropionate; Trenbolone Acetate; Dromostanolone Propionate; Boldenone Undecylenate; Testosterone Propionate; Trenbolone Enanthate; Nandrolone Decanoate; Testosterone Enanthate; and Testosterone Cypionate. These drugs are commonly known as steroids. Evidence was also discovered through the search warrant that Cardarelli was importing these drugs, manufacturing, and packaging them in his residence, and dispensing the drugs without requiring a prescription. The charge of distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least 2 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000.00. The charge of causing a drug to become misbranded after shipment in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to 1 year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.00. 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. The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Derry Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W.R. Ward is 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: Tucson Firearms Smuggler Sentenced to 60 Months for Conspiring to Smuggle Firearms into Mexico

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2023-125_Coronado, et al.

body_text: Defendant assisted in smuggling almost 50 assault rifles and high-capacity semi-automatic pistols from the United States into Mexico TUCSON, Ariz. – Victor Coronado, Jr., 40, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Coronado pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States. Coronado was the leader of a conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States into Mexico between October 2019 and July 2020. Coronado and his co-conspirators purchased firearms, made false statements to firearms dealers in the acquisition of firearms, provided funds to others for the purchase of firearms, and assisted in smuggling 49 assault rifles and high-capacity semi-automatic pistols into Mexico. The firearms that Coronado conspired to smuggle are prohibited from being exported from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Coronado, nor any of his co-conspirators, had a valid license or any other lawful authority to export the firearms into Mexico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, assisted by Homeland Security Investigations and United States Customs and Border Protection, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-02081-RM-MSA RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-125_Coronado, et al. # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Weapons Offense

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUSTIN HENRY , age 41, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on August 17, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 100 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. 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. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crimes Unit handled the prosecution.


title: Cape Coral Caretakers Sentenced To Federal Prison For Stealing More Than Half A Million Dollars From Elderly Victim

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Diane Durbon (58, Cape Coral) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Durbon’s daughter and co-defendant, Brittany Lukasik, was sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return. The court also ordered Durbon and Lukasik to forfeit their Cape Coral residence, two vehicles, and approximately $542,760.23, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Durbon and Lukasik had pleaded guilty on March 7, 2023. According to court documents, in 2016, Durbon and Lukasik, a registered nurse, were hired as caretakers for T.H., the 92-year-old victim. In October 2017, Durbon began unlawfully accessing T.H.’s investment accounts. To unlawfully gain access to the investment accounts, Durbon placed T.H. on the phone to answer various account security questions. Video surveillance cameras that Durbon had installed inside T.H.’s home captured Durbon putting a script that contained answers to these security questions in front of T.H. before and during each phone call. After being given authorization to speak to an account representative on T.H.’s behalf, Durbon then moved funds from T.H.’s investment accounts into a Prime Money Market Account (PMMA) that also functioned as a checking account. After transferring the funds, checks were unlawfully issued to Lukasik, ranging in amounts from $1,000 to $9,600, which were deposited into bank accounts that Lukasik controlled and maintained. Between November 2017 and July 2019, approximately $231,659 in checks were issued to Lukasik from T.H.’s PMMA account. Also, beginning in approximately November 2018, Durbon unlawfully gained access to T.H.’s annuity policy, similarly to how she had unlawfully gained access to T.H.’s investment accounts. In January 2019, Durbon faxed a fraudulent Annuity Withdrawal form which misrepresented that T.H. wanted to cash out T.H.’s annuity policy. This caused the annuity to issue a check to T.H. in the amount of $244,521.09. The check was deposited into one of T.H.’s checking accounts. After the check was deposited, approximately 92 checks, totaling $372,092.98, were issued to Lukasik from T.H.’s checking account between February 2019 and March 2020. The checks were deposited into bank accounts that Lukasik controlled and maintained. Moreover, Lukasik failed to report receipt of any of T.H.’s monies in her 2019 tax return. In total, between January 2019 and March 2020, approximately $542,700 in fraudulently obtained funds were deposited into Lukasik’s accounts. After the funds were deposited, Lukasik and Durbon used the funds to pay off debt and make a variety of purchases including paying $26,354.05 for a vehicle, $17,735.17 to pay off a car loan, more than $29,000 to pay student loan debt, and more than $100,000 in credit card payments. Lukasik and Durbon also used the funds to purchase a duplex in Cape Coral, and more than $100,000 of the fraudulently obtained proceeds were used to buy electronics, furniture, and to remodel the duplex. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Lee County Sherriff’s Office, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage .


title: Mandeville Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOHN SUTTON (“SUTTON”) , a resident of Mandeville, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court on August 17, 2023 before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 in connection with a scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. SUTTON’s co-conspirators, James Thomas Sinyard, Jr., a/k/a Jay Sinyard, and Mary Gigi Sinyard, a/k/a Gigi Sinyard, were charged by bill of information on February 14, 2023. On May 18, 2023, Jay and Gigi Sinyard pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. ( EDLA Case No. 23-30 “G” ). Co-conspirator Marc Quiroz was charged by bill of information on April 11, 2023. On August 17, 2023, Quiroz pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. ( EDLA Case No. 23-60 “G” ). According to the Bill of Information, SUTTON submitted fraudulent affidavits for home aid services provided when he knew that those services were not actually provided. As part of the scheme to defraud, beginning in or around April 2013 and continuing until July 2018, SUTTON did knowingly devise and intend to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (Veterans Affairs) and to obtain money and property by submitting false affidavits and applications to Veterans Affairs on behalf of veterans and their spouses, claiming that VetAttend had provided home services to the veterans, when in fact, it had not. During the scheme to defraud, Veterans Affairs issued funds to over 300 veterans and/or their surviving spouses from which SUTTON fraudulently appropriated, without the knowledge of the veterans, totaling approximately $4,065,969.18. SUTTON faces a possible maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The Court set sentencing of JOHN SUTTON for November 9, 2023. The U.S. Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh, of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Fort Myers Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Unlawfully Possessing Firearm As A Convicted Felon

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced James Blanks (27, Fort Myers) to 12 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, to be served consecutively to a 4-year state prison sentence he is currently serving. The court also ordered Blanks to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Blanks had pleaded guilty on May 4, 2023. According to court records, on the night of October 30, 2020, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Blanks. Blanks initially stopped his vehicle on a grassy shoulder but as officers began to exit their vehicle, Blanks sped away from them. As Blanks continued fleeing from law enforcement, he rear-ended another vehicle and lost control of his own vehicle, ultimately crashing it into a concrete utility pole off the roadway. Officers arriving at the scene detained Blanks and located a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol protruding from under the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Blanks was previously convicted on state charges of aggravated fleeing to elude law enforcement. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. He will begin serving his federal sentence upon release from state prison. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. 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: Baltimore Man Facing Federal Indictment for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor to Produce Child Pornography and for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Christopher Kenji Bendann, age 39 of Baltimore, with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and with possession of child pornography. The indictment was returned on August 16, 2023, and unsealed today upon Bendann’s arrest. The defendant had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brendan Hurson ordered that Bendann be detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday, August 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The detention hearing will be held in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson. The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron: Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger. According to the six-count indictment, between September 16, 2017, and February 9, 2019, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct so that a visual depiction of that conduct could be produced and transmitted. Further, the indictment alleges that Bendann possessed child sexual abuse material between September 1, 2017, and January 23, 2023. If convicted, Bendann faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore County Police Department and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Essex County Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Minor and Transportation to Engage in Prostitution Offenses

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was arraigned today on charges of sex trafficking and prostitution-related offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Amin Sharif, 48, of Newark, is charged in a five-count indictment with one count of attempted transportation of a victim with intent to engage in prostitution, one count of sex trafficking of a minor, one count of use of an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity, one count of transporting a victim with intent to engage in prostitution, and one count of persuading a victim to travel to engage in prostitution. Sharif was previously charged by criminal complaint in January 2022 on charges of sex trafficking and is detained. He was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court and entered a plea of not guilty. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Since January 2021, law enforcement has been investigating Sharif for transporting and attempting to transport women and minors from various states to New Jersey and elsewhere for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts and other illicit conduct. Sharif used several social media platforms and profiles to recruit women and minors to engage in sex acts for money. He advertised women and at least one underage girl online for commercial sex acts. The indictment charges Sharif with conduct related to four different victims. The sex trafficking of a minor charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The transporting victim with intent to engage in prostitution charges each carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and the persuading a victim to travel to engage in prostitution charge carries a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison. The use of an interstate facility to promote unlawful activity charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Each count also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Criminal Division in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. sharif.indictment.pdf


title: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced To 15 Years For Possessing Firearms And Ammunition

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Samuel Robert Bruner (47, North Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Bruner to forfeit the firearms and ammunition, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Bruner had pleaded guilty on May 30, 2023. According to court documents, on December 1, 2021, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office found Bruner in possession of two revolvers, a shotgun, and assorted ammunition in a vehicle he was operating. At the time, Bruner had prior felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Bruner has at least three prior felony convictions that qualify under federal law as either a “violent felony” or a “serious drug offense” subjecting him to enhanced punishment as an Armed Career Criminal. This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark R. Morgan. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make out neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Jacksonville Fugitive Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Counterfeit Government Check

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Verdell Terria Jones (58, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possession of a fictitious government document involving a counterfeit government check. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims that she defrauded. Her sentencing hearing is set for November 1, 2023. Jones was arrested on April 11, 2017. After being released on pre-trial supervision, Jones fled the jurisdiction in August 2017 and a warrant was issued for her arrest. Jones remained a fugitive for more than five years until the FBI located and arrested her in April 2023. According to the plea agreement and court proceedings, Jones was involved with the Sovereign Citizen Movement and did not recognize the authority of the U.S. government. As part of a scheme to defraud, Jones obtained counterfeit checks made to look like genuine checks issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Superimposed on the counterfeit checks was language such as “an obligation of the United States,” “statutory legal tender obligation of the United States,” and an image of the Statue of Liberty that appeared to be identical to the image contained on genuine government financial documents issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury. In 2015, Jones contacted an individual in Jacksonville who was selling a car. Jones agreed to purchase the car by paying off the balance on the car loan. Jones sent the financial institution a counterfeit check for $25,000 that appeared to be drawn on the U.S. Department of Treasury in an attempt to defraud both the financial institution and the individual selling the car. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Frein and Michael Coolican.


title: Management Company For 48 Skilled Nursing Facilities Agrees to Settle Americans with Disabilities Act Complaint

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Consulate Management Company, III, LLC (CMC), which manages 48 skilled nursing facilities. The settlement agreement resolves allegations that a nursing facility managed by CMC had denied admission to an individual who is deaf because she would need sign language interpreting services. The ADA prohibits covered entities from excluding individuals with disabilities from their services because they require auxiliary aids or services, such as a sign language interpreter. The remedial terms of the settlement agreement apply to each of the nursing facilities managed by CMC. To resolve this complaint, CMC agreed to pay $40,000 to the individual that was denied admission and a $50,000 civil penalty. CMC also agreed to make significant changes to the policies and procedures at the nursing facilities it manages. CMC will adopt new ADA policies at all 48 of the nursing facilities it manages. These policies will make the nursing facilities’ services accessible to individuals with communication disabilities, including those who require the services of a sign language interpreter. CMC will also designate an ADA Administrator, who will be responsible for ensuring each facility’s compliance with the ADA; enter into agreements with sign language interpreting service providers to provide services to individuals who need them; and provide training for its personnel on the ADA’s effective communication requirements. Nursing facilities are an essential component of the healthcare system, as they provide sub-acute healthcare services, including post-hospitalization and long-term care. This settlement agreement ensures that several thousand additional nursing facility beds are accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Gordon, who is the Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The civil claims settled by this ADA agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability. This office recently circulated a Dear Colleagues Letter reminding healthcare providers of the ADA’s effective communication requirements, identifying common issues that arise in these cases, and providing practical steps that healthcare providers can take to comply with the ADA. Additionally, the Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, including Effective Communication , and a Business Brief on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings . For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit http://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae . of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia .


title: Previously Deported Alien Sentenced To 10 Years For Illegal Re-Entry Into The United States

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Israel Perez-Santiago (41, Mexico) to 10 years in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States without authorization by federal immigration officials. Perez-Santiago had previously been deported from the United States 11 times and convicted of the crime of illegal re-entry on 4 occasions. Perez-Santiago also has multiple prior convictions for other crimes ranging from trespass to battery on a law enforcement officer. The federal prosecution commenced after immigration officials located Perez-Santiago in connection with a theft offense being investigated by local authorities in Fort Myers. This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.


title: Wesley Chapel Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Exploiting And Producing Sexual Abuse Material Depicting Children

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Clayton Everett Colborn (31, Wesley Chapel) to life in federal prison for enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity, using minors to produce child sexual abuse images and videos, and possessing child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Colborn to forfeit a cellphone, which was used in the commission of the offense. Colborn had pleaded guilty in March 2023. According to court documents, between 2018 and 2020, Colborn used a social networking application to find minors for the purpose of engaging in sex acts. Colborn, who was between the ages of 27 and 28 at the time of his offenses, created a fictitious profile named “Jason Rich” and indicated that he was 16 years old. The social networking application is designed to help people make friendships and has two distinct age groups based on a user’s profile: 1) ages 13 to 17 years old, and 2) 18 years and older. Using the fictitious profile, Colborn met the victims in group one–ages 13 to 17 years old. He told the victims he was 16 years old and enticed them into engaging in sexual intercourse with him at various locations throughout the Middle District of Florida, including in his car, his apartment, and victims’ residences. In one instance, the Ocoee Police Department caught Colborn in a public park in the middle of the night with a child victim. Colborn’s pants were unzipped at the time officers chased and apprehended him in the park. Law enforcement officers obtained DNA evidence, which showed that Colborn had engaged in sexual activity with the child victim. To date, the FBI has identified and interviewed eight child victims who all resided within the Middle District of Florida. Colborn victimized each child victim in a similar manner. During the investigation, the FBI obtained a federal search warrant for Colborn’s iCloud account and found approximately 30 videos and 81 images that Colborn had produced of himself sexually abusing young girls between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Tampa and Jacksonville Divisions), the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Ocoee Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa Spergel. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Greenacres Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Paying for Child Pornography through Online App

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Yesterday, Andre Tookes, Jr., of Greenacres, Florida, was sentenced to 97 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for purchasing child pornography through a social networking application (an “online app”). According to court records, beginning in April 2022, Andre Tookes, Jr. communicated with an unknown person in South Africa through a social networking application. Tookes, Jr. purchased dozens of child pornography videos from the South African for $70 on each of nine separate occasions. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Tookes, Jr.’s residence and were able to uncover the communications on his seized phone. Tookes, Jr. pled guilty to receipt of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe of the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury, HSI Miami, announced the sentence imposed. HSI West Palm Beach investigated the case as part of a larger investigation into similar purchasers of child pornography. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the Project Safe Childhood initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. 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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-80087. ###


title: Pharmacy Operations Manager Admits Role in Multimillion-Dollar Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – The former operations manager of a Union City, New Jersey, pharmacy today admitted his role in multimillion-dollar conspiracies to defraud health care insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, and to pay kickbacks and bribes to health care professionals, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Ruben Sevumyants, 40, of Marlboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to two counts of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiring to commit health care fraud and conspiring to violate the federal anti-kickback statute. “This defendant admitted taking part in a scheme to steal millions of dollars from the health care system. From bribing doctors to billing for medication refills that were never provided, this conspiracy gamed the system, and Sevumyants profited along the way. He will now face the appropriate punishment for his crimes. Our office will always be on the lookout for those who try to turn our health insurance system into an ATM.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger "It can be hard to see why investigations like this matter to the general public going about their lives. However, healthcare professionals and pharmacies are meant to keep us healthy, not inflict harm. As healthcare recipients, we all end up footing the bills for fraudsters because our premiums increase to cover the cost of their crimes. We can't do it alone. We're asking anyone who is a victim of this type of fraud or sees it happening, to call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI and report it." “New Jersey residents need to be able to trust their doctors and pharmacists are acting in the best interest of their overall health,” Tammy Tomlins, Special Agent in Charge, IRS - Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, said. “By paying bribes to doctors to induce them to steer prescriptions to Prime Aid, Sevumyants helped to illegally enrich himself and others at Prime and this type of illegal activity erodes away at the trust we place in our medical professionals.” “Pharmacy employees who submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid and bribe medical providers to induce prescriptions put health care benefits for older people and vulnerable populations at risk,” Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), said. “HHS-OIG will continue to hold accountable individuals who exploit federal health care programs for their own greed.” Charges against two conspirators – Samuel “Sam” Khaimov and Yana Shtindler, both of Glen Head, New York – remain pending. Sevumyants’s other conspirators in the kickback scheme are Igor Fleyshmakher, of Holmdel, New Jersey and Alex Fleyshmakher of Morganville, New Jersey. Alex Fleyshmakher previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing; Igor Fleyshmakher previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced in November 2021 to 41 months in prison. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The Prime Aid Pharmacies – now closed – operated as “specialty pharmacies” in Union City, New Jersey, and Bronx, New York, processing expensive medications used to treat various conditions, including Hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Sevumyants was Prime Aid Union City’s operations manager. Khaimov was a co-owner of Prime Aid Union City and the lead pharmacist of Prime Aid Bronx. Khaimov’s wife, Shtindler, was Prime Aid Union City’s administrator. Alex Fleyshmakher worked at Prime Aid Union City and was an on-paper owner of Prime Aid Bronx. His father, Igor Fleyshmakher, was a co-owner of Prime Aid Union City. Initially, the Prime Aid Pharmacies obtained retail network agreements with several pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which allowed them to receive reimbursement payments to prescription medications, including specialty medications. PBMs acted as intermediaries on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid, and private healthcare insurance providers, so that when a pharmacy received a prescription, the pharmacy then submitted a claim for reimbursement to the PBM that represented the beneficiary’s drug plan. Starting in 2009, to obtain a higher volume of prescriptions, Khaimov, Sevumyants, Alex Fleyshmakher, and other Prime Aid employees paid bribes to doctors and doctors’ employees to induce doctors’ offices to steer prescriptions to the Prime Aid Pharmacies. The bribes included expensive meals and payments by cash, check, and wire transfers. Another method of bribery also involved paying an employee to work inside a doctor’s office. Prime Aid Union City – at the direction of Sevumyants, Shtindler, and Khaimov – also engaged in the pervasive fraudulent practice of billing health insurance providers for medications that were never provided to patients. While Prime Aid generally provided medications for initial prescriptions it received, it systematically billed for refills for those same medications without ever dispensing them to patients. From 2013 through 2017, Prime Aid Union City received tens of millions of dollars in reimbursement payments from Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers for medications that Prime Aid Union City not only failed to give patients, but never ordered or had in stock at the pharmacy. PBMs conducted routine audits of Prime Aid Union City and discovered its practice of billing but not dispensing medications. In response to these audits, Shtindler instructed Prime Aid employees to falsify records submitted to the PBMs. Sevumyants, with Shtindler’s knowledge and approval, forged shipping records of a private commercial shipping company to make it appear as if medications were shipped to the patients when they were not. The conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and the conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 20, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tomlins in Newark; special agents of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz; the N.J. Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, Medicaid Fraud Unit, under the direction of Interim Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Al Garcia, and the N.J. Office of the State Comptroller, under the direction of Acting Comptroller Kevin Walsh, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua L. Haber, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit and Aaron L. Webman of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark. The charges against and allegations in the information pertaining to Khaimov and Shtindler are merely accusations, and those two defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. sevumyants.sindictment.pdf


title: Final Defendant in Red Lake Arson Case Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS– A Red Lake woman has been sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for her role in an arson conspiracy on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Dalene Roberta Fajardo, 35, Corey Leigh Stately, 40, and Lori Anna Sayers, 33, conspired and knowingly agreed to commit arson to maliciously damage and destroy personal and real property by means of fire or explosive materials. On April 30, 2021, Fajardo and her co-defendants made Molotov cocktail devices, traveled to a location on the Red Lake Reservation, and threw the Molotov cocktails at a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. As a result, the vehicle was destroyed and a nearby residence partially burned. The residence’s occupants, including children, were all forced to evacuate. Fajardo pleaded guilty on March 7, 2023, to one count of aiding and abetting arson. She was sentenced on August 14, 2023, in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schlitz. Stately and Sayers were previously sentenced to five and three months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the arson. This case is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Red Lake Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Gilead and Laura M. Provinzino.


title: Former Commonwealth’s Attorney  Indicted on Bribery and Public Corruption Charges

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky.— The former Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorney for Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, and Rowan Counties, Ronnie Goldy, 51, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on six counts of honest services wire fraud, six counts of using an interstate communication to commit bribery, and two counts of federal program bribery. The indictment alleges that between November 2017 and November 2020, Goldy defrauded the Commonwealth of Kentucky by using his position as Commonwealth’s Attorney to help a criminal defendant in exchange for bribes. Specifically, the indictment charges that Goldy solicited and accepted sexual favors and sexually explicit images from this individual; and in return, he made decisions in criminal cases that benefitted this defendant and pressured other officials to do the same. The indictment lists examples of actions Goldy agreed to perform for this defendant, including seeking their release from incarceration, asking for the withdrawal of arrest warrants, requesting the postponement of a court hearing, and asking another prosecutor to sign an order directing the release of the defendant’s impounded property. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, announced the indictment. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by FBI. The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Boone. Goldy will appear for his initial appearance on Monday at 4 p.m. For the six counts of honest services wire fraud, Goldy faces a maximum of 20 years in prison; for the six counts of electronic communication bribery, he faces a maximum of five years in prison; and for the two counts of federal program bribery, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes. Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. — END —


title: Former Nurse Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography and Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Douglas Kelley, 67, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court on August 17, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography and Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud. At the plea hearing, Kelley admitted that he knowingly possessed child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Kelley further admitted he was previously convicted of offenses relating to the possession of child pornography in Buena Vista County, Iowa, in 1993. In a plea agreement, Kelley admitted that he knowingly distributed fentanyl, and conspired to distribute amphetamine as well as conspired to obtain and acquire fentanyl by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge. Kelley was a nurse at MercyOne Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa, and used his position to obtain fentanyl and other controlled substances to illegally distribute to others. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Kelley was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. On the Possession of Child Pornography count, Kelley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of no more than 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. For the Conspiracy to Acquire Controlled Substances by Fraud count, Kelley faces not more than 4 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine and up to 1 year of supervised release. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig Hamit and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Inspections & Appeals, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Sioux City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-4022. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Spencer Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to  Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Leighton Marshal Jones, 41, from Spencer, Iowa, plead guilty in federal court on August 18, 2023, to Possession of Child Pornography. At the plea hearing, Jones, admitted that he knowingly possessed and attempted to possess child pornography, including a depiction involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Jones was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Jones faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig Hamit and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-04015. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Vivian Man Receives Lengthy Federal Prison Sentence for Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing a Vivian man today for illegal possession of narcotics. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote sentenced Michael Duncan , 46, to 262 months (21 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. On August 10, 2022, law enforcement officers with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed search warrants on two residences in Vivian, both of which were rented by Duncan. The search warrants had been obtained after law enforcement agents received direct evidence that Duncan had supplied methamphetamine that was sold undercover on three occasions in July and August 2022. Agents had been able to seize the methamphetamine which had been supplied by Duncan and then sold, and sent it to the crime lab for analysis. The crime lab confirmed that the substance was in fact methamphetamine. During the execution of the search warrants at Duncan’s two residences, agents located a large amount of methamphetamine inside the oven in one house. In the second residence, they seized a backpack from the master bedroom which contained suspected powder cocaine, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine tablets. Agents also seized over $5,000 in U.S. Currency. The suspected narcotics were all sent to the crime lab for analysis and confirmed to be authentic. Duncan pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on November 4, 2022. The case was investigated by the DEA and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan. # # #


title: Russell Springs Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — Austin Lee Gladd, 26, of Russell Springs, Ky., was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, after previously pleading guilty to production of child pornography. According to Gladd’s guilty plea agreement, he admitted to using social media to entice a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct; to traveling to Danville, Ky., where the victim was located, to engage in sexual intercourse with the minor victim; and to capturing multiple videos of the sexual encounter with his smartphone. Gladd pleaded guilty in April 2023. Under federal law, Gladd must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, Gladd will be required to register as a sex offender and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Tony Gray of the Danville Police Department jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Danville Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Melton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . – END –


title: Former Baltimore County Police Officer Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Firearms Training Certifications

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced William R. Johnson, Jr., age 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday to 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for a federal charge of honest services wire fraud, for seeking and accepting bribes and kickbacks, totaling at least $16,804, to falsely certify that applicants for Maryland handgun qualifying licenses (HQL) and wear and carry permits (CCW) had completed the required training. Judge Bennett also ordered that Johnson must pay a money judgment of at least $16,804, representing the proceeds he obtained from the scheme. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department. As detailed in court documents, Johnson joined the Baltimore County Police Department and later obtained a qualified handgun instructor certificate from the Maryland State Police. According to his guilty plea, from May 2019 through September 2021, Johnson solicited and accepted bribes and kickbacks from applicants seeking certain licenses in exchange for Johnson falsely certifying to the Maryland State Police that the applicant had completed the training required by law. In conversations with the applicants, Johnson made clear that once they paid the money, Johnson would send them the required documentation and they did not need to attend the required classes. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore, and the Maryland State Police for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Goo, who prosecuted the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Court Finds that Texas Law Requiring the Rejection of Mail Ballots and Applications Violates the Civil Rights Act

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled yesterday that portions of Texas Senate Bill 1, adopted in September 2021, violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The court found that parts of S.B. 1 require officials to reject mail-in ballot applications and mail-in ballots based on errors or omissions that are not material in determining whether voters are qualified under Texas law to vote or cast a mail ballot. “The District Court’s decision affirms what the Justice Department has argued for nearly two years: these provisions of Texas Senate Bill 1 unlawfully restrict the ability of eligible Texas voters to vote by mail and to have that vote counted,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to defend against unlawful efforts that undermine the right to vote and restrict participation in our democracy.” “In requiring rejection of mail ballots and mail ballot applications from eligible voters based on minor paperwork errors or omissions, Texas Senate Bill 1 violates the Civil Rights Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This ruling sends a clear message that states may not impose unlawful and unnecessary requirements that disenfranchise eligible voters seeking to participate in our democracy. The Justice Department will continue to use every available tool to protect all Americans’ right to vote and to ensure that their voices are heard.” “The right to vote is one of the fundamental rights in our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This important ruling protects the rights of eligible Texas voters to cast a vote and have it counted consistent with federal law.” The court issued a preliminary ruling yesterday in favor of the United States’ motion for summary judgment, which asserts that two provisions of S.B. 1 violate Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act by requiring rejection of mail ballots and mail ballot request forms because of paperwork errors that are not material to establishing a voter’s eligibility to cast a ballot. The first provision requires that early voting clerks “shall reject” mail ballot applications that do not include a Texas driver’s license or ID number that identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.” The second provision provides that a mail ballot “may be accepted only if” the ID numbers on the carrier envelope or signature sheet identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.” Section 5.07 requires that early voting clerks “shall reject” mail ballot applications that do not include a Department of Public Safety (DPS) number or the last four digits of a Social Security Number (SSN) that identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.” Section 5.13 provides that a mail ballot “may be accepted only if” the DPS number or last four digits of an SSN on the carrier envelope or signature sheet identifies “the same voter identified on the applicant’s application for voter registration.” The United States presented evidence to the court that S.B. 1 has resulted in Texas election officials rejecting tens of thousands of mail ballot applications and mail ballots cast in elections since the bill was enacted in 2021. The Department asserts that these rejections violate federal law, denying Texas voters the statutory right to vote protected by Section 101. Yesterday’s preliminary ruling from the court grants the Justice Department’s motion for summary judgment, which the Department filed in May 2023, in its entirety. The decision addresses the Justice Department’s sole pending claim in La Unión del Pueblo Entero v. Abbott , No. 5:21-cv-844 (WDTX), a case in which the United States and several private parties are challenging various aspects of S.B. 1. The court noted that the ruling will be followed in the coming weeks by a final written opinion and order. A group of private plaintiffs will be going to trial on the remaining claims in the case, which have not yet been resolved. That trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 11. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling (800) 253-3931. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect the voting rights of all Americans is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section .


title: Dealer Of Fentanyl-Laced Heroin That Resulted In The Overdose Death Of Actor Michael K. Williams Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that IRVIN CARTAGENA, a/k/a “Green Eyes,” was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogue. As part of the conspiracy, CARTAGENA distributed the fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the death of Michael K. Williams. CARTAGENA pled guilty on April 5, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On September 5, 2021, Irvin Cartagena sold Michael K. Williams a fatal dose of heroin laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Michael K. Williams tragically lost his life after using the drugs sold to him by Cartagena. Although their product had already claimed one life, Cartagena and his co-conspirators continued to sell potentially lethal fentanyl-laced heroin. This Office will tenaciously continue our enforcement efforts against unscrupulous drug dealers who distribute poison and exacerbate the scourge of the fentanyl epidemic.” According to the allegations in the complaints, court filings, and statements made in Court: Between at least in or about August 2020 and February 2022, a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) was operating in the vicinity of 224 South 3 rd Street in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The DTO sold heroin laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue on the street in front of, and from an apartment inside of, the apartment building located at 224 South 3 rd Street, among other places. On or about September 5, 2021, in connection with the DTO’s drug sales, CARTAGENA sold Michael K. Williams heroin, which was laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Williams died as a result of using that fentanyl-laced heroin. Despite knowing that Williams died after being sold the DTO’s product, CARTAGENA and his co-conspirators continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight amidst residential apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan. CARTAGENA fled to Puerto Rico after Williams’ death, where he was ultimately arrested in February 2022. * * * In addition to his prison term, CARTAGENA, 40, of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Intelligence Analysts. Mr. Williams also thanked the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force New York Strike Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance in this case. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah Fergenson and David Robles are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Twelve People Indicted in Fentanyl Trafficking Ring

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned three related indictments charging a total of 12 people following a large scale law enforcement investigation into an alleged drug trafficking ring. In the first indictment, Rafael Turner, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, and formerly of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of attempted distribution of fentanyl, two counts of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and four counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The grand jury also indicted Rafael Turner on 24 counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, one count of maintaining a drug premises, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents, and six counts of money laundering. Andrea Bohanon, 33, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of maintaining a drug premises, and six counts of money laundering, Antwain Gails, 33, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, nine counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents. Antonio Turner, 55, of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and nine counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking, Wayne Turner, 30, of Wichita is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. As part of a second indictment, William Parks, 27, of Salina was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and three counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking. Santino Dupree, 29, of Wichita was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, and three counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking. Tehran Wilson, 30, of Wichita was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking. Justice Johnson, 27, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. In a third indictment, a federal grand jury charged Kayla Dean, 21, of Southfield, Michigan, Isaiah Gails, 34, of Wichita, and Marquez Gails, 42, of Wichita on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to identification documents. Dean was also indicted on six counts of money laundering, and Isaiah Gails was also indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deb Barnett and Ola Odeyemi are prosecuting the case. OCDETF This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 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: Tulsa Man Sentenced for Robbery and Kidnapping in Indian Country

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Muscogee Nation citizen from Tulsa was sentenced to 15 years in prison for robbery in Indian Country and kidnapping in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Chief Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Andrew Michael Crowels, 27, to 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Heil further ordered Crowels to pay $819.92 in restitution. “Andrew Crowels and his co-defendant, kidnapped the victim at gunpoint, robbed him, and then drove him to his place of employment and forced him to empty the safe,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Now, thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners, Crowels and his co-defendant have both been sentenced.” In his plea on May 11, 2022, Crowels admitted that he, along with others, robbed and kidnapped the victim by force, threatened him with a firearm, and stole items including a car, firearm, phone, debit card, cash, and clothing. Crowels further admitted that they took the victim, at gun point, to several ATMs attempting to get cash from the debit card. When that failed, the victim was taken to a Mazzio’s where he was a manager and forced to get cash out of the safe. Katie Dawn Bowdler, a co-defendant in this case pleaded guilty to robbery in Indian Country April 1, 2022. She has been sentenced to five years and three months in a federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $819.92. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi prosecuted the case.


title: Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Against a Child

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Myron Benally, 38, of Shiprock, and a registered member of the Navajo Nation, pled guilty in federal court to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Benally will remain in custody pending sentencing which has not been scheduled. According to court documents, on June 27, 2019, Benally assaulted a 13-month-old infant in his care, causing serious bodily injury including a broken arm. At sentencing, Benally faces up to 10 years in prison followed by a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years and restitution. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Mark Probasco is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-188


title: Woman Indicted for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on Menominee Indian Reservation

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 15, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging a woman with an armed assault on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The indictment named Justine V. Peters, (age 34) who most recently lived in Neopit, which is a community in the Menominee Indian Reservation. The indictment charges Peters with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 113(a)(3) and 1153(a). If convicted of this offense, Peters faces a maximum of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She also faces up to three years of supervised release and payment of a special assessment. According to filed court documents, on or about December 20, 2022, Peters assaulted a man with a knife while at a residence, resulting in lacerations to the man’s head and neck. The Menominee Tribal Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute. An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Man and Woman Indicted for Child Neglect and Drug Offenses on Menominee Indian Reservation

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 15, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging a man and woman with child neglect and controlled substance offenses on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The indictment named Louis J. Chevalier (age: 32) and Michelle E. Grignon (age: 35) who both lived in a residence in the Legend Lake area of the Menominee Indian Reservation. The indictment charged Chevalier and Grignon with the following counts: COUNT CHARGE PENALTY One Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1) Up to 20 years in prison; up to a $500,000 fine; up to 3 years on supervised release; and a mandatory $100 special assessment Two Child Neglect – Drug Endangerment 18 U.S.C. §§ 1153(a) and (2)(a); Wis. Stat. § 948.21(2)(g) and (3)(e)(1) Up to 18 months in prison; up to a $100,000 fine; up to 1 year on supervised release; and a mandatory $100 special assessment Three Child Neglect – Bodily Harm as a Consequence 18 U.S.C. §§ 1153(a) and (2)(a); Wis. Stat. § 948.21(2)(a) and (3)(d) Up to 3 years in prison; up to a $100,000 fine; up to 1 year on supervised release; and a mandatory $100 special assessment According to filed court documents, on or about March 31, 2023, officers with the Menominee Tribal Police Department and Menominee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant based on drug activity at the Chevalier-Grignon residence. Officers discovered a 3-year-old child who was exposed to controlled substances and suffered from medical neglect caused by Grignon and Chevalier’s failure to take action to provide necessary care to the child. The Menominee Tribal Police Department, Menominee County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center in Green Bay. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute the case. An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Activity in the United States Attorney's Office

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

body_text: Firearm Offenses Joshua Charles Crook , age 34, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 40 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal imposed the sentence which includes three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. According to court documents, on December 17, 2022, the defendant was located at the Rodeway Inn Motel in Casper. He is a previous felon and had multiple warrants for his arrest, so he was immediately taken into custody. Officers were given consent to search the room and located drugs and a firearm. Crook admitted the firearm was his and pled guilty to the charge. This crime was investigated by the Casper Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case. George Dean Jackson , age 26, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced on August 14, 2023, to 44 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence which includes three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. According to court documents, on December 20, 2022, the defendant, a known felon, fled from law enforcement. Upon apprehension and inventory of the vehicle he was driving, a short-barreled shotgun was located. Jackson pled guilty to the charges of the indictment. This crime was investigated by the Casper Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Coppom prosecuted the case. Chaney Yates Jones , age 39, of Glenrock, Wyoming, was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 57 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence which includes five years of supervised release and a $200 special assessment. According to court documents, on May 12, 2022, Jones was arrested by Converse County Sheriff’s deputies. The defendant was found in possession of approximately 26 grams of fentanyl, nearly 32 grams of methamphetamine, over $2,000 in US currency, and a loaded shotgun. This crime was investigated by the Converse County Sheriff’s Department and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Child Pornography Brian Joseph Nielsen , age 38, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 148 months’ imprisonment for possession of child pornography, second or subsequent conviction. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence which includes 15 years of supervised release following Nielsen’s prison term. According to court documents, Nielson was indicted in July 2010 and pleaded guilty to interstate shipment of child pornography. He was sentenced to 135 months in prison based on special concerns that Nielson was a danger to children. Nielson began his lifetime supervised release in December 2019. On February 24, 2023, Nielson’s probation officer found him in possession of two unauthorized cell phones. Nielson admitted to knowingly possessing approximately 2,000 images of child pornography on one of the cell phones. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne Martens.


title: Lab Owner Sentenced for $463M Genetic Testing Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Georgia man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting over $463 million in genetic and other laboratory tests that patients did not need, and that were procured through the payment of kickbacks and bribes. According to court documents, Minal Patel, 44, of Atlanta, owned LabSolutions LLC (LabSolutions), a lab enrolled with Medicare that performed sophisticated genetic tests. Patel conspired with patient brokers, telemedicine companies, and call centers to target Medicare beneficiaries with telemarketing calls falsely stating that Medicare covered expensive cancer genetic tests. After the Medicare beneficiaries agreed to take a test, Patel paid kickbacks and bribes to patient brokers to obtain signed doctors’ orders authorizing the tests from telemedicine companies. To conceal the kickbacks and bribes, Patel required patient brokers to sign sham contracts that falsely stated that the brokers were performing legitimate advertising services for LabSolutions, when, as Patel well knew, the brokers were deceptively marketing to Medicare beneficiaries and paying kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies for genetic testing prescriptions. “In one of the largest genetic testing fraud cases ever tried to verdict, today’s sentence makes clear that the Department will seek justice for those who put profits above patient care, including owners and executives,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The sentence also demonstrates the Criminal Division’s ongoing commitment to fighting telemedicine and genetic testing fraud that exploits patients and drains health care benefit programs.” Patel knew the telemedicine doctors robo-signed prescriptions for expensive genetic testing even though they were not treating the beneficiaries, often did not even speak with them, and made no evaluation of medical necessity. From July 2016 through August 2019, LabSolutions submitted more than $463 million in claims to Medicare, including for thousands of medically unnecessary genetic tests, of which Medicare paid over $187 million. In that timeframe, Patel personally received over $21 million from Medicare in connection with the fraud. “Deception, kickbacks, and bribes have no place in the provision of legitimate genetic testing and telemedicine services to patients who need them,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Patel bilked hundreds of millions of dollars from Medicare through a complex testing fraud scheme. He is now paying the price for this crime. The FBI commends the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) for their close partnership and diligence working this joint investigation. Our message to those who commit Medicare fraud and steal from U.S. taxpayers is clear: you will be caught and you will be held accountable.” “This outcome sends a strong message that HHS-OIG will not tolerate those who exploit Medicare patients and who pay kickbacks to providers to prescribe medically unnecessary genetic tests, all for illegitimate financial gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Julie Rivera of the HHS-OIG. “Our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Medicare program remains unwavering.” The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jamie de Boer, Emily Gurskis, Reginald Cuyler Jr., Katherine Rookard, and Patrick Queenan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture proceedings. An asset forfeiture hearing is scheduled for Aug. 25. The case was brought as part of Operation Double Helix, a federal law enforcement action led by the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, focused on fraudulent genetic cancer testing that has resulted in charges against dozens of defendants associated with telemedicine companies and cancer genetic testing laboratories for their alleged participation in one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged.


title: Local Man Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $500,000 in COVID-19 Relief Funds

body_text: MIAMI – A federal grand jury charged Emmanuel Bully, Jr., 44, of Miami-Dade County, Florida, with wire fraud. Per the indictment, Bully fraudulently obtained more than $500,000 in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans. These loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to the indictment, between April 29, 2020, through approximately September 27, 2021, Bully submitted six PPP and EIDL loan applications on behalf of himself—as a sole proprietor—and each of his purported four companies: MB Tax Consultants LLC, MB Tax Services LLC, MB Tax Services Consultants, and Emmanuel B. In each PPP and EIDL loan application, Bully falsely stated the corporation’s average monthly payroll or gross revenues. These false and fraudulent applications ultimately led to Bully receiving over $500,000 in PPP and EIDL loan funds. Contrary to the purported purpose for the loans, Bully spent the EIDL and PPP loan proceeds for his personal use and benefit, not for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, or utilities. During Bully’s initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman, the prosecutor alleged Bully was interviewed earlier this month by FBI special agents regarding the alleged fraud. The FBI arrested Bully as he attempted to leave the country on an international flight on August 16, 2023. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FBI, West Palm Beach Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Shaw is prosecuting it. An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here . 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 . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-CR-80141. ###


title: Ohkay Owingeh Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Assault and Federal Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jerry Segura, Jr. was sentenced to 87 months in prison. Segura, 34, of Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of such crime in Indian Country on May 8, 2023. According to court documents, on March 13, 2022, Segura, Jr. drunkenly drove with his father to his girlfriend’s mother’s home on the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh to, in his words, kill himself in front of her. Instead, Segura, Jr. fired about 10 gunshots from a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun at his girlfriend’s mother’s home, including about six shots directly at his girlfriend’s pregnant daughter and her young son. Defendant then sped away from the scene with the help of his father. At the time, Segura Jr. was on state-level supervised probation. Upon his release from prison, Segura Jr. will be subject to five years of supervised release. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-189


title: San Diego Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 18, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Pedro Escamilla Del Rosario of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 360 months in prison for sexually abusing a drugged eight-year-old girl while another person recorded the assault. The defendant pleaded guilty on March 27, 2023, to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. According to the publicly filed documents in the case, in March 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the user of a Google, LLC account who had been uploading digital files of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. From March 2022 through June 2022, HSI agents received 41 separate reports regarding the Google account, and it involved approximately 6,700 digital files. Based on this information, HSI obtained a search warrant for the Google account and discovered thousands of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This account belonged to Del Rosario. Among the visual depictions located in Del Rosario’s account, HSI agents discovered two videos which were produced in March 2018, one of which forms the basis of this federal conviction. Del Rosario was subsequently arrested and confessed to his involvement in the creation of the videos, including sexually molesting the minor-victim when he knew she had been over-medicated. Del Rosario also admitted to possessing the other visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At today’s sentencing hearing, after the court heard statements by the minor-victim and the minor-victim’s foster parent, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Sherwood argued for a substantial custodial sentence because the crimes committed by Del Rosario had caused irreparable harm to the minor-victim and had been perpetrated and recorded purely for Del Rosario’s sexual gratification. In imposing the 360-month sentence, U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson explained that the “statutory maximum for the offense of conviction, is necessary and sufficient, but not greater than necessary” to accomplish the sentencing objectives, including the need to protect the community from future crimes by Del Rosario. “This defendant’s heinous actions have caused irreparable harm to the victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “The children in our community are often the most vulnerable members of our society. There are few crimes that are more vicious and outrageous than crimes involving their sexual exploitation.” Haden thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case. “The sexual abuse and exploitation of children victims rob their emotional and psychological development aside from stealing their innocence,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “The defendants’ deviant and perverse behavior will not be tolerated by HSI. This kind of abuse strikes at the very foundation of our society and we all must come together to combat this unspeakable crime that plagues the public welfare; our children deserve better.” DEFENDANTS Case Number 22cr2752-TWR Pedro Escamilla Del Rosario Age: 44 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2251(a) and (e) Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine; mandatory minimum 15 years in prison AGENCY Homeland Security Investigations


title: Nye County Captain Indicted For Federal Violations

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Captain David E. Boruchowitz (42), a deputy Sheriff with the Nye County Sheriff’s Office, appeared in federal court today following his arrest on federal wire fraud, perjury and civil rights violations, arising from the February 2019 false arrest of the former CEO of Valley Electric Association (VEA), a Pahrump-based utility cooperative. United States Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler arraigned Boruchowitz on the charges contained in a federal indictment and set the date for trial to begin on October 16, 2023, before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. According to the indictment, Boruchowitz falsely arrested the former CEO without probable cause on charges that she embezzled services from VEA. The indictment further alleges that the false arrest was part of a larger scheme to defraud the former CEO of her job by falsely alleging in various court documents that the CEO embezzled services from the VEA. According to the indictment, Boruchowitz made false statements and omitted material facts in order to obtain the court documents under false pretenses as part of a broader plan to get the CEO fired from her job at VEA. The indictment alleges that Boruchowitz committed federal wire fraud when he caused press releases to be issued from the Nye County Sheriff’s Office that falsely alleged that the investigation and arrest of the CEO was the result of court authorized process when, in truth and in fact, he obtained the process under false and fraudulent pretenses and without probable cause. Lastly, the indictment charges that Boruchowitz perjured himself when he falsely testified during a federal civil deposition about his knowledge and level of involvement in the circumstances surrounding the arrest. A conviction on the civil rights charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year. The wire fraud and perjury violations each carry a 20-year and five-year term of imprisonment, respectively, for each count. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Myhre and Bianca Pucci are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: United States Attorney’s Office and The Asian American Foundation Host Oakland Roundtable Discussion Addressing Fighting Hate

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND- On August 17, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California (USAO), in conjunction with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), hosted a roundtable to discuss how federal law enforcement may support local communities in addressing hate crimes and similar incidents. The roundtable was the third in a series held in furtherance of the Department of Justice’s nationwide United Against Hate initiative, and the first to be held in Oakland. The roundtable took place at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center and was supported by the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey attended the forum along with several attorneys from the USAO. Also in attendance were numerous representatives from various government agencies—including supervisory agents from the FBI, representatives of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, and Oakland City Council District 7 Councilmember Treva Reid—and leaders from approximately thirty community-based organizations, including Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, Anti-Defamation League, NAACP, National Federation of Filipino American Associations, and SALT SF. Prior to the community discussion, U.S. Attorney Ramsey gave introductory remarks. Benjamin Kingsley, Chief of the Oakland Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, gave an overview of federal hate crimes enforcement. Sai Mohan, Deputy Chief of the Civil Division’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section, then gave an overview of civil remedies for federal civil rights violations. Several community leaders said that Oakland was in crisis and expressed that hate crime, in particular, caused enduring pain. Leaders spoke about crime including violent attacks on AAPI elders, the lack of material support for Samoan and Tongan communities, and increased threats against houses of worship. Community leaders stated that solidarity between communities against hate crime was critical. They also emphasized that cooperation between government agencies and community-based organization, and more resources, were necessary to devise and implement effective solutions that provide meaningful consequences for offenders, and tackle roots causes of crime. Community leaders welcomed the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s participation in addressing these difficult problems and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for bringing community groups together to discuss these issues. U.S. Attorney Ramsey expressed the importance of the dialogue and his hope for the future. “I am looking forward to continuing this dialogue and finding ways to prevent—and fight against—crimes that originate in hate,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey. “I cannot emphasize enough the importance to my office of bringing the entire community together to address this issue; only with all of us at the table will we find the collective strength and wisdom to find the best solutions.” If you believe yourself to be a victim or witness of a federal hate crime, please report it at 1-800-CALL-FBI or fbi.gov. To report a civil rights violation, please visit civilrights.justice.gov.