title: Washington woman pleads guilty to using fake documentation to obtain over a hundred Virginia driver’s licenses

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington woman pled guilty today to aiding and abetting the unlawful production of identification documents after charging people hundreds of dollars to help them fraudulently obtain Virginia driver’s licenses. According to court documents, from at least May 2022 through Aug. 21, 2023, Ashya Janai Harley, 30, charged people for her services to help them obtain Virginia driver’s licenses for which they did not qualify. Harley used falsified documents to fraudulently obtain her own Virginia commercial driver’s license, which she used to gain employment as a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) bus driver. Harley was employed as a WMATA bus driver in training from July 22, 2022, through Oct. 18, 2022, when WMATA terminated Harley during the training phase of her employment for reasons unrelated to her license. Two other people Harley assisted in fraudulently obtaining Virginia commercial driver’s licenses were employed as WMATA drivers. While not altering identities, Harley would electronically alter driving transcripts and proof of residency documents required by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue driver’s licenses. Harley often reused many of the same documents, usually her own bank or AT&T statements, when altering proof of residency documents. Harley used the same AT&T statement for more than 54 fraudulent license applications. She also reused her own driver’s transcripts many times. Harley used her mother’s address in Alexandria on more than 67 proof of residency documents that she used to fraudulently assist others in obtaining the Virginia licenses. A Virginia DMV customer service agent noticed the repetition, alerting DMV Law Enforcement. DMV’s Law Enforcement Division began an investigation that ultimately led to Harley’s arrest. Harley advertised her services for obtaining licenses on her Instagram accounts and buyers were also referred to Harley by her friends, family, and prior customers. Harley charged most buyers approximately $300 for securing driver’s licenses and $450 for commercial driver’s licenses. Overall, Harley aided and abetted in the acquisition of at least 124 Virginia driver’s licenses, 30 of which were commercial driver’s licenses, for individuals who were not qualified to receive them. Virginia DMV immediately cancelled all 124 licenses. Harley is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew Stohler, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office; Gerald F. Lackey, Virginia DMV Commissioner; and Joseph Hill, Chief of DMV’s Law Enforcement Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and Katherine Rumbaugh are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-104.


title: Texas Man Charged with Federal Hate Crime for Making Threats against Employees of Sikh Organization

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Texas man has been charged with a federal hate crime and for making interstate threats against the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization. Bhushan Athale, 48, of Dallas, was charged by complaint with one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person. According to the criminal complaint: On Sept. 17, 2022, Athale called the main number of an organization that advocates for the civil rights of Sikh individuals within the United States. Over the next hour, Athale left seven voicemails expressing extreme hatred toward Sikh individuals working at this same organization and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor. Athale’s voicemails, which were filled with violent imagery and obscenity, contained references to places, people and tenets that are particularly significant within the Sikh religion. Among other things, Athale stated his intention to “catch” the Sikhs at Organization 1, forcibly “shave” the “top and bottom hair” of these individuals, use a “razor” to forcibly “cut” these individuals’ hair and “make” them bald, forcibly “make” them smoke and eat tobacco and “show [them] the heaven.” In March, Athale again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemails. In these voicemails, Athale again used violent imagery to express his hatred toward Sikhs as well as Muslims, suggesting, among other things, that the Indian Government and Mumbai Police should “catch them and beat their ass” and “f*ck these rascals’ mothers.” The investigation reflects that Athale has a long history of making religious-based comments and threats, such as when he previously used a professional networking site to express to a former co-worker that he “hate[d] Pakistan” and “hate[d] Muslims,” and he told the co-worker “I hate you, I just don’t know how to kill your whole family including you? Tell me??? I will figure it out […] Probably I will hire a Jew, they will be most happy.” Athale faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the interfering with federally protected activities charge and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the transmitting an interstate threat charge. Both charges also carry a penalty of up to a $250,000 fine. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Philadelphia Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Jason M. Richardson for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. athale.complaint.pdf


title: U.S. Attorneys to Host Financial Crimes Conference

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - Financial professionals throughout West Virginia will gather next week to learn about the latest trends in economic crimes and how to prevent them from occurring. United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld of the Northern District and United States Attorney Will Thompson of the Southern District will host the Mountain State Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering Conference on Tuesday, June 11. Federal prosecutors and agents will make presentations during the day-long event about romance schemes, elder financial abuse, and how drug traffickers and human traffickers launder money. “Criminals use our nation’s financial systems to move the money generated by their illegal acts,” said United States Attorney Ihlenfeld. “This conference will provide those on the frontlines with the information needed to identify suspicious activity and with guidance on how to respond.” “West Virginia has one of the nation’s oldest populations per capita and we tend to be trusting and take others at their word. That makes the state a target-rich environment for financial scams,” said United States Attorney Thompson. “This is an excellent opportunity to educate financial professionals so they can recognize fraudulent schemes and financial abuse and help us prevent this form of harm to West Virginians.” The conference will take place at WesBanco Bank in Wheeling, City National Bank in Charleston, and virtually on WebEx. It is open to all employees of financial institutions subject to the Bank Secrecy Act, including banks, credit unions, casinos, securities dealers, and money service businesses. Registration is required and may be completed by emailing jeana.gattesco@usdoj.gov on or before June 7.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Agreement With Rutherford County Restaurant To Ensure Parking Accessibility to Disabled Customers

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that federal prosecutors have reached an agreement with the owners of the Carolina Cafe in Forest City, N.C. The agreement requires the owners of the Carolina Cafe to make reasonable modifications to its parking lot to create accessible parking spaces for customers with disabilities. The Justice Department is responsible for enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and implementing its regulations. The ADA prohibits the failure to make reasonable modifications where those modifications are necessary to make services available to individuals with disabilities. Under the ADA and its regulations, businesses are required to remove barriers for individuals with disabilities by creating designated accessible parking spaces. The U.S. Attorney’s Office initiated an investigation following a complaint filed with the Justice Department, claiming that Carolina Cafe violated the ADA by failing to provide clearly marked and designated accessible parking for individuals with disabilities. The ADA requires that state or local governments, businesses, or non-profit organizations that provide parking lots or garages, must provide accessible parking spaces for disabled individuals. Accessible parking spaces are different than traditional parking spaces. They have specific features that make it easier for people with disabilities to access programs, goods, or services. As such, accessible parking spaces must be located on the shortest accessible route to the accessible entrance; must be marked to discourage other drivers from parking in them; and must adhere to the ADA guidelines in terms of the number of spaces, dimensions, and presence of an access aisle. A full list of requirements is available in the 2010 ADA Standards of Accessible Design . Upon learning of the complaint, the owners of Carolina Cafe cooperated with the investigation and agreed to remedy the violation and immediately began to work on creating the accessible parking spaces. “Ensuring the ADA’s enforcement and safeguarding civil rights within this District is a paramount commitment of my Office,” said U.S. Attorney King, who also leads the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Civil Rights. “Individuals with disabilities have a right to unhindered access to businesses, free from barriers such as inadequate parking or navigating through congested areas. I want to thank the concerned customer for bringing this matter to our attention, and I'm pleased that Carolina Cafe has agreed to the terms and has taken immediate action to ensure that individuals with disabilities will be fully accommodated in accordance with federal law moving forward.” This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Janice Powers and Investigator Neil Power of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. AUSA Powers also serves as the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil-Civil Rights Coordinator. Individuals who believe they have been victims of discrimination may file an ADA complaint online at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/ . Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov , or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).


title: Newport News man with multiple prior felony convictions sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on June 8, 2022, Newport News Police (NNPD) were searching for Larry Donnell Jones, 45, who was wanted on several outstanding arrest warrants, including for firearms-related offenses. Officers observed Jones leaving a residence in a vehicle. NNPD stopped the vehicle, and Jones attempted to flee on foot. Officers quickly caught and arrested Jones. NNPD officers then lawfully searched the residence and recovered a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition, which belonged to Jones. Jones had been convicted previously for multiple felony offenses, including drug distribution, possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance. As a previously convicted felon, Jones cannot possess firearms or ammunition. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-44.


title: Man Charged For Carrying Loaded Ghost Gun, Cocaine, And Scale On Bronx Subway Platform

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the filing of a Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging JERMAINE GREENE with firearms and narcotics offenses in connection with a March 28, 2024, incident at the New York City subway station located on Fordham Road and Jerome Avenue in the Bronx (the “Fordham Road Station”). GREENE was arrested today and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Jermaine Greene brought a loaded gun, a drug stash, and tools of the drug trade into the New York City subway system. I am grateful to the NYPD for its efforts to bring to justice those who endanger their follow passengers and abuse public transportation.” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “Policing methods that focus on relatively minor offenses — in this case, fare evasion — often lead police officers to larger alleged crimes that are putting unsuspecting New Yorkers in danger. The NYPD refuses to turn a blind eye to criminal recidivists who allegedly continue to act with impunity and vows to keep addressing crime and disorder in every form. I commend the police officers who made this arrest and thank everyone at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for their continued partnership in our public safety mission.” According to the allegations in the Complaint: [1] On or about March 28, 2024, at approximately 5:37 p.m., NYPD officers observed GREENE entering the Fordham Road Station without paying a fare and walking upstairs to the southbound subway platform. The officers arrested GREENE after determining that he was the subject of open arrest warrants. NYPD officers searched GREENE incident to arrest and recovered a privately assembled 9 mm “ghost” gun loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition. A photograph of the firearm and ammunition is below: After transporting GREENE to NYPD Transit District 11 for processing, NYPD officers conducted an inventory search of GREENE. From inside a bookbag worn by GREENE underneath his jacket, the officers recovered a plastic bag containing approximately 50 grams of cocaine, a scale, and several empty plastic bags. The officers also found a small plastic bag of cocaine in GREENE’s pants pocket. A photograph of the scale and bags of cocaine is below: GREENE was not permitted to possess ammunition because of prior felony convictions, including a Delaware conviction for second degree murder, for which GREENE was under court supervision at the time of these offenses. * * * GREENE, 42, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of possessing ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of distribution of narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the NYPD in connection with this investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Ross is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Macon Resident Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice in Civil Investigation

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: MACON, Ga. – The owner of Middle Georgia Family Rehab has admitted in federal court to ordering two employees to illegally alter documents during a federal civil investigation into alleged improper healthcare billing by the business. Brenda Hicks , 58, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on June 5. Hicks faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and $250,000 fine. In addition, the plea agreement stipulates that Hicks will pay restitution to TRICARE, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicaid and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5. There is no parole in the federal system. “Anyone who attempts to alter or destroy documents requested as part of a federal investigation will face federal penalties for breaking the law,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “For the sake of justice and truth, it is imperative that the integrity of the investigation is maintained for the benefit of all parties.” According to court documents, Middle Georgia Family Rehab, LLC (MGFR)—an outpatient rehabilitation facility owned by Hicks with locations in Byron and Macon—was served with a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) requesting various patient records on Oct. 7, 2019. After its receipt, Hicks set up a meeting about the CID with two MGFR employees. Hicks told them it was an “audit” and explained that MGFR did not have the records that were requested. She then instructed them to go into the system and pull any portions of the requested files, looking for hard copies of the records in MGFR’s storage unit if needed. Many of the requested records were either blank or missing. Hicks explained that if the records were not there or had not been signed, the employees were supposed to create or sign the records. For example, if the records were missing progress notes, Hicks instructed the employees to make them up by copying and pasting the narrative language from other progress notes to fill in the missing information. These narrative sections were supposed to contain unique information from each session, such as the patient’s pain level and what exercises were performed at the visit. One employee expressed concern to the other employee that what they were doing was illegal and quit. The other employee complied with Hicks’ instructions and added notes and signatures to patient records as needed. These doctored patient records were then produced to the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Dec. 2, 2019, in response to the CID. Hicks now admits that she conspired to corruptly alter patient records with the intent to impair the integrity of those records and their availability for use in a civil action. For more information about the civil action, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/judge-orders-middle-georgia-family-rehab-pay-96-million-damages-submitting-hundreds . The case was investigated by the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DOD-DCIS); the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); and the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG); with substantial assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government, with previous assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Dietrick.


title: Michigan Business Owner Sentenced for Tax Evasion and Obstructing the IRS

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, businessman was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for evading his income taxes, failing to file an income tax return and obstructing an IRS audit. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ryan Richmond owned and operated Relief Choices LLC, a marijuana dispensary in Warren, Michigan. From 2011 through at least 2014, Richmond directed Relief Choices to pay its operating expenses extensively in cash and route customer credit card payments through an unrelated third-party bank account to conceal its true business gross receipts. On his personal 2012 through 2014 tax returns, Richmond did not report Relief Choices as a business he owned and did not report its gross receipts. In addition, Richmond failed to file any tax return for tax year 2014, despite Relief Choices earning more than $1.8 million in gross receipts that year. In 2015 and 2016, Richmond also obstructed the IRS by misleading an IRS auditor examining his individual income taxes about his knowledge of, role in and profits derived from Relief Choices. In total, Richmond caused a loss to the IRS of $1,088,151. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker for the Eastern District of Michigan sentenced Richmond to one year of supervised release and ordered him to pay $2,777,684 in restitution to the IRS. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and Christopher P. O’Donnell of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: New York Man Charged with Smuggling Protected Turtles

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: A federal grand jury charged a New York man today in a three-count indictment alleging he illegally shipped eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles, both protected wildlife species, from the United States to China for the global pet trade black market. Russell Milis, 26, of Brooklyn, is charged with two counts of smuggling goods from the United States and one count of violating the Lacey Act. The indictment alleges that, between November 2019 and November 2020, Milis exported turtles without obtaining the necessary license or declaring the wildlife to customs officials as required by the Endangered Species Act. Both species of turtles are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become threatened with extinction. The United States and China are parties to this agreement. The indictment alleges that Milis shipped the turtles to Asia without the mandatory CITES permits. The indictment also charged Milis with shipping the turtles in packages that were falsely labeled as to their contents in violation of the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking statute and prohibits, among other things, shipping wildlife, fish or plants in interstate or international commerce without accurate information as to the contents. The eastern box turtle ( Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies of the common box turtle and is native to forested regions of the eastern United States with some isolated populations in the Midwest. The three-toed box turtle ( Terrapene triunguis) is also a subspecies of the common box turtle and is native to woodlands and grasslands in the central and southern United States. Turtles with colorful markings are especially prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, particularly in China and Hong Kong, where they can sell for several thousand dollars. If convicted, Milis faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each smuggling count and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the Lacey Act violation. A court could also order a fine of up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the defendant’s financial gain from the criminal activity charged in each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement. The USFWS investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Elise Kent Bernanke of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Benefits Fraud

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. —Michael Eugene Bowers, 51, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to fraud related to COVID benefits. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Bowers electronically submitted an Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) application through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and received $480,900 on Dec. 20, 2021. That money was wired into a bank account that he had control of. Bowers then used the funds for personal expenses, such as purchasing a Suzuki motorcycle and paying off his BMW automobile. Bowers faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States Senior District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Bowers after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by using the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF)’s Web Complaint Form. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Fairfax County deputy pleads guilty to conspiring with inmate to traffic drugs in jail

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputy pled guilty today to providing drugs and other contraband to an inmate at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (Fairfax ADC) in exchange for bribe payments. According to court documents, from May 2021 to June 21, 2023, Robert Theodore Sanford Jr., 37, was a correctional officer at Fairfax ADC, which holds detainees arrested by FCSO, the Fairfax County Police Department, and federal agencies. From Dec. 2022 through May 2023, Sanford smuggled contraband into Fairfax ADC and provided the contraband and confidential, law-enforcement-sensitive information to an inmate. The contraband included a cell phone and distribution quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and Suboxone. Sanford also supplied latex gloves and glue to the inmate to help conceal the contraband. The inmate then trafficked the drugs to other inmates. Sanford provided the inmate with information such as advance warning of cell searches by deputies, cell blocks to which deputies were proceeding in those searches, whether deputies would be conducting strip searches, and where drug-sniffing dogs were being utilized. Sanford also provided the inmate with information regarding other inmates, including which inmates might be providing information to law enforcement, which assisted Sanford’s co-conspirator in intimidating potential witnesses. Outside Fairfax ADC, Sanford procured drugs from the inmate’s associates. In addition to the drugs Sanford smuggled into Fairfax ADC, Sanford distributed drugs to women who lived in and prostituted themselves out of an apartment that Sanford leased. On May 4, 2023, FCSO deputies at Fairfax ADC conducted a strip search of Sanford’s co-conspirator, and in the inmate’s long underwear deputies found a cellphone, two charging cables, one portable cellular phone charger, one USB charging brick, 92 counterfeit oxycodone pills, 174 strips of Suboxone, and over three grams of cocaine. The following day, Sanford was informed of the seizure during roll call. Sanford removed his cash tag name and personal email address from the CashApp account he used to receive bribe payments for smuggling contraband into Fairfax ADC. He also stopped sending messages and making calls to the inmate and other conspirators and deleted related messages. Within two weeks of FCSO discovering the contraband, Sanford began the process of resigning from his job, telling FCSO that childcare challenges were the reason for his resignation. Sanford will remain detained until sentencing, which is scheduled for Sept. 18. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of two counts of conviction. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Stacey A. Kincaid, Fairfax County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-110.


title: Meridian Man Sentenced for Destruction of an Energy Facility After Shooting at Two Idaho Power Hydroelectric Power Plants

body_text: BOISE – Randy Scott Vail, 59, of Meridian, was sentenced to five years of probation for destruction of an energy facility, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, on June 8, 2023, and continuing into June 9, 2023, Vail shot at the Hells Canyon Dam hydroelectric power station and the Brownlee Dam hydroelectric power station causing power loss and substantial damage to both. The Hells Canyon Dam and the Brownlee Dam are located on the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border and were built and are operated by Idaho Power Company. The dams are essential to electricity production, transmission, and storage in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. Specifically, in the late-night hours of June 8, 2023, Vail arrived on the top of Hells Canyon Dam via motorcycle, loaded a rifle with ammunition and discharged the rifle, shooting at the power substations. As a result, power loss occurred at Hells Canyon Dam. Approximately one hour later, on June 9, 2023, Vail arrived via motorcycle to the Brownlee Dam. Vail again loaded a rifle with ammunition and shot at the dam’s power substations. As a result, large plumes of sparks were visible in the switch yard of the power plant. Approximately 45 minutes after Vail shot the Brownlee Dam power substations, a sheriff’s deputy encountered Vail on a motorcycle on Highway 71 traveling south towards Cambridge, Idaho. Law enforcement initiated emergency lights and sirens, but Vail failed to yield and increased speed. After approximately three miles, Vail yielded to lights and sirens, and he was taken into custody. During a search and inventory of Vail and the motorcycle, law enforcement located bolt cutters, a guitar case housing two rifles, and live and spent ammunition. Vail also was carrying two yellow compressed air tanks with gasoline with the pressure gauge missing. In calls to family members while incarcerated, Vail repeatedly stated that the government is “illegitimate” and that he did not recognize the authority of judges, sheriffs, the Governor, or the federal government. In Vail’s own words, he wanted to “make a statement” and stated that “we need a revolution or a civil war.” Based on the investigation, it appears that Vail developed his anti-government ideology, at least in part, after watching and reading online propaganda that discusses anti-government conspiracy theories. “The defendant’s conduct put at risk our power supply and all aspects of our lives that depend on it,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “The defendant was motivated by anti-law enforcement and anti-government sentiment. Now to be clear: he was prosecuted for his illegal conduct, not his beliefs. Yet, this case shows that our way of life is threatened when people begin to believe that ideology can somehow justify violence. It never does. I am grateful for our local law enforcement partners and the FBI for their work on this case and to Idaho Power for its cooperation. We will continue to work to protect Idaho’s critical infrastructure and to hold wrongdoers accountable.” “The citizens of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington rely on this infrastructure, and the damage potentially could have been catastrophic,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners will work diligently to identify, arrest, and hold accountable those who use violence to further ideology.” Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Vail to pay restitution to Idaho Power in the amount of $546,982.46 with the potential for an additional amount to be determined by the Court at a later time. Vail pleaded guilty to the charge on March 7, 2024. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended a host of federal, state, and local partners in both Idaho and Oregon, for their combined efforts on this case. The partners include the FBI, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Adams County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Meridian Police Department, the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Boise Police Department, and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office and Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather S. Patricco and Erin C. Blackadar prosecuted the case, in collaboration with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. ###


title: Former Utah Movie Producer Found Guilty of Tax Crimes

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Utah man yesterday of tax evasion and forcibly retaking property that had been seized by the government to pay his outstanding tax debt. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Paul Kenneth Cromar owned a home in Cedar Hills, Utah, and operated Blue Moon Productions LLC, a freelance film and media production company. From 1999 through 2005, Cromar did not file any federal income tax returns or pay any tax. In 2007, the IRS conducted an audit and assessed him with $703,266.96 in taxes, interest and penalties. After Cromar failed to make any payments towards his outstanding debt, the government filed a civil suit in federal court to foreclose on his home to satisfy his outstanding tax debt. After several court proceedings in which Cromar participated, a federal judge ordered that his home be sold at auction and the proceeds used to pay off some of the taxes he owed. Cromar then attempted to stop the sale by filing bogus documents on the property’s title and with the IRS, intimidating potential purchasers or investors for the home and harassing IRS personnel by filing frivolous lawsuits against them personally. Shortly before the court-ordered sale closed, Cromar forcibly broke into the home and attempted to reclaim it. With the help of others, he occupied the home unlawfully for five months, fortifying it with weapons, sandbags and wooden boards tactically placed throughout the house. Through his criminal conduct, Cromar caused a total tax loss to the IRS of $1,174,201.91. The jury convicted Cromar of one count of tax evasion and one count of forcibly rescuing seized property. He was acquitted of attempting to interfere with the administration of internal revenue laws. Cromar is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion and two years in prison for forcibly retaking seized property. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah and Acting Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement. IRS-CI and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case. The FBI assisted in locating and apprehending Cromar who had been a fugitive from justice in a related Utah state court criminal matter since August 2022. Trial Attorneys Meredith Havekost and Patrick Burns of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Woolf for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Woman Guilty of Making False Statements on Individual Tax Return

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on June 5, 2024 ANGELA SHELTON (“SHELTON”) , age 57, of New Orleans, pled guilty to making false statements on an individual tax return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1). According to court documents, SHELTON owned and operated “Big Easy Accommodations, LLC,” a vacation rental and property management company in New Orleans. Between 2017 and 2019, SHELTON under-reported her income on her individual tax returns from Big Easy Accommodations, by approximately $879,020. This underreporting caused a loss of approximately $294,690.00 to the Internal Revenue Service. Consequently, SHELTON faces a maximum sentence of three (3) years of imprisonment, up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. SHELTON also agreed to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $294,690.00. Chief United States District Court Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown set sentencing in this matter for September 26, 2024. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the work of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations on this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Gang Leader and Two Gang Members Sentenced to Life in Prison

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The leader and two members of a violent criminal gang in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) were sentenced yesterday to life in prison for their roles in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO). According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, Paul Girard, also known as Bogus, 36, of St. Croix, USVI, was the leader of the gang. In that role, Girard ordered shootings against rival gang members, as well as individuals he believed had stolen from or otherwise disrespected the gang. Girard planned several armed robberies that his crew executed, including those at several jewelry stores located in St. Thomas. Most of the criminal activity was orchestrated by Girard from prison, where he was serving sentences for multiple prior criminal convictions. Tyler Eugene, also known as Lucc, 26, of St. Croix, committed acts of violence on behalf of the gang and at Girard’s direction, including murdering a rival gang member outside a convenience store. Kareem Harry, also known as Crumbull, 36, also of St. Croix, participated in the murder of a victim who was believed to have stolen money from the Girard gang and separately set up the shooting death of a rival gang member outside of the victim’s child’s daycare. Six additional defendants, all of St. Croix except for Wayne Bellille, who is of St. Thomas, USVI, have already pleaded guilty to various racketeering charges and have been sentenced. Below is each defendant’s sentence for the following convictions: Defendant In-Custody Sentence Conviction Paul Girard Life, plus 47 years RICO conspiracy; VICAR murder; VICAR kidnapping; VICAR attempted murder; use of firearm to cause death during a crime of violence; Hobbs Act Robbery Tyler Eugene Life, plus 30 years RICO conspiracy; VICAR murder; VICAR attempted murder; use of firearm to cause death during a crime of violence Kareem Harry Life, plus 20 years RICO conspiracy, VICAR murder; VICAR kidnapping; use of firearm to cause death during a crime of violence Shaquielle Correa 17 years, six months RICO conspiracy James Cruz 12 years RICO conspiracy Shermyra Gumbs Eight years, four months RICO conspiracy Wahilli James Six years RICO conspiracy Wayne Bellille Four years, nine months RICO conspiracy Etherneal Simon Two years, 10 months RICO conspiracy and money laundering Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith for the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office’s St. Thomas and St. Croix Resident Agencies and Virgin Islands Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Edwards, formerly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands, prosecuted the case.


title: Ketchikan man sentenced to 13 years and 4 months for running child pornography distribution group chat

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: JUNEAU, Alaska – A Ketchikan man was sentenced today to 13 years and 4 months in prison for distributing child pornography through a group messaging platform. According to court documents, Walter William Onstad, 46, was an administrator of a messaging group known as “Anything Goes.” The chat was used exclusively to exchange child pornography, with some of the visuals depicting the sexual abuse of pre-pubescent minors. Court documents say investigators with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip in April 2022 that an individual, later identified as Onstad, sent at least 12 images and videos of child pornography to another user through the messaging platform. An investigation revealed that Onstad solicited images depicting child sexual abuse from those wanting to enter the “Anything Goes” group chat. The defendant would personally verify the images, upload the images to the group chat and grant access to people who provided them. As the investigation continued, the defendants cell phone was taken by law enforcement and over 300 images and 40 videos of child sexual abuse were in his possession on the phone. The defendant admitted to being responsible for the possession and distribution of over 600 images. Some of the images he possessed and distributed included the sexual abuse of minors as young as infants and toddlers. “Mr. Onstad contributed to the victimization of children by running a child sexual abuse material distribution chat and was responsible for sharing hundreds of images of innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “We will continue to work with law enforcement to relentlessly pursue, arrest and prosecute individuals who traffic images of child sexual abuse and hold them responsible for the incalculable damage they’ve caused.” “Innocent children are revictimized each time CSAM is distributed,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “As an administrator of a CSAM distribution operation, Walter Onstad fueled a market that preys on our most vulnerable. No matter how they commit their crimes, those who sexually exploit children will be pursued and held accountable by the FBI and law enforcement partners, for justice and the safety of our children.” The Juneau Resident Agency of the FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Ketchikan Police Department and North Carolina’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Senior Promoter In Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JUAN TACURI, a senior promoter in the cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme known as Forcount (and later known as Weltsys), pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. The Forcount scheme spanned the globe and, in the U.S., principally targeted Spanish-speaking populations. TACURI was one of the scheme’s most successful promoters and reaped millions of dollars from his participation in the fraud. TACURI is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24, 2024, before Judge Torres. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “With this guilty plea, Juan Tacuri is being held to account for taking advantage of retail investors and selling them a fabricated investment opportunity. Tacuri brought in millions of dollars in victim funds — funds the victims could not afford to lose — and spent it lavishly on luxury goods and real estate. This Office will not stop pursuing Ponzi schemers like Tacuri, particularly where they target regular, working people who are in dire straits financially.” According to allegations in the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court: Forcount was a purported cryptocurrency mining and trading company that promised to earn its victim-investors (“Victims”) profits in exchange for their purchase of purported cryptocurrency-related investment products. The founders and promoters of the scheme, such as TACURI, falsely promised their Victims, among other things, that profits from the company’s cryptocurrency trading and mining would result in guaranteed daily returns on Victims’ investments and the doubling of those investments within six months. In reality, Forcount was not engaging in cryptocurrency trading or mining, and the founder and promoters of the scheme were using Victim funds to pay other Victims, to further promote the schemes, and to enrich themselves. TACURI traveled throughout the U.S., where he and others hosted lavish expos and small community presentations aimed at luring Victims to invest in the schemes, including in the Southern District of New York. During larger-scale events, TACURI would present Forcount’s investment products and compensation plan, encourage Victims to invest as a means of achieving financial freedom, and boast about the amount of money he was earning, including by wearing designer clothing to such events. The atmosphere of these events was festive and designed to generate excitement about the schemes. Victims invested in the Forcount scheme by purchasing investment products from promoters, such as TACURI, using cash, checks, wire transfers, and actual cryptocurrency. Following a Victim’s investment, they would be provided with access to an online portal where they could monitor their purported returns. While Victims saw “profits” accumulate on the scheme’s online portal, most Victims were unable to withdraw any of these so-called profits and ultimately lost their entire investments. By contrast, Forcount’s promoters, like TACURI, siphoned off, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars in Victim funds, which they withdrew as cash, spent on promotional expenses for the schemes, and used for personal expenditures such as luxury goods and real estate. At least as early as in or about April 2018, Victims who attempted to withdraw money from their online portal accounts had difficulty doing so, and when they complained to promoters, such as TACURI, they were met with excuses, delays, and hidden fees, if they were able to make any withdrawals at all. Despite these complaints, Forcount’s promoters, including TACURI, continued to promote the fraudulent scheme and accept Victims’ investments. As complaints mounted, Forcount began offering proprietary crypto-tokens for sale as a means of injecting liquidity into the scheme. TACURI claimed that these tokens, known as “Mindexcoin,” would eventually be worth a significant amount of money when they were accepted by companies for payment for goods and services. This was false. In reality, they were essentially worthless and resulted in further financial loss to Victims. By in or about 2021, the scheme had stopped making payments to Victims and their chief promoters, including TACURI, stopped promoting the schemes, and, in some instances, stopped responding to Victims’ complaints altogether. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is committed to protecting the rights of crime victims. If you believe you are a victim of the Forcount scheme, our Victim/Witness Unit can make sure that you are notified of important stages of these cases to help you exercise your rights. You can reach them at 866-874-8900. * * * TACURI, 46, of Greenacres, Florida, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, TACURI also agreed to forfeit nearly $4 million in Victim funds and certain real estate TACURI purchased using Victim funds. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York City Police Department; the New York City Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Insurance Fraud, Property, and Casualty in the Division of Investigative and Forensic Services of the Florida Department of Financial Services; and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation for their assistance. Mr. Williams also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Brazilian Federal Police for their assistance. The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Gianforti and Michael D. Maimin are in charge of the prosecution.


component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Financial professionals throughout West Virginia will gather next week to learn about the latest trends in economic crimes and how to prevent them from occurring. United States Attorney Will Thompson of the Southern District and United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld of the Northern District will host the Mountain State Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering Conference on Tuesday, June 11. Federal prosecutors and agents will make presentations during the day-long event about romance schemes, elder financial abuse, and how drug traffickers and human traffickers launder money. “West Virginia has one of the nation’s oldest populations per capita and we tend to be trusting and take others at their word. That makes the state a target-rich environment for financial scams,” said United States Attorney Thompson. “This is an excellent opportunity to educate financial professionals so they can recognize fraudulent schemes and financial abuse and help us prevent this form of harm to West Virginians.” “Criminals use our nation’s financial systems to move the money generated by their illegal acts,” said United States Attorney Ihlenfeld. “This conference will provide those on the frontlines with the information needed to identify suspicious activity and with guidance on how to respond.” The conference will take place at WesBanco Bank in Wheeling, City National Bank in Charleston, and virtually on WebEx. It is open to all employees of financial institutions subject to the Bank Secrecy Act, including banks, credit unions, casinos, securities dealers, and money service businesses. Registration is required and may be completed by emailing jeana.gattesco@usdoj.gov on or before June 7. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: New Orleans Man Pleads  Guilty to Violation of   Federal Gun Control Act

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SEAN COBB (“COBB”) , age 53, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on June 4, 2024, before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to a violation of the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court records, the New Orleans Police Department responded to COBB’s residence after officers were flagged down by a man who said COBB had shot him. When the police approached, COBB shut the door and refused to come out. He ultimately surrendered a few hours later. The police found a gun and spent casing. COBB admitted that he possessed the gun in furtherance of his maintenance of a drug involved premises. Judge Vitter set sentencing for August 27, 2024. COBB faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel. * * *


title: Readout of Civil Rights Division’s Quarterly LGBTQI+ Rights Community Stakeholder Meeting During Pride Month

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Marking the first week of Pride Month, the Justice Department convened its quarterly interagency meeting with LGBTQI+ community stakeholders. Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer spoke with those at the meeting and underscored the Department’s commitment to supporting LGBTQI+ communities through our enforcement and grantmaking activities. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the division’s LGBTQI+ Working Group outlined several civil and criminal enforcement efforts. “Protecting civil rights is at the core of the Justice Department’s mission. As we seek to advance equality for LGBTQI+ Americans, the Department remains committed to bringing all resources to bear in that fight,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Our efforts span the entire Department and include our pursuit of litigation to protect access to gender-affirming healthcare for transgender adults and minors, and our grants to organizations as well as state and local agencies working to prevent hate crimes and provide trauma-informed support to survivors. While progress is not always easy, we will not let up in our fight to ensure equal justice for everyone, regardless of what they look like, how they worship, or who they love.” “The Civil Rights Division’s efforts to protect the rights of the LGBTQI+ community are wide-ranging efforts to protect children subjected to bullying and harassment, expand opportunities in education and employment, ensure access to necessary health care, and prosecute those who commit unlawful hate-motivated violence,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “As we continue celebrating Pride Month, we stand ready to use every tool available to safeguard the dignity, safety and civil rights of the LGBTQI+ community to ensure the full protections and guarantees of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws.” Representatives from the Civil Rights Division, FBI, Community Relations Service Office of Justice Programs, and Office on Violence Against Women, heard from attending organizations on an array of topics, including student safety and well-being, health data privacy, anti-LGBTQI+ violence and hate, HIV discrimination, grant funding concerns, and the need to increase intersex awareness. Representatives from other government agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Labor, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency, National Endowment of the Arts, AmeriCorps, and others, were also in attendance. This week’s meeting strengthens the Justice Department’s commitment to aggressively protecting LGBTQI+ rights, including through building relationships with LGBTQI+ organizations and stakeholders. The department’s recent work on LGBTQI+ rights includes statements of interest and lawsuits challenging state bans on gender-affirming health care for transgender people in Indiana and Idaho . The department has also vindicated the rights of LGBTQI+ people under the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act . The department has prosecuted hate crimes based on LGBTQI+ status, including securing its first guilty verdict in a trial under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act for killing a transgender woman. These and other efforts by the Civil Rights Division can be found on its website at its LGBTQI+ Working Group page. Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer and Assistant Attorney General Clarke meeting with LGBTQI+ stakeholders.


title: Federal Indictment Charges Man With Illegally Possessing Loaded Gun in Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has charged a man with illegally possessing a loaded handgun in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood last month. The indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges RAPHAEL HAMMOND, 37, of Chicago, with illegal possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that Hammond illegally possessed the loaded .380-caliber handgun on May 5, 2024. Shortly after 1:00 a.m., Hammond fired the gun several times while standing on a sidewalk in the 1000 block of West Addison Street in Chicago, according to a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. At the time of the shooting, Hammond was on court-supervised release from a prior federal firearm conviction that prohibited him from legally possessing a firearm. The charge in the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. Arraignment is set for June 18, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saqib M. Hussain. The investigation was conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago . The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. The CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together - under one roof - federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes. Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is the centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods , a nationwide Department of Justice initiative that brings together law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions to the most pressing violent crime problems. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Hammond indictment


title: Forty-Seven Defendants Charged in Imperial Valley Takedown of Drug Trafficking Network Linked to Sinaloa Cartel

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Fourteen indictments were unsealed today charging 47 alleged members of an Imperial Valley, California-based, Sinaloa Cartel-linked fentanyl-and-methamphetamine distribution network with drug trafficking, firearms, and money laundering offenses. In a coordinated takedown this morning, more than 400 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials arrested 36 defendants and executed 25 search warrants in Imperial County; San Diego; Fresno, California; Los Angeles; Phoenix; and Salem, Oregon. As of this afternoon, the search continues for 11 fugitives. Including seizures today and throughout the long-term investigation, authorities have confiscated more than four kilograms of fentanyl, which amounts to about two million potentially fatal doses; more than 324 kilograms (over 714 pounds) of methamphetamine; significant quantities of cocaine and heroin; and 52 firearms, including handguns and rifles. The investigation also resulted in the arrest of Alexander Grindley for alleged methamphetamine trafficking while employed as a U.S. Border Patrol agent and multiple spin-off investigations in this district and others. Crimes charged in the indictments include drug trafficking, money laundering, and gun-related offenses. Court documents indicated the defendants were operating throughout the Imperial Valley — in Brawley, El Centro, Westmoreland, Imperial, Calexico, Niland, Holtville, Calipatria — and in Mexicali, Mexico. “With this takedown, the Justice Department has dealt yet another blow to the Sinaloa Cartel and its associates,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the more than 400 law enforcement officers whose work in this operation resulted in dozens of arrests, charges against 47 defendants, and the seizure of firearms, meth, cocaine, heroin, and two million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. We will continue to be relentless in our fight to protect American communities from the cartels.” “The Department of Homeland Security and our federal, state, and local partners are unrelenting in our work to keep deadly fentanyl off our streets and bring those who traffic in it to justice,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The indictments unsealed today are the direct result of our multipronged and coordinated law enforcement approach — one that utilizes all of our government’s resources and capabilities. Together, we are preventing fentanyl and other deadly drugs from being produced, distributed, or consumed, and saving countless lives.” “This investigation tore apart a drug trafficking network responsible for supplying dealers in communities across the region,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. “But there is still much work to be done. If you’re a parent and today’s price of fentanyl terrifies you, talk to your kids about the dangers of drug use. If you’re an addict and your dealer was arrested today, seek treatment. And if you’re a dealer but your supplier was arrested today, look out – we are coming for you next.” “Today’s coordinated operation, involving, over 400 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, marks a decisive blow against an Imperial Valley-based, Sinaloa Cartel-linked distribution network and significantly disrupts the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Davis of Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego. “This operation is a testament to the power of law enforcement collaboration and our unwavering commitment to bringing these criminals to justice.” “Today, the El Centro Border Patrol Sector teamed with allied law enforcement agencies to support both Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in this operation,” said Chief Gregory Bovino of the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Centro Sector. “Our successful collaboration should be a reminder to criminal organizations in the Imperial Valley and elsewhere that justice will be served.” “This operation shows what can be accomplished when there is collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies,” said Imperial County District Attorney George Marquez. “The Imperial County District Attorney’s office will continue to work together with our partners to bring to justice those that harm or are a danger to our community.” According to the indictments and search warrants, the defendants belonged to various trafficking organizations that were part of an extensive network supplying all of Imperial County and beyond with dangerous drugs. According to court records, on June 30, 2021, agents seized two pounds of methamphetamine and a cache of ghost guns and ammunition, including: 15 lower receivers, three upper receivers, multiple barrels and stocks, 18 magazines, 40 Luger 9mm rounds, and approximately 400 rounds of .223 Red Army ammunition, which are made in Russia. None of the firearms or firearm parts had any identifying serial numbers or markings. They were all ghost guns. Wiretap intercepts showed that defendant Cory Gershen supplied other members of the organization with ghost guns in exchange for methamphetamine. The investigation also revealed the assault rifles (depicted below) were destined for the organization’s source of supply in Mexico. On June 30, 2021, agents seized additional ghost guns, ammunition, and methamphetamine from another member of the same drug trafficking organization. Specifically, agents seized two AR-style ghost guns and a Colt .380 semiautomatic handgun, and additional Russian rifle ammunition from defendant Guadalupe Molina-Flores, one of the alleged members of the trafficking organization. According to a search warrant, after seizing the firearms, agents searched Molina-Flores’ residence and found 309.4 grams (0.68 pounds) of methamphetamine. Fentanyl continues to be a prolific killer. Imperial County experienced 24 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2022, the most recent full year of data available from the California Department of Public Health. The annual mortality rate for 2022 was 13.57 deaths per 100,000 residents — an increase of 41% over 2021. The investigation revealed that the price per fentanyl pill has plummeted. For example, in June 2021, targets of the investigation were obtaining fentanyl pills in Imperial Valley at approximately $1.65 to $1.75 per pill. By December 2021, the prices being discussed had dropped to approximately $1.25 per pill. By May, the same pills were being sold at only 45 cents per pill — less than one-third of the price three years earlier. The precipitous drop in price reflects the increased supply and availability of fentanyl being smuggled into the United States and the close ties between targets of this investigation and their Sinaloa Cartel supplier of fentanyl pills. This prosecution 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, complaint, or information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Chronic Disease Management Provider to Pay $14.9M to Resolve Alleged False Claims

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Bluestone Physician Services of Florida LLC, Bluestone Physician Services, P.A. and Bluestone National LLC, operating in Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively, have agreed to pay $14,902,000 to resolve allegations that they knowingly submitted claims for certain Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes for services related to the management of chronic care patients in assisted living and other care facilities that were not provided in conformity with applicable Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE requirements. “Improperly billing federal health care programs depletes valuable government resources used to provide medical care to millions of Americans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will pursue health care providers that defraud the taxpayers by knowingly submitting inflated claims.” The settlement resolves allegations that, during the period from Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2019, Bluestone knowingly submitted claims for two E&M codes, the domiciliary rest home visit code for established patients (99337) and the chronic care management code (99490), that did not support the level of service provided. The federal government’s share of the settlement is $13,842,482 and $1,059,518 will be paid to the States of Florida and Minnesota. “Fraudulent billing undermines the integrity of government healthcare programs and diminishes legitimate services and resources for Minnesotans,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. “Healthcare companies that institute a practice of upcoding and unnecessary billing will be held accountable for their misconduct.” “The submission of false claims to Medicare for chronic care services will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “This resolution sends a message to the provider community and to our district that we will actively investigate and prosecute this kind of conduct whenever it appears.” “When health care providers submit false claims to taxpayer-funded federal health care programs, including inappropriately inflating claims to boost profits, the public’s trust in our nation’s medical providers and the integrity of federal health care programs are put at risk," said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who engage in conduct as alleged in this case are held accountable. Furthermore, the OIG’s five-year compliance agreement is designed to ensure that the alleged behavior will not be repeated.” In connection with the settlement, Bluestone has entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with HHS-OIG, which requires Bluestone, among other obligations, to establish and maintain a compliance program meeting certain requirements and to submit to an Independent Review Organization’s review of Bluestone’s Medicare claims to determine whether such claims were medically necessary, appropriately documented, and correctly coded. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Lisa Loscalzo, the former General Manager for Bluestone’s Florida market. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Loscalzo v. Bluestone Physician Services of Florida, Bluestone Physician Services, P.A., Bluestone National, LLC et al. , 20-cv-295-FtM-38NPM (M.D. Fla). The civil settlement also includes the resolution of related allegations investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. Ms. Loscalzo will receive $2,831,380 in connection with the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Minnesota and the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and FBI. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Trial Attorneys Erin Colleran and Joanna Persio of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen E. Rau and Emily Peterson for the District of Minnesota and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Bissonnet sex trafficker “Glizzy” imprisoned for forcing teenage girls to engage in sex acts

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 23-year-old man has been sentenced for conspiring to traffic a minor for commercial sex, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani. Javon Yaw Opoku aka “Glizzy” pleaded guilty June 7, 2023. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr has now sentenced Opoku to 365 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the duty to the people Opoku harmed and that he had forfeited the right to be around other members of society for a very long time. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Opoku will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Opoku will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. “Opoku spent years exploiting and victimizing little girls and other vulnerable members of our community,” said Hamdani. “Opoku will now spend the next 30+ years away from our community, unable to continue his exploitation and victimization of our daughters and neighbors. From April 2019 to February 2020, Opoku and co-conspirators recruited young teenage girls and forced them to engage in sex acts with clients for money in cars and hotels around the Bissonnet “blade.” The blade or “track” is an area near 59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex. Opoku and co-conspirators passed around or reassigned victims amongst one another, taught each other “the pimp game,” forced the young girls to walk the blade while Opoku and others kept the proceeds. The young girls were required to pay an exit fee or get “beat out” to switch between pimps. Some traffickers required daily quotas each night from their victims. If the victims failed to meet their daily quotas, they were severely punished through beatings and humiliation. Co-conspirator Jerreck Michael Hilliard aka “Jmoney” was sentenced April 12 to 292 months in federal prison. Opoku will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Houston Police Department initiated the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as a part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Kate Suh and Anthony Franklyn prosecuted the case along with former AUSA Richard Bennett.


title: U.S. Secret Service Conducts School Violence Prevention Seminars in Brandon and Biloxi

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – United States Attorney Todd Gee announced today that his office joined the U.S. Secret Service, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the Mississippi Department of Education, the Brandon Police Dept., the Biloxi Police Dept., and law enforcement and education professionals from across the state for School Violence Prevention seminars this week at the Brandon Civic Center in Brandon, and the Biloxi Civic Center in Biloxi. For over 20 years, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) has conducted research on the thinking and behaviors of those who commit acts of targeted school violence in an effort to prevent future tragedies. These seminars highlighted past incidents as well as relevant findings and recommendations from NTAC’s latest research on targeted school violence and interrupted school plots in the United States. It also focused on how communities can use a multidisciplinary approach to identify, assess, and intervene with students exhibiting concerning or threatening behaviors as early as possible. This event was attended by law enforcement, school personnel, and other public safety professionals throughout the state of Mississippi. “School shootings are a tragedy that can be prevented in some situations with good training on how to recognize and resolve potential threats,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee. “The U.S. Secret Service has substantial experience assessing and preventing violence, and we were glad to work with our federal, state, and local partners to make this training available in Mississippi.” “The U.S. Secret Service and National Threat Assessment Center endeavors to ensure its findings proactively address the areas where we all should feel safe, such as where we work, where we learn, and where we worship,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis of the U.S. Secret Service Birmingham Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service and National Threat Assessment Center have cultivated powerful partnerships across our state, and this is never more important than when we are responding to events of targeted violence,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “It was an honor to join these great partners today as we continue to work towards a safer Mississippi.” Additional information on the U.S. Secret Service NTAC can be found here: https://www.secretservice.gov/protection/ntac


title: Romanian scammer sentenced for using card skimmers to commit bank fraud

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Romanian national was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison for using card skimmers to steal credit and debit card information and defraud banks. According to court documents, from September of 2022 through August of 2023, Cristian Romica Ristea, 52, stole credit and debit card information across the East Coast of the United States. Ristea installed and maintain portable card reading devices, known as “skimmers,” in ATMs and installed pin hole cameras to obtain PIN numbers. On Aug. 17, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Ristea conduct an illegal transaction at a Bank of America ATM in Chesapeake. Afterward, the officers arrested Ristea and conducted a search of his vehicle, in which they found 36 Vanilla Visa cards, skimming tools, a skimming device, and an international driver license in the name of “Christan Weber.” Law enforcement then searched the home Ristea was renting and found additional skimming tools and skimming devices. Ristea possessed 91 vanilla gift cards that were encoded with stolen information. One financial institution estimated that 289 card numbers were compromised. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kang Lee, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Norfolk Resident Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-142.


title: Year-long wiretap investigation results in four arrests and kilogram seizures of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Law enforcement teams from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Seattle Police Department and IRS Criminal Investigation executed 24 search or arrest warrants taking four people into custody who are allegedly connected to a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The drug conspirators have ties to suppliers in Mexico and Colombia, and law enforcement in those countries are assisting with the investigation and search warrants. “Whenever possible, we try to trace both the origin of drugs and the money going back to those who supply the drugs, said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We want to ensure that those who would poison our communities – by trafficking drugs from afar – are held accountable for their actions in the United States. I am pleased with the collaborative work between law enforcement not only in the United States, but also with our partners in Colombia, whose collective efforts put a significant dent in this particular drug supply chain.” “This cooperative effort is a win for the good guys and a tremendous example of the truly international cooperation needed to tackle this immense threat,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “I appreciate the extensive cooperation between the DEA, Seattle Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, and the Colombian National Police to create a top-to-bottom success by indicting Mexican cartel members, Colombian drug producers, and American distributors.” “This operation is a fantastic example of collaborative police work between Seattle PD, the DEA, the IRS, and the Colombian National Police,” said Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr. “This case highlights how Seattle PD will work tirelessly with its law enforcement partners domestically and internationally to make our community safer.” "Following the money has taken this investigation to places both close and far from home, allowing us to disrupt this large-scale drug trafficking chain from end-to-end,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “Teamwork and collaboration are indispensable to investigations this far-reaching, and we are proud to be working with some of the most dedicated law enforcement partners here in the U.S. as well as internationally. We are committed to keeping our communities safe from the scourge of illicit drugs, no matter where these investigations may take us.” Four people were arrested today in the Western District of Washington and District of New Jersey, and they will have initial appearances and detention hearings over the next few weeks. Those arrested include: Ramon Duarte Garcia, 37, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kent, Washington. Humberto Lopez Rodriguez, 30, a citizen of Mexico, formerly of Renton, Washington, currently imprisoned at Federal Correctional Institution Lompoc, California Curtis McDaniel, 55, a U.S. citizen residing in Tukwila, Washington. Manuel Garcia Hernandez, 39, a citizen of Mexico, residing in Renton, Washington. Jose Luis Villafañe Osorio, 35, a citizen of Colombia, residing in Plainfield, New Jersey Duarte Garcia was identified as a significant drug supplier when law enforcement stopped him driving back to the Pacific Northwest with 12 pounds of methamphetamine in his vehicle, along with a stolen firearm and $10,000 in drug trafficking proceeds. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized 84,000 fentanyl pills, more than a kilogram of fentanyl powder, 32 kilograms of cocaine, 15 kilograms of methamphetamine nearly three kilograms of heroin, nine firearms and $71,000 in drug proceeds. Today alone they recovered nine guns, including an AK-47, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, and a pound of methamphetamine. This prosecution 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. The investigation is being led by the DEA and Seattle Police Department. The IRS Criminal Investigation and OCDETF Auditor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office are conducting the financial investigation that is focused on the money launderers responsible for the transfer of significant sums of drug trafficking proceeds to sources of supply in Mexico and Colombia. Additional assistance was provided by Renton Police Department, Centralia Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General (HUD OIG), Washington State Patrol, Pierce County and Valley SWAT teams. The Colombian National Police (CNP) and Colombian Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalia General) partnered with U.S. law enforcement on this investigation. The Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided critical assistance. The cases from this investigation are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joe Silvio and C. Andrew Colasurdo in the Western District of Washington.


title: Former IRS Employee Accused of Attempting to Steal More than $2M from the Government and ExxonMobil

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A Davis County resident was indicted by a federal grand jury today for multiple financial crimes after he allegedly abused his position as a former IRS employee and attempted to steal more than $2 million in tax credits. According to court documents, Rodney Quinn Rupe, 46, of Syracuse, Utah, devised a scheme from July 2021 to March 2024 to fraudulently obtain money from the IRS and Exxon Mobil Corporation (ExxonMobil) and divert the money for his personal use. As a former IRS account management employee, Rupe had access to certain taxpayer accounts and case processing tools in an IRS computer database where he had the ability to adjust tax, credits, penalties, and interest to certain taxpayer accounts. As alleged, Rupe abused his access to an IRS database to divert tax credits owed to ExxonMobil to Ex Xo Exteriors Ltd., an entity created and controlled by Rupe. For example, in July 2021, Rupe accessed an IRS database to assign a newly created employer identification number (EIN) to Ex Xo Exteriors Ltd. After diverting the tax credits in the IRS database owed to ExxonMobil, Rupe then transferred the diverted tax funds from one tax year to another, which resulted in a refund in the form of a United States Treasury check in the amount of $2,100,377.38. The refund consisted of the diverted tax credits and interest owed to ExxonMobil. In January 2024, after receiving the refund, Rupe attempted to deposit the U.S. Treasury check at multiple America First Credit Union locations on several occasions. Rupe is charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and theft of government property. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 3, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Stewart M. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: San Fernando Valley Man Found Guilty of Sending Threatening Emails to FBI that Included Threats to Bomb Its L.A. Field Office

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was found guilty by a jury today of sending threatening emails to the FBI, including ones in which he threatened to bomb the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and referenced the notorious “Unabomber.” Mark William Anten, 52, of Sun Valley, was found guilty of two counts of threats by interstate communication. He has been in federal custody since December 2023. According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, from July 2023 to December 2023, Anten sent a series of increasingly threatening communications to the FBI, culminating in two threats to bomb the FBI field office in Westwood. “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to keep our community safe and therefore deserve our thanks and respect,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Those who threaten the FBI and other law enforcement officers ignore the daily sacrifices these officers make to protect us and undermine the rule of law. We will continue to stand with our law enforcement partners.” “Even after being warned, Mr. Anten double-downed on his threats to murder FBI employees,” said Krysti Hawkins, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will not tolerate credible death threats to individuals or institutions and, as evidenced during the trial, neither did the jury.” These emails included repeated references to Theodore John Kaczynski, a.k.a. “The Unabomber,” whose 20-year bombing campaign killed three people and injured nearly two dozen more. Kaczynski was convicted of federal crimes, spent the bulk of his prison sentence in the Supermax federal prison in Colorado and died in a different federal prison last year. On November 20, 2023, two FBI task force officers interviewed Anten in front of his residence. During the interview, Anten admitted to sending the previous communications and the officers admonished him to stop contacting agents. Despite the admonition, Anten’s conduct escalated. On December 5, 2023, Anten sent to FBI agents an email in which he wrote, “I AM THE UNABOMBER” and “I WILL UNABOMB THE LOS ANGELES FBI HQ.” The next day, Anten wrote to FBI agents, “I can go on a mass murder spree. In fact it would be very explainable by your actions.” He concluded the email with, “[y]ou ain’t getting away with this one,” and signed the email, “SuperMax or Death.” Anten also sent FBI agents an email, which attached a photograph depicting the results of an internet search for “how to make a dirty bomb.” Later that day, Anten visited the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and later emailed agents that he visited their building and would continue to do so. Surveillance footage confirmed Anten’s presence there. United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu scheduled a September 13 sentencing hearing, at which time Anten will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare and Kedar S. Bhatia, both of the General Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.


title: Last of Six Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for a Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Money Laundering Conspiracy Spanning from California to South Dakota

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Victorville, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 3, 2024. Terry Morris III, age 24, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Terry Morris Jr., age 41, father of Terry Morris III, was sentenced on November 13, 2023, for his Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was then sentenced on the Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments charge to 20 years in federal prison. Both sentences were ordered to run concurrently with one another, but consecutive to his sentence in California. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Morris III and his other five co-conspirators were indicted on charges of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. Morris III pleaded guilty on March 15, 2024. Morris Jr. orchestrated a drug trafficking organization from his prison cell within the Kern Valley State Prison in California, where he was incarcerated for murder. Using a cell phone which had been smuggled in, Morris Jr. communicated by call, text, and social media with members of his family, to include Terry Morris III, along with numerous other co-defendants from both South Dakota and California, in order to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area. Morris III was involved in the distribution of approximately 27 pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of fentanyl pills during his involvement in this conspiracy. Morris Jr. is attributed with distributing at least 200 pounds of methamphetamine and 80,000 fentanyl pills during his involvement in this conspiracy, drugs that were known to be sourced from Mexican cartels. Others that have been charged as part of this conspiracy include Rigoberto Hernandez, age 32, of Los Angeles, California, who was sentenced on May 1, 2023, to 11 years and eight months in federal prison; Reginald Davis, age 41, also of Los Angeles, was sentenced on May 26, 2023, to 17 years and one month in federal prison; Kessara Mikkelson, age 35, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced on October 30, 2023, to 19 years and seven months in federal prison; Asia Gunhammer, age 31, also of Sioux Falls, was sentenced on October 30, 2023, to 10 years and six months in federal prison. All defendants were also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. This case was investigated by the FBI, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Morris III was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.