title: United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown Announces Resignation from Office

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown has announced his resignation, effective January 20, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. from the Department of Justice. Brown was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. to the position of United States Attorney on November 15, 2021, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 7, 2021, and sworn in on December 10, 2021. During his tenure as United States Attorney, Brown served as the chief law enforcement officer in the Western District of Louisiana, which includes 42 of the state’s 64 parishes and geographically encompasses two-thirds of the state of Louisiana. As U.S. Attorney, Brown oversaw the investigation and litigation of all federal criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the Western District of Louisiana. “It has been the honor of a lifetime and the pinnacle of my career to serve the American people and the citizens of the Western District of Louisiana for 12 years, with the last 3 being the U.S. Attorney. I thank President Biden for nominating me, Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy for their constant and unwavering support and Attorney General Merrick Garland for his vision and guidance during my tenure,” said U.S. Attorney Brown. “Working with the men and women in this office over the years as well as our federal, state, and local partners has been the privilege of a lifetime. They are my family and will be sorely missed. U.S. Department of Justice employees are American heroes.” During his tenure, U.S. Attorney Brown led an office of approximately 90 prosecutors, civil litigators, and administrative and support personnel in executing the mission of the U.S. Department of Justice by representing the United States in federal court. In his role, he oversaw investigations and prosecutions mainly involving violent crimes, firearm offenses, child exploitation, health care fraud, drug trafficking, gang activities, civil rights violations, public corruption, and white-collar crime offenses. Within months of being confirmed, Brown was chosen by Attorney General Merrick Garland to serve on his Attorney General Advisory Committee (AGAC) as the U.S. Fifth Circuit representative. The AGAC is comprised of a select group of U.S. Attorneys that assists the Attorney General in creating department wide policy for all 94 districts and other DOJ components. It was created to serve as the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and to advise the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the offices of the U.S. Attorneys. In addition, he also served on the AGAC’s white collar crime, violent crime, and civil rights subcommittees. In 2023, Brown was appointed to the Resource Allocation Working Group (RAWG), comprised of another select group of U.S. Attorneys and DOJ leaders, chosen to advise the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the Deputy Attorney General on the allocation of personnel resources in all United States Attorneys’ Offices. Under Brown’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted hundreds of firearms cases in an effort to reduce violent crime in our district. Other priority cases included the trafficking of drugs to include fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin, as well as public corruption, child pornography, and human trafficking. As a result of these efforts, the district saw significant declines in the violent crime rates in the Shreveport and Monroe divisions in 2023 and 2024. These results were a by-product of Brown developing close and strong working relationships with other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and state district attorneys’ offices. For example, Brown entered into agreements with several state district attorneys that allowed state prosecutors to become Special Assistant United States Attorneys and prosecute violent crime in federal court. The District has also been a DOJ leader in the implementation of E-Litigation strategies resulting in enhanced efficiency of investigations and litigation. A sampling of notable cases and outreach efforts during U.S. Attorney Brown’s tenure are as follows: Civil Cases/Asset Recovery The district court ordered William Ross Hickman to pay restitution of over $2.6 million pursuant to a conviction of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud for which he received 52 months in prison. The Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) secured an order of foreclosure and sale of motor vehicles, jewelry and immovable property belonging to Hickman resulting in approximately $900,000 being applied to Hickman’s restitution balance; A Clean Air Act enforcement case was brought in United States v. Power Performance Enterprises, et. al for manufacturing and selling devices that thwart the emission controls installed on diesel trucks. This office filed a garnishment against the defendants resulting in the seizure of $1,000,000 in satisfaction of civil penalties; Entered into a settlement where Lafayette Physical Rehabilitation Hospital and its parent company Acadiana Management Group, paid $1.2 million, and Dr. Carolyn Smith agreed to pay $575,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare for unnecessarily inpatient rehabilitation services; The District’s Financial Litigation Unit secured more than $49 million in collections for victims of crimes and to satisfy debts owed to the United States. The unit also forfeited $200,000 in property seized from criminal defendants and arising out of civil forfeiture matters. Civil Rights/Public Integrity Accomplishments Joined the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Louisiana in opening an investigation into the Louisiana State Police to assess whether the department has a pattern and practice of engaging in racially discriminatory policing. The investigation is pending. Also joined these offices in filing a lawsuit against the state of Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Corrections (LDOC) for violating the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) alleging that the state and LDOC has a pattern and practice of confining incarcerated persons for weeks and sometimes months after they have completed their prison sentences and are legally entitled to be released. This litigation is pending; Jared Desadier, a former Monroe Police Department officer, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison on excessive force charges when the victim, who posed no threat to] officers, surrendered after leading officers on a brief foot chase; Dylan Hudson, a former Shreveport Police Department officer, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after beating and tasing a non-violent loitering victim; Former Shreveport Police Department officers Jeffrey Peters and James Cisco pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy charges for defrauding the Community-Based Crime Reduction Program, a grant administered by the DOJ that pays officers for overtime worked; Former Desoto Parish Sheriff Deputies Javarrea Pouncy and Demarkes Grant were sentenced to 37 months and 10 months in prison respectively for using excessive force against a detainee at the Desoto Parish jail; Harold “BJ” Sanford, a former Bossier City Police sergeant, was sentenced to 1 year and a day in federal prison for defrauding the Bossier City Police Union and obtaining controlled substances by fraud; Chance Seneca was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for kidnapping and attempting to murder a gay man as part of a months-long hate crimes scheme to kidnap and murder gay men. Child Exploitation An investigation revealed William Malone sexually abused and threatened a child over several years, oftentimes from a vessel off the coast of Louisiana, near Abbeville, Louisiana. Malone was sentenced to a total of 160 years on all counts and ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $206,580.80; Jacob De La Paz, a high school teacher and coach was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for attempted receipt of child pornography after requesting a pornographic video over social media from a student; Gary Harper was sentenced to 300 months in prison for production of child pornography involving children between 13 and 16 years old in the Monroe area. The investigation revealed he victimized over 25 minor females; Deray Richard was sentenced to 228 months in prison in connection with a human trafficking case in which he groomed and later physically and sexually assaulted multiple victims. The illicit activity took place in Kentucky, north Texas, and Bossier City, LA. Drug Diversion/Drug Trafficking Convictions Brian Broussard and Sheila Adams were sentenced to 162 and 24 months respectively for drug conspiracy and firearm charges arising out of the Lafayette area; Larry Daniels, a medical doctor authorized to treat patients with opioid addictions, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for prescribing controlled substances, some which were opioids, outside the bonds of medical practices; Gabriel Hawthorne was sentenced to 120 months in prison for conspiring with Frederick Thornton (210 months) and Andrea Mitchell (18 months) for distributing heroin and fentanyl in the Lafayette area. Customers were led to believe they were purchasing heroin, when in fact it the heroin was laced with fentanyl; Brian Jesus Garcia Pena and 3 additional defendants were sentenced to a total of 560 months after using smuggled contraband cellular telephones to communicate with Mexican cartel members to coordinate methamphetamine trafficking into USP Pollock; Anthony Pouncy and 9 additional defendants were sentenced to a combined 708 months on cocaine trafficking, money laundering charges and Payroll Protection Program (PPP) fraud; James Weeks and 6 additional defendants were sentenced to a combined 1,308 months for a methamphetamine and firearm charges involving drug smuggling with the Mexican cartel at USP Pollock, the Natchitoches area, Alexandria area as well as portions of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Fraud/White Collar Convicted 24 members or affiliates of Shreveport street gang Step or Die (SOD) of wire fraud charges after they obtained over $600,000 in SBA PPP loans and attempted to obtain another $2.2 million for no legitimate business purposes. The defendants used the money, in part, to purchase firearms and conduct other illicit activities. Sentences ranged anywhere from supervised probation to 71 months in prison; Joseph Boswell was sentenced to 60 months in prison and $646,259.70 in restitution for bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion after concocting schemes to avoid paying taxes and creditors from whom he borrowed; In US v. David D. DeBerardinis, Shreveport businessman DeBerardinis pleaded guilty to wire fraud after defrauding numerous victims out of millions of dollars. DeBerardinis represented himself and his business entities to be part of a major energy company in the petroleum industry involved in a complex fuel trading business, soliciting private funds in exchange for guaranteed return of principal and interest. However, at the time the funding was obtained, he was not making fuel trades nor was he part of the energy company. In 2022, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $51,462,909.66 in restitution to his victims; Michael Tolliver was sentenced to 120 months in prison and over $1.1 million in restitution in a PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) scheme. The PPP and EIDL programs were established to assist employers severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic; Krystal Glover-Wing was sentenced to 72 months and ordered to pay $3.6 million in restitution after being convicted for conspiracy to commit health care fraud; Charged 21 defendants with conspiracy to commit bank fraud in an elder fraud investigation where employees of Teleperformance conspired with others to target elderly USAA bank customers to obtain account information for fraudulent purposes. The investigation is ongoing. Violent Crime/Terrorism In a domestic terrorism investigation, Daniel Aikens was sentenced to 16 years in prison for illegal explosive related charges. In September 2019, Aikens caused an explosion at Cloyd’s Beauty School in Monroe, a Texaco gas station in Alexandria in December 2019 and a Payday Today in Alexandria in January 2020; Montrelle Jones was sentenced to 78 months in prison after a Monroe Police Officer foiled an attempt by Jones, who had a pending domestic protective order, to brandish a firearm at a Neville High School basketball game during a fight that took place outside the gym; Jeremiah Deare and Sarah Fogle were sentenced to 97 and 60 months respectively for conspiring to deal firearms without a license, making false statements in records required to be kept by a licensed firearms dealer and failing to run required background checks in connection with the unlicensed firearm business. These defendants operated Dave’s Gun Shop of Lafayette. During the investigation, 619 firearms were forfeited; Joseph Harrison was sentenced to 216 months, Cody Williams was sentenced to 300 months and Drapper Anthony, Jr. was sentenced to 240 months in prison in a case involving a conspiracy to commit kidnapping devised by members and associates of the All The Money (ATM) Acadiana area street gang. The gang lured an individual from Los Angeles to Lafayette under the guise of executing a multistate narcotics transaction. Once present in Lafayette, the victim was kidnapped and ransom demands were made including $300,000, 100 pounds of marijuana and high-end jewelry; Lake Charles Police responded to the home of Jordan Soileau after receiving a report that he had beaten a woman with whom he lived with. Soileau, a convicted felon, had numerous firearms in the home. One of the firearms was as a semi-automatic rifle with a silencer and auto-sear conversion device, allowing it to illegally operate as a machine gun. Soileau was sentenced to 86 months in prison. Partnerships with Federal, State & Local Law Enforcement/Community Outreach Through the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, this office has trained approximately 1,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers across the state of Louisiana annually since U.S. Attorney Brown was confirmed. Also, approximately 50 U.S. Attorney awards have also been granted to federal, state and local law enforcement for exemplary performance in investigations; U.S. Attorney Brown, the district’s law enforcement coordinator and numerous Assistant United States Attorneys have participated on law enforcement panels around the country sharing case studies and best practices regarding both federal civil and criminal investigations; Convened a Shreveport based community advisory group of 15 members called “Focusing on the Future” that advised U.S. Attorney Brown, on a monthly basis, how the community can assist in civil rights issues and violent crime prevention strategies; The District participated in the Shreveport area National Night Out activities with local law enforcement, Paint Your Heart Out and Love the Boot all in conjunction with the City of Shreveport; Partnered with the DOJ’s Criminal Rights Division to participate in the department’s Southern Civil Rights Tour in March 2023. Meetings were held with community advocates in Tallulah, LA, students and administration at Grambling State University, Bossier and Caddo Parish students and Shreveport area community advocates; Partnered with the DOJ’s Community Relations Service, FBI, Louisiana State University at Shreveport, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Shreveport Police Department, People Acting for Change and Equality (PACE), Louisiana Trans Advocates, Acadiana Queer Collective and Community Advocate to host forums in Lafayette and Shreveport in furtherance of the DOJ’s United Against Hate platform which is an effort to discuss strategies and resources to help prevent LGBTQIA+ hate crimes. Before becoming United States Attorney in 2021, Brown served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana beginning in November 2012, where he prosecuted a wide range of criminal offenses. In March 2017, U.S. Attorney Brown was appointed as the Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator for the district, charged with coordinating two task forces comprised of federal and state law enforcement agencies with the goal of investigating and prosecuting firearm and high-end violent crime organizations in the WDLA. He left the office in March 2018 to accept a position in private practice and then rejoined the Shreveport Criminal Division in October 2018 as the Shreveport Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) attorney and the district’s Violent Crime Coordinator. Brown is from Richwood, Louisiana, and a graduate of Ouachita Parish High School in Monroe, LA. He went on to obtain both a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems in 2002, and a Master of Business Administration in 2004 from Louisiana Tech University. Brown received his law degree from Southern University Law Center in 2007 and began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office in Monroe, Louisiana. Pursuant to the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, a 25 year veteran of the office, will succeed Mr. Brown as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana until a successor is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. # # #


title: Georgia Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Drug and Money Laundering Violations

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Dunwoody, Georgia, has been sentenced in federal court to 210 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Gordon Johnson, 39, on January 7, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, between September 2020 and December 2021, Johnson conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and conspired to commit money laundering. Additionally, during the same time period, Johnson maintained a drug-involved premises. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that the defendant did not appear to have learned from second chances that he had been given and that a significant sentence emphasized the serious nature of Johnson’s offenses. Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Johnson. 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.


title: Law Enforcement Officers Join FBI Task Force  Focused on Crime on the Choctaw Indian Reservation

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – Choctaw Police Department Officers Robert York and Jakob Waiter along with Neshoba County Deputy Mark Flake are the newest additions to the Mississippi Safe Trails Task Force (STTF). Robert A. Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Mississippi Field Office, administered the oath and stated, "“The implementation of the Mississippi Safe Trails Task Force ensures the FBI and partnering agencies work together to protect members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and investigate criminal activity with a federal nexus in and around the Reservation Communities in Mississippi. The Task Force is dedicated in keeping our tribal communities safe by working along-side our partners, training together, and offering resources.” The FBI Safe Trails Task Force is a collaborative effort between the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in Indian Country. The STTF works with a variety of partners, including DEA, ATF, tribal, state, and local law enforcement. The STTF has been a key part of the FBI’s partnerships in Indian Country for almost 30 years. In December of 2022, the FBI field office in Jackson gained approval to establish the Mississippi STTF. In addition to the Choctaw Police Department and the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi’s STTF is comprised of officers from Leake County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Carthage Police Department, and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department. “The Department of Justice has been working hard to strengthen law enforcement cooperation with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and other law enforcement partners in order to better address violent crime, the fentanyl crisis, and other public safety issues in Tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi.


component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – Choctaw Police Department Officers Robert York and Jakob Waiter along with Neshoba County Deputy Mark Flake are the newest additions to the Mississippi Safe Trails Task Force (STTF). Robert A. Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Mississippi Field Office, administered the oath and stated, "“The implementation of the Mississippi Safe Trails Task Force ensures the FBI and partnering agencies work together to protect members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and investigate criminal activity with a federal nexus in and around the Reservation Communities in Mississippi. The Task Force is dedicated in keeping our tribal communities safe by working along-side our partners, training together, and offering resources.” The FBI Safe Trails Task Force is a collaborative effort between the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in Indian Country. The STTF works with a variety of partners, including DEA, ATF, tribal, state, and local law enforcement. The STTF has been a key part of the FBI’s partnerships in Indian Country for almost 30 years. In December of 2022, the FBI field office in Jackson gained approval to establish the Mississippi STTF. In addition to the Choctaw Police Department and the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi’s STTF is comprised of officers from Leake County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Carthage Police Department, and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department. “The Department of Justice has been working hard to strengthen law enforcement cooperation with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and other law enforcement partners in order to better address violent crime, the fentanyl crisis, and other public safety issues in Tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi.


title: Sumter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: SUMTER, S.C. — Denetrick Devontae Holland, 24, of Sumter, was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute illegal drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Evidence presented in court revealed that in 2023, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) received information regarding a “stash house” allegedly operated by Holland and his co-defendants in Sumter County. Acting on this information, the SCSO conducted a series of controlled drug purchases from the residence. During one of these transactions, Holland was caught on video distributing drugs from the location. On Aug. 31, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the property. During the operation, authorities seized substantial quantities of illegal substances, including 109 grams of crack cocaine, 45 grams of fentanyl, 415 grams of marijuana, digital scales, individual packaging materials, cash, a stolen pistol, and a semiautomatic firearm. Holland was not present at the time the warrant was executed, but he arrived shortly afterward, used his personal key to enter the residence, and searched the property. In a recorded jail call, Holland was heard telling a co-defendant that law enforcement had confiscated everything from the home used to distribute drugs. Holland has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for second-degree assault and battery, possession of marijuana, unlawful carrying of a pistol, and third-degree assault and battery. United States District Judge Mary Geiger-Lewis sentenced Holland to 70 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case. ###


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anthony Coates, 29, of Sacramento, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 14 years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Coates sold 1 pound of methamphetamine in March 2024 and 3 pounds of methamphetamine in April 2024 to an undercover agent. He also distributed methamphetamine and counterfeit Xanax and Adderall pills on additional occasions in 2023 and 2024. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from members of the Central Valley High-Intensity Drug-Trafficking Area Task Force and the Citrus Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case.


title: Former New Britain Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAMON SOTO, 57, of the Bronx, New York, formerly of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force identified a cocaine trafficking operation that involved the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in New Britain and Meriden, Connecticut, as well as addresses in Holyoke and West Springfield, Massachusetts. Soto and others picked up parcels from the drop addresses and delivered them to his New Britain residence or to a co-conspirator’s residence. They then delivered the cocaine to individuals in the Bronx in return for payment. During the investigation, task force members intercepted and seized 10 suspicious parcels, each of which contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine, and identified approximately 280 suspicious parcels likely containing kilogram quantities of cocaine that had been delivered to the various drop addresses. On May 1, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Soto’s residence and seized a loaded Ruger handgun, magazines, ammunition, two money counters, a digital scale with cocaine residue, and more than $1,000 in cash. A search of a co-conspirator’s residence on that date revealed two firearms, a drum magazine, ammunition, approximately two kilograms of cocaine, drug packaging material, and approximately $12,000 in cash. Soto was arrested on February 14, 2024. On September 19, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Soto, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on February 26. This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Levick and Konstantin Lantsman.


title: Sturgis Man Sentenced To 70 Months For Selling Drugs On Dark Web

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: KALAMAZOO – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Erik Miller, a 47-year-old resident of Sturgis, Michigan, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, MDMA, and Xanax®. Miller previously pleaded guilty to distributing pills and other drugs purchased by customers on the dark web. “One pill can kill,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “Individuals should only take prescription drugs prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. My office will continue holding peddlers accountable for pushing potentially deadly poisons into our communities.” In 2022, Miller began working with a dark web vendor to distribute fake Xanax® pills, as well as illegal controlled substances, including methamphetamine and MDMA. He also distributed real prescription drugs without requiring customers to provide a prescription. Throughout his participation in the conspiracy, Miller regularly received packages containing thousands of Xanax® pills and other drugs, which Miller then used to fulfill customer orders. On April 14, 2023, Miller’s involvement in the scheme led investigators to execute search warrants at his home and another associated property. Inside the properties, Miller had stored both controlled and non-controlled substances, including MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD, and counterfeit Xanax®, as well as other hallmarks of a drug trafficking operation. Miller also possessed three firearms despite being prohibited from doing so. Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine and are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of what the pills contain. For more information on counterfeit pills and they dangers they pose, see this Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fact Sheet and the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill website, www.dea.gov/onepill . The Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Carowan prosecuted it on behalf of the United States. # # #


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Vermont School District to Remedy Race-Based Harassment of Students

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with the Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District (EMUU) in Vermont to resolve its investigation into allegations that the district failed to adequately respond to student-on-student racial harassment. The investigation, conducted jointly by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, concluded that the district did not appropriately respond to serious and widespread harassment of Black and biracial students by their peers, primarily at Peoples Academy Middle Level. Harassed students endured frequent slurs and racist imagery, and a hostile environment where the use of the N-word and displays of confederate flags and Nazi symbols and salutes were commonplace. “Racial harassment makes students feel unsafe, deprives them of a supportive educational environment and violates the Constitution’s most basic promise of equal protection,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “In the 21st century, no student should be subjected to racial slurs, Nazi salutes or other racially-charged hostilities. This agreement provides sound strategies for preventing and addressing racial harassment. We look forward to the district demonstrating to its students that racial bullying and harassment have no place in its schools.” “This settlement represents an important step towards ensuring that students of the Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District are able to attend school without the fear of racial harassment,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest for the District of Vermont. “The measures set forth in the settlement will help guide the school district towards swift and appropriate responses should any instances of racial bullying or harassment occur. In addition, all Vermont school administrators must take note. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that our schools are free from racial harassment and will take action if school districts are not addressing this destructive behavior.” The department opened its investigation in December 2023 under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The department reviewed records and complaints from three school years, beginning with the 2021-22 school year, and interviewed administrators, teachers and parents. The district cooperated fully throughout the investigation and has already implemented some improvements, including adoption of a central reporting system it plans to use to track harassment incidents and ensure victims of repeated harassment are not overlooked. Under the agreement, EMUU will: Revise its anti-harassment policies and procedures to clarify that they cover conduct that is not directly aimed at a specific student but contributes to a hostile environment; Annually conduct multifaceted campus climate assessments, including listening sessions with student groups, and take responsive action to address identified concerns; and Educate students and train employees on the district’s policies and procedures for addressing race-based harassment. Protecting the constitutional rights of public-school students is a top priority of the Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justive.gov/crt/ and additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section’s work is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section . Information about the District of Vermont’s Civil Rights Program is available at www.justice.gov/usao-vt/civil-rights-program . To report a possible civil rights violation, please visit www.civilrights.justice.gov/ .


title: Liberian Felon Sentenced for Possessing Two Firearms

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mana Sambola a/k/a “Coffee,” age 41, a Liberian national previously residing in Saratoga Springs, New York, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for illegally possessing two firearms. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. A search warrant executed at Sambola’s apartment on May 22, 2023, led to the recovery of a Glock 43 pistol; an Anderson Manufacturing AM15 rifle emblazoned with the names of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: “Death,” “War,” “Famine,” and “Pestilence”; and four boxes of ammunition Sambola has prior felony convictions related to narcotics and firearms, and he therefore cannot lawfully possess the firearms or ammunition. Following a contested sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci found that Sambola possessed the Glock in connection with three crimes, specifically straw purchasing a firearm, making a false statement to a firearms dealer, and distribution of a controlled substance. Judge Nardacci also imposed a 3-year-term of supervised release. HSI investigated the case with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the Warren County District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s Offices; the New York State Police; and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.


title: Georgia Inmate And Associate Indicted For Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud In Jury Duty Scam

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Anthony Sanders, a/k/a “Slanga” (28, McRae-Helena, GA) and Marlita Andrews (28, Macon, GA) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, Sanders and Andrews each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Sanders and Andrews that the United States intends to forfeit $12,825, which is alleged to represent proceeds obtained from the offense. According to court documents, Sanders, an inmate in a Georgia prison, and Andrews, his associate outside the prison, conspired to defraud a victim of over $12,000. A victim in Sarasota reported that she received a call from a scammer impersonating a deputy with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, who stated that a warrant was issued for her arrest because she missed jury duty. The victim was directed to a “Bonding Transition Center” to make payment to satisfy the warrant. In reality, the “Bonding Transition Center” was a Bitcoin ATM machine, which allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. The victim deposited over $12,000 into three separate accounts as cryptocurrency, as instructed. The victim’s funds were then quickly transferred from those accounts into a bitcoin wallet belonging to Andrews. By the next day, all funds were dispersed from Andrews’ account into several other accounts. The investigation revealed that Sanders participated in this scheme and used phones in prison to direct Andrews where to send profits of the scam. Sanders also directed Andrews to purchase prepaid phones to send to him in prison, via a drone. In such scams, individuals impersonate real law enforcement or court officials, call victims, and claim that a warrant is out for their arrest because they missed jury duty. To avoid immediate arrest, the victim is advised they must pay a fine or deposit money into an account. Scammers often provide personal information about the victim, such as their correct home address and date of birth, and the caller ID of the scammer will often match the telephone number of a local law enforcement agency. Law enforcement investigation has revealed that inmates in Georgia state prisons are participating in this scheme by using illegally obtained prepaid phones and that associates outside the prison may assist with receiving the funds or transferring them to other accounts. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Tampa Division – Sarasota Resident Agency, with assistance from the FBI – Atlanta Division – Macon Resident Agency and Atlanta Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.


title: Middle Georgia U.S. Attorney Peter Leary Announces Departure from Office

component: USAO - Georgia, Middle

body_text: MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary will resign as the top-ranking law enforcement official for the Middle District of Georgia, effective January 11, 2025, and will join an Atlanta-based law firm. Leary began his federal career in 2007 working on complex civil litigation and with the Intelligence Community before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia as a federal prosecutor in 2012 and ultimately becoming the 17 th presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the 70-county Middle District of Georgia. “I am honored to have served as the U.S. Attorney for the community that raised me, alongside some of the finest public servants in the country,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Every day the men and women of this office stand shoulder to shoulder with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to advance safety and promote justice.” Under U.S. Attorney Leary’s leadership, the office deepened its complex criminal prosecutorial team to focus on the most significant and far-reaching safety concerns in the District. These efforts resulted in noteworthy convictions involving transnational criminal organizations and armed fentanyl traffickers while also preventing the distribution of illegal rapid-fire weapons and prioritizing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child exploitation investigations to track down predators and hold them accountable. U.S. Attorney Leary guided the Middle District of Georgia through high-profile investigations such as the office’s first-ever Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) prosecution involving the murders of three Athens, Georgia, residents ( click link to press release); charging dozens of defendants allegedly tied to a Columbus, Georgia, criminal street gang distributing millions of dollars of drugs and guns ( click for link to press release); protecting the religious rights of Macon, Georgia, citizens threatened with violence ( click for link to press release); removing fentanyl and guns from the Albany, Georgia, region ( click for link to press release); actively working with law enforcement in Valdosta, Georgia, to get violent re-offenders with firearms off the streets ( click for link to press release); and working with law enforcement to use crime gun intelligence to obtain justice for the victim in an Oconee County, Georgia, homicide cold case ( click for link to press release). Understanding that reducing violent crime and strengthening communities ultimately requires collaboration beyond policing and prosecuting, U.S. Attorney Leary was committed to building relationships and partnerships with law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders within the District. One such notable example was the office’s support of Macon Violence Prevention (MVP), a grassroots initiative seeded from the Mayor’s office which contributed to a 46% decrease in homicides in Macon, Georgia, between 2022 to 2023, with the number of homicides in 2023 marking the lowest number since 2019. Since U.S. Attorney Leary took command, additional resources have been directed towards the office’s growing Civil Division, which currently is at its largest size in the office’s history. This growth—including employing a healthcare fraud investigator and a specialized Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) auditor—has resulted in the office being better able to affirmatively pursue recovery on behalf of the United States, from seeking COVID fraud relief to recouping the highest civil healthcare fraud amounts since 2005. Importantly, U.S. Attorney Leary also secured a full-time Civil Division Civil Rights investigator—the first position of its kind in any U.S. Attorney’s office in the country. With the help of this dedicated investigator, the office was able to engage in a multi-year investigation of the Georgia Department of Corrections, which recently concluded that the constitutional rights of prisoners are being violated by failing to protect them from widespread physical violence and harm. In short, the Civil Division is accomplishing groundbreaking and meaningful work regarding all types of civil rights matters including housing, disability and voting rights because of the people in the Division as well as the resources directed to the practice area by U.S. Attorney Leary. “Providing the necessary resources so talented prosecutors, investigators and support staff can pursue justice – in both a civil and criminal context – is paramount as we work alongside our agency and law enforcement partners to make Georgia safer and obtain justice for all,” said U.S. Attorney Leary. U.S. Attorney Leary contributed his cybercrime prosecutorial expertise at the national level as a member of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). U.S. Attorney Leary was also a member of the AGAC’s Violent and Organized Crime Subcommittee, Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee and Environmental Justice and Environmental Issues Subcommittee and has previously served as the office’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) Coordinator, Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) prosecutor and National Security Cyber Specialist (NSCS). “Combating the cybercrime targeting our country is a constantly evolving challenge, and I am proud to have contributed to these efforts to protect the economic and national security of all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Leary. During his tenure, U.S. Attorney Leary elevated seasoned trial attorneys to leadership positions in the office—marking many historic firsts for the Middle District of Georgia—including the first black woman and first female to hold the highest non-appointed position in the office; the first openly LGBTQ+ person to command a leadership role in the District; and the greatest number of women attorneys to hold leadership positions. “It is crucial to assemble a team of top-tier and diverse attorneys to pursue justice,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Alongside the many dedicated and skilled attorneys and staff in the office, these dynamic leaders have helped to ensure a strong future of equal justice for all in the Middle District of Georgia.” Raised in Watkinsville, Georgia, and a graduate of Athens Academy, Mr. Leary received his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Scholar. After law school, Mr. Leary clerked for U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Following his clerkship, Mr. Leary joined the Federal Programs Branch of the DOJ through its Honors Program, where he worked extensively with the Intelligence Community. In 2021, along with other members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he received an Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director’s Award for Superior Performance in Prevention and Reentry Activities for work on a campaign aimed at educating youth about gun possession: www.armedwithknowledge.com. In 2019, he received the Anti-Defamation League’s SHIELD award with FBI and Department of Justice partners, and he shared the 2018 International Association of Chiefs of Police/Thomson Reuters Award for Excellence in Criminal Investigation with the FBI and GBI. “Serving our country for my entire legal career has been everything I hoped it would be; that is largely because I got to work alongside men and women who share the same vision of seeking justice,” said U.S. Attorney Leary. “I am beyond grateful that I was entrusted to serve the citizens of the Middle District of Georgia. I have been incredibly blessed.” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Shanelle Booker will succeed U.S. Attorney Leary as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. The U.S. Attorney is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Middle District of Georgia, which covers 70 of Georgia’s 159 counties, includes Albany, Athens, Columbus, Macon and Valdosta, and has a population of approximately 2,045,000 people. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the District, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, fraud, firearms, illegal gangs and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.


title: Businessman Sentenced for Theft of Pandemic Relief Funds

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Massachusetts businessman was sentenced today for misappropriating COVID-19 relief funds for personal use. Jesse Lelievre, 42, of North Andover, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to two years of supervised release, with the first five months as home detention. Lelievre was also ordered to pay $179,090 in restitution. In September 2024, Lelievre pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Lelievre was charged in July 2024. Lelievre was the owner and manager of Paramount Plumbing & Heating LLC, a Massachusetts company that provided plumbing, heating, and related services (“Paramount”). In 2021, Lelievre applied for a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) on behalf of Paramount. Lelievre obtained the loan through the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, which provided loans to small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To obtain the loan, Lelievre entered into a loan agreement with the SBA in which he agreed, among other things, to use all loan proceeds solely as working capital for his business. Thereafter, Lelievre directed the EIDL funds into a bank account that he controlled and misappropriated approximately $179,000 for personal expenses, including to buy a diamond ring and to remodel his home. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General made the announcement. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Region. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Zephyrhills Man Previously Convicted Of Five Robberies Indicted For String Of Armed Robberies Throughout Tampa Bay

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the indictment of Peter Latimore, Jr. (43, Zephyrhills) with interference of commerce by robbery, attempted robbery, use of a firearm during and in commission of a felony offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Latimore faces a minimum sentence of 29 years, up to life, in federal prison. According to the criminal complaint and indictment, between October 2 and November 22, 2024, Latimore committed armed robberies of Tampa Bay area businesses, including a supermarket on Fowler Avenue in Tampa, a supermarket in Brandon, a supermarket in Zephyrhills, and a beauty supply shop in Plant City. On each occasion, Latimore approached the customer service desk and lifted his shirt to display a firearm to the clerks. In one instance, Latimore told the clerk to hurry up or he would shoot her. ATF agents and local law enforcements officers identified Latimore, arrested him, and on December 3, 2024, executed search warrants at his residence. During the search, law enforcement officers located the pistol he allegedly used in the commission of his offenses. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Plant City Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Boerne CEO Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Tax Evasion and Embezzlement of Employee Health Care Premiums

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A Boerne woman was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 36 months in prison for embezzling employee health insurance premiums and tax evasion. According to court documents, Belinda Jo Juarez, 53, was the majority owner and CEO of Superior Home Health Service, a health care company based in San Antonio with additional locations elsewhere. The company offered employees the option to enroll in an employee health insurance plan. Beginning in or around August 2017, Juarez knowingly caused her company to stop remitting insurance payments to the insurance providers but continued to withhold contributions from employee paychecks, even after insurance providers canceled their contracts as the result of non-payment. Juarez’s employees, some of whom who had incurred costs for medical services, were not informed that their insurance coverage had been cancelled or was inactive. As part of the sentence, Juarez was ordered to pay $617,738.65 in restitution to former employees for improperly withheld premiums and resultant medical debts. Juarez was also sentenced on one count of willful failure to collect or pay over tax for withholding federal payroll tax contributions from her employees’ paychecks and failing to remit the funds to the IRS for time periods between 2016 and 2019. The sentence accounted for over $1 million in personal income tax liability. In total, Juarez was sentenced to pay $3,667,098.88 in restitution to the IRS. In addition to the restitution and imprisonment, Juarez was fined $20,000 and will serve three years of supervised release at the conclusion of her sentence. “Protecting the public treasury is one of the primary missions of federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “It is even more important when, as in this case, there is direct harm to civilian victims. Not only did this defendant withhold millions in tax payments to the government, but the ill-gotten gains also came directly from the paychecks of her own employees.” “Juarez let greed drive her to defraud the government and left her employees to face the horror of losing their health insurance when they needed it most,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan for IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “This case was referred to us by another IRS division, just as we get tips from the public and requests from other agencies. We pair our law enforcement and accounting skills in order to bring justice to victims because criminal greed doesn’t stop at one tax violation.” “I hope this sends a clear message to all who sponsor or transact business with employee benefit plans that the federal government will aggressively pursue those who commit crimes against employees and retirees of private-sector pension and health plans,” said Dallas Regional Director Deborah Perry for the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). IRS-CI and the EBSA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Justin Simmons prosecuted the case. ###


title: Tampa Man On Federal Supervised Release For Firearm Offense Sentenced To 14 Years For Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Benjamin Cedric Graddy (41, Tampa) to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for violating the terms of his supervised release in a separate federal criminal case. Graddy entered a guilty plea on October 2, 2024. According to court documents, on March 17, 2023, officers from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) observed a vehicle driven by Graddy fail to stop at a stop sign in Ybor City, Florida. During the traffic stop, the officers smelled burnt marijuana and observed white power in plain view on the driver’s floorboard. A search of the vehicle revealed a Glock 22 .40 caliber firearm loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine in the vehicle’s center console. TPD officers also found a distribution amount of dimethylpentylone in two containers in the vehicle, cocaine in Graddy’s pocket, a digital scale, and small plastic baggies. At the time of the incident, Graddy was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction involving possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael J. Buchanan. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: California Man Admits Role In $10 Million Health Care Kickback Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A California man today admitted his role in a kickback scheme that caused more than $10 million in losses to Medicare, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced. Adam Wayne Owens, 44, of Riverside, California, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark to one count of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: From November 2018 to January 2020, Owens participated in a kickback and bribery scheme with testing companies that arranged for at-home cancer genetic tests (CGX). Owens owned and controlled marketing companies in California through which he and his conspirators identified Medicare beneficiaries to target for CGX testing. Owens and his conspirators provided personal and medical information about the Medicare beneficiaries to the testing companies, which caused CGX testing kits to be sent to the beneficiaries. Once the CGX tests were completed and returned, Owens’ conspirators submitted claims for reimbursement to Medicare. Owens’ companies received kickback payments ranging from $1,700 to $2,000 for each CGX test resulting in Medicare reimbursement. To conceal the scheme, the testing companies wired various kickback payments to a company in New Zealand, which then wired the payments to bank accounts controlled by Owens in the United States. To further conceal the scheme, Owens entered into a sham contract with the New Zealand company which made it appear that one of Owens’ marketing companies was engaged in and being paid for legitimate marketing and referral services by the New Zealand company. Owens then generated invoices falsely purporting that the marketing company was providing hourly referral services for the New Zealand company. Instead, Owens received payments from the New Zealand company based solely on the number of CGX tests that Medicare reimbursed. As a result of the kickback scheme, Owens and his conspirators caused a loss to Medicare of more than $10 million. Conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Attorney for the United States Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Driscoll; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the investigation leading to the charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett J. Schuman and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara A. Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit. owens.supindictment.pdf


title: Former Columbus police officer sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for stealing cocaine from crime scenes, police evidence room

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus police officer was sentenced in federal court here today to 50 months in prison for crimes involving more than 15 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering. Joel M. Mefford, 35, of London, Ohio, was a Columbus police officer assigned to investigate drug crimes. On three occasions between February and April 2020, Mefford worked with another officer to steal and traffic cocaine. “Crimes like those that Mefford committed undermine the integrity of the criminal justice system. Mefford abused his official position for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Today’s substantial prison sentence is necessary to reflect the gravity of his offenses and to promote respect for the law. Corrupt public servants will be held accountable.” According to court documents, in February 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating a drug crime and unlawfully gained access to a detached garage belonging to the subject of the investigation. Without a warrant, they entered the garage and discovered two kilograms of cocaine in the rafters. They unlawfully seized one of the kilograms and left the other to be found during the execution of a search warrant the next morning. The other officer gave the stolen narcotics to another individual to sell. Similarly, in February and March 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating drug-trafficking activity at houses on Ambleside Drive and Kilbourne Avenue in Columbus. On March 7, 2020, the officers took a bag containing multiple kilograms of cocaine from the house on Ambleside Drive and arrested an individual there. They then traveled to the house on Kilbourne Avenue and removed a kilogram of cocaine. That same day, Mefford turned in one kilogram of cocaine to evidence, and the officers stole the other kilograms to be sold. In April 2020, Mefford and the other officer stole between 10 and 20 kilograms of cocaine from the Columbus police property room and replaced it with fake cocaine. Mefford transported the stolen cocaine in a police cruiser and the other officer later gave the drugs to another individual to sell. The drug proceeds were then given to the other officer, who provided Mefford his cut. Mefford personally received a total of approximately $130,000 from cocaine sales. Mefford deposited more than $72,000 of the cash derived from the cocaine sales into his personal bank account. A federal grand jury indicted Mefford in December 2023 and he pleaded guilty in August 2024 to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of money laundering. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office and the Columbus Division of Police. # # #


title: Trader Arrested For Stealing Trade Secrets From Global Quantitative Trading Firm

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging CHEUK FUNG RICHARD HO with theft and attempted theft of trade secrets. The charges in the Indictment arise from HO’s alleged scheme to steal trade secrets from his former employer (“Firm-1”), a global quantitative trading firm. HO was arrested this morning in Los Angeles, California, and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. District Court for the Middle District of California, Magistrate Judge the Honorable Joel Richlin. Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Kim said: “As alleged, Cheuk Fung Richard Ho abused the trust his former employer placed in him and stole trade secrets to use at his own quantitative trading firm. Ho allegedly tried to cover his tracks by lying to his former employer repeatedly and asking his employees to delete evidence. Thanks to the FBI, Ho is now in custody.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Cheuk Fung Richard Ho allegedly stole and unlawfully shared private proprietary information to clandestinely develop his own firm in collaboration with his employer’s competitors. The defendant allegedly abused his trusted position by breaching company confidentiality agreements to the detriment of his former firm. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who attempts to garner success through manipulative and dishonest business strategies.” As alleged in the Indictment: [1] From approximately July 2019 to approximately August 2021, HO was a research developer and quantitative trader at Firm-1, a global, quantitative trading firm, which trades in equities and other securities on exchanges located in the U.S. and abroad. Firm-1’s proprietary source code (“Firm-1’s Source Code”), the development of which took years and cost Firm-1 more than one billion dollars, has been the linchpin of Firm-1’s success in these markets. During the period of HO’s employment at Firm-1, Firm-1 took substantial measures to protect the confidentiality of its Source Code. Among other things, Firm-1 limited access to Firm-1’s Source Code to only those individuals, like HO, who needed access to it in connection with the duties of their employment. Employees with access to Firm-1’s Source Code were required to enter into agreements with Firm-1 in which they acknowledged the importance of keeping Firm-1’s Source Code secret and promised to protect the confidentiality of that Source Code throughout their employment—and after their employment concluded. Firm-1 also implemented numerous physical and network security protocols to prohibit unauthorized access to Firm-1’s Source Code. In or about the spring of 2021, HO secretly started his own quantitative trading firm (“Firm-2”), which partnered with one of Firm-1’s competitors (“Firm-3”). While still employed at Firm-1, and while taking advantage of the nearly complete access to Firm-1’s Source Code afforded to him as a result of that employment, HO stole valuable trade secrets from Firm-1 (the “Stolen Trade Secrets”) for use in developing the source code for Firm-2 (“Firm-2’s Source Code”). The Stolen Trade Secrets included, among other things, some of the very building blocks of Firm-1’s Source Code, known as “Atoms,” as well as some of its predictive formulas, known as “Alphas.” By stealing these trade secrets, HO was able to quickly launch Firm-2 and begin trading successfully. Aware that he had misappropriated Firm-1’s trade secrets—and knowing that this theft would injure Firm-1—HO repeatedly lied to Firm-1 about his plans after his employment with Firm-1 concluded. For example, when Firm-1 asked HO about his post-Firm-1 employment plans, HO omitted any mention of the fact that he had started Firm-2 and he misrepresented his affiliation with Firm-3. And once Firm-1 learned that HO had started Firm-2, HO sought to destroy evidence. He directed his employees to delete their internal communications and further directed them to delete the source code history for Firm-2’s Source Code, a direction that HO’s employees did not follow. * * * HO, 36, of Los Aneles, California, is charged with one count of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran and Ni Qian are in charge of the prosecution. The allegations in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Marion County Man Pleads Guilty To Transporting A Minor Across State Lines With The Intent To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Thomas Allen Ebersole (32, Dunnellon) has pleaded guilty to transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity. Ebersole faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court records, in December 2023, Ebersole began communicating with a 16-year-old girl through online video games. On December 28, 2023, Ebersole drove from Florida to Ohio where the minor lived. Ebersole then drove the minor from Ohio back to his home in Florida to engage in sexual activity. The minor stayed in Ebersole’s home until January 3, 2024, when law enforcement identified her location through the Internet Protocol (IP) address she used to play online video games. After law enforcement removed the minor from Ebersole’s home, DNA results confirmed that Ebersole had engaged in sexual activity with her. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lima (Ohio) Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Winnsboro Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling Firearms into Mexico

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national with Legal Permanent Resident status was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 48 months in prison for smuggling firearms and other goods from the United States into Mexico. According to court documents, Miguel Tapia-Barcenas, 23, of Winnsboro, gave negative declarations for firearms, ammunition and currency over $10,000 while traveling through the Del Rio Port of Entry into Mexico July 14, 2022. Customs and Border Protection officers searched his vehicle and the attached trailer, revealing four semiautomatic pistols, 2,688 ammunition rounds of various calibers, and several magazines. Tapia-Barcenas said that he was being paid by a third party to smuggle firearms into Mexico and had done so on two previous occasions. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and CBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayvee Rhoda prosecuted the case. ###


title: United States Files Civil Complaint Against New York Online Seller of Illegal Vehicle Emission Control Defeat Devices

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Lisa Garcia, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 (EPA), today announced the filing of a civil complaint in federal court in Central Islip against Long Island-based company Spectrum Wholesale, Inc. (Spectrum) and Thomas J. Ciccarelli, Spectrum’s principal, alleging the defendants’ illicit sale of hundreds of products designed to remove, bypass, defeat, or render inoperative the emissions controls that vehicle and engine manufacturers use to meet emission standards, is in violation of the Clean Air Act. The complaint seeks a court order finding that defendants’ sales violate the Clean Air Act, injunctive relief enjoining Defendants from further violations, as well as civil penalties for each violation. “These sales have put the public health and the environment at risk by defeating critical vehicle emission controls on hundreds of vehicles,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue to rigorously enforce the Clean Air Act against those who degrade the public health and environment to make a fast dollar.” “The increased air pollution resulting from these devices threatens the health of everyone, especially those with pre-existing health conditions, children and older adults,” stated EPA Regional Administrator Garcia. “To protect public health, EPA is enforcing measures to eliminate the manufacture and sale of such devices to ensure that the vehicles on our roads meet required emission standards.” The Clean Air Act prohibits selling, offering for sale, or causing the sale or offer of aftermarket parts that defeat motor vehicle emission controls (commonly known as “aftermarket defeat devices”). The complaint alleges that between October 18, 2019 and September 2, 2020, primarily through online transactions, the defendants sold, offered for sale, or caused the sale of approximately 672 such devices. By enabling vehicle emission controls to be evaded, aftermarket defeat devices contribute to air pollution and harm to public health. They also impede efforts by the EPA, states, tribes, and local agencies to plan for and meet air quality standards. The use of defeat devices can exponentially increase emissions of particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC). For example, EPA testing has found that deleting a motor vehicle's emissions controls can increase tailpipe emissions of NOx by a factor of up to 300 times, CO by a factor of approximately 130 times, NMHC by a factor of approximately 1,000 times, and PM by a factor of up to 37 times. The lawsuit is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Silverman and Paralegal Specialist Annabelle Duval of the Eastern District of New York, along with EPA Office of Regional Counsel, Assistant Regional Counsels Cassandra Basile and Erick Ihlenburg, with assistance from the EPA Office of the Inspector General. In June 2021, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York created an Environmental Justice Team within the Office’s Civil Division. The focus of the Environmental Justice Team is the protection of the rights of residents of the Eastern District of New York who are disproportionately burdened by environmental and health hazards. Additional information concerning the Office’s Environmental Justice Team can be found at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/environmental-justice-and-enforcement The Defendants: SPECTRUM WHOLESALE INC. Oakdale, Long Island THOMAS J. CICCARELLI Oakdale, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CV-127 (JMA) us_v._spectrum_wholesale_complaint_as_filed.pdf


title: Justice Department Announces ATF's Publication of Final Volume of National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today released the ATF’s publication of Protecting America from Trafficked Firearms: NFCTA Updates, New Analysis, and Policy Recommendations , the fourth and final volume of the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA). This landmark series represents the most thorough research, analysis, and examination ever of firearms commerce and how firearms enter illegal markets and fall into the wrong hands. In April 2021, President Biden and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland directed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to lead a research group in conducting a comprehensive study of criminal gun trafficking — defined as the intentional movement of firearms into the illegal market for a criminal purpose or possession. This directive acknowledged the urgent need for data-driven strategies to curb gun violence and illegal gun trafficking across the nation. Volume IV, compiled after years of research by leading experts from both law enforcement and academia, delivers updated findings and trends that highlight how firearms reach criminal actors. It also underscores the critical role ATF and its partners play in disrupting these networks through its cutting-edge Crime Gun Intelligence — the free tools ATF provides to state, local, Tribal and federal law enforcement partners to help them prevent shootings, catch shooters, and break shooting cycles. “This final volume of the NFCTA concludes the most comprehensive look at America’s crime gun data in over two decades and confirms that ATF’s advanced intelligence tools are vital to helping law enforcement nationwide solve gun crimes and take shooters off the streets,” said Attorney General Garland. “Expanded use of ATF’s crime gun tracing and National Integrated Ballistic Information Network has provided more investigative leads than ever on violent gun crimes, enhanced strategic intelligence on violent gangs, and improved the apprehension and prosecution of violent criminals. This report reminds us of the importance of our work, and I am grateful to the extraordinary professionals of the ATF who put their lives on the line to help keep our communities safe.” “From conducting enhanced background checks to stopping firearms trafficking by cartels, the Department has prioritized addressing the most significant drivers of violent crime and identifying emerging threats to our communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “This report is further evidence that to continue our historic progress against violent crime, we need to bring more crime gun intelligence to more law enforcement agencies, in more jurisdictions, more quickly than ever before.” “At ATF, we know that we cannot successfully address the threat of gun violence in this nation without the best and most current information about the problem,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “For that reason, it is a privilege to announce Volume IV of the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA): Protecting America from Trafficked Firearms: NFCTA Updates, New Analysis, and Policy Recommendations. This independent expert report is an unprecedented, data-driven analysis critical to fighting violent crime. At its core, Vol. IV helps anyone who looks at the facts to identify how criminals get their guns, what type of guns they seek, and where and how often they use them. While this report is a repository of invaluable information, the report’s most significant finding is that background checks are a crucial tool to help prevent felons, traffickers, and other dangerous people from arming themselves and hurting others. While the decision about whether to expand background checks is certainly up to policy makers, this report’s immense data and expert analysis shows conclusively that background checks save lives — period.” Volume IV’s key highlights include: Surge in Privately Made Firearms (PMFs) . Between 2017 and 2023, 92,702 suspected PMFs — untraceable “ghost guns” that are obtained without background checks and do not contain serial numbers — were recovered and reported. The number of PMFs recovered in crimes surged nearly 1,600% (from 1,629 to 27,490) with nearly 1,700 connected homicides and over 4,000 linked to other violent crimes. Miscellaneous firearms are predominantly firearm frames and receivers manufactured and sold before being assembled into an operational firearm. Between 2000 and 2022, annual miscellaneous firearms manufacturing increased nearly 6,600% with the bulk of this growth taking place in the last 10 years. Miscellaneous firearm manufacturing then decreased by 36% between 2022 and 2023. Rise Machinegun Conversion Devices . Recoveries of deadly machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), which are small, easily concealed devices that transform a semi-automatic firearm into an illegal machinegun in seconds, increased 784% between 2019 and 2023. In September 2024, the Deputy Attorney General launched a department-wide ANTI-MCD Task Force, which is chaired by ATF and a U.S. Attorney. The Task Force is a concerted effort to address this problem. ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Tools Help Police to Save Lives and their Use Should be Expanded and Fully Funded . ATF’s advanced intelligence tools — including ballistics evidence processing linking disparate shootings using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and crime gun tracing (eTrace) — are pivotal in helping law enforcement nationwide solve gun crimes and take shooters off the streets before they kill again: Crime Gun Tracing : From 2017 to 2023, crime gun trace requests have increased by 52%. Of the nearly 1.3 million trace requests between 2022 and 2023, nearly 56% had a different purchaser than the possessor and 46% required the use of “out-of-business” records. This emphasizes the need to prevent firearms trafficking networks, which often begin with purchases in the legal market. Ballistics Evidence : As of December 2023, ATF’s NIBIN included 6.5 million entries of ballistic evidence, generating over 1,060,000 investigative leads provided to ATF’s federal, state, local, Tribal, territorial, and international law enforcement partners. In recent years, the number of leads provided has been over 200,000 annually. Time to Crime (TTC) Decreased by 30%: The median TTC decreased almost 31% from 2017 (4.2 years) to 2023 (2.9 years). Crime guns associated with a short TTC are an indicator of firearm trafficking. Thus, the evidence supports that as lawful firearms sales have increased, so has illegal gun trafficking. Multiple Shootings : Between 2019 and 2023, of the more than 828,000 pistols recovered and traced, NIBIN identified that 14% were used in more than one shooting, representing 191,313 different shooting events. Moreover, most of these crime guns had a first shooting within three years from their last known purchase, indicating that violent gun offenders were more quickly using firearms diverted from lawful commerce in shootings. Stolen Firearms: Nearly 1.1 million firearms were reported stolen between 2019 and 2023, with thefts from private citizens accounting for 95% of these reports. Pistols reported stolen from a federal firearms licensee or an interstate shipment present a dangerous trend: they were used in a shooting more than one year faster than non-stolen pistols. The median time to first shooting for stolen pistols was 258 days. Multiple Sales : From 2017 to 2023, there was a 102% increase in crime guns being traced to a multiple sale transaction, meaning, in just five years, it became twice as common for a multiple firearm sale to include a gun later recovered at a crime scene. Firearms Trafficking Across the Southern Border and Supporting ATF’s Efforts to Fight It . Volume IV also highlights firearms trafficking trends from the United States to Mexico, showing a 63% increase tracing of crime guns recovered in Mexico between 2017 and 2023. Source States : Although crime guns recovered in Mexico increasingly originate from all states, in 2023, the majority of traced firearms recovered in Mexico came from Texas (43%), Arizona (22%), and California (9%). Cartels are Arming Themselves Through U.S. Trafficking Channels : Five United States to Mexico pipelines accounted for 32% of all recovered crime guns traced to a purchaser. The Arizona to Sonora pipeline was the most dominant, followed by Texas to Tamaulipas, Texas to Nuevo León, Texas to Chihuahua, and Texas to Guanajuato. 82% of traced Mexico crime guns were recovered in a state with a dominant presence of both or either the Sinaloa or Jalisco New Generation Cartels. Successful Interdictions can have an Impact, if Properly Funded : Between 2017 and 2021, ATF initiated 1,011 investigations of firearms trafficking from the United States to Mexico in which 1,082 crime guns were recovered and traced to a purchaser. Nearly 92% of these crime guns were recovered in the United State, prior to diversion to Mexico. In 2023, ATF Southbound interdictions rose 86% from the prior year. As this report makes clear, increased resources could help ATF expand its operational efforts along the border. Firearms Manufacturing and Sales . Volume IV highlights trends in manufacturing and sales of firearms, including: Firearm Production Far Outpaced Population Growth: Between 2000 and 2023, the number of firearms manufactured per 100,000 people increased by 113%, while the United States population grew by only 19%. Growth in Silencers : The manufacturing of firearm suppressors rose by over 8,000% between 2000 and 2023. Silencers now account from 83% of all National Firearms Act-regulated manufacturing. Over 100-Million Firearms Sold from FFL’s Alone: Based on the estimated minimum sales volume, between 2017 and 2023, federal licensees transferred at least 106,763,004 firearms to the public. Recommendations for Action. Volume IV underscores the urgent need for action to curb firearms trafficking trends, including by: Expand Background Checks: Expanded background checks would save lives. Data clearly shows that such checks limit the opportunities dangerous, prohibited persons have to acquire firearms. There are several means by which this could be accomplished, including increasing ATF’s funding to investigate illegal trafficking accomplished by those not completing currently required background checks, prosecuting and securing appropriate sentences for unlicensed dealers who violate current laws, or examining federal and state-level background check laws to assess their effectiveness and the need for their expansion. Enhanced Accountability in Law Enforcement Firearm Resales : Law enforcement agencies should evaluate their discretionary resale practices, which too often result in firearms being used in subsequent crimes — with over 25,000 firearms previously in the possession of law enforcement ending up at crime scenes between 2019 and 2023 alone. In considering whether to adopt a mandatory destruction policy, such as the one recommended by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, law enforcement agencies should consider distinguishing policies that allow law enforcement officers to purchase their issued service weapons versus policies governing the sale of weapons to the general public. Strengthen and Expand ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence : As of 2024, eTrace and NIBIN were used by approximately 55% and 67% of law enforcement agencies nationwide, respectively. Funding expanded and comprehensive the use of ATF’s eTrace and NIBIN tools by ATF and its partner law enforcement agencies will provide more investigative leads on violent gun crimes, enhanced strategic intelligence on violent gangs and other criminally active groups, and improve the apprehension and prosecution of violent gun criminals. Increased funding would improve these results by allowing ATF to provide law enforcement a single, automated platform with these tools. In April 2024, the Department issued Volume III of the NFCTA, Firearm Trafficking Investigations , which examines 9,708 closed ATF firearm trafficking investigations initiated between CY 2017 and 2021. In February 2023, the Department issued Volume II of the NFCTA, Crime Gun Intelligence and Analysis , which presents and analyzes data on crime guns (firearms used in crime) recovered between 2017 and 2021. The analysis reinforces the critical importance of ATF’s unique crime gun tracing authority and highlights the value of data from ATF’s NIBIN program. In May 2022, the Department issued Volume I of the NFCTA , Firearms in Commerce , which presents and analyzes data collected by ATF and other federal agencies related to the manufacture, exportation, and importation of firearms. To produce the NFCTA, the ATF assembled and led a team of independent subject experts from current and former law enforcement, academia, and related fields. Although ATF issues a variety of public and law enforcement reports and bulletins regarding firearm commerce, trafficking, and related issues every year, it has not undertaken a joint academic study close to the scale of the NFCTA in more than 20 years.


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph Daniel Skeens, 35, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2023, Skeens sold approximately 2.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for a new Rigid impact wrench that was still in its original packaging. Skeens admitted to the transaction and further admitted to at least three additional transactions from October 2, 2023, through November 22, 2023, during which he distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine in exchange for money or items of value such as tools and groceries that were shoplifted at his direction. The transactions occurred at or near Skeens’ residence in St. Albans. The transactions by Skeens also included the sale of 3.46 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $50 on October 2, 2023, the sale of 1.34 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for a Rigid rotary power hammer on November 18, 2023, and approximately 1 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for approximately $100 worth of groceries on November 22, 2023. Each transaction was with a confidential informant. On October 2, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Skeens on Interstate 64 near Hurricane and seized approximately 220.98 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle. On October 23, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Skeens in Charleston and seized approximately 54.63 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm from the vehicle. Skeens has a long criminal history with multiple prior convictions including for attempt to manufacture a controlled substance and possession of a stolen vehicle. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-200. ###