title: Tallahassee Man Sentenced To Forty Years In Federal Prison For Six Armed Robberies

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

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Keshawn Jarmarlin Robinson, 22, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for six counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, six counts of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “The investigation and prosecution of violent crime – in this case a series of armed robberies by a repeat offender – is central to our mission to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence illustrates our shared resolve to keep our communities safe and the significant consequences associated with such federal crimes of violence.” Over the span of seven days in November 2022, Robinson committed six separate armed robberies of Tallahassee businesses. The first, on November 15, 2022, was a Subway Restaurant. The second, on November 19th, was a Tobacco Outlet store. The third, on November 20th, of a Dollar General store, and the final three robberies were committed on November 22 nd , at an Advanced Auto Parts store, a Firehouse Subs restaurant, and a Lemon Pepper restaurant. During each of the robberies, Robinson brandished a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Robinson is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. "When crimes are committed in Tallahassee, our detectives work diligently and tirelessly to bring justice to the victim and their families," said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. “The collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the successful prosecution reflects our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our community. We hope this sentence serves as a strong deterrent, emphasizing that crime will not go unpunished." In addition to the six-armed robberies charged federally, evidence was also presented to show that in August 2022 in Tallahassee, Florida, Robinson committed an armed carjacking weeks after being released from the Florida Department of Corrections after serving a prison term for robbery and grand theft of motor vehicle, and months before the charged November armed robbery spree. Additionally, evidence showed that since age 12, Robinson has been a member of the Gangster Disciples national criminal street gang; during investigation of the November 2022 armed robbery spree, a distinct six-point star gang tattoo aided investigators in identifying and arresting Robinson. “The vast majority of the Panhandle’s gun crime is fueled by a small number of people,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “And thanks to solid policework and the community’s support, one of Tallahassee’s most prolific offenders will be locked up for a long time.” Robinson’s imprisonment will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Center Line Man Sentenced To 40 Years for Sexual Exploitation of  Children And Coercion of a Minor

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Colin Clemente Martin, 34, of Center Line, Michigan, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison on charges of coercion and enticement of a minor and the sexual exploitation of a minor by United States District Judge Denise Page Hood, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Martin pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2022. Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations. According to court records, in 2014 and 2016 to 2017, Martin posed as a female talent scout on the internet application Musical.ly. After gaining the trust of his young victims, he forced them to engage in sexual and other horrific acts to create videos and images for his own pleasure and gratification. If the victims asked to stop doing what Martin demanded, he threatened to share the videos and images with the victims’ friends. Martin victimized at least eight identified minors. Martin was finally stopped thanks to the bravery of his victims, several of whom reported what happened to authorities in Illinois, Ohio, and Toronto, Canada. This led to the Michigan State Police’s involvement in 2019, and to Homeland Security Investigations’ execution of a search warrant at Martin’s home in July 2020. HSI Agents worked tirelessly to analyze Martin’s devices and identify victims. “The lengths to which individuals like Martin will go to exploit and traumatize children is truly reprehensible. The conduct in this case is horrific. Hopefully, this sentence sends a clear message to like-minded individuals: we will not allow you to harm our children and will use the full arsenal of our federal laws to stop you,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “I commend the victims in this case for their courage in coming forward to report these crimes. Their efforts helped prevent the victimization of other children and put this predator away for a long time,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “We should all continue to be mindful of the dangers our children face online and have conversations early and often on how to report this crime to the authorities.” This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tara Hindelang and was investigated by agents of Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Justice Department Announces Successful Policies Overhaul at Michigan Department of Corrections to Expand Opportunities for Religious Exercise

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) has successfully implemented reforms required by a 2021 settlement agreement that resolved alleged violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The settlement agreement addressed MDOC’s now revised policies that required a five-person minimum for group worship and religious activities, prohibited group religious practice for certain religious groups, including Hindu, Yoruba, Hebrew Israelite and Thelema practitioners, and limited access to the kosher-for-Passover diet to those on the kosher diet year-round. MDOC changed each of these policies to expand access to religious practice in compliance with the settlement. Under the revised policies, MDOC allows group religious practice for groups of two or more, permits previously banned religious groups to hold group services and allows people to participate in the Passover diet even if they do not participate in the kosher diet year-round. Department monitoring revealed that a significant number of people whose religious exercise was previously limited by policy can now worship together and can celebrate Passover consistent with their beliefs. “All people have the right to religious freedom and the right to be free from religious discrimination in our country, and that right exists across the country, including inside our jails and prisons,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our settlement with MDOC stands as a model, helping to increase access by incarcerated people to meaningful religious activities across the system.” “U.S. citizens do not surrender their right to religious freedom upon incarceration, and my office will not stop defending an individual’s right to exercise one’s faith simply because they are serving a sentence,” stated U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “We are extremely pleased to see that MDOC has made significant and systemic changes to ensure that inmates in our state can practice their religion while in custody.” “Our office is committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws, which protect the fundamental right of our citizens to freely exercise religion,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer McManus for the Western District of Michigan. “The settlement we reached with MDOC in 2021 protects that right and has resulted in meaningful change that allows institutionalized persons in Michigan to practice their religion and participate in religious services free from unlawful burdens.” This joint investigation by the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan began in 2019. The settlement agreement was signed in 2021. Since that time, the Justice Department closely monitored implementation, reviewing documents and conducting site visits. MDOC maintained substantial compliance with the settlement agreement for two years and, as a result, the department has concluded its monitoring activities. For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Those interested in finding out more about RLUIPA may visit www.justice.gov/crt/religious-land-use-and-institutionalized-persons-act-0 .


title: Benicia Man Indicted for a Second Federal Felon-In-Possession Case

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single count indictment today against Jeremiah Malik Jefferson, 26, of Benicia, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, during a November 2023 search of his residence, Jefferson was found to be in possession of a firearm that was loaded with a high-capacity magazine and had previously been reported stolen. Jefferson is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including for burglary and a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, the Benicia Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty To Smuggling And Straw-Purchasing Firearms

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Gabriel Daniel Pinnace (31, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the United States and making materially false statements during the purchase of a firearm. Pinnace faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each offense. A sentencing date has not been set. According to the plea agreement, on May 15, 2021, Pinnace and an individual in a related case, Antonio Reyes, attempted to smuggle three firearms and 57 rounds of ammunition from Jacksonville to Venezuela. Prior to that date, Reyes enlisted Pinnace to purchase the firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers with knowledge that the firearms would be sent to Venezuela. Pinnace purchased the firearms after falsifying ATF Forms 4473, which are required for all firearms purchases. After purchasing the firearms, Pinnace scratched the serial numbers off two of the firearms and provided them to Reyes, who then concealed the firearms and ammunition in a futon that he attempted to mail using a freight forwarding service. Employees from the freight forwarder observed the firearms during a routine x-ray of the parcel and contacted law enforcement. On May 22, 2021, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized the three firearms, which included a Glock 17 pistol and two Smith and Wesson M&P 15 rifles. Forensic technicians at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) restored the obliterated serial numbers, which allowed ATF agents to trace the firearms back to Pinnace. On May 24, 2021, Pinnace reported the firearms as stolen. Following Reyes’s arrest on unrelated state charges on August 11, 2023, federal agents from ATF, HSI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) searched Reyes’s cellphone and found conversations between Reyes and Pinnace discussing trafficking firearms to Venezuela. On August 26, 2023, ATF, HSI, and CBP agents conducted an operation to purchase firearms directly from Pinnace. That morning, Pinnace met with an undercover agent and agreed to sell the agent three firearms. That afternoon, agents surveilled Pinnace as he travelled to a gun store in Jacksonville, where he falsified another ATF Form 4473 and purchased two firearms. After leaving the store with what appeared to be a gun box, Pinnace travelled to meet with the undercover agent. At that meeting, Pinnace sold the undercover the three firearms and instructed the undercover to scratch off the serial numbers. Reyes previously pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the United States and conspiring to use a facility of interstate commerce to commit a murder-for-hire on January 3, 2024. His sentencing hearing is set for April 23, 2024. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh. 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: Operator Of Online Pornography Marketplace “The Ho Zone” Charged With Advertisement, Receipt, And Distribution Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of KYLE WHITE. WHITE is charged with advertisement, receipt, and distribution of child pornography. WHITE was presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colin H. Lindsay of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Kyle White’s alleged conduct is abhorrent and depraved. As alleged, from behind a computer screen in the comfort of his own home, White ran a lucrative and illegal online pornography marketplace called ‘The Ho Zone,’ where he sold access to child pornography and illegally obtained adult pornography to thousands of people. White’s alleged callous disregard for his victims is striking — White profited at the expense of innocent children, whose sexual abuse and trauma White broadcasted to the world in high definition. Let these charges against White serve as a warning to anyone who seeks to capitalize on the sexual exploitation of children: this Office will work relentlessly to hold you accountable for your crimes.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Kyle White’s actions – allegedly running an online marketplace selling access to child pornography – are unconscionable. Thankfully, he now faces a lengthy punishment for his crimes. The FBI remains vigilant in our efforts to protect children. Removing predators who seek to exchange and profit from sexually explicit material of minors will remain a top priority.” According to the allegations in the Complaint: [1] WHITE ran an online pornography marketplace known as “The Ho Zone” on the messaging application Telegram. WHITE categorized the pornography he advertised and sold on “The Ho Zone” into dozens of groups and channels with thousands of members and subscribers, such as “Other Teen (18+) Leaks,” “THZ Black Market,” “MOST POPULAR GIRLS LISTS,” “Tiktoker Private Leaks,” “ATHLEAKS,” and more. Within each of these groups and channels, WHITE further categorized the pornography by the name of the woman or minor girl featured in the sexually explicit content. Each group and channel on “The Ho Zone” featured a variety of free content as a preview of what users could get if they were to pay WHITE for full access. Such access cost between $15 and $75 depending on the pornography purchased. Once a user paid WHITE for the content of a specific woman or minor girl available on “The Ho Zone,” the user gained permanent access to numerous sexually explicit photographs and videos of that woman or minor girl that WHITE had compiled, enhanced, and edited. WHITE advertised and sold child pornography on “The Ho Zone,” which depicted minor victims as young as 11 years old, as well as minor victims engaging in sexually explicit conduct with their minor victim siblings. WHITE also sold illegally obtained adult pornography on “The Ho Zone,” including pornography that had been hacked from women’s cellphones and pornography that was the product of blackmail. The victims featured in such pornography included women with large social media followings and female athletes, among others. WHITE knew that running “The Ho Zone” was illegal but he continued to sell child pornography and illegally obtained adult pornography on the marketplace because it was lucrative. For example, WHITE claimed in a message to another Telegram user that he “made over 300k in the first year” of operating “The Ho Zone.” [2] In a chat with another Telegram user, WHITE stated that he “[p]rob made over $10k off the girls” in the “THZ Black Market” channel. WHITE also stated that he did not want to stop selling child pornography because “[i]t’s just easier said than done givin up $1,000’s.” * * * WHITE, 24, of Louisville, Kentucky, is charged with advertisement of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. WHITE is also charged with receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Criminal Guardian Squad. This case is being supervised by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea L. Scism is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. [2] Communications referenced herein are described in substance and in part.


title: St. Charles Sex Offender Admits Possessing Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A registered sex offender from St. Charles, Missouri on Thursday admitted possessing child pornography and contacting a child via Snapchat. Ronald L. Thurber, 73, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to possession of child pornography as a prior offender. He admitted searching for child sexual abuse material online and possessing that material in a Google account. He also had hundreds of pictures and videos on his laptop computer and cell phone. Investigators have identified the child victims in 190 of those files. Thurber also admitted masturbating while corresponding with a 10-year-old in Washington state via Snapchat. Thurber was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted in a 1979 rape and sodomy case in St. Louis County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. The investigation began after the material in his Google account triggered multiple tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Thurber is scheduled to be sentenced April 3. The charge is punishable by between 10 and 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The FBI and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For information about keeping kids safe online, please visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s NetSmartz program .


title: Armed Career Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 12, Ernell Shaw, 47, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman, following his conviction at trial for unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as an Armed Career Criminal. Upon his release from custody, Shaw was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release. On March 8, 2022, detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) Crime Suppression Team and Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response (V.I.P.E.R.) Unit observed the defendant driving a vehicle in Lauderhill, Florida. The vehicle was stopped because of numerous traffic violations and Shaw, once ordered out of the vehicle, was found in possession of a previously stolen and loaded Sig Sauer .380 caliber firearm, a loaded spare magazine, and narcotics. According to the court record, Shaw has an extensive criminal history including twenty-eight prior arrests, and nine criminal convictions including three prior armed robbery with a firearm convictions, an aggravated battery with a firearm conviction, and multiple other violent crime convictions. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and BSO Sheriff Gregory Tony, announced the sentences imposed. ATF Fort Lauderdale Field Office and BSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren Grove is handling asset forfeiture. This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, and the community, to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-CR-60021-Altman. ###


title: Justice Department Joins Lawsuit Challenging National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA) Transfer Eligibility Rule

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department joined 10 states and the District of Columbia in a civil antitrust lawsuit challenging the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA) Transfer Eligibility Rule. The amended complaint alleges that the NCAA unreasonably restricts college athletes’ freedom to transfer between academic institutions by limiting their eligibility to participate in intercollegiate contests if they transfer more than once during their college careers. By deterring transfers, the rule also denies athletes educational opportunities. Last month, the states of Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia filed this lawsuit in the Northern District of West Virginia. Shortly after filing, the court granted the states’ request for a temporary restraining order, finding the NCAA’s Transfer Eligibility Rule likely violates Section 1 of the Sherman Act. Today, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint adding the United States, the states of Minnesota, Mississippi and Virginia and the District of Columbia as co-plaintiffs. “We are proud to stand with our state law enforcement partners on behalf of college athletes across the nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “NCAA Division I institutions compete with each other not just on the playing field or in the arena, but to recruit and retain college athletes. College athletes should be able to freely choose the institutions that best meet their academic, personal and professional development needs without anticompetitive restrictions that limit their mobility by sacrificing a year of athletic competition.” The amended complaint alleges that the NCAA’s one-time-transfer rule unreasonably restrains competition in the markets for athletic services in men’s and women’s Division I basketball and Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football, as well as for athletic services in all other men’s and women’s Division I sports. The rule forces college athletes who transfer more than once to sit on the sidelines for an entire season before they are eligible to compete in NCAA athletic competitions at their new school. The amended complaint further alleges that the restriction limits college athletes’ bargaining power and harms both their educational and athletic experiences. amended_complaint-filed.pdf


title: Ionia Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Ionia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pettis County, Mo. Thomas W. Pitts, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Pitts was sentenced as a career criminal due to his prior felony convictions for controlled substance offenses. On March 29, 2023, Pitts was found guilty at trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distributing methamphetamine. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Pitts participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Feb. 18 to Nov. 16, 2021. On Oct. 6, 2021, a confidential informant purchased approximately 28.8 grams of methamphetamine from Pitts for $700. An undercover federal agent was also present at Pitts’s residence during the transaction. On Oct. 28, 2021, the confidential informant and the undercover federal agent went to Pitts’s residence again. The confidential informant purchased approximately 57.6 grams of methamphetamine from Pitts for $900. Both of the transactions were recorded. On Nov. 16, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Pitts’s residence and seized ammunition, a small amount of methamphetamine, and items associated with drug distribution. Court documents indicate that Pitts routinely carried a firearm, and one was found in the possession of a third party during the search of Pitts’s residence on Nov. 16, 2021. When interviewed, the third party eventually reported that Pitts handed him/her the firearm shortly before he was arrested. Pitts has approximately 15 prior felony convictions for offenses including possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance, and driving while revoked or suspended. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Clair County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Henry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.


title: St. Louis County Man Who Absconded from Federal Supervision Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a fentanyl dealer who absconded from federal supervision after his guilty plea to 51 months in prison. Theodise D. Perkins, 23, of Florissant, Missouri, pleaded guilty on May 18, 2022, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He admitted being caught with a stolen .45-caliber pistol, 19.77 grams of fentanyl in capsules and baggies and $1,004 during a traffic stop in St. Louis on March 4, 2020. The driver of the vehicle in which Perkins was riding led police on an extended car chase and Perkins attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody, throwing away a loaded gun in the process. Following his guilty plea, Perkins allowed to remain out on bond. He repaid this trust by absconding from pre-trial supervision and failing to show up for his sentencing hearing. He was arrested June 27, 2023 and has been held in jail since that time. The recommended sentencing guidelines for Perkins were 21 months higher than they would have been had he not fled supervision. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missouri Department of Public Safety investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.


title: Mankato Felon Charged with Illegal Firearm Possession After Shooting at Police Officers During a Home Invasion

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Mankato man has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm after firing at police officers during a violent home invasion, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. “These charges allege a night of terrifying home invasions and violent assaults,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “I commend the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to apprehend this defendant.” According to court documents, on January 14, 2024, a woman called 911 to report that a man had broken into her apartment in south Minneapolis. The woman and her two children fled the apartment after the man, identified as Kamau Evans, 31, shattered a window and entered the woman’s bedroom. Evans then went to a second residence in north Minneapolis and broke into the home by shattering a sliding glass door. Once inside, Evans assaulted two of the residents with a firearm and brandished the firearm at a minor who was hiding inside a closet. Evans then held all three residents in the home against their will. According to court documents, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department arrived at the residence and were able to pull one of the victims out of the house to safety. Officers entered the home behind a ballistic shield and as they were walking upstairs, Evans appeared in the stairwell and fired a shot at them. Evans then leaped out of a bathroom window and tried to escape through the backyard but was apprehended and arrested. Officers recovered an SCCY model CPX-1 9mm semiautomatic pistol on the side of the garage where Evans was apprehended. Because Evans has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. The complaint charges Evans with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. Evans made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Kristian Weir are prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Sugar Land resident sent to prison for Bitstamp cryptocurrency fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 37-year-old man has been sentenced for aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain and launder more than $500,000, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Xiaofei Chen pleaded guilty Oct. 12, 2023. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Chen to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, Chen apologized for his criminal conduct and told the court he regretted his actions. “The emergence of cryptocurrency has revolutionized finance, but has also provided a new playground for identity theft and financial fraud,” said Hamdani. “Whether the stolen money is counted in dollars or bitcoins, the Southern District’s prosecutors will aggressively prosecute identity thieves and fraudsters and not rest until the offenders are behind bars.” Chen had obtained the name, driver’s license and banking account of a known victim. Chen then arranged a fraudulent wire of $520,000 from that person’s checking account and opened a Bitstamp cryptocurrency exchange account using the victim’s information without consent. Bitstamp is an online currency exchange where individuals can covert monies into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. It is based in Luxembourg and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Chen used the Bitstamp and other cryptocurrency accounts to convert the proceeds into Bitcoin. He then laundered the Bitcoin through numerous transactions. He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.


title: Clearfield Woman Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison and Four Years of Supervised Release for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A former resident of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 87 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release on her conviction of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Brittany Luzier, 30. According to information presented to the court, from January to March 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Luzier conspired to distribute five grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Luzier was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of methamphetamine that she distributed to others. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Luzier. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies. 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: Two sentenced for robbing multiple commercial businesses at gunpoint

body_text: HOUSTON – Two men have been ordered to prison for robbery and brandishing a firearm during crime sprees in two separate, unrelated, but similar cases, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Angel Servellon, 30, El Salvador, pleaded guilty Aug. 10, 2023, while DaVonte Williams, 29, Houston, entered his plea Aug. 29, 2023. U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett has now ordered Servellon to serve 24 months for the three robberies as well as an additional 168 months for the firearm charges which must be served consecutively. The total 233-month-term will be followed by three years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the fact Servellon would be removed from the United States. In a separate, but similar case sentenced Jan. 17, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller imposed a 151-term of imprisonment for Williams for two robberies. He also received an additional 84 months for the firearm charge which must be served consecutively for a total of 235 months. The total 235-month sentence will also be followed by three years of supervised release. “Although these men went on different crime sprees, targeting a drug store, convenience store and gas station, and while both were sentenced by different judges, the result was essentially the same - almost 20 years in prison,” said Hamdani. “As the son of an immigrant who donned a convenience store uniform every night at the conclusion of his morning shift as a taxi driver, I am hopeful that sentences like these will deter future gun toting would-be criminals and keep safe the clerks who work, often by the hour and late into night, serving our communities in stores large and small.” On Feb. 16, 2020, Servellon walked into a Village Food Store located on Chimney Rock. He went behind the counter, pointed a firearm at a cashier and ordered her to open the register and give him the money. The clerk, fearing for her life, complied, and Servellon soon fled. Less than two weeks later, he jumped the counter at an Exxon gas station on Fondren, pointed a gun at the cashier and demanded all the money from the register. His crime spree continued to March 3, 2020, when went to another Exxon, again pulled out a firearm and demanded cash from the cashier. After he fled with the money, law enforcement witnessed him pull into an apartment complex, exit the vehicle and attempt to run. However, authorities quickly caught him and found a firearm magazine in his pocket. An additional search of the area led to the discovery of a semi-automatic handgun Servellon had thrown in the bushes of the apartment complex. It matched the firearm brandished during the robberies. In a separate case, Williams commenced his string of robberies Jan. 12, 2022, at an Exxon gas station located on the Eastex freeway which continued the same night at a CVS located on Tidwell. During his robberies, Williams would enter the commercial businesses and brandish a firearm at the employees, demanding money from the registers. Law enforcement had been searching for a specific vehicle after the Exxon robbery and saw a similar one leaving the CVS at a high rate of speed. They attempted to stop it, but the driver, later identified as Williams, accelerated and failed obey traffic laws. The investigation led to Williams’ car and vehicle. At the time of his arrest, authorities recovered a firearm that matched the one used during both robberies. Williams also matched the person seen on the surveillance video, including having a distinct limp. Both men will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Crime Gun Strike Force and the Houston Police Department handled both investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts prosecuted the cases.


title: Rockwood Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Rockwood, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of tax evasion and filing a false income tax return, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Jason R. Svonavec, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Svonavec evaded tax liability in 2017 by illegally expensing the construction of his home in Somerset, Pennsylvania, through entities he operates called Heritage Coal and Natural Resources LLC and Banshee Crane. In 2018, he filed a tax return reporting false tax deductions for Heritage Coal and Natural Resources LLC. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for June 26, 2024, in Johnstown, PA. The law provides for a maximum sentence of eight years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Svonavec.


title: American Airlines Flight Attendant Arrested for Filming Minors in Aircraft Lavatory

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An American Airlines flight attendant has been arrested for allegedly surreptitiously recording or attempting to record a minor female passenger using a lavatory aboard an aircraft he was working in September 2023. The defendant is also alleged to have possessed recordings of four additional minor female passengers using lavatories aboard the aircraft he had worked previously. Estes Carter Thompson III, 36, of Charlotte, N.C., was charged with one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor. Thompson was arrested today in Lynchburg, Va. and will remain in custody pending his initial appearance in the Western District of Virginia. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. “The deeply disturbing conduct alleged here is something no parent or child should ever have to worry about when they travel. Mr. Thompson allegedly used his position to prey on and surreptitiously record innocent children, including unaccompanied minors, while in a vulnerable state aboard flights he was working,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Everyone – especially children – should feel safe and secure as airline passengers, and parents should feel comfortable traveling with their children. Protecting children is a paramount priority for this office and we will aggressively investigate and hold accountable people who victimize children.” “Today, the FBI arrested Estes Carter Thompson III after he repeatedly targeted unsuspecting children to sexually exploit them for his own gratification. What Mr. Thompson is accused of doing is disgraceful, and we believe, calculated, given that this alleged conduct occurred on at least five flights,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This case should make it crystal clear that the FBI takes crimes aboard aircraft and the sexual exploitation of children seriously. If you’ve been the victim of a crime aboard an aircraft or have witnessed one take place, we ask you to report it to both your flight crew and the FBI.” According to the charging documents, on Sept. 2, 2023, while working as a flight attendant onboard an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, N.C. to Boston, Mass., Thompson video-recorded or attempted to surreptitiously video-record a 14-year-old female passenger as she used the aircraft lavatory. Specifically, approximately midway through the flight, the minor victim got up to use the main cabin lavatory nearest to where she was seated. When the minor victim arrived at the lavatory it was occupied. After the minor victim had been waiting a short time, Thompson allegedly approached her, told her that the first-class lavatory was unoccupied and escorted her toward first class. Before the minor victim entered the lavatory, Thompson allegedly told her that he needed to wash his hands and that the lavatory’s toilet seat was broken and briefly entered the lavatory. It is alleged that, after Thompson exited the lavatory, the minor victim entered and observed red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid, which was in the open position, that stated, “INOPERATIVE CATERING EQUIPMENT” and “REMOVE FROM SERVICE,” and “SEAT BROKEN” was hand-written in black ink on one of the stickers. It is alleged that, beneath the red stickers, Thompson had concealed his iPhone to record a video. The minor victim used her phone to take a picture of the red stickers and the concealed iPhone she found in the lavatory before exiting, at which time Thompson allegedly re-entered it immediately. According to court documents, when the minor victim returned to her seat, she informed her parents of what she saw and showed them the picture. The victim’s parents reported the matter to other flight attendants onboard who notified the Captain, who in turn notified law enforcement on the ground. It is alleged that the victim’s father confronted Thompson who, shortly thereafter, locked himself in the lavatory with his iPhone for three to five minutes prior to the flight’s descent. Upon the flight’s arrival at Boston’s Logan Airport, law enforcement observed that Thompson’s iPhone may have been restored to factory settings. It is alleged that a subsequent search of Thompson’s suitcase was found to contain 11 “INOPERATIVE CATERING EQUIPMENT” stickers, like those observed by the minor victim on the back of the toilet seat. A search of Thompson’s iCloud account allegedly revealed four additional instances between January and August 2023 in which Thompson recorded a minor using the lavatory on an aircraft. The minor victims allegedly depicted in the surreptitious recordings were seven, nine, 11 and 14 years old at the time. Additionally, over 50 images of a nine-year-old unaccompanied minor were allegedly found in Thompson’s iCloud. The images included photos taken while the minor victim was seated in her seat pre-flight and close-ups of her face while sleeping. All minor victims involved in this matter have been identified and their families contacted by law enforcement. It is further alleged that hundreds of images of AI-generated child pornography were also found stored on Thompson’s iCloud account. The charge of attempted sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison. Both charges also provide for at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mishawaka Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – William McClean, 52 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. McClean was sentenced to 78 months in prison, 7 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3000. According to documents in the case, in 2022, McClean received a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the St. Joseph County Cyber Crimes Unit and the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Missoula felon sentenced to prison for illegal possession of firearms

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA — A Missoula man with felony convictions was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Heath Lynn Schmoeckel, 42, pleaded guilty in September 2023 to two counts of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in January 2022, law enforcement responded to a single vehicle crash and located Schmoeckel in a ditch near Interstate 90. Officers located a bandana containing a pistol nearby. Schmoeckel told officers he took the pistol from the crash and tried to dispose of it. The government further alleged that in August 2022, Montana probation officers responded to Schmoeckel’s workplace, examined his vehicle and saw an AR-15 rifle on the passenger seat. Schmoeckel had the keys to the vehicle in his possession. In both instances, Schmoeckel was on supervision for prior felony offenses. Schmoeckel was prohibited from possessing firearms because of two state convictions for felony drug crimes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Montana Highway Patrol, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula Police Department and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Former City Clerk Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former city clerk for Merriam Woods, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to a $68,000 scheme to defraud the city. Breanna N. Gamble, also known as Breanna Delcour, 28, of Ozark, Mo., waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges her with one count of wire fraud. By pleading guilty today, Gamble admitted that, from Oct. 1, 2018, to Aug. 11, 2019, she engaged in a scheme by which she utilized her position as a city clerk for Merriam Woods to use city funds for her personal benefit, without authorization from the city. The loss to the city of Merriam Woods that resulted from Gamble’s fraud scheme totaled at least $68,038. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Gamble must forfeit to the government a money judgment in that amount. As a part of her scheme, Gamble used the city’s credit cards and bank accounts to make personal purchases on numerous occasions, without authorization from the city, including purchases from Amazon, Victoria’s Secret, Walmart, PFI, Buckle, American Eagle, H&M, Ticketmaster, Reliable Chevrolet, Springfield Power Sports, Lululemon, and Ulta. Gamble admitted that she forged a signature on a $5,500 city check that was used to purchase a motorcycle for her personal use. In order to conceal her scheme and her use of the city’s funds, Gamble recorded false financial entries and false invoices. Gamble also made misrepresentations to the city’s mayor and board of aldermen, and failed to cooperate with a company hired by the city to conduct a financial audit of the city’s finances. Under federal statutes, Gamble is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the FBI.


title: Former Sharon Resident Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 17, 2024, to 27 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. James West, 48, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. In pleading guilty in this case last year, West admitted to conspiring to distribute at least four grams of fentanyl between 2020 and 2021 in Mercer County. Judge Bissoon ordered West to serve three years of supervised release upon release from prison. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the New Castle Police Department, the Sharon Police Department, the Hermitage Police Department, and the Farrell Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of West. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: California Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding his Massachusetts Employer Over a 16 Year Period

body_text: BOSTON – A California man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for embezzling over $1.2 million from his employer over a 16-year period. Darrell Pike, 57, of Hesperia, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Judge Myong J. Joun to three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, with the first nine months to be served in home confinement. Pike was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $1,232,001. In October 2022, Pike pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Pike was the general manager of an Ontario, Calif. subsidiary of a supply and service company based in Wilmington, Mass. Between approximately 2005 and 2021, Pike prepared and submitted fraudulent invoices to his employer on behalf of a fake temporary staffing company, Consumer Information Systems (CIS), for staffing services CIS purportedly provided at his employer’s Ontario location. Pike added approving initials of company personnel to the invoices without their knowledge or consent. Through the fraudulent invoices, Pike caused the company to pay approximately $1,271,206 to CIS, which he deposited into a bank account he controlled. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Assaults, robbery send Browning woman to prison for almost five years

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning woman who admitted to stabbing a man, biting a federal correctional officer and robbing a local store in three separate incidents on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to four years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Jada Mulon Wells, 21, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault on a federal officer and robbery. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged the three separate crimes involved different victims and occurred over a few months in late 2022 and early 2023. In the first assault, the government alleged that on Nov. 5, 2022, Wells, who had been drinking alcohol, went to a family member’s home in Browning and assaulted the victim, identified as John Doe, over a bottle of alcohol. Wells struck John Doe, kicked him in the head while he was on the ground and stabbed him four times. John Doe was transported to a local hospital then flown to Benefis hospital in Great Falls where he underwent life-saving surgery. In the second assault, the government alleged that after Wells’ arrest on Nov. 6, 2022, she was incarcerated at the Browning Jail, a federal correctional facility operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. While being processed into the jail, Wells bit the hand of Jane Doe, a federal correctional officer, as she was being escorted to a holding cell. The bite broke the skin of Jane Doe’s hand. In the robbery, the government alleged that on Jan. 13, 2023, Wells went with another person to a quilting store in Browning to try to sell a buffalo skull. The cashier, identified as Jane Doe 2, declined to buy the buffalo skull. Wells became agitated and ultimately grabbed a pair scissors. Holding them at waist high, Wells demanded that Jane Doe 2 open the till. Jane Doe 2 complied, and Wells took almost $300 from the till and stuffed it into her jacket. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, BIA and Cut Bank Police Department conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Moss Point Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Moss Point woman pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Linda Renee Mizell, 41, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents and statements made in court, in early 2023, law enforcement officers received intelligence that Mizell was selling methamphetamine at her residence in Jackson County, Mississippi. A search warrant executed at the residence recovered a digital scale and methamphetamine paraphernalia. Linda Mizell was interviewed and admitted to her involvement in the conspiracy. Mizell pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.


title: Former State Contractor Sentenced for Stealing Unemployment Insurance Benefits

body_text: DETROIT – A Detroit resident was sentenced today for her role in a scheme to steal unemployment assistance funds, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Autumn Mims, 31, was sentenced to 5 years and 5 months in prison after having pleaded guilty to engaging in aggravated identity theft and conspiring to engage in wire fraud. Co-defendant William Haynes, 27, will be sentenced next month. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division; Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General; and Julia Dale, Director of the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Mims was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith. Mims was a contract employee for the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA), working as an Unemployment Insurance Examiner. Her duties included reviewing, processing, and verifying the legitimacy of unemployment insurance claims. Mims and Haynes admitted to conspiring together to obtain illegitimate uninsurance benefits issued in the names of third parties. According to court records, shortly after Mims began working with the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency in August 2020, she began using her insider access to fraudulently process claims in the names of third parties without their knowledge or authorization. As part of the scheme, Mims and/or Haynes (1) altered direct deposit information for third-party unemployment insurance assistance; (2) accessed third-party unemployment insurance assistance claim information without authorization; (3) completed false and fraudulent certifications for third-party unemployment insurance assistance benefits; (4) opened unauthorized bank accounts in the names of third parties; (5) conducted cash withdrawals of unemployment insurance assistance issued in the names of third parties; and (6) conducted financial transactions utilizing unemployment insurance assistance funds issued in the names of third parties. Mims also admitted that while she was working with the MUIA and executing her fraud, she was also fraudulently obtaining unemployment insurance benefits for herself by falsely claiming that she was unemployed. Mims was also ordered to pay $583,409 in restitution. United States Attorney Ison stated: “We remain committed to prosecuting those who choose to enrich themselves by stealing government funds earmarked for those members of our community who are truly in need.” “The defendant’s decision to conspire in order to obtain unlawful uninsurance benefits for personal profit while businesses and families were struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic is unconscionable,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “Further, Ms. Mims’ actions were a direct betrayal of the public trust granted to her as a contract Unemployment Insurance Examiner for the State of Michigan. Providing false information and using stolen identities to fraudulently gain access to relief funds is a theft of taxpayer money. The FBI remains committed to working with our network of law enforcement partners to investigate and hold those accountable who seek to personally profit and defraud government assistance programs.” "Autumn Mims, a former contract employee for the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA), conspired with William Haynes to defraud the state of Michigan and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. Mims abused her access to MUIA systems to fraudulently process unemployment insurance (UI) claims that Haynes had fraudulently certified, the proceeds of which were deposited into bank accounts that they controlled,” stated Special Agent-in-Charge Irene Lindow, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting the criminals who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by fraudulently obtaining pandemic UI benefits using stolen identities.” “Autumn Mims’ criminal scheme tarnished all the critical and tireless work that staff at the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency performed during a global pandemic that hit Michigan hard. She does not by any stretch reflect the outstanding work habits of UIA’s professional employees, who abide by strict ethics and security clearance policies,” said MUIA Director Julia Dale. “I am proud of the dedication demonstrated every day in service to their fellow Michiganders and employers. UIA will continue to work with law enforcement at the local, state, and federal level to ensure that bad actors are brought to justice.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force, and the Unemployment Insurance Agency, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.


title: Federal grand jury indicts Port Townsend, Washington man for production of images of child sexual abuse

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 32-year-old Port Townsend, Washington, man was indicted yesterday for production of images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Matan Liyor Goodman is scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Tacoma next week. According to records filed in the case, the investigation began with a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user of Kik Messenger had uploaded suspected images of child sexual abuse. Review of the computer records indicated the person uploading the images resided in Western Washington and the information was forwarded to the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force at the Seattle Police Department. An agent with Homeland Security Investigations connected the computer information with Goodman at an address in Port Townsend. Further investigation revealed that Goodman is a registered sex offender due to convictions in California. Law enforcement obtained a judicially approved search warrant to search Goodman’s home and person, including any electronic devices belonging to him. Following the search in October 2023, Goodman was taken into federal custody. The charge contained in the indictment is an allegation. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The mandatory minimum for the offense of Production of Child Pornography is 15 years. Due to his prior convictions, Goodman potentially faces a mandatory minimum 25 years in prison if convicted. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Victoria Cantore and Matthew Hampton.


title: Jacksonville Man Sentenced To More Than Five Years In Federal Prison For Selling Fentanyl

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Elliott Dubenion (40, Jacksonville) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Dubenion had pleaded guilty on September 27, 2023. According to court documents, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office identified Dubenion as a mid-level supplier of fentanyl to other dealers in Duval and Clay counties. Agents conducted two controlled purchases of fentanyl directly from Dubenion in Jacksonville on January 27 and February 7, 2023. According to lab reports, Dubenion sold approximately 84 grams of fentanyl. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charge

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Carlos Arturo Quintana pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, intending and knowing that said controlled substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Quintana, 41, of Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico, will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. A federal grand jury issued a third superseding indictment against Quintana and 10 co-conspirators on July 23, 2015. According to court records, in March of 2011, a confidential informant (“CI”) and another individual ordered 600 kilograms of marijuana from Elmy Hermosillo Trujillo. Trujillo was known to be the person who arranged all bulk purchases of marijuana for the Juarez Cartel, which is responsible for disseminating multi-ton loads of cocaine, marijuana, and other illicit drugs throughout the United States each year. Juarez Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico. Since its beginnings, the cartel has focused on drug trafficking, but has expanded into other criminal activities such as human trafficking, arms trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and large-scale commercial gasoline theft from the Mexican government. On or about March 19, 2011, the CI and the other individual, as well as other coconspirators, met with Quintana in Gomez Farias, Chihuahua, Mexico. Quintana arrived wearing a police uniform, driving a marked police vehicle, and was accompanied by other uniformed officers. Quintana and the other officers delivered the 600 kilograms of marijuana in a dump truck. The CI and the other individual then placed a GPS tracking device with the marijuana. On or about March 26, 2011, according to data being transmitted from the GPS tracker, the marijuana was located at a drug storage house in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Mexican law enforcement authorities searched the house at that location. A shootout occurred at that location which left one subject dead and resulted in the arrest of three co-conspirators and the escape of others. The marijuana, as well as several firearms, radios, and cell phones were seized at that time. Quintana was identified as the Police Chief of Namiquipa, as well as the Plaza Boss of the Juarez Cartel, and extradited to the United States in August of 2022. In his plea agreement, Quintana admitted that from Feb. 2011 to March 2011, he was involved in a conspiracy with others to distribute 600 kilograms of marijuana in the Republic of Mexico and knew the marijuana would be unlawfully imported into the United States. At sentencing, Quintana faces not less than five years nor more than 40 years in prison. Raul Corella-Hernandez, Marco Antonio Guzman-Zuniga, Elmy Hermosillo Trujillo, Jorge Olivas Nevarez, Jorge Adrian Ortega-Gallegos, and Guadalupe A Prieto remain fugitives. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Las Cruces-Doña Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Quintana from Mexico. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Randy M. Castellano are prosecuting the case. View the Third Superseding Indictment View the Plea Agreement # # # 24-23


title: Independence Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Meth Conspiracy

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man and a Kansas City, Mo., man were sentenced in federal court today for their roles role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Eric M. Stilley, 42, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 19 years and two months in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Devin E. Lawson, also known as “Hambone,” 30, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to nine years and seven months in federal prison without parole. On Sept 7, 2023, Stilley pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. On Sept. 14, 2023, Lawson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Stilley and Lawson each admitted that he participated in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mo., from Aug. 15, 2021, to Aug. 2, 2022. Stilley was present at a co-defendant’s residence when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on June 29, 2022. Stilley had approximately two ounces of methamphetamine at the time. Stilley was driving a motorized scooter with no license plate when he was stopped by Independence police officers on Aug. 2, 2022. Stilley, who was arrested on outstanding warrants, was in possession of approximately 77 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 6.6 grams of fentanyl. Independence police officers executed a search warrant at Lawson’s residence on Feb. 10, 2022. Officers seized approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a stolen firearm, firearm accessories, and ammunition. According to court documents, Stilley was responsible for distributing more than 90 kilograms of methamphetamine. Stilley and Lawson are the first defendants to be sentenced in this case. Three co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.


title: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison  for Committing Armed Robbery

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 11, Rodney Leroy Brown, 36, of Pompano Beach, Florida was sentenced by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore to 324 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after having been convicted by a trial jury of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. On March 18, 2023, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Brown – who had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and grand theft – entered a convenience store located in Pompano Beach. Brown selected a soda bottle from the beverage cooler inside the store before surreptitiously walking around the counter to the register area. He then confronted the store clerk, who was behind the counter, and the clerk’s 5-year-old son. Brown brandished two firearms at both the clerk and child, threatening to kill them if they did not give him the money from the registers. In fear, the clerk complied. Brown grabbed money from the registers and then stole the clerk’s purse before fleeing the store. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence. ATF Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ajay J. Alexander and Catherine Koontz prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60101. ###


title: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Human Smuggling

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Brooklyn, New York man pleaded guilty on January 17, 2024 in federal court in connection with smuggling unauthorized immigrants, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Abraham Hernandez, 27, pleaded guilty to three counts of bringing in and harboring certain aliens. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2024. Hernandez was indicted on July 5, 2023. According to the charging documents, on or about June 13, 2023, Abraham was stopped in Pittsburg, New Hampshire while transporting in a Honda SUV nine unauthorized immigrants who were in the United States in violation of law. The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Border Patrol led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Bluejacket Man who Represented Himself at Trial was Found Guilty

body_text: A federal jury today convicted a Bluejacket man who voluntarily waived his right to counsel and represented himself at trial. Lance Douglas Roark, 43, of Bluejacket and a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country and Assault with Intent to Commit Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 years of Age in Indian Country. “Lance Roark manipulated a child in June of 2023 to fulfill his own criminal sexual desires,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “That child showed tremendous strength and courage in trial as she faced her predator. Lance Roark has now been held accountable for his criminal actions.” According to court documents and testimony presented at trial, on June 9, 2023, Roark engaged in abusive sexual contact and intentionally assaulted a minor child who was eleven. When the child victim took the witness stand, prosecutors asked her questions about the sexual abuse and assault. The victim testified that Roark described biblical stories and how they could be “free in who they had sex with.” Roark asked her if she felt uncomfortable. Even after she told him that she was uncomfortable, Roark continued grooming the child. Roark showed her pornography and even convinced the child that if he abused her, they would win the lottery. He also asked the child not to tell anyone. As the child continued to describe the sexual contact and assault, Roark had a hard time making eye contact with the victim as she testified. While prosecutors presented drawings the child made describing Roark’s genitalia, he still would not make eye contact. When Roark cross-examined the child, he would not say “sexual abuse” or “sexual assault.” On June 8, 2023, Roark approached a separate minor who is 17 years old. The witness described to prosecutors how Roark approached her after she saw him touching himself. She testified that Roark apologized for staring at her chest. Roark attempted to persuade her to have sex with him. She was able to decline his advances and separate herself from him. Roark will remain in custody until he is sentenced at a later date. He faces up to life imprisonment. The FBI and Craig County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle Dial and Alicia N. Hockenbury prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Convicted Felon From Newton Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Selling Cocaine, Firearm, Ammunition

body_text: BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for cocaine distribution and firearm offenses. Shawn Craig, 38, of Newton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 99 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2023, Craig pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Craig was charged in January 2022. Craig coordinated three drug transactions with an undercover agent between September and October 2022. Craig met with the undercover agent near his Newton residence on three separate occasions – Sept. 12, Oct. 20 and Oct. 26, 2022 – to conduct the deals, during which Craig provided cocaine in exchange for cash. Prior to the third meeting, on Oct. 26, 2022, Craig sent an image of a firearm to the undercover agent and indicated that he could sell it to the agent. During the subsequent meeting, Craig provided the undercover agent with a firearm, ammunition and a quantity of cocaine. At the time of the conduct, Craig was on federal supervised release for a 2014 federal conviction for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Craig was sentenced to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release in that case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; John E. Mawn, Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan; and Newton Police Chief John F. Carmichael Jr. made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Probation Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Doctor convicted at trial for unlawfully dispensing controlled substances

body_text: MIAMI – On Jan. 12, a Miami federal court jury convicted a doctor of conspiracy to unlawfully dispense and distribute controlled substances, and six counts of unlawfully dispensing controlled substances. The conviction followed a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn. Under federal law, a physician is authorized to dispense (prescribe) controlled substances only when there is a legitimate medical basis for doing so, and the dispensing is consistent with accepted standards of professional medical practice. According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Osmin Morales, 72, of Weston, Florida, established a purported pain management clinic in which he issued prescriptions for controlled substances, principally oxycodone, morphine, and alprazolam (a tranquilizer commonly known by its brand name, Xanax) to most patients who sought them, without any appropriate medical basis. On many occasions, Doctor Morales issued prescriptions for controlled substances without examining the patients, often when he was not even present in the clinic. Morales also often pre-wrote many prescriptions for controlled substances and provided them to his office managers to hand out for cash payments of $250 to regular patients, with the purpose of unlawfully maximizing the clinic’s profits. Some of Morales’s former patients testified during trial that they had often obtained prescriptions for oxycodone, morphine, and alprazolam from the office staff without seeing Morales. One patient’s mother testified that she had begged Morales to stop prescribing narcotics to her daughter, because she was becoming dysfunctional, but he continued prescribing them. Medical records from Morales’s office described a number of medical examinations he had purportedly conducted of patients which described the patients’ symptoms and included Morales’s diagnoses for which he prescribed opioids to them. However, official records from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that on many of the dates for those purported examinations, Morales had been out of the country. A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent testified that Florida’s prescription drug monitoring program showed that during the time of the indictment, Morales had prescribed opioids to more than a thousand patients, most often the maximum available doses. The DEA agent also researched numerous patients by name and found that nearly one-third of them had criminal records relating to drug dealing. A pain medicine expert witness testified that none of the patient medical records he had examined contained any proper medical basis for the use of opioids, such as oxycodone or morphine, nor any basis for the use of benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam. The pain medicine expert also testified that the combination of opioids and benzodiazepines that Morales regularly prescribed, both of which are central nervous system depressants, created an enhanced risk of overdose and death. A former member of the Morales’s office staff testified that she had collected approximately $4,000 per day, in cash, from patients to whom Morales provided controlled substance prescriptions. On most of those days, Morales had not been present at the clinic. Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy count and the same for each of the additional counts of unlawful dispensing. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, announced the conviction. DEA Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from CBP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Tamen and Theodore Joseph O’Brien are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Stone and Mitchell Hyman are handling asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 22-cr-20255. ###


title: Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Roles in Conspiracy Targeting Credit Union

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Davon Parson, age 20, of Albany, and Dnauticah Taylor-Sterman, age 21, of Albany, have pled guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. In separate pleas before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci, Parson and Taylor-Sterman each admitted that between February and October 2022, they were members of a conspiracy to defraud SEFCU by, among other things, applying for loans using stolen identities of real people and withdrawing the loaned money in cash. Both Parson and Taylor-Sterman admitted that they applied for loans in other people’s names using fake New York driver’s licenses with their photographs but bearing the names and dates of birth of other people. Taylor-Sterman pled guilty today and Parson pled guilty on January 10, 2024. Parson and Taylor-Sterman were previously charged by an indictment, along with Evan Cutler and Allahson Allah, formerly known as Gwyn Cancer. According to the indictment and statements made by prosecutors in court, the conspirators obtained customer account information from Caeshara Cannon, age 33, of Albany, a former Member Service Manager at SEFCU, and used that information to create counterfeit checks, which were presented for negotiation at SEFCU branches in the Northern District of New York. The conspirators also obtained personal identifying information of real people, which they used to fraudulently obtain loans from SEFCU, and then withdrew the proceeds in cash. The charges to which Parson and Taylor-Sterman pled guilty carry a minimum term of 2 years in prison and a maximum term of 32 years, a fine of up to $1.25 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. Parson will be sentenced on May 10, 2024 and Taylor-Sterman will be sentenced on May 17, 2024. Cannon pled guilty on September 14, 2023 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled for sentencing on July 12, 2024. The following charges remain pending against the following individuals: Allah, age 53, of Albany, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Cutler, age 24, of Queensbury, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft. As to these defendants, the charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Bethlehem Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.


title: Binghamton Felon and Escapee Sentenced to 48 Months for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK –Charles Harrison, 35, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced today to serve 48 months in federal prison following his trial and conviction for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person (convicted felon). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal for the Northern District of New York David L. McNulty made the announcement. The trial evidence demonstrated that, following his 2012 conviction in the Northern District of New York for Conspiracy to Possess and Distribute controlled substances, Harrison was serving the final portion of his sentence at a halfway house in Connecticut. Harrison absconded from the halfway house, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest. On March 29, 2022, the United States Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Fugitive Task Force found Harrison hiding under a mattress in an apartment in Binghamton, New York. The U.S. Marshals also located a loaded handgun in the bedroom next to where Harrison was hiding. Forensic and testimonial evidence presented at trial linked Harrison to the handgun that was in the apartment, and the jury voted to convict him of possessing the firearm as a prohibited person by reason of his prior felony conviction. United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Harrison to serve 3 years of supervised release to begin after his prison sentence. This case was investigated by the United States Marshalls Service with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Binghamton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone and Thomas R. Sutcliffe.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $3,517,919.40 In Civil and Criminal Actions In Fiscal Year 2023

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross announced today that the Eastern District of Arkansas collected $3,517,919.40 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $3,417,560.11 was collected in criminal actions and $100,359.29 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the Eastern District of Arkansas worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $278,701.75 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $6,690.49 was collected in criminal actions and $272,011.26 was collected in civil actions. “On behalf of victims and taxpayers in the Eastern District of Arkansas, our Office’s Financial Litigation Program and Asset Forfeiture Unit aggressively work to ensure civil and criminal financial obligations are met,” Ross said. “The hard work put in these programs often goes unnoticed. I am extremely proud of their dedication and commitment to ensure victims justly receive compensation and assessed fines are paid.” Following are two cases that represent the work the Eastern District of Arkansas does to recover money. United States v. Marcus O. Millsap , Case No. 4:17-CR-00293-045 BSM (E.D. AR). On May 26, 2023, Marcus Millsap was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to immediately pay $200,300 ($200k fine and $300 in assessments). Millsap failed to pay, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office was able to garnish the full $200,300 Judgment amount from a bank account belonging to Millsap. On August 30, 2023, the Court entered an Order directing the bank to pay the full $200,300 to the Clerk of Court. Millsap, associated with the white supremacist gang New Aryan Empire, was a violent drug trafficker in Pope County and indicted in September 2019. After a jury trial, Millsap was found guilty of conspiracy to violate racketeering laws, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States v. Everett Martindale , Case No. 4:19-CR-00688 DPM (E.D. AR) On June 30, 2023, Everett Martindale was sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison and ordered to pay $246,375.00 in restitution. Martindale paid a total of $197,375 towards his restitution shortly after sentencing. The Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) credited $51,000 that Martindale had already paid on a forfeiture money judgment towards the restitution judgment amount. Martindale and six other defendants were involved in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Agriculture out of more than $11.5 million that was intended to benefit farmers who had been discriminated against. Martindale worked as an attorney and legal representative for most of the claimants recruited by other defendants. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $226,132 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @EDARNEWS