title: Muskogee Resident Sentenced For Federal Crime Of Arson

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Daniel Lewis Moon, age 26, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for one count of Arson. The charges arose from investigations by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On November 9, 2022, a federal jury found Moon guilty at trial of Arson. According to investigators, on March 28, 2020, Moon, an employee at the Dollar General in Porter, Oklahoma, turned in his two-week resignation notice then purposefully lit a fire in a store aisle during business hours. Employees successfully evacuated shoppers and staff, but the fire caused significant damage before firefighters were able to extinguish it. The Honorable Charles B. Goodwin, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Oklahoma City. Moon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.


title: Three Individuals Found Guilty of Child Neglect, Endangerment on the Red Lake Reservation

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Three individuals living on the Red Lake Indian Reservation have been convicted by a federal jury of felony child neglect, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to evidence presented at trial, between February 2022 and January 2023, Robin John Roy, 55, Nicole Robyn Roy, 29, and Harrison Edwin Dudley Sr., 36, willfully deprived the minor victims of necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision despite their reasonable ability to make the necessary provisions, resulting in substantial harm to the minor victims’ physical, mental, and emotional health. On February 16, 2024, following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel, all three defendants were found guilty of felony child neglect. Nicole Roy and Dudley were also found guilty of felony child endangerment. Sentencing hearings for the defendants will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Rachel L. Kraker tried the case.


title: Former Portland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Multiple Children

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Portland resident was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison today for sexually abusing multiple children, videorecording and photographing the abuse, and posting the illicit videos and photos on a private Snapchat page he maintained and used to entice other children to produce and share sexually explicit images of themselves. Rolando Daniel Benitez, 30, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in July and August 2019, Benitez, pretending to be a 15-year-old boy named “Marcos,” sexually abused two children, then ages 14 and 17, used his cell phone to videorecord and photograph the abuse, and posted the child sexual abuse material to a private Snapchat story page he maintained. In at least one of the images posted to Snapchat, Benitez’s online alias “Marcos” was written with black ink on one of the children’s bodies. On at least one occasion, Benitez sexually abused both minor victims together. Investigators later discovered that Benitez, who moved to Washington state while the investigation was pending, used his Snapchat story page to entice other children to produce and send him sexually explicit images of themselves. Benitez only allowed girls to join and view his private Snapchat stories, and only after the girls complied with his “rules” by sending him photos of their exposed bodies. He further required some of the girls to write and photograph his online alias on their bodies. A local investigation of Benitez’s crimes was opened after one of his child victims submitted a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline. The victim included Benitez’s full name and phone number in the report and pleaded with authorities to “please stop this man.” Less than a month later, Benitez was arrested in Auburn, Washington, for sexually abusing a 12-year-old child he met on SnapChat. On January 26, 2021, Benitez was charged by federal criminal complaint in the District of Oregon with producing, advertising, receiving, and possessing child pornography. On October 5, 2023, he pleaded guilty to a three-count criminal information charging him with two counts of sexually exploiting children, and one count of possessing child pornography. Benitez’s federal plea agreement is part of a global resolution between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and the King County, Washington, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. On July 7, 2023, Benitez was sentenced in King County Superior Court to 136 months in state prison and a life-term of community custody (supervised release) for his abuse of the 12-year-old child in Auburn. Benitez’s federal and state sentences will run concurrently. This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from the Auburn, Washington, Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . FBI Portland’s CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: United States Obtains More Than $1.9 Million in Forfeitures from Illegal Gambling Operations

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – In January 2024, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii (“USAO”) obtained an order forfeiting $307,523.32 to the United States. The forfeiture order was obtained as part of a settlement in a civil forfeiture action filed in 2020 against a residence located at 1649A Paula Drive in Honolulu. The United States alleged the residence was purchased using illegal gambling proceeds and the $307,523.32 was paid in lieu of forfeiting the residence. Previously, in 2019, the USAO filed a civil forfeiture action seeking forfeiture of four real properties and other seized property. Both the Paula Drive forfeiture action and the 2019 action resulted from a joint criminal and civil investigation into an illegal gambling business operating at least nine illegal game rooms. The Department of Homeland Security (HSI), the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), the Honolulu Police Department (HPD), and other law enforcement partners conducted the investigation, which began in 2018 and resulted in 12 criminal convictions, including operation of an illegal gambling business out of a single-family residence located at 94-103 Pupupuhi Street in Waipahu and another location in Pearl City. Federal search warrants executed at those locations, as well as another game room and other properties used in the gambling business, resulted in the seizure of U.S. currency, gaming machine paraphernalia, and other property. Simultaneously, seizure warrants were executed at several financial institutions for funds that constituted proceeds of gambling or funds involved in structuring. The 2019 civil forfeiture action sought forfeiture of the seized property and the forfeiture of four real properties, including the Pupupuhi Street game room and an apartment located on South Street in Honolulu that was purchased with illegal proceeds. Ultimately, the civil forfeiture action resulted in the forfeiture of $885,070.14, which includes forfeiture of the seized U.S. currency and the proceeds of forfeiting the Waipahu game room and the South Street apartment. The amount also includes a $360,000 settlement payment to resolve the forfeiture claim as to a third real property located on Liliha Street. “Forfeiture provides a critical tool for law enforcement in its efforts to disrupt illegal enterprises and reduce criminal activity in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Illegal gambling businesses cause significant harm and the successful forfeiture of more than $1 million from this illegal gambling operation reflects our commitment to pursuing both criminal and civil actions.” Assistant U.S Attorneys Sydney Spector and Rachel Moriyama handled the forfeiture litigation.


title: Former bank manager sentenced to 3+ years in prison for theft from customer accounts

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma –A 44-year-old former bank manager from Battle Ground, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 42 months in prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identify Theft, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Brian Davie, a former branch manager at Wells Fargo, used unauthorized cash withdrawals, money transfers, and cashier’s checks to steal over $1 million. Davie targeted elderly and vulnerable customers. Eight victims have been identified. One woman had more than $566,000 stolen from her retirement accounts. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said, “The wake of damage in this case is large. It involved multiple victims over some time... Our society depends on the trust of those who hold our finances.” Davie worked for Wells Fargo in Battle Ground from March of 2014 until he was fired in June 2019. According to records in the case, Davie used his position as a manager at the branch to conduct unauthorized transactions. Davie had access to customer files containing information about bank account balances. Davie hid his criminal activity by repeatedly exchanging cashier’s checks until they were small enough to cash without triggering banking reporting requirements. Davie continued undetected because he stole from elderly customers who might be less likely to closely monitor their account balances. Some of Davie’s victims had dementia or had limited English skills and did not understand banking transactions. In at least one case, Davie failed to file the paperwork to install a victim’s relative as a co-signer on the victim’s accounts. That failure prevented the relative from being able to monitor the account and detect the fraudulent transactions. Davie deposited some of the stolen money in an account he created in the name of a relative’s business. He made some of the cashier’s checks payable to that relative or to the business account he created. Much of the money was withdrawn as cash. In all, Davie embezzled S1,279,840 from victim accounts. Wells Fargo partially reimbursed victims for their losses. Judge Settle will decide the amount of restitution Davie owes on March 18, 2024. In asking for a four-year prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Dillon wrote to the court, “Bank fraud and aggravated identity theft cause devastating effects on their victims. It can often take years or even decades to undo the impact of identity theft and to untangle the impact it had on your finances and your credit score. Let alone the untold psychological damage it causes when you are unable to trust the government institutions that are designed to protect you. As a bank manager, Defendant knew better.” This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Wells Fargo investigation team. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Dillon.


title: Pulaski County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Eubank, Ky., man, Floyd Adams, 48, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 20 years in prison, for receiving child pornography. According to his plea agreement, in December 2021, law enforcement began investigating Adams, after he showed up for an internet-arranged meeting with a fictitious 11-year-old girl, at a Somerset movie theatre. Law enforcement later searched his electronic devices and his residence and found images of child pornography on his devices. Adams admitted to downloading sexually explicit pictures of minors. Under federal law, Adams must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Sheriff Bobby Jones, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by FBI and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: Portsmouth Felon Sentenced for Possessing Multiple Firearms

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possessing multiple firearms and a machinegun conversion device as a convicted felon. According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, after a lengthy investigation into several individuals suspected of being involved in the distribution of narcotics, law enforcement officers executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Portsmouth residence of Michael Jerrod Scott, 40. During the search, officers recovered three firearms, multiple firearm magazines and ammunition, approximately six ounces of marijuana and related edible products, items associated with the manufacturing and distribution of drugs, and $2,920 in cash. One of the firearms had a machinegun conversion device installed at the rear of the slide, which made it a “machinegun” as defined by federal law. Scott had previously been convicted of several felony offenses, to include robbery, use of a firearm in the commission of robbery, statutory burglary of a dwelling while armed, use of a firearm in the commission of armed burglary, and possession of a schedule I or II drug. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Comstock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc West 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 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-74.


title: Cincinnati woman pleads guilty to making false racial discrimination claims against landlord to federal agents

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati tenant pleaded guilty in federal court today to making false statements accusing her landlord of violating the Fair Housing Act. Dermisha Pickett, 33, fabricated messages from her landlord stating the landlord did not want Black tenants. According to court documents, in February 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office was forwarded several text messages purportedly sent by the Cincinnati-area landlord as part of a civil rights report. The U.S. Attorney’s Office referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) to investigate the claims. The investigation revealed that the landlord owns more than 100 properties, including 56 properties rented through HUD’s housing choice voucher program. Many of his tenants appear to be Black/African American. In March 2023, Pickett met with HUD agents and provided the agents with numerous discriminatory messages purportedly made by Pickett’s landlord. Pickett also claimed to receive a call from the landlord as she arrived at the meeting and placed the call on speaker phone. Pickett told agents that she had attempted to pay her portion of the rent but that her landlord returned it, stating he did not want to rent to Black individuals. In a later interview with the landlord, the landlord told agents he did not want to continue to rent to Pickett because she was causing extensive damage to the property. Phone records and forensic analysis indicate that no text messages were exchanged during the time periods Pickett claimed. It is alleged that Pickett used mobile applications to fabricate the text messages. “False reports to law enforcement undermine legitimate reports of racial discrimination and could discourage victims from coming forward for fear that they will not be believed,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This office will continue to do its due diligence when presented with any potential civil rights violations.” “Making false reports of racial discrimination is unacceptable and can have tangible effects on other tenants who rely on HUD-assisted housing,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the HUD Office of Inspector General. “In this case, if the landlord had violated the Fair Housing Act, his participation in HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program may have been revoked, causing the displacement of approximately 50 families who rely on the Housing Choice Voucher program. These families would have been forced to uproot their families to find new homes, incurring non-reimbursable expenses.” Pickett was charged by criminal complaint in August 2023. Making a false statement to federal officers is punishable by up to five years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region announced the guilty plea entered into today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Columbus man pleads guilty to fraud crimes related to stealing identities for lines of credit

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to fraud crimes related to stealing identities to get more than $100,000 in fraudulent lines of credit. Siyuan Ye, 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to his plea agreement, between January 2022 and August 2023, Ye stole the identities of at least 15 victims. Ye repeatedly obtained Ohio and Florida driver licenses of other individuals without their authorization and then used the licenses to fraudulently obtain credit from retailers in the victims’ names. He used the fraudulent credit to purchase a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, three motorcycles and a variety of electronics. For example, in April 2023, Ye used a stolen identity and fraudulent line of credit to purchase $8,400 worth of goods from a Micro Center in Columbus. Ye bought graphics cards, laptops and an Apple watch. That same month, Ye used the same Ohio victim’s identity to buy a Suzuki motorcycle at Iron Pony Motorsports in Westerville. As part of his plea, Ye has agreed to pay more than $115,000 in restitution. Parties involved in his case have recommended a sentence of 24 to 36 months in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Bloods Gang member pleads guilty to drug and gun charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Rasheem “Coop” Sullivan, 31, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charges carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas E. Gregory, who is handling the case, stated that Sullivan is a member of the nationally recognized Bloods Gang, and the self-proclaimed leader of a local subset known as the Immortal Stone Gorilla Gang. In December 2022, following a lengthy investigation into narcotics trafficking, weapons possession, and associated violence, Sullivan and several of his fellow Blood Gang members were arrested. On December 14, 2022, several locations associated with Sullivan’s enterprise were searched, during which investigators recovered narcotics, cash, and numerous firearms. Inside Sullivan’s residence, a Glock 10 mm pistol loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition was recovered. The investigation began in the aftermath of the murder of Rochester Police Department Investigator Anthony Mazurkewicz and the assault of Investigator Sino Seng in July 2022. It's alleged that individuals associated with Sullivan were engaged in a violent feud with another group led by Brandon “B-Mack” Washington. In September 2022, Washington and several associates were charged with federal drug and weapons offenses. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2024, before Judge Geraci. # # # #


title: Twice convicted felon pleads guilty to new gun charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Willis Bowles, 36, of Geneva, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everardo A. Rodriguez, who is handling the case, stated that on June 23, 2023, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Bowles’ Geneva residence. During the search, investigators seized a loaded Smith and Wesson rifle. A high capacity 30 round magazine, containing 22 rounds of ammunition was also seized. In 2006 and 2007, Bowles was convicted of gun felonies in the State of Florida and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff David Cirencione, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. DeVito, New York Field Division, and the Geneva Police Department, under the direction of Chief Matt Colton. Sentencing is scheduled for June 10, 2024, before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Canadian woman arrested, charged with assaulting a CBP officer

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Romane Toumani, 29, of Ontario, Canada, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer, which carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Henning, who is handling the case, stated that on February 8, 2024, at approximately 12:00 p.m., Homeland Security Investigations received a report of a Customs and Border Protection Officer being assaulted by Toumani at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. According to the complaint, Toumani and her sister were traveling in an UBER vehicle, when the UBER driver was referred for immigration inspection at the Peace Bridge and then told that he would have to return to Canada for insufficient travel documents. The Toumani’s were told to retrieve their baggage from the vehicle and advised that CBP would be examining their luggage, which the sisters stated that CBP had no authority to do. As CBP officers attempted to return the Toumani’s to the immigration inspection area, Romane Toumani forcefully bit the arm of an officer and resisted efforts multiple attempts to place her in handcuffs. Toumani made an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Fentanyl Trafficker Who Attempted to Retaliate Against and Intimidate Witnesses Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Verona, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 293 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Jamal Knox, 29. Knox was sentenced today following his conviction at trial in December 2022. Evidence introduced at trial established that, from approximately September 2017 to November 2019, Knox supplied fentanyl to large-scale drug traffickers who referred to themselves as Hustlas Don’t Sleep. During the conspiracy, Knox possessed multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style assault rifle and various handguns. Execution of a search warrant at his home revealed $50,000 in cash and various items used in large-scale fentanyl trafficking. In connection with Knox’s sentencing, Judge Horan determined that the defendant orchestrated a campaign of intimidation directed at cooperating witnesses called to testify by the government. Specifically, during the testimony of these witnesses, multiple known associates of Knox would enter the courtroom and sit in the public gallery, leaving when the testimony ended. The Court also determined that following his trial, and while he was detained pending sentencing, Knox attempted to have other non-incarcerated individuals retaliate against various trial witnesses. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Horan emphasized the seriousness of Knox’s criminal conduct and his significant criminal history, along with his attempts to intimidate and retaliate against trial witnesses, as reasons for the sentence. “Jamal Knox was a central player in the large-scale fentanyl trafficking associated with the Hustlas Don’t Sleep street gang,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Today’s significant sentence reflects the egregiousness of Knox’s conduct, his refusal to leave the deadly drug trade behind after multiple prior convictions, and his blatant efforts to silence those who would expose the extent of his criminal conduct—including while they testified in a federal courtroom. This office and our dedicated law enforcement partners will leave no stone unturned in our joint work to rid our communities of deadly narcotics and keep our neighbors safe.” Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Allegheny County Police Department, Monroeville Police Department, and Penn Hills Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Knox. 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: Trafficker Who Brutally Assaulted Victims Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A DeSoto man who sex trafficked women for more than a decade was sentenced last week to 30 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Phillip Jay Curlett, 34, was indicted in October 2023 and pleaded guilty later that month to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman. “Human trafficking is one of the most egregious crimes the HSI investigates,” said Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. “HSI’s role is simple; we will find and prosecute those who force victims into this degrading and inhumane lifestyle.” According to court documents, Mr. Curlett trafficked multiple women, brutally beating several. According to court documents, one victim told investigators that when she first met Mr. Curlett, he gave her a fake name and asked her to spend the night with him. Believing they were embarking upon a dating relationship, she consented. He then drove her to a local motel and ordered her to “go to work.” That same night, she saw her first two commercial sex customers. Mr. Curlett went on to advertise the victim’s commercial sex services online and forced her to tun her proceeds over to him, threatening to hurt her if she did not make enough money for him. He forced her to use methamphetamine so that she could stay awake to maximize profits, and assaulted her on multiple occasions, including after she tried to leave. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the North Texas Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade prosecuted the case.


title: Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Participation in the 2024 Munich Security Conference

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: Deputy Attorney General (AG) Lisa Monaco traveled to Munich this week to participate in the 60th annual Munich Security Conference (MSC), which brings together leaders from around the world to confront current and emerging threats to our collective, global security. The Deputy AG delivered the closing keynote at the Munich Cyber Security Conference, where she highlighted the continuing successes of the Justice Department’s proactive cyber strategy that prioritizes near-term disruptions and victim protection, while tackling the broader ecosystem that supports cyber criminals, including the abuse of crypto-currencies and disruptive technologies. Emphasizing the Department’s commitment to this strategy, she said: “ You’re going to continue to see that same tempo of prevention-focused, disruption-focused, victim-centered action, and you're going to see it at the same pace – so stay tuned.” During the MSC, the Deputy AG met with law enforcement and intelligence counterparts, as well as international thought leaders, to further discuss the warnings she issued in London about the risks posed to global elections this year by nation-state actors’ misuse of disruptive technology — specifically, artificial intelligence (AI). Referencing the work of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force , which she launched one year ago to strike back against adversaries trying to steal America’s most advanced technology, she again described AI as the “ultimate disruptive technology” and reiterated her announcement at Oxford University earlier this week that going forward, whenever appropriate, the Justice Department will seek stiffer prison sentences for criminal offenses made significantly more dangerous by the misuse of AI. Joined at the MSC by Secretary General Tõnis Saar of the Estonian Ministry of Justice, the Deputy Attorney General announced a first-of-its-kind international sharing agreement between the United States and Estonia that will transfer to Ukraine nearly $500,000 in funds confiscated in connection with an illicit Russian procurement network. Those funds will be used to support the people of Ukraine, as they continue to bravely defend themselves against Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion. In signing the agreement , the Deputy AG emphasized that the Justice Department “ will continue pursuing creative solutions to ensure the Ukrainian people can respond and rebuild. Dollar by dollar. House by house. Town by town.” While at the MSC, the Deputy AG also held bilateral meetings with foreign leaders and international law enforcement counterparts, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Sabbar Al-Sudani of Iraq, President Bernardo Arévalo of Guatemala, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna of Estonia, and Secretary General of Interpol Jurgen Stock. In all of her engagements, the Deputy AG reiterated the importance of international partnerships in combating transnational threats, including malign state interference, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and human smuggling. ### MSC MSC MSC


title: Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced for Her Role in Fentanyl and Meth Conspiracy, While Co-Conspirators Await Sentencing

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 5, 2024. Tayler Alyssa Hanssen, 29, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hanssen was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute at least 400 grams of Fentanyl by a federal grand jury in December of 2022. She pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023. Hanssen obtained pills that contained fentanyl from co-conspirators and then distributed the pills to others in the Sioux Falls area. She was personally involved in the distribution of more than 6,000 pills containing fentanyl. The co-conspirators, who were indicted with Hanssen, are Kaitlin Tierra Meis, who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on January 5, 2024, and Lauren Gena Pourier, who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 21, 2024. Meis is set to be sentenced on April 1, 2024, and Pourier is set to be sentenced on March 11, 2024. Both Meis and Pourier are from Sioux Falls. This case was investigated by the FBI, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Hanssen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Passing Counterfeit United States Currency and Attempted Passing Counterfeit United States Currency

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Chicago, Illinois, man convicted of Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency and Attempted Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency. The sentencing took place on February 12, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Shavez Moody, age 28, was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $817.54 in restitution to retail stores where he had passed counterfeit currency and $200 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Moody was indicted for Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency and Attempted Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 7, 2023. Moody passed and attempted to pass counterfeit $100 bills at retail stores in Sioux Falls and Aberdeen, South Dakota, knowing the bills were counterfeit and receiving goods and genuine currency as change. Moody did so intending to defraud the retailers. This case was investigated by U.S. Secret Service, Aberdeen Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Fusion Center, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. Moody was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Second-Degree Murder, Robbery, Carjacking, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on February 6, 2024. JT Myore, 37, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $400 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. JT Myore was also indicted for Carjacking, Robbery, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He was found guilty of Robbery, Carjacking, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence following a jury trial in federal district court on September 27, 2023. He was also indicted for Second-Degree Murder by a federal grand jury in August of 2021, and found guilty of Second-Degree Murder following a jury trial on November 9, 2023. In August of 2019, Myore and a co-defendant brandished firearms in order to carjack a Ford Freestyle from another male in Pine Ridge. In May of 2021, Myore and his co-defendants forcibly assaulted a male in Pine Ridge in order to steal his Toyota Celica. The male sustained a broken arm and cuts and contusions to his head and face. In May of 2021, Myore was at a party at a residence just outside of Pine Ridge. He was intoxicated and a verbal confrontation ensued among some of the party-goers and the male victim. The victim attempted to walk away, but before he could get away, Myore stabbed him to death with a knife. These cases were investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case. Myore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Three of Four Co-Conspirators Sentenced in Fentanyl, Meth, and Firearms Conspiracy

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced three defendants convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Antoine Ray Thomas, 39, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced on February 12, 2024, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Antoine was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute over 500 grams of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Tyrin Thomas, Jr., 28, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced on February 5, 2024, to 27 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Tyrin was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute over 500 grams of Methamphetamine. Lyric Christina Simon Tschetter, 26, also of Sioux Falls, was sentenced on February 9, 2024, to 12 years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Lyric was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute over 400 grams of Fentanyl. All three defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2022. Antoine Ray Thomas pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on November 8, 2023; Tyrin Thomas, Jr. pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on October 27, 2023; and Lyric Christina Simon Tschetter pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on November 21, 2023. A fourth defendant, Stevie Thomas, was indicted in this conspiracy on September 12, 2023, on the charges of Conspiracy to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or more of Fentanyl, and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. He is currently set for trial in May of 2024. These defendants were operating a large methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution organization in South Dakota. Their source was located in California who was supplied by sources in Mexico. This conspiracy involved fifty pounds of methamphetamine, hundreds of pills containing fentanyl, and several firearms and ammunition. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case was investigated by the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Ebert and Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. All three defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on February 16, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Travene Tyrone Myers, age 42, was sentenced to seven years and eight months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Myers was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in September of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 7, 2023. The conviction stems from an incident on July 10, 2023, when law enforcement was dispatched to an address in Sioux Falls. When officers arrived, they located Myers in a vehicle and initiated a stop. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, an officer located a fully loaded, semi-automatic pistol under the driver seat, which Myers, a convicted felon, admitted to possessing. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Myers was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office announces priority to prosecute white-collar, financial crimes in Alaska

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska announced her office’s priority to prosecute white-collar and financial crimes committed in Alaska. One prong of this effort is the formal establishment of an interagency Covid-19 Fraud Task Force. “White-collar and other financial crimes devastate families, communities and organizations. This task force brings together key law enforcement personnel to continue our ongoing efforts to combat all types of white-collar crime, including Covid-19 related fraud,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will remain steadfast in our work with law enforcement to find, investigate and prosecute any individual who chooses to commit these crimes.” The following agencies are part of the task force: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General Western Region Office (SBA OIG) IRS, Criminal Investigation Seattle Division Office (IRS CI) FBI Anchorage Field Office U.S. Department of Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) “The task force model is a proven approach to efficiently bringing resources to bear to combat fraud,” stated SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “Our office values our law enforcement partners' shared commitment to holding wrongdoers accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.” “White-collar crimes are not violent, but they are not victimless,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “By collaborating with our partners and utilizing intelligence-driven strategies, the FBI has been working diligently to tackle white-collar crimes and to hold fraudsters accountable.” “Financial crime is not victimless and hurts many people,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS CI, Seattle Field Office. “Our team here in Alaska is incredibly invested in our local communities, and we are dedicated to protecting them from harm. We all depend on our financial systems every day, and we are proud to join with U.S. Attorney Tucker and our partners in law enforcement in these essential efforts to keep our communities vibrant and safe.” The Task Force identifies, investigates and prosecutes those whose defraud economic aid programs intended to help individuals and small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic. That includes programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Restaurant Revitalization Funds (RRF), Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG), State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program (CFAP), Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and Unemployment Insurance (UI). To fraudulently obtain these funds, criminals have created fake businesses, committed identity theft, falsely reported their criminal history and inflated the size and scope of actual businesses, most often subsequently misusing federal funding for personal gain. Notable Cases In conjunction with today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Tucker also announced charges and recognized milestones in a number of financial crimes cases, including charges in cases investigated by the Task Force. Since September 2023, three cases alleging fraud charges related to Covid-19 programs have been indicted following investigations by the Task Force. The cases are as follows (by date of indictment): Rosaline Natazha Mavaega, 41, and Esau Malele Fualema Jr., 44, of Anchorage, were indicted in September 2023 on major fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and identify theft charges related to an alleged scheme to steal millions of dollars through Covid-19 recovery funds. The indictment alleges they stole over $1.6 million. Lloyd Pennebaker, 58, of Anchorage, was indicted in October 2023 on wire fraud charges related to false statements regarding his criminal history he allegedly made on EIDL loan applications from April 2020 to May 2021. The indictment alleges he received $122,500 in federal funding from the EIDL loans. Cheryl Labrie, 36, of Anchorage, was indicted in January 2024 on wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering charges related to an alleged scheme to obtain and launder nearly $1 million she received through multiple EIDL and PPP loans and advances over a year. Other notable financial fraud cases: Garett Elder, 30, of Anchorage, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Nov. 13, 2023, after he defrauded more than $26 million from over 170 victims in a large-scale investment fraud scheme. The U.S. will collect over $350,000 in treble damages and penalties after a default judgement was ordered in the False Claims Act case against Michael Hanzuk II, 31, of Anchorage. Hanzuk was a former co-owner of Arm Rippin Toys Inc. and was convicted of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act in August 2022. In 2020, Hanzuk applied for an EIDL loan of over $100,000 and falsely certified that he and Arm Rippin Toys were not engaged in “any illegal activity,” despite their active conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. Saray Consuelo Sarmiento Angarita Lockwood, 58, of Kenai, was sentenced to one year in prison on Dec. 18, 2023, after she and her late husband made a materially false statement in a bankruptcy case. Melissa Dobbs, 50, of the Matanuska Valley, was indicted in January 2024 on charges of healthcare fraud and allegedly making false statements on a loan application. Jayel Jean Lane, 34, of Anchorage, was sentenced to nine months in prison on Feb. 7, 2024, after she stole and misused Social Security benefits for roughly seven years. Lane stole over $76,000 in benefits that she applied for on behalf of a minor and spent the money for her own personal use. Citizens and others who suspect fraud or other criminal wrongdoing related to the pandemic can report crimes by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Tips for all white-collar and financial crimes can also be submitted to the FBI at ic3.gov or tips.fbi.gov , the SBA OIG at sbax.sba.gov/oigcss/ or the IRS CI at www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/reporting-fraud-and-abuse-within-the-irs-e-file-program . On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Anchorage business owner charged with wire fraud related to applications for Covid-19 recovery funds

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment in October charging an Anchorage businessman with allegedly committing wire fraud related to his application for Covid-19 recovery funds. He was transferred from Texas to Alaska this month. According to court documents, Lloyd Pennebaker, 58, is the owner of The Pennebaker Group, an organization doing business in Anchorage under the name Cornerstone Auto Sales. Pennebaker was also convicted of three felonies in September 2002. From April 2020 to May 2021, the defendant applied for and obtained Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans for Cornerstone Auto Sales and received $122,500 in federal funding. Court documents allege Pennebaker made false statements regarding his criminal history on the applications for the EIDL loans, which were sent through interstate communications. Pennebaker is charged with one count wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General Western Regional Office made the announcement. The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: U.S. to collect over $350,000 in damages after judgement ordered in False Claims Act case

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. will collect over $350,000 in treble damages and penalties after a default judgement was ordered in the False Claims Act case of the former co-owner of Arm Rippin Toys, who made false statements on an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application. Michael Hanzuk II, 31, of Anchorage, co-owned Arm Rippin Toys Inc. According to court documents, Hanzuk admitted in a related criminal case that beginning in July 2019 he and the two other co-owners and employees ran a “tuning and deleting” scheme of their customers’ diesel vehicles. This scheme involved removing control systems designed to reduce pollutants being emitted from vehicles, which is illegal under the Clean Air Act. Hanzuk was charged and convicted of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act in August 2022. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Congress authorized emergency funding for federal agencies to provide financial assistance to the public in the form of loans. In 2020, Hanzuk applied for an EIDL loan of over $100,000 and falsely certified that he and Arm Rippin Toys were not engaged in “any illegal activity,” despite their active conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. The False Claims Act (FCA) creates a civil cause of action for the recovery of damages and penalties from those who submit false or fraudulent claims to the United States. The U.S. affirmatively sought and was granted treble damages, as well as penalties against Hanzuk in the civil matter for his false claims, which were three times the amount of the EIDL funds he received. “My office will continue to prosecute Covid-19 related fraud and bring justice to those who abuse these programs,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The False Claims Act allows treble damages and penalties, which acts as a valuable tool to deter and to hold accountable those who seek to misuse public funds and scam American taxpayers.” “Those who violate the False Claim Act by wrongfully receiving SBA pandemic program funds will be held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge Weston King. “This settlement demonstrates that wrongfully obtaining taxpayer dollars will not go unnoticed, and violators will be identified. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.” The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Traini litigated the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . ###


title: Matanuska Valley Woman charged with healthcare fraud, false statements

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Matanuska Valley woman with healthcare fraud and with making a false statement in a loan application. According to court documents, beginning in January 2017, Melissa Ann Dobbs, 50, allegedly executed and attempted to execute a scheme to defraud healthcare benefit programs. The indictment also alleges that Dobbs made a false statement to a federally insured bank. According to State of Alaska records, Dobbs holds a professional behavior analyst license. Dobbs is charged with one count of healthcare fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1347, and one count for a false statement in a loan application in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1014. The defendant made her initial court appearance on February 6, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment for the healthcare fraud charge, plus an additional 30 years for the bank loan fraud charge, and a cumulative fine of up to $500,000. Further, the indictment alleges that the Court may order forfeiture of all proceeds traceable to the offense, including funds already seized by the State of Alaska. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after conviction and will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Bryan Denny of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Seattle Resident Agency, and Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Western Regional Office made the announcement. The Offices of Inspector General of the United States Department of Defense and the Small Business Administration are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Walker is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Anchorage businesswoman charged with fraudulently obtaining and laundering roughly $1M in Covid-19 relief funds

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging an Anchorage businesswoman with allegedly misusing Covid-19 relief funds for personal gain. According to court documents, Cheryl Labrie, 36, is the owner of AKBS LLC, an entity with the trade name Liberty Tax Service that provides bookkeeping, payroll and bill pay services in Alaska. Over the course of a year, Labrie applied for and obtained multiple federal loans and advances, totaling approximately $1 million. In her first loan application, the defendant failed to disclose a prior felony conviction on the application, and then continued to claim that all statements on the original loan application were true. The indictment alleges that in subsequent applications the defendant inflated her businesses’ average monthly payroll expenses and the total number of employees. In total, Labrie applied for and obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) advance, two EIDL loans, two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and the forgiveness of two PPP loans for AKBS LLC. The funds loaned to the business were allegedly transferred from her official business bank account to her personal bank account. She used the money to facilitate the purchase of a new home, pay an outstanding tax debt of a separate entity, and pay the payroll expenses for a marijuana dispensary. Labrie is charged with four counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1343, two counts of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1344, and six counts of money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1957. Labrie made her initial court appearance on Feb. 1 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Weston King of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General Western Regional Office made the announcement. The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the FBI Anchorage Field Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Heyman and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Anchorage woman sentenced to prison for Social Security fraud

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage woman was sentenced to nine months in prison for stealing and misusing Social Security benefits. According to court documents, Jayel Jean Lane, 34, applied for Social Security benefits on behalf of a minor in 2013. She received benefits for the minor from 2014 to 2022. For roughly seven years, Lane filed false reporting with the Social Security Administration, claiming that she spent the benefits on behalf of the minor, when, in fact, she spent the money for her own personal use. In total, Lane stole over $76,000 of the minor’s benefits. On Feb. 7, 2024, the Court denied Lane’s request to impose a sentence of home confinement and instead adopted the United States’ recommendation and sentenced the defendant to nine months’ incarceration. When delivering the sentence, the Court cited hopes of deterring others from taking money that Congress has determined necessary for those in need. The Court also ordered Lane to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $76, 998.74. “The defendant’s actions caused direct harm to the minor victim and the Social Security Administration and was an affront to American taxpayers who play a significant role in assisting those who receive these benefits,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute perpetrators who steal from community members, taxpayers and the federal government.” “This sentence holds Ms. Lane accountable for intentionally using her son’s Social Security benefits for her own personal gain and failure to notify SSA of a change in guardianship of the beneficiary,” said Inspector General Gail S. Ennis for SSA. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.” The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case. ###


title: TWO PUERTO RICAN MEN SENTENCED ON COCAINE SMUGGLING CONVICTIONS

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy sentenced Pedro Juan Ramos-Ramirez, 28, and Gerald Albert Cruz, 27, both of Puerto Rico to 48 and 57 months incarceration, followed by four years of supervised release and $100 special assessment each, on their convictions for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine While on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, on December 29, 2021, Customs and Border Protection Air Marine Operations officers interdicted a go-fast vessel operating without navigational lights heading towards Puerto Rico. As the officer pursued the vessel, the occupants began throwing bails into the ocean. Officers disabled the vessel’s engine forcing it to stop, and later recovered the bales from the ocean which contained 73 bricks of cocaine weighing 75 kilograms. This case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.


title: ECUADORIAN MAN SENTENCED IN COCAINE TRAFFICKING CASE

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Carlos Benitez Estupinan, 30, of Ecuador, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 57 months incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment, on his Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute While on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, on November 15, 2021, while on routine patrol in the eastern Pacific Ocean, a maritime patrol aircraft detected a low-profile vessel traveling at approximately 77 nautical miles north of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The United States Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton later intercepted the 52’ vessel which had no flag flown, no registration numbers, and no name painted on the hull. Four individuals, including Estupinan, were found on board the vessel, and neither individual claimed nationality for the vessel, subjecting the vessel to the jurisdiction of the United States. Coast Guard officers recovered 43 bales which contained 1,298 kilograms of cocaine from the vessel. This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel H. Huston. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: FOUR VENEZUELAN MEN CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING OVER TWO TONS OF COCAINE ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF ST. CROIX

body_text: St. Croix, VI –United States Attorney Delia L. Smith expressed her appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations, United States Coast Guard, British Royal Navy, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Virgin Islands Police Department for their diligent and unwavering effort in apprehending four individuals charged with possession with intent to distribute approximately 2,700 kilograms of cocaine. “We continue to work closely with our Border Protection partners to dismantle transnational criminal organizations responsible for smuggling narcotics into the U.S. Virgin Islands”, stated Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Gonzalez-Ramos. “The shared resolve between the Coast Guard and our local, federal and regional partners in interdicting major drug smuggling activities in the high seas is instrumental to safeguarding our citizens in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the nation’s southern-most maritime border, from this threat,” said Capt. José Díaz, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan Commander.” Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Agent in Charge Denise Foster stated, “We will continue to work with our counterparts and allocate all our law enforcement resources to make a greater impact in vulnerable areas where criminal organizations dedicated to drug trafficking are causing greater damage.” According to court documents, on February 11, 2024, at approximately 11:00 p.m., Customs and Border Protection detected a suspicious vessel traveling at approximately 67 nautical miles south of St Croix. The United States Coast Guard, assisted by the British Royal Navy, attempted to intercept the suspicious vessel, at which point the occupants on board the vessel began jettisoning bales of suspected narcotics overboard. On February 12, 2024, at approximately 3:00 a.m., vessel landed at Long Point, St. Croix, its occupants, later identified as Daniel Marval-Navarro, Desael Carreno-Carreno, Felix Jose Bermudez, and Luis Lugo-Marval, were taken into custody after they were observed walking in an open field in Estate Carlton wearing dripping wet clothing. Agents recovered the vessel and 74 bales containing 2,100 kilograms of cocaine. The United States Coast Guard later recovered an additional 26 bales which contained over 600 kilograms of cocaine. Based on estimates by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, the street value of 2,700 kilograms of cocaine in excess of $77 million. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Virgin Islands Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye. United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Maryland Real Estate Investor Sentenced for Stealing a Residence in Northwest Washington D.C.

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Franklin A. Olaitan, 51, of Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for stealing a residential property in Northwest Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. The sentence was handed down on Friday, February 16, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman who also ordered Olaitan to serve three years of supervised release, to not buy or lease any properties during the period of supervised release, to pay at least $580,663.73 in restitution and a $111,159.63 criminal forfeiture money judgment and pay a $100 assessment. Olaitan pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols on Aug. 15, 2023, to one count of wire fraud. As part of the plea, Olaitan admitted he caused the filing of a false deed transferring the property, which he immediately resold to a third-party, pocketing the sale proceeds. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, Olaitan caused over $600,000 in losses to the various victims. According to the government’s evidence, between September 23, 2016, through March 22, 2017, Olaitan stole a real property on First Street, NW, using a fake deed and other falsified documents in order to rapidly sell the property, pocketing the sale proceeds, and defrauding the true owner of the property, settlement company, mortgage lenders, title company, and the buyer. Olaitan impersonated the victim owner through false documents which enabled him to get away with his theft for a significant time during which the buyer of the property spent over $600,000 renovating the property. Olaitan was arrested Dec. 15, 2021, in the District. The FBI’s Washington Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Christopher Howland prosecuted the case with valuable assistance from Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Liliana Villamizar, Victim-Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Litigation Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derrick Williams and Veronica Sanchez.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Deadly Homicide in Northeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jamaarr Morgan, 23, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was sentenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to 12 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Jacques Russ, on December 14, 2021, in the Unit block of 61st Street Northeast, Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Morgan pleaded guilty, on July 12, 2023, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. Under the District of Columbia Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, Morgan faced a sentencing range of 90 to 180 months of incarceration. On Friday, February 16, 2024, the Honorable Marisa Demeo sentenced Morgan to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, on December 14, 2021, Morgan encountered Mr. Russ in the Unit block of 61st Street Northeast on December 14, 2021, around 6:50 a.m., as the victim was on his way to work. Morgan proceeded to shoot the victim once in the head before fleeing the scene. Mr. Russ’s body was found lying in the street a short time later by a passerby. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Dean, who prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance by Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris and Lauren Douglas and Victim Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez.


title: Justice Department Transfers Approximately $500,000 in Forfeited Russian Funds to Estonia for Benefit of Ukraine

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Estonian Secretary General Tõnis Saar announced today at the Munich Security Conference the transfer of nearly $500,000 in forfeited Russian funds for the purpose of providing aid to Ukraine. The funds were forfeited by the United States following the breakup of an illegal procurement network attempting to import into Russia a high-precision, U.S.-origin machine tool with uses in the defense and nuclear proliferation sectors. Additionally, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, a citizen of Latvia charged criminally in connection with the procurement scheme pleaded guilty to violating U.S. export laws and regulations. This transfer is the first of its kind from the United States to a foreign ally for the express purpose of assisting Ukraine, and the second time the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture has made confiscated Russian assets available for Ukraine—having provided $5.4 million in forfeited funds last year to the State Department for the support of Ukrainian war veterans. The confiscated funds are being transferred to Estonia since under current authorities, the facts of this case do not allow for a direct transfer to Ukraine. Estonia will use the funds for a project to expedite damage assessments and critical repairs to the Ukrainian electrical distribution and transmission system, which have been purposefully targeted by Russian forces. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the unwavering resolve of the United States and our Estonian partners to cut off President Putin's access to the western technologies he relies on to wage an illegal war against Ukraine,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who signed the transfer agreement on behalf of the United States. “This step for justice and restoration blazes a new trail toward combating Russia’s ongoing brutality. The Department of Justice will continue pursuing creative solutions to ensure the Ukrainian people can respond and rebuild.” “Preventing cross-border crime has been and will be an even greater priority in the future,” said Secretary General Tõnis Saar of the Estonian Ministry of Justice.“Effective prosecution of sanctioned crimes is a very important part of this. In my opinion, this agreement provides additional motivation to deal with sanctions violations even more. The reason is very simple, the goal here is not only to detect, prosecute and ensure justice, but to direct illegal income to the victim, i.e. Ukraine. I hope that this will become the new normality for sanctioned crimes in other countries in the future.” “Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Department of Justice, together with its U.S. and overseas partners, has leveraged every tool available to cut off the Kremlin from the resources it needs to prosecute its war of aggression. These efforts are yielding results,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today, we demonstrate once again our commitment to holding Russia to account and to aiding the people of Ukraine as they bravely resist and rebuild.” “I commend the investigators who prevented this sensitive piece of Connecticut-manufactured equipment from crossing the Russian border, and our team of prosecutors who are not only bringing the individuals and entities involved to justice but have worked to seize and forfeit the funds involved in its purchase,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “We thank our law enforcement partners and the Government of the Republic of Estonia for helping us achieve our mission to chase down the assets of those who violate our laws and to ensure proper compensation to their victims.” “This agreement between the United States and Estonia not only reinforces our strong partnership, it fortifies the commitments of both countries to stand up to Russian aggression,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “This transfer stems from a joint investigation into the attempted illegal shipment of military materials to aid the Russian war against Ukraine. HSI will continue to ensure the safety of the homeland of this great nation, and when necessary, that of our allies.” “The Putin regime has purposefully targeted critical and civil infrastructure in Ukraine to weaken morale, cripple the Ukrainian economy, and use winter as a weapon of war. The funds we are providing to Estonia today will be used to dramatically reduce the time needed to evaluate and prioritize urgent repairs to Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure, all in effort to literally keep the lights on,” said Task Force KleptoCapture Co-Director Michael Khoo. This action demonstrates that the Department and its international partners will seek and develop novel solutions to ensure that the profits of Russian criminal networks are redirected for the support of the Ukrainian people. The agreement with Estonia showcases the joint commitments of the United States and Estonia to both enforce the export control regimes that deprive the Russian war machine of critical technologies and supplies and use the confiscated criminal proceeds to sustain Ukraine as it resists illegal Russian aggression. In March 2023, an investigation into the attempted smuggling of a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia resulted in the forfeiture of $484,696, representing funds wired into the United States to purchase the item. The item, known as a jig grinder, is a high-precision grinding machine system that requires a license for export or reexport to Russia because of its applications in nuclear proliferation and defense programs. The jig grinder was intercepted before it could reach Russia. In addition to the forfeiture, U.S. authorities, with the active support of the Estonian Prosecutor General’s Office and the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, charged multiple individuals and companies who were part of the smuggling network. The transfer of the forfeited funds to Estonia is in recognition of the crucial assistance received from the Estonian authorities. Among those criminally charged in the smuggling case, Latvian national Vadims Ananics, 47, was arrested in Latvia on Oct. 18, 2022, and pleaded guilty earlier this week in federal court in Connecticut. Ananics admitted to his role in the scheme to violate U.S. export laws and regulations by attempting to smuggle a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia. According to court documents and statements made in court, Ananics was the general manager of CNC Weld, a Latvia-based corporation. Beginning in 2018, Ananics conspired with others, including individuals in Russia and a Russia-based company, to violate U.S. export laws and regulations to smuggle a 500 Series CPWZ Precision jig grinder that was manufactured in Connecticut to Russia. In August 2019, to finalize the purchase of the jig grinder, Ananics and others traveled to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he informed the sellers that the jig grinder was being purchased for the benefit of CNC Weld. Only after the jig grinder was exported from the United States did Ananics inform the sellers that CNC Weld was not the end user. Ananics pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. U.S. authorities, working with Latvian authorities, intercepted the jig grinder in Riga, Latvia, before it was to be shipped to Russia. In March 2023, $484,696 in funds involved in the purchase of the jig grinder were subsequently forfeited . In turn, Estonia has, in consultation with the United States, agreed to use the transferred funds to finance a drone-based program to assess the damage Russian aggression has done to Ukraine’s electrical distribution and transmission infrastructure. In April 2023, an additional €312,192.44 (approximately $342,000) was ordered forfeited as part of a criminal sentence imposed on one of the shell companies involved in the jig-grinder smuggling network. The funds are currently held in Latvia pending final enforcement of the U.S. forfeiture order. HSI Field Offices in New Haven, Connecticut; Portland Oregon; and the Hague, Netherlands; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement in Boston; and the FBI handled the investigation. In addition to the assistance by Estonian authorities, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Latvia, the Latvian Tax and Customs Police, and the Latvian State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Konstantin Lantsman, Stephanie Levick, and David Nelson for the District of Connecticut and Trial Attorneys Brendan Geary and Matthew Anzaldi of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the investigation and the Ananics prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The international sharing agreement was prepared with the support of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture, and the State Department. The investigation was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.


title: D.C. Woman Charged in Death of Three-Year-Old Child from Fentanyl Poisoning

body_text: WASHINGTON – Sasha McCoy, 27, of Washington, D.C., was arrested on February 15, 2024, on the charge of first-degree felony murder in the death of her three-year-old daughter on October 28, 2022, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced. Defendant McCoy was arraigned on February 16 th in D.C. Superior Court where she entered a plea of not guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree cruelty to children for allegedly allowing her child to ingest a lethal dose of fentanyl. The Honorable Renee Raymond found probable cause that the defendant committed the murder and held her without bond pending her preliminary hearing on March 8, 2024, before Judge Brandt in Courtroom 201. In announcing the arrest, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and Assistant United States Attorney Emma McArthur for her efforts in prosecuting this case. An arrest on a complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: Two Men Charged with Sexually Exploiting Minor

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two men have been charged in U.S. District Court for their alleged sexual exploitation of a minor female and filming the assault. Michael Lamountain, 41, of Oxford, Mass. and Jalen Latimer, 25, of Woonsocket, R.I., were charged with one count each of sexual exploitation of a minor. Both defendants are in state custody on related offenses and will appear in federal court in Worcester today at noon. According to the criminal complaint, on or about July 7, 2022, Latimer traveled to Oxford where he and Lamountain created video recordings of themselves sexually exploiting a minor. Lamountain was previously arrested in August 2023 and subsequently charged in Worcester Superior Court with rape of a child; aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child; depicting minors in sexual conduct; human trafficking of a minor; possession of child pornography; distribution of child pornography; and intimidation of a witness. According to court documents, Latimer was arrested in February 2024 and is facing charges in Worcester Superior Court of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault and battery of a child, human trafficking of a minor and depicting a minor in sexual conduct. The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $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. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier; and Oxford Police Chief Michael K. Daniels made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Rhode Island State Police and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office 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 document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Former Kentucky State Prison Sergeant Convicted of Violating Civil Rights of an Inmate and Obstruction of Justice

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: After a four-day trial, a federal jury yesterday convicted a former Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex (EKCC) sergeant, Eric Nantell, on one count of deprivation of civil rights for his failure to intervene to stop the assault of an inmate, two counts of obstruction for misleading state investigators and one count of making false statements to a special agent of the FBI. Six other officers previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the assault and cover-up, and three of those officers testified for the government at trial. “The jury’s verdict closes the book on an unfortunate chapter at this correctional center,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All seven officers who participated in the brutal assault of an inmate or the coordinated cover-up that followed have now been brought to justice. The Justice Department will continue to hold law enforcement accountable for unlawful behavior that deprives those in our jails and prisons of their civil and constitutional rights.” “Despite being a supervisor entrusted with the custody and care of others, Nantell stood by while officers beat a man, tried to cover up an investigation and lied to law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This disgraceful conduct not only caused injury to a victim but was an unqualified breach of the public trust and a grave disservice to law enforcement. Holding these officers accountable is an important step in restoring the public trust in law enforcement and protecting the civil rights of everyone.” “Nantell not only took an oath to protect the inmates who were under his watch, but as a supervisor, he held a position of authority within the prison. By allowing this assault on an inmate to occur and then attempting to cover it up, he blatantly abused his power,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “The FBI will not stand for law enforcement officials who choose to violate the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect and, therefore, will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of wrongdoing and, ultimately, hold the perpetrators accountable.” The evidence at trial established that the defendant was a supervisory sergeant at the facility when three officers, two of whom were members of the prison’s internal affairs department, assaulted a non-violent inmate who was lying face-down, wearing handcuffs and leg shackles and isolated in a prison shower cell. Nantell was standing at the door of the shower when the assault began, and he watched the officers repeatedly punch and kick the inmate in the head and back. After silently observing the beating for over 20 seconds, Nantell walked away while the officers continued to beat the inmate. Within hours of the inmate reporting the abuse, supervisors of EKCC and state detectives of the Kentucky State Police opened an investigation. Nantell joined with other officers in a cover-up scheme to hide the truth. As part of that cover-up, he lied to officers of both agencies as well as a special agent of the FBI. Six former officers have pleaded guilty in related cases. On July 26, 2023, former EKCC officer Randall Dennis pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of civil rights based on assault of the inmate and former EKCC officer Nathan Cantrell pleaded guilty to four counts of obstruction of justice for attempting to cover up the assault. On April 10, 2023, former EKCC officer James Benish pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of civil rights based on his failure to intervene to protect the inmate and former EKCC supervisor Randy Nickell pleaded guilty to three counts of obstruction based on his efforts to cover up the same assault. On Aug. 29, 2022, former EKCC officer Jeffery Havens pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of civil rights based on his assault of the inmate. Finally, on July 11, 2022, former EKCC officer Derek Mays pleaded guilty to four counts of obstruction of justice based on his efforts to cover up the assault. In a separate administrative investigation, the Kentucky Internal Investigations Branch (IIB) conducted an independent review of the inmate’s allegations. IIB determined that an assault occurred and that numerous officers had been untruthful about what they saw. As a result of their findings, numerous officers who were involved with the assault were terminated, demoted or voluntarily resigned their positions with the Kentucky Department of Corrections within a year of the incident. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 10. Nantell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the deprivation of rights offense, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for obstructing state investigators and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for lying to the FBI. A federal district court judge will determine any sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Dembo and Mary Melton for the Eastern District of Kentucky prosecuted the case in partnership with Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division.