title: Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson Appoints Election Officer for the Middle District of Alabama

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that an Assistant United States Attorney will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of Alabama and lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “In addition, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the DEO will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. The DEO can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (334) 223-7280. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 251-438-3674. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson added, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Denham Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Barry Paul Vining, age 56, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to distribution of child pornography. According to admissions made during his plea, on November 27, 2022, Vining knowingly distributed the two images of child pornography when he uploaded them to a file sharing service accessed via the internet, and that allowed other users of the service around the world to download and share the images. In addition, at the time Vining distributed the child pornography, he possessed files that contained numerous images and videos of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe stated, “Our office will remain steadfast in the prosecution of the horrific crime of child pornography, a crime that preys on the most vulnerable, our youth. I want to thank our Project Safe Childhood Partners, especially the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations for their hard work in investigating this illegal act.” This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Georgia Woman Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine in Trunk of Car when Traveling Through Acadiana Area

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Sarah Rose Cea , 34, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, has been sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph to 180 months (15 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on drug trafficking charges. On June 8, 2023, Cea was stopped while traveling on Interstate 10 near Lafayette, Louisiana by troopers with the Louisiana State Police. Cea was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. A Louisiana State Police K-9 conducted an open air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics in Cea’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and law enforcement agents located approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine in the trunk of her vehicle. The seized substance was sent to the criminalistics laboratory for testing, and it was confirmed to be approximately 19,943 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride with a substance purity of 100%. At the guilty plea hearing on July 31, 2024, Cea admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to another individual. The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Nickel. # # #


title: Cortez Man Pleads Guilty To Making Threats Against Election Official

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Teak Ty Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, pleaded guilty today to one count of transmitting interstate threats. According to the plea agreement, Brockbank made a series of online threats toward elections officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents between September 2021 and July 2024. On September 22, 2021, for example, Brockbank posted on a social media account: “I live in Communist Colorado and this Crazed liberal [referring to Election Official-1] and many others in Communist Colorado needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it.” In the plea agreement, Brockbank also admitted that, during that time, he used that account, as well as another social media account to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials. Brockbank admitted to other threats as well. On August 4, 2022, for example, Brockbank posted a message referring to separate election officials in Arizona and Colorado and then stated: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.” Brockbank also posted a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?” Finally, Brockbank allegedly threatened federal law enforcement on July 20, 2022, posting: “ATF CIA FBI show up to my house I am shooting them peace’s of shit first No Warning!! Then I will call the sheriff!!! With everything that these piece of shit agencies have done I am completely justified to just start dropping them as soon as they step on my property! justified.” United States District Judge S. Kato Crews presided over the change of plea hearing. The FBI Denver Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado handled the prosecution. Sentencing will be held on February 3, 2025. This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the Task Force has begun. Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the Task Force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo . To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/ . You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately. Case Number: 24-cr-00291-SKC


title: Member of Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Distributing Meth, PCP, Fentanyl, and Other Narcotics

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Diane Gillard, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher to 192 months in prison, 10 years of supervised release, and $2,100 in restitution for drug trafficking and gun offenses. On July 18, 2023, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned a 54-count superseding indictment charging Gillard, brother Phillip Gillard, and seven other codefendants with their participation in a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, in the immediate vicinity of the Memphis Street Academy, a charter school located at 2950 Memphis Street. In November 2023, Diane Gillard pleaded guilty to all charges in the superseding indictment. Those charges arose from the FBI’s two-year investigation into the Gillard drug trafficking organization, which supplied other drug traffickers with wholesale quantities of methamphetamine, phencyclidine (“PCP”), fentanyl, and other narcotics. Throughout the course of the investigation, law enforcement agents conducted surveillance and undercover sting operations, during which drugs were purchased from the defendants. The group maintained three separate properties in connection with their drug trafficking organization, all of which were less than 1,000 feet away from the Memphis Street Academy. In total, the FBI confiscated over 20 pounds of pure methamphetamine, three gallons of PCP, one and a half kilograms of cocaine, 900 grams of crack cocaine, 400 grams of fentanyl, and 11 firearms. Codefendants Sharif Jackson, Amin Whitehead, Cesar Maldonado, Terrence Maxwell, Raphael Sanchez, Melvin Dreher, and Arron Preno previously pleaded guilty and received prison sentences in this case. Jackson was sentenced to 180 months in prison, Whitehead to 138 months, Maldonado to 96 months, Maxwell to 93 months, Sanchez to 90 months, Dreher to 60 months, and Preno to six months. Phillip Gillard, who was convicted at trial in February, is scheduled to be sentenced in December. “Diane Gillard was a central participant in the Gillard Street Gang’s trafficking, caught red-handed selling large amounts of drugs on multiple occasions,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This is a group that helped flood Philly’s streets with meth, PCP, fentanyl, and more. My office and our partners will continue to target those fueling our city’s drug epidemic and callously profiting from people’s pain and addiction.” “Drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine devastate communities across our nation and have no place in our city,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Today’s sentence is a culmination of a years-long investigation, and the tireless dedication of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in pursuit of those who bring these harmful drugs into our communities.” “The interagency cooperation on this case has been truly outstanding,” said Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. “I commend the special agents and prosecutors who worked to ensure that these criminals and the dangerous drugs that they were trafficking will no longer threaten the American public.” The case was investigated by the FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations, with extraordinary cooperation from the Memphis Street Academy, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Robert W. Schopf.


title: USAO-KS Announces Election Day Program

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – United States Attorney Kate E. Brubacher announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jared Maag will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Maag has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Kansas, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. U.S. Attorney Brubacher said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). U.S. Attorney Brubacher stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Maag will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (785) 295-2850. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 816-512-8200. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. U.S. Attorney Brubacher said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Names District Election Officer to Oversee the Handling of Complaints of Election Fraud and Voting Rights Abuses in the November 2024 General Election

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Khasigian will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of California in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5 general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, DC. The 34 counties in the Eastern District are: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Khasigian will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 916-554-2723. U.S. Attorney Talbert stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by phone at 916-746-7000. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: New Bern Man Pleads Guilty for Posing as Landlord to Fraudulently Collect Nearly $150,000 in COVID-19 Rental Assistance

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – New Bern resident Anthony Lynch, 35, pled guilty to charges that he defrauded a program designed to help struggling North Carolina residents stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Mr. Lynch exploited a taxpayer-funded program meant to support struggling families and individuals trying to stay in their homes during an unprecedented global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Lynch sought nearly $400,000 in emergency federal funds in 25 separate relief applications. His ill-gotten profits have now landed him a federal conviction.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Lynch pled guilty to one count of mail fraud for falsely claiming to be the landlord of properties in Craven, Pamlico and Onslow Counties with renters who were unable to pay rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lynch submitted 25 applications to the North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program (NC HOPE), which was established during the pandemic to provide emergency rental assistance to tenants who struggled to pay rent and therefore faced eviction due to financial difficulties caused by the pandemic. Despite having no ownership or management responsibilities for any of the properties listed in the 25 applications he submitted, Lynch requested nearly $400,000 in emergency federal funding. His fraudulent applications resulted in 11 checks, totaling $144,000 being mailed to Lynch at his home in New Bern. He faces up to 27 months in prison, if convicted. The NC HOPE Program administered federal COVID-19 relief funds and provided emergency rental assistance to North Carolina renters who faced eviction and homelessness during the pandemic. The program allowed renters to submit an online application to apply for rental assistance. If approved, the program paid the tenant’s rent, in checks sent directly to the landlord, for up to 15 months of overdue or future rent payments. Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the guilty plea was accepted by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-00061.


title: Martin City man charged with producing, distributing child pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MISSOULA — A Martin City man accused of producing and distributing images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct appeared on Oct. 22 for arraignment on charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Raymond Owen Bonner, Jr., 39, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with production of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. If convicted, Bonner faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release on the production charge, and a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release on the distribution charge. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Bonner was detained pending further proceedings. The indictment alleges that between about June 2024 and Sept. 5, 2024 in Martin City, in Flathead County, Bonner coerced a minor, identified as Jane Doe, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual images and that he distributed visual images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct using a computer. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the Case. The FBI and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . Charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. PACER case reference. 24-57. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Former Tribal Police Officer Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Oscar Hudspeth, Sr., age 54, of Oglala, South Dakota, of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 10, 2024. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hudspeth was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2023. In 2023, a female juvenile disclosed that Hudspeth had sexually abused her while her mother was married to him. The child was forensically interviewed and disclosed that Hudspeth touched her in a sexual manner on more than one occasion while he was her stepfather. The abuse occurred at their home in Oglala while the child’s mother was working. At the time, Hudspeth worked as a law enforcement officer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. “This case represents a tragedy on many fronts, including that the child victim suffered horrendous abuse at the hands of a person sworn to uphold the law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Our office’s prosecution is a reminder that no one—not even a police officer—is above the law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to vigorously protect children and aggressively fight to vindicate their right to lead lives free from abuse of any kind.” “Our communities rely on law enforcement officers to serve and protect. Hudspeth betrayed his oath and violated the trust placed in him by harming the most vulnerable among us. No child should ever endure such an egregious crime,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI's commitment to ensuring that those who commit such heinous acts are held accountable, no matter their position or authority.” This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case. A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Two S.C. Prosecutors Honored with Awards for Excellence

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Two South Carolina prosecutors were recently honored for their excellence and achievements in the criminal justice system. The awards are presented each year during the South Carolina Solicitors’ Annual Conference, which is held in Myrtle Beach. The 2024 honorees are: Ernest F. Hollings Award (General Sessions): Deputy Solicitor Ashley Hammack, 2nd Circuit Solicitor’s Office Ernest F. Hollings Award (Attorney General): Assistant Deputy Attorney General Kinli Abee, South Carolina Attorney General’s Office The Ernest F. Hollings Awards for Excellence in State Prosecution were conceived in 1996 and begun in 1997 as a means for federal prosecutors to take the lead in publicly recognizing their state court colleagues who generally must do much more with much less. As Chairman of the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, then United States Attorney J. René Josey enlisted the support of United States Senator Ernest F. Hollings to make the awards a reality. As a former Charleston prosecutor and longtime legislative supporter of law enforcement, Senator Hollings was more than willing to lend his aid. The Senator Hollings awards are presented annually to recognize an Assistant Solicitor in each of the following categories: (1) excellence in prosecution in the Court of General Sessions; and/or (2) excellence in prosecution in the Family Courts. In 2006, a third category was added to recognize an Assistant Attorney General. The award selections committee is comprised of the Chairman of the South Carolina Commission on Prosecution Coordination, the President of the S.C. Solicitor’s Association, the Chief of South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the John Justice family. ###


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory D’Arquaes Zander, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Zander admitted to possessing six firearms found by law enforcement officers during March 11, 2024, traffic stops of two vehicles on Interstate 77 North near the Kanawha County-Jackson County line. Zander was a passenger in one of the vehicles and the other vehicle was a blue pickup truck. Officers found a rifle case in the blue truck containing the six firearms: a Smith & Wesson model M&P 10mm M2.0 10mm pistol, a Springfield Armory model DS Prodigy 9mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson model M&P 9 9mm pistol, a Kimber model Rose Gold Ultra II .45-caliber ACP pistol, a Glock model 17 Gen 4 9mm pistol, and a CMMG model MK4 5.78x28mm pistol. Officers also found a wallet in the blue truck containing Zander’s state identification card and birth certificate and receipts for the purchase of two of the firearms. The receipts listed the driver of the blue truck as the purchaser. The driver told investigators that he purchased multiple firearms for Zander, who selected which firearms to buy and provided the money for each purchase, and transported the firearms to one of two adjacent apartments rented by Zander in Charleston. The driver also admitted that just before the traffic stops, Zander directed him to load the rifle case containing the six firearms from one of those apartments into the blue truck and paid him to drive the blue truck to Michigan. Officers searched Zander’s apartments following the traffic stops and found three additional firearms, ammunition, magazines, over 200 grams of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia including a digital scale and vacuum sealed bags. Officers also found packaging for four of the firearms seized from the blue truck and the receipt of the purchase of one of those firearms. Investigators established that Zander had accompanied the driver during the purchase of four of the seized firearms, and wore one of the firearms on his ankle during a purchase. Investigators also found that Zander had fired one of the firearms at a public outdoor shooting range and purchased nearly $4,000 worth of firearms accessories around the time of the firearm purchases. Zander was responsible for at least 13 illegally possessed firearms based on facts learned during the investigation. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Zander knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, methamphetamine, in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 22, 2021. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-55. ###


title: Former Coffeewood Prison Guard Sentenced to 40 Years on  Child Exploitation, Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A former prison officer at Coffeewood Correctional Center in Mitchells, Virginia, was sentenced this week to 40 years in federal prison on a series of federal charges related to child sexual exploitation and child pornography. Davey Jonathan Sisk, 30, of Culpeper, Virginia, pled guilty in June to two counts of sexually exploiting and attempting to sexually exploit a child as well as one count of receiving child pornography. According to court documents, Sisk used the social media application “Telegram” to engage another individual, Anna Layher, to create videos and photos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and then send to him. These videos and photos involved victims as young as three years old. Anna Layher, who was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia for her role in sexually exploiting these victims, also received a 40-year sentence in September 2024. In addition, from 2021 through 2022, a 12-year-old minor living in Texas engaged in sexual intercourse with another minor child and then sold videos and images of these sexual encounters on the internet through various social media applications, including Snapchat. Sisk admitted to using the Snapchat username “JAKESMOOT2021” and to paying over $450 through Cash App to the 12-year-old minor in exchange for multiple sexually explicit images and videos. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations in Harrisonburg, VA and Washington, D.C. investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former Postal Worker Sentenced to Probation for Mail Theft

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAVID RAYFORD (“RAYFORD”) , age 40, of Kenner, La., was sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on October 17, 2024, to one year probation, payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee and three hundred dollars in restitution, for Mail Theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709. According to court records, on June 14, 2021, a Postal Service customer, contacted the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General to report non-delivery of a greeting card that was sent to his address. The card was sent by a family member, in early May, 2021. The family member advised that she mailed a Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card and cash to the victim and was able to provide a receipt for the purchase of the gift card. RAYFORD , an employee of the United States Postal Service, was the postman on the delivery route on which the card was stolen. RAYFORD used the stolen Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card at Walmart. Walmart Global Investigations identified two purchases made by RAYFORD utilizing the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Castle Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Dontae Blackshear, 26, also ordering Blackshear to serve six years of supervised release following his prison term. Blackshear previously pleaded guilty in this case to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022. According to information presented to the Court, Blackshear was responsible for trafficking 20 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of cocaine in 2022. He was on state parole at that time following a 2021 heroin trafficking conviction and prison sentence. The 2021 conviction was preceded by several convictions in separate state prosecutions since 2016, including for assault, two violent burglaries, fleeing/eluding, and conspiracy to commit theft. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Blackshear.


title: Former Eagle Pass Police Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Operating Human Smuggling Stash Houses

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – An Eagle Pass woman, who had served as a police detective, was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 120 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to harbor undocumented noncitizens for a human smuggling organization (HSO). According to court documents, Hazel Eileen Diaz, 54, rented out multiple properties she owned in Eagle Pass to assist in harboring undocumented noncitizens between September 2020 and August 2021. Diaz would often travel to the properties where the migrants were being held to collect rent payments. An investigation revealed that, in total, nearly 200 migrants were smuggled by the HSO Diaz worked for, and that she had received approximately $36,916 in cash and money service business transfers, much of which were proceeds from human smuggling. At the time of her arrest, she was in possession of $23,522 in cash from the smuggling operation. Co-defendant Tomas Alejandro Mendez pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022 to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 13, 2025. Co-defendant Paola Nikole Cazares was sentenced Oct. 11, 2023 to 63 months in prison for the same offense with credit for time served since Aug. 26, 2021. Mendez and Cazares worked with Diaz to operate her properties as stash houses. In addition to imprisonment, Diaz will serve three years of supervised release, pay a $10,000 fine and money judgement of $237,600, and she will forfeit three properties, a truck, and $23,522. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Holly Pavlinski prosecuted the case. ###


title: Federal Indictment Charges Man With Assaulting and Robbing Two Postal Carriers in Chicago Suburb

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly assaulting and robbing two U.S. Postal Service carriers in a Chicago suburb. DEVAN FLAX, 21, of Chicago, assaulted and robbed a postal carrier on Nov. 25, 2023, and another on Nov. 28, 2023, in Forest Park, Ill., according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Flax robbed the carriers of a U.S. Postal Service key, the indictment states. The indictment also accuses Flax of robbing an employee of a Berwyn, Ill. pizzeria on Nov. 26, 2023. Flax is currently detained in law enforcement custody. He was arraigned on Oct. 16, 2024, in federal court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to assault, robbery, and firearm charges. A status hearing is set for Nov. 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department, Forest Park, Ill. Police Department, and Lombard, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Stone and Simar Khera. “U.S. Postal Service employees delivering mail to the American people must be allowed to do so safely and securely,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Individuals who use violence against postal carriers to gain access to the public's mail must be held accountable.” “This indictment is another example of the roles Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Inspector-in-Charge Mendonça. “As Postal Service employees continue to play an integral role in our communities, we are clear in our resolve to aggressively investigate anyone who brings harm to these invaluable public servants.” The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. flax_indictment.pdf


title: Colombian National Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison For Trafficking $75 Million Of Cocaine On A Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Henry Aguirre-Valois (36, Colombia) to 16 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Aguirre-Valois entered a guilty plea on May 24, 2024. According to court documents, on November 20, 2023, Aguirre-Valois and his three co-defendants smuggled cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on board a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, which is a closed hull boat built specifically for transporting bulk levels of narcotics. Members of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Waesche interdicted the defendants and their vessel approximately 170 nautical miles west of Ecuador, in international waters. The United States Coast Guard seized 2,523 kilograms of cocaine from the vessel, which has an approximate wholesale value of $75 million. Aguirre-Valois had previously been convicted and sentenced in 2019 for trafficking cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.


title: Michigan Man Admits to Wire Fraud

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Leroy Artemus Tolbert, III, age 35, of Brownstown, Michigan, pled guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents and statements made in court, Tolbert conspired with others to defraud Lowe’s Companies, Inc., and several retail locations, including stores in Wheeling and Morgantown, West Virginia. He also defrauded stores in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Tolbert fraudulently applied for a Lowe’s credit card under a company name, using another person’s identity as an authorized user. He then used the card to purchase thousands of dollars of merchandise. The amount of fraud totaled $100,000. Tolbert has agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution. Tolbert faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.


title: Belleview Man Pleads Guilty To Receiving Child Sex Abuse Material

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kyle Burbank (32, Belleview) has pleaded guilty to three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material. Burbank faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, between January 5 and 17, 2024, Burbank received five video files over the internet from a 12-year-old child in another state. The videos depicted child sex abuse material. During a review of Burbank’s social media accounts, investigators identified a second victim, a 13-year-old child, also living in a different state. Burbank had received child sex abuse material from the second victim on September 26, 2023. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Clinton County (Indiana) Sherriff’s Office and the Rossville (Indiana) Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. It is another case brought 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Member Of Anti-Government Militia Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Possession Of Machinegun Conversion Devices And A Silencer

body_text: Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Joshua Fries (30, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons: a silencer (Count One) and machinegun conversion devices (Count Two). Fries faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, Fries provided a confidential informant with two auto sears (machinegun conversion devices) and a silencer, all of which he made himself. During their conversations, Fries disclosed to the informant that he was part of a local anti-government militia group and that he made silencers, auto sears, and other weapons for the militia. Contrary to federal law, none of these devices were registered to Fries in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record—a database maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Postal Employee Arrested For COVID Relief Fraud

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Marina Tusca Brooks Stewart (61, Groveland) on an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud related to COVID relief. If convicted, Brooks Stewart faces up to 20 years in federal prison. In addition, she faces a forfeiture order of $10,000, which represents the alleged proceeds she obtained through this offense. According to court documents, during the COVID pandemic, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) offered Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advances that did not need to be repaid. The advances were for small businesses that were in low-income communities and received a reduction in revenue of more than 30% during an eight-week period. Between June 28 and 30, 2020, Brooks Stewart devised a scheme to defraud the SBA by electronically applying for an EIDL advance and providing false representations in her application. Afterwards, she fraudulently received a $10,000 EIDL advance. An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.


title: Altoona Man Sentenced to 117 Months in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Altoona man was sentenced on Friday, October 18, 2024, to 117 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography. According to public court documents, Eduardo Ibarra Mora, 34, a Mexican national, possessed 45 images and more than 60 videos containing child sexual abuse material on his phone and a social media account. After completing his term of imprisonment, Ibarra Mora will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Altoona Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Online Chats with Minor Females Lead to Federal Prison Sentences for Two Men

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two men on child pornography charges. Jason Matthew Miller , 26, of Eunice, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 210 months (17 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Miller was charged in an indictment and pleaded guilty to attempted production of child pornography. Law enforcement agents began an investigation after receiving information that Miller had communicated with a 13 year old female through Instagram, a social media platform. Through their investigation, it was revealed that in July 2018, Miller had a conversation through Instagram and on his cell phone with the minor female and he told her he was a 15 year old male, when in truth and in fact he was 20 years old at the time. Miller asked the minor female to send him sexually explicit photos of herself and she did so. At the guilty plea hearing on June 26, 2024, Miller admitted to communicating with the minor female and asking for and receiving sexually explicit photos of her. In a separate and unrelated case, Michael Rios , 30, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph to 120 months (10 years) in prison for attempting to produce child pornography. Rios will serve 20 years of supervised release after his release from prison. At the guilty plea hearing on July 23, 2024, Rios admitted to communicating with an undercover agent who was posing as a 13 year old female on the chat application “Meet24.” In December 2022 and continuing through the spring of 2023, Rios chatted with who he believed to be a 13 year old female living in Lafayette, Louisiana. During the online conversation with the purported minor female, Rios asked her to send sexually explicit pictures and videos of herself to him and he sent sexually explicit images of himself to her. In addition, he discussed the possibility of traveling to Louisiana on numerous occasions so he and the minor female could meet at a hotel and engage in sex. Rios was subsequently arrested and charged with the offense of attempted production of child pornography. These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Luke Walker. # # #


title: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug Charge

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Catherine Victoria Rogers, age 51, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Acquiring a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Forgery, and Deception. The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about August 1, 2023, and continuing until on or about November 14, 2023, Rogers knowingly and intentionally obtained Hydrocodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, and deception. The charge arose from an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General. According to investigators, Rogers was a nurse at the VA Medical Center in Muskogee. Without permission or authority, Rogers took approximately 132 hydrocodone pills from the medical center’s medication storage and distribution system. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.


title: Colombian Man Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Colombian man was sentenced yesterday for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Fabian Lopez Mejia, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to six months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. In September 2024, Lopez Mejia pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In June 2024, Lopez Mejia was indicted by a federal grand jury. Lopez Mejia was previously removed from the United States in November 2019. Sometime after his removal, Lopez Mejia returned to the United States. Federal authorities became aware of Lopez Mejia’s return to the United States while he was serving a state prison sentence after he pleaded guilty in October 2023 in Suffolk Superior Court to one count of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance and one count of forgery/misuse of an RMV document. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Danville Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Children and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Joseph Allen Carpenter, 52, was sentenced today to 180 months of imprisonment, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for attempted sexual exploitation of a child and attempted receipt of child pornography. Carpenter was convicted of the offenses following a jury trial in June 2024. At the sentencing hearing, the government highlighted evidence from the jury trial showing that from November 2021 and into early 2022, Carpenter communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of an eight-year-old girl via text communication applications. In those communications, Carpenter requested various child pornography images and encouraged abuse of the alleged minor. Also at the hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm found that Carpenter’s offense should be considered more serious than others because of his attempt to exploit a person he believed to be a child under the age of twelve. Judge Mihm commented that he found Carpenter’s conduct “reprehensible.” The statutory penalties for attempted sexual exploitation of a child are a minimum of 15 years of imprisonment, a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. The statutory penalties for attempted receipt of child pornography are a minimum of five years of imprisonment, a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William J. Lynch and Timothy A. Bass represented the government in the prosecution. This case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the 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.


title: Former School Counselor in Riverside Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation Crimes, Including Hiding Cameras Inside Bathrooms

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former counselor at a private school in Riverside County pleaded guilty today to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and placing a hidden camera inside bathrooms to film boys using the toilet and showers. Matthew Daniel Johnson, 34, of Bryan, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He was remanded into federal custody after he pleaded guilty. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement searched Johnson’s home in March 2020 and seized several videos featuring minor boys engaged in sexual activity. The videos depicted victims under the age of 12 and some as young as 3 to 5 years old. During the search of his residence, Johnson admitted to law enforcement that he had hidden a pen-shaped recording device in a toilet paper holder inside of a school bathroom, across the hall from his office as a school counselor at La Sierra Academy in Riverside. Inside Johnson’s office, law enforcement found an external hard drive which contained more than 100 video files depicting approximately 62 minors, which were created by Johnson by hiding a recording device inside a bathroom. The recording device was hidden inside a toilet paper roll to capture the genitals of minor boys using the toilet. Another video file depicted Johnson adjusting a recording device inside a different bathroom at a Junior High School Bible Camp where he was working as a chaperone of children attending the camp. The video file subsequently captured minor boys using the toilet and the shower. Johnson further admitted to using and employing a minor victim in January 2020 for the purpose of creating a visual depiction of the victim engaging in sexual conduct. United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled a February 5, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Johnson will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and up to 50 years in federal prison. The Fontana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Riverside Police Department, and the FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty To Unlawfully Possessing Stolen Firearm And Silencer

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Trequille Donte Rodreguez, Sr. (31, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered firearm silencer. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court records, while executing a search warrant at the residence of Rodreguez on July 2, 2024, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department located a Ruger firearm and a firearm silencer inside a bag in one of the bedrooms. Both the firearm and the suppressor had been reported stolen in a car burglary approximately one month earlier in Hendry County. Two latent fingerprints were lifted from the silencer. Both were later identified as belonging to Rodreguez. As a convicted felon who previously served time in Florida state prison for firearms and burglary offenses, Rodreguez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Three Individuals Indicted for Fatal Shooting in Connection With Marijuana Deal in Queens

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, a indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jerome Waters, also known as “the Engineer,” Calvin Israel and William Barnett for their alleged roles in the kidnapping, robbery and fatal shooting of a victim in Queens, New York on July 25, 2024. Two of the defendants, Waters and Israel, were arrested today in Maryland, and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Barnett remains at large. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges. “As alleged, the defendants’ premediated robbery and kidnapping that resulted in a violent death, demonstrates the significant threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office continues to work nonstop with our law enforcement partners to hold these drivers of violent crime accountable and remove their means to wreak havoc.” “The three defendants allegedly orchestrated the kidnapping and armed robbery of two individuals in the illicit drug trade, culminating in the murder of one victim. These alleged actions incorporated unnecessary terror and brutality to accomplish their greedy plot," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. "With the assistance from our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue its mission apprehending all interstate travelers who pollute our city with drugs and gun violence." “These arrests are another example of police and their federal partners’ unrelenting pursuit of crews that monetize drugs and brutality," stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “I commend our NYPD investigators and all of our law enforcement colleagues for their unwavering commitment to end such barbaric, senseless violence in our communities and for their tireless work to hold all those responsible for it accountable.” As alleged in court filings, the defendants are members of a Baltimore-based violent robbery crew that conspired to commit an armed robbery and kidnapping of marijuana dealers in Queens, New York. On the night of July 24, 2024 and into July 25, 2024, the defendants drove up from Maryland to New York City for the purpose of kidnapping and robbing at gunpoint John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were both drug dealers. Once in New York, Waters and Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens under the guise of purchasing marijuana. Moments later, Waters and Barnett pulled out guns and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. Next, they invited their co-conspirators into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping. While in the stash house, the defendants and their co-conspirators tied up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van at gunpoint. At the same time, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house. The defendants and their co-conspirators drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still tied up, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money. Israel drove the U-Haul van containing John Doe #1, who was shot to death multiple times in the head in the back of the U-Haul van. When his body was found by first responders, John Doe #1 still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana. After the shooting, the defendants fled back to Maryland. If convicted, Waters, Israel, and Barnett each face mandatory sentences of life imprisonment. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was brought as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : JEROME WATERS (also known as “the Engineer”) Age: 23 Maryland CALVIN ISRAEL Age: 23 Maryland WILLIAM BARNETT Age: 27 Maryland E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-413 (KAM)


title: Venezuelan Television News Network Owner Charged in Alleged $1.2B Money Laundering Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment today charging a Venezuelan television news network owner for his role in a $1.2 billion scheme to launder funds corruptly obtained from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), in exchange for hundreds of millions in bribe payments to Venezuelan officials. According to court documents, between 2014 and 2018, Raul Gorrin Belisario (Gorrin), 56, of Venezuela, conspired with others to launder the proceeds of an illegal bribery scheme using the U.S. financial system as well as various bank accounts located abroad. Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-level Venezuelan officials to obtain foreign currency exchange loan contracts with PDVSA. Gorrin and his co-conspirators subsequently directed the laundering of the illicit proceeds, in part, in the Southern District of Florida, where they purchased real estate, yachts, and other luxury items. To conceal the movement of the bribe payments and illicit funds, Gorrin and his co-conspirators used a series of shell companies and offshore bank accounts. “According to the indictment, Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking foreign officials to secure over $1 billion in ill-gotten gains, which Gorrin and his co-conspirators used to purchase yachts and other luxury items in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gorrin’s alleged conduct enriched corrupt government officials and exploited the U.S. financial system to facilitate these crimes. Together with our partners, the Criminal Division remains committed to ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for carrying out money laundering schemes or hiding criminal proceeds.” “This case represents the Southern District of Florida’s continued commitment to combating foreign corruption and holding those who subvert the integrity of the U.S. financial system responsible for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Our office will continue to partner with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) to identify, disrupt and prosecute those who launder money to facilitate corruption and carry out their nefarious schemes.” “This action by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working against global illegal activities with our international and domestic partners, significantly upholds the rule of law,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of HSI. “This case demonstrates HSI’s global footprint and our commitment to curbing the flow of illicit funds while enforcing U.S. sanctions. It also serves as a stark reminder that crime and corruption will not be tolerated.” Gorrin is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Gorrin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Gorrin, who is a fugitive in a separately charged matter , remains at large. HSI Miami’s El Dorado Task Force is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and Malta provided assistance. Trial Attorney Paul A. Hayden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. This effort is part of an 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. View the filed indictment here .


title: U.S. Attorney Thompson and Law Enforcement Partners to Hold Press Conference in Beckley in Drug Trafficking Case

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson will join with law enforcement partners at a press conference on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Beckley , to announce a development in the case against a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. WHO: United States Attorney Will Thompson and law enforcement officials WHAT: Press Conference WHEN: Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 11 a.m. WHERE: The Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building, 110 North Heber Street, Beckley A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Violet, Louisiana Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm to Further Drug Trafficking

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA - United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MALI WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”) , age 26, of Violet, Louisiana, was sentenced on October 15, 2024 by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey to 60 months of imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). According to court documents, on October 12, 2023, New Orleans Police Officers saw WILLIAMS selling marijuana in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While attempting to flee from police, WILLIAMS dropped his backpack that contained marijuana and tapentadol tablets. When apprehended, WILLIAMS possessed a Taurus Model G3C, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ollinger of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Fargo, ND Man Indicted for  Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on October 23, 2024, Kyle Dameon Belgarde, made his initial appearance and was arraigned in federal court. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Belgarde for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. As alleged, Belgarde was required to register as a sex offender due to his 2016 federal conviction for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and failed to register and update his registration. Belgarde’s last registered address was an apartment in The Arbors at McCormick Park in Fargo, which does not necessarily mean he had a lease or had been permitted by management to reside there. Belgarde’s trial has been set for December 10, 2024. The Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. 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. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is being investigated by the Fargo Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker. # # #


title: Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty To Arson In Indian Country

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 Wesley Wayne Sutton, age 59, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Arson in Indian Country. The Indictment alleged that, on June 1, 2024, Sutton maliciously set fire to a dwelling. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Sutton will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.


title: Texas Drug Courier Sentenced for Federal Narcotics Trafficking

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BRISSA ORTIZ (“ORTIZ”) , age 19, a resident of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced on October 22, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry to 21 months imprisonment, a one-year term of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Misprision of a Felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4. According to court documents, ORTIZ was aware that her brother had conspired to distribute a large amount of cocaine across the country. She also concealed his involvement in this conspiracy and did not notify law enforcement authorities of this crime. Specifically, ORTIZ and her brother were travelling through Louisiana on I-12, when they were pulled over by the Louisiana State Police on a traffic violation. During this stop, the vehicle was searched, and Troopers located approximately ten kilograms of cocaine hidden in secret compartments throughout the vehicle. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana State Police. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Jersey City Man Sentenced to 225 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Jersey City man was sentenced today to 225 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Jamil King, 32, of Jersey City, was previously convicted after a two-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas. Judge Salas imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial: King is a high-ranking member of the Jersey City neighborhood street gang known as Parkside. Law enforcement officials obtained a search warrant for King’s residence, and during the evening of July 8, 2022, officers executed that warrant. When the police arrived, King fled, but law enforcement recovered approximately 50 grams of cocaine from a pair of sweatpants inside the apartment. Those sweatpants contained the defendant’s DNA and matched the sweatshirt that the defendant was wearing that night. In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced King to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr. This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Office’s General Crimes Unit in Newark.


component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment today charging a Venezuelan television news network owner for his role in a $1.2 billion scheme to launder funds corruptly obtained from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), in exchange for hundreds of millions in bribe payments to Venezuelan officials. According to court documents, between 2014 and 2018, Raul Gorrin Belisario (Gorrin), 56, of Venezuela, conspired with others to launder the proceeds of an illegal bribery scheme using the U.S. financial system as well as various bank accounts located abroad. Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-level Venezuelan officials to obtain foreign currency exchange loan contracts with PDVSA. Gorrin and his co-conspirators subsequently directed the laundering of the illicit proceeds, in part, in the Southern District of Florida, where they purchased real estate, yachts, and other luxury items. To conceal the movement of the bribe payments and illicit funds, Gorrin and his co-conspirators used a series of shell companies and offshore bank accounts. “This case represents the Southern District of Florida’s continued commitment to combating foreign corruption and holding those who subvert the integrity of the U.S. financial system responsible for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Our Office will continue to partner with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) to identify, disrupt and prosecute those who launder money to facilitate corruption and carry out their nefarious schemes.” “According to the indictment, Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking foreign officials to secure over $1 billion in ill-gotten gains, which Gorrin and his co-conspirators used to purchase yachts and other luxury items in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gorrin’s alleged conduct enriched corrupt government officials and exploited the U.S. financial system to facilitate these crimes. Together with our partners, the Criminal Division remains committed to ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for carrying out money laundering schemes or hiding criminal proceeds.” “This action by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working against global illegal activities with our international and domestic partners, significantly upholds the rule of law,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of HSI. “This case demonstrates HSI’s global footprint and our commitment to curbing the flow of illicit funds while enforcing U.S. sanctions. It also serves as a stark reminder that crime and corruption will not be tolerated.” Gorrin is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Gorrin faces up to 20 years in prison. Gorrin, who is a fugitive in a separately charged matter , remains at large. HSI Miami’s El Dorado Task Force is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and Malta assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Paul A. Hayden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. This effort is part of an 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Rated court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov . ###


title: California brothers sentenced to federal prison for roles in large meth, fentanyl trafficking ring that distributed drugs in Butte, Helena areas

body_text: MISSOULA — A federal judge on Oct. 22 sentenced two brothers from California to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a large trafficking ring that distributed pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills in the Butte and Helena communities, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Defendant Martin Topete, 33, of Mira Loma, California, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Topete’s brother, Johnathan Topete, 28, of Mira Loma, California, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Both defendants pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The Topete brothers are the last defendants in the case to be sentenced. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. “Drugs, cash, and guns. Virtually every case we prosecute includes each of these, but this case is even worse because of the amounts of each and that it was a family affair. The Topete brothers were among eight Montana and California defendants who brought a staggering amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to the Butte and Helena communities over approximately six months. The brothers will collectively serve 30 years in federal prison, we’ve removed more drugs and guns from our streets, and we will continue pursuing justice against those who poison our state and nation,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. In court records, the government alleged that from June 2022 until about January 2023 in Butte and Helena, the Topete brothers and six other co-defendants conspired to traffic meth and fentanyl. In June 2022, the Utah Highway Patrol stopped an individual traveling in a vehicle carrying 3.5 pounds of meth and 6,000 pills containing fentanyl and learned that the individual was transporting the drugs to Butte for distribution by “Esco,” who was co-defendant Juan Felipe Vidrio Fuentes, of Anaheim, California. Law enforcement further learned that Fuentes was staying at Whitehall residence along with at least one co-defendant, James Andrew Stringari, of Whitehall, and that Fuentes was supplying both fentanyl and meth throughout the Butte area from the Whitehall residence. In addition, law enforcement corroborated information about meth and fentanyl trafficking that implicated Fuentes, Stringari, co-defendant Janet Dean White, of Butte, and another co-defendant. During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted packages containing thousands of pills that were mailed from California to a Whitehall address and a Butte address. Law enforcement also learned that Fuentes had relocated to a house in Helena. Investigators conducted coordinated raids of the Helena and Butte addresses. In the Butte residence, law enforcement located approximately six pounds of meth, 208 grams of fentanyl, $15,000 cash and seven firearms. In the Helena residence, law enforcement located approximately seven pounds of meth and 68 grams of fentanyl. The evidence showed that Martin Topete was one of the leaders of the conspiracy and communicated with his co-conspirators to coordinate resupplies of drugs. Martin Topete worked closely with Fuentes, including directing drug runs from to California for resupply and dictating drug flow to Fuentes for distribution. Martin Topete also would direct other co-conspirators to Fuentes when he did not have drugs to distribute. The government further alleged that Johnathan Topete aided in the distribution of thousands of fentanyl pills and pounds of meth and helped launder the profits. Johnathan Topete also procured guns for the conspiracy and was a participant in tracking a January 2023 package, which contained almost 3,000 fentanyl pills. Johnathan either threatened or assisted in threatening a co-conspirator after that package was delayed and was subsequently discovered to have possessed or aided in the possession of almost six pounds of meth and seven firearms. Co-defendant Fuentes was sentenced to 30 years in prison, Stringari was sentenced to 16 years in prison and White was sentenced to 15 years in prison. A federal jury convicted all three defendants of trafficking crime during a trial in April. Co-defendant Wayne Johnson II, of Santa Ana, California, who pleaded guilty in the case, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Co-defendant Trevor Allen Handy, of Butte, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, and co-defendant Agatha Noriz Carranza, of Whitehall, was sentenced to three years in prison. Handy and Carranza also pleaded guilty to charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, Montana Highway Patrol, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Utah Highway Patrol and Utah State Bureau of Investigations conducted the investigation. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . XXX