title: Mexican Citizen Sentenced to 4 Months for Illegally Reentering the United States After Prior Removal

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced Ulises Casterjon-Gallegos, 39, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 4 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed. Casterjon-Gallegos pleaded guilty to this charge on September 11, 2024. On January 29, 2024, Casterjon-Gallegos was arrested in Barron County, Wisconsin for possessing methamphetamine. He was originally removed from the United States in 2008 and was subsequently removed four additional times prior to his recent drug arrest. Judge Conley addressed Casterjon-Gallegos’s substance abuse issues and his prior conviction and arrests for domestic abuse. Judge Conley urged him to take a lengthy period of sobriety and to reevaluate his treatment of the women in his life. Judge Conley warned him that now that he has a conviction for illegal reentry, he would face much higher consequences should he illegally reenter the country again. The charge against Casterjon-Gallegos was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Barron County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.


title: December Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the December Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Malachi Bernard Carson. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Carson, 24, of Tulsa, is charged with engaging in a sexual act by fear, force, and threat. Further, Carson allegedly engaged in a sexual act with a minor child under 16 years old. The FBI and Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-377 Adrian Hatfield. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Hatfield, 24, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Flynn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-378 Jordan Shay Ryan Kelly. Robbery in Indian Country. Kelly, 34, of Miami and a member of the Shawnee Tribe, is charged with taking property of value from another person by force, violence, and intimidation. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Miami Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-379 Roberto Lopez Manuel. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Manuel, 46, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Apr. 2015. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-380 Mario Albert Ordaz, Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Ordaz, 49, of Riverbank, California, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-381


title: Middle District Of Florida Law Enforcement Personnel Receive U.S. Attorney General’s Award For Distinguished Service In Community Policing

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL - Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Award recipients in the Middle District of Florida recipients included Detective Matthew Newbold of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Officer Stephen Malandro, Officer Trevor Stamper, and Specialist Todd Nutbrown of the Largo Police Department. This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety. “Community policing is essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “These officers have gone above and beyond their duty to foster partnerships with the communities they serve. Their work is an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the profound impact law enforcement can have on individuals, neighborhoods, and society.” Detective Matthew Newbold of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was recognized for his diligent work, study and understanding of new technologies, and commitment to pursuing the truth. Detective Newbold was able to crack a cold case that had gone unsolved for 36 years. Over his 24 years of service, Detective Newbold’s steadfast commitment has delivered justice to countless victims and their families, leaving an indelible mark on the community. Officer Stephen Malandro, Officer Trevor Stamper, and Specialist Todd Nutbrown of the Largo Police Department were honored for their extraordinary efforts that have transformed the lives of over 500 individuals experiencing homelessness. In addition to this team’s creative solutions like partnering with a homeless shelter or drafting new city ordinances, they have also shown their dedication, their deep understanding of the nature of these challenges, and their unwavering commitment that has made such a change for the community. “Working collaboratively with communities to address concerns and reduce crime is the cornerstone of effective policing,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “The law enforcement personnel recognized in our district today are among the best in the nation. Their active engagement and innovative approaches towards public safety has greatly improved the quality of life for the citizens of our district.” The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing. The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities. The Department of Justice commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov .


title: Puerto Rico Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Leadership Role in Puerto Rico/Western Pennsylvania Region Drug Trafficking Operation

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, was sentenced in federal court to 10 years of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for violating federal narcotics and racketeering laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Antonio Bernacett Rodriguez, 40. According to information presented to the Court, Bernacett Rodriguez was a leading member of an organized drug trafficking group that shipped kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico, often mailing drug parcels through the U.S. Postal Service to co-conspirators responsible for selling the cocaine in Western Pennsylvania; Youngstown, Ohio; and elsewhere as part of an ongoing drug trafficking conspiracy. Specifically, Bernacett Rodriguez was responsible for obtaining and shipping between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania in 2023 and early 2024, and, in January 2024, travelled from Puerto Rico to Philadelphia and Youngstown, Ohio, to facilitate and promote the drug trafficking enterprise by receiving drug proceeds from other members of the organization. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation leading to Bernacett Rodriguez’s conviction in this case in close collaboration with the Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Castle City Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Department of Agriculture, Union Township Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and Pennsylvania State Police. This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Lawrence County is one of six western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.


title: Council Bluffs Individuals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Charges

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

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two Council Bluffs individuals were sentenced to federal prison for possessing firearms as felons. According to public court documents, in December 2022, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the joint Council Bluffs residence of Anthony Michael Huff, 37, and Bobbie Jo Adkins, 37. Inside the residence, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun was in a bedroom, where a marijuana grow lab was also located, as well as ammunition found in the living room. On Adkins’s cell phone, law enforcement later located photos of the shotgun where Huff told Adkins “we got the gun.” Huff and Adkins are both felons and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. In 2012, Huff was convicted of two felony counts of terroristic threats in the Nebraska District Court for Dodge County. In 2015, Adkins was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon, in the Iowa District Court for Page County. Huff received a 37-month sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Adkins received a 48-month sentence, followed by a three-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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.


title: South Dakota Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm and Drug Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Sioux Falls, South Dakota man and Guatemalan national was sentenced on November 26, 2024 to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon and in relation to his drug trafficking. According to public court documents, Johny Fernando Diaz-Mendez, 47, was arrested in March 2024 and found in possession of a firearm in his waistband and a large quantity of methamphetamine. After completing his term of imprisonment, Diaz-Mendez 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 Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Iowa State Patrol. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Little Rock Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Edmond Quatrell Blue, a multi-convicted felon caught with more than a kilogram of fentanyl, will spend the next 18 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr. In addition to the 18 years’ imprisonment, Judge Marshall sentenced Blue, 33, of Little Rock, Arkansas, to five years of supervised release. Blue was indicted on April 5, 2023, in a one-count indictment charging possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system. An investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) revealed that on June 10, 2022, DEA agents conducted surveillance on Blue near the area of an apartment complex on Napa Valley Drive in Little Rock. During the surveillance, DEA agents observed a red Mazda pull into the parking lot with Blue arriving in the parking lot a short time later. Blue exited his vehicle and got in the back seat of the Mazda. A short time later, Blue exited the Mazda holding a plastic McDonald’s bag and walked to an unknown apartment. Blue was then observed leaving the area but returning later in the afternoon in a black Ford F-250. He then went inside an apartment and returned to the Ford F-250 with a purple duffle bag. Blue put the duffle bag into the black Ford F-250 and left the area in the passenger seat of the truck. The Arkansas State Police (ASP) stopped the truck for a traffic violation at the front entrance of an apartment complex near Kanis and Barrow Road. Blue exited the passenger side of the truck with the purple duffle bag and fled on foot, running west through the complex. A DEA Task Force Officer (TFO) who observed Blue flee drove to the west side of the complex where he observed Blue throw the purple duffle bag into a construction dumpster. Officers pursued Blue on foot, while the TFO climbed into the construction dumpster to retrieve the purple duffle bag. In the duffle bag the TFO found a plastic McDonald’s bag that contained a large plastic bag of a solid white powder substance and a “brick” or kilogram of a solid white powder substance, which were tested and confirmed by the DEA to be 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl. Officers located Blue hiding in a vacant apartment and took him into custody. Blue’s prior criminal history includes felony convictions for possession of cocaine with the purpose to deliver, multiple convictions for possession of drug paraphernalia, multiple convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin, illegal possession of a firearm, and felony fleeing. The investigation was conducted by the DEA with assistance from ASP and the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Crews. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: SCDC Inmate and 4 Florence Co-Conspirators Indicted for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: FLORENCE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence returned a four-count indictment against Samual Earl Ramu, 33; Kathy Denise Roberts-Poston, 57; Michael Allen Dorsey, 56; Justin Allen Cox, 40; and Ryan Marie Lovell, 37, all of Florence, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The indictment alleges that the five named defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in South Carolina since at least May 2021. Ramu faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently incarcerated and serving a 15-year sentence with the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Dorsey faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and is currently detained on related state charges. Roberts-Poston, Cox, and Lovell each face maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment and are currently detained awaiting their initial appearances before the Honorable Kaymani D. West, United States Magistrate Judge. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Ellis is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Louisville Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Louisville man, Nathan Cole, 28, was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier, for the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and distribution of 40 grams of more of a mixture containing fentanyl. According to his plea agreement, on April 21, 2023, Cole sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a restaurant in London. Cole sold the informant 1,000 pills containing fentanyl and weighing approximately 111 grams . Cole also sold the informant 237 grams of methamphetamine. Under federal law, Cole must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Man who Supplied Drugs that Killed Jail Inmate Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced the man who supplied the fentanyl that killed a St. Francois County jail inmate to 16 years in prison. Garry W. Triplett, now 38, supplied drugs including fentanyl to jail inmate Timothy L. Noll, 35, of Park Hills, Missouri. Noll had arrived at the jail on July 27, 2021, and instructed an intermediary to get the drugs from Triplett and conceal them in a Bible. Triplett supplied at least three grams each of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Noll planned to sell the drugs inside the facility. When on August 2, Noll discovered he was being sent to state prison and couldn’t bring the Bible, he had jail staff give it to his cellmate. His cellmate died two days later of mixed drug intoxication, including from a lethal dose of fentanyl. Triplett pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances with death resulting and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Noll pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances with death resulting and one count of distribution of a controlled substance with death resulting. The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone prosecuted the case.


title: Bradenton Man Sentenced To More Than 27 Years For Producing Child Sex Abuse Material Via Hidden Camera In Smoke Detector

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Joshua Scott Landers (48, Bradenton) to 27 years and 3 months in federal prison for producing and possessing child sex abuse material. A federal jury found Landers guilty on August 27, 2024. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Landers installed a video camera inside a smoke detector on the ceiling of the teenage victim’s bedroom. Landers then manipulated the footage to save photos and videos of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This case was investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Courtney Derry. 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Cocaine in Western Pennsylvania

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Northfield, Ohio, has been sentenced to 34 months in federal prison for cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Peter Williams, 58, who previously pleaded guilty in this case to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base in early 2021. Judge Conti also ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that, on January 5, 2021, Williams was the subject of a traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, during which it was discovered that Williams possessed with intent to distribute over 300 grams of cocaine. He has a 40-year, multi-state history of committing serious crimes, including several prior drug trafficking and weapons crimes. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Williams.


title: Two-time Federally Convicted Georgia Man Sentenced in Upstate Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The final defendant in an Upstate drug trafficking conspiracy, Jeffrey Michael Wilson, 54, of Commerce, Georgia, was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, after having served a prior federal sentence on similar charges. Evidence presented to the court showed that on Feb. 22, 2023, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Wilson, locating more than 5,800 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol with 19 rounds. The investigation revealed that over the course of the conspiracy, Wilson was responsible for trafficking over 89 kilograms of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Wilson to 235 months imprisonment, followed by 120 months supervised release, and ordered a forfeiture judgement of $311,000. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Michigan City Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Gregory Morrison, 54 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Morrison was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by 6 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2023, on 8 separate occasions, Morrison distributed, a total of 122 grams of cocaine. A search of Morrison’s house in September 2023 resulted in the recovery of an additional 148 grams of cocaine and $1,700. This is Morrison’s fourth conviction for a drug distribution offense. This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the DEA North Central Laboratory with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Michigan City Police Department, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.


title: Former Regions Bank Manager Sentenced to 30 Months for Embezzlement and Bank Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Eric Jason Schouest, age 53, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, to 30 months in federal prison following his convictions for embezzlement and bank fraud. The Court further sentenced Schouest to serve two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered Schouest to pay $86,375.89 in restitution. Schouest was employed at Regions Bank from 2010 to 2021 as a branch manager overseeing business transactions and practices at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch. In his capacity as branch manager, he had the authority to access customer accounts, instruct others to open and close accounts, issue cashier’s checks, and transfer funds in and out of customer accounts. Schouest exploited his position of trust at Regions Bank to embezzle funds from customers and deposit the money into his personal bank accounts. He also sent false and fraudulent emails and forged documents to conceal his scheme from other Regions Bank employees. Some of the traceable fraudulent funds were used to make loan payments on personal items such as a house and a car. Through his scheme, Schouest misappropriated more than $250,000 from Regions customer accounts. This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.


title: Clay County White Supremacist Gang Member Sentenced To More Than 10 Years On Drug And Firearm Charges

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Danny Ray Boree (39, Keystone Heights) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Boree to forfeit a Raven Arms pistol traceable to the firearm offense. Boree was arrested on September 8, 2023, and ordered detained. He entered a guilty plea on July 10, 2024. According to court documents and proceedings, Boree is a member of the Unforgiven, a violent white supremacy gang. On June 8, 2023, a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) pulled over a vehicle for a stop sign violation in Keystone Heights. Upon approaching the car, the deputy observed Boree in the passenger seat with a meat cleaver/hatchet directly in front of him and a knife in a sheath by his feet. For his safety, the deputy directed Boree to step out of the car. As Boree exited the vehicle, the deputy observed part of a clear baggie in the waistline of Boree’s shorts. During a pat down of Boree, the deputy removed the baggie which contained a large amount of methamphetamine. During a subsequent search of the car, the CCSO located a Raven Arms pistol and additional methamphetamine. At the time of the offenses, Boree had previously been convicted in Florida state court of 10 felonies, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2007, 2019). As a convicted felon, Boree is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Boree was released from the Florida Department of Corrections in January 2023 for his last firearm conviction. “We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office as we continue our shared commitment to combating drugs and preventing the violence that often accompanies them,” said Sheriff Michelle Cook. “Together, we are making significant strides in keeping Clay County safe.” “Residents of Northeast Florida are much safer with this violent criminal in federal prison,” said ATF Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Disrupting the Unforgiven’s nefarious activities takes unwavering commitment and we’re proud to have helped the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and federal prosecutors with this huge win.” This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. 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: Podiatrist and Patient Recruiter Sentenced for $8.5M Compounding Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A podiatrist and a patient recruiter were sentenced to 45 months and 60 months in prison, respectively, and ordered to pay over $7 million in restitution for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently bill TRICARE — the health care program for U.S. service members and their families — for compounded creams that were medically unnecessary and procured through kickbacks and bribes. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brian Carpenter, 58, of Paradise, Texas, was a podiatrist who signed prescriptions for compounded pain and scar creams for TRICARE beneficiaries to whom he never spoke and whom he never examined or treated. Jerry Lee Hawrylak, 71, of Lake Worth, Texas, recruited Carpenter to sign the prescriptions and recruited TRICARE beneficiaries to accept the medically unnecessary creams. From November 2014 to January 2017, Carpenter, Hawrylak, and others caused the Fort Worth-based pharmacy involved in the conspiracy to fraudulently bill TRICARE approximately $8.5 million for these creams. Evidence at trial included so-called standing orders signed by Carpenter that were backdated so the pharmacy could change prescriptions after the fact to maximize TRICARE reimbursement. The prescriptions Carpenter signed and maintained in his office authorized unlimited refills and listed fake addresses for beneficiaries. In April 2023, a jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted both Carpenter and Hawrylak of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan Settle of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southwest Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge P. J. O’Brien of the FBI Dallas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Central Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement. DCIS, HHS-OIG, FBI, DOL-OIG, and VA-OIG investigated the case. Assistant Chief Brynn Schiess and Trial Attorney Andrea Savdie of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Recidivist drug trafficker sentenced to over 26 years in prison for running drug operation from his apartments

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 26 years and 10 months in prison for drug conspiracy and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, from at least June 2018 through his most recent arrest on Oct. 14, 2022, Lemoyne Williams, 44, conspired with others to manufacture, distribute, and possess with the intent to manufacture and distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. After conducting a controlled purchase of narcotics from Williams, Newport News Police executed a search warrant on Williams’ apartment and vehicles on Oct. 30, 2019. Though officers knocked for several minutes, they eventually had to force entry into Williams’ residence where they encountered not only Williams, but also his intimate partner and two of his children, aged three and twelve. Officers recovered, among other things, almost 50 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 45 grams of cocaine, other controlled substances, a pill press, digital scales, 10 cellphones, almost $3000 in cash, and a stolen handgun loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition that was hidden in a bathroom floor vent. A federal grand jury indicted Williams on Aug. 10, 2022, in connection with his 2019 conduct. When officers attempted to execute the resulting arrest warrant, Williams did not comply with the officers’ directions and agents breached the door, observing narcotics and processing materials in plain view. The officers obtained a search warrant and recovered almost 45 grams of meth, two grams of crack cocaine, and five grams each of fentanyl and cocaine powder, along with processing materials, three phones, and five loaded firearms. Williams has previous convictions, including for a 1999 manslaughter and possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it while wearing body armor and driving a stolen vehicle while pending trial in 2000. At the time of his lates offenses, Williams was under court supervision for a drug-trafficking conviction. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; and Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-66.


title: South Texan imprisoned for attempting to run over federal agent

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 23-year-old San Benito man has been ordered to federal prison after attempting to run over an FBI agent while trying to evade arrest in a stolen vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Damian Evans Lopez pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer Sept. 9. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered him to serve 110 months to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. Judge Olvera enhanced the sentence for use of a motor vehicle as a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment during flight and official victim adjustments. At the hearing, the court heard how Lopez had a history of placing law enforcement and the public in danger given his three prior felony convictions for evading arrest with motor vehicles. On June 28, an FBI agent was engaged in an investigation involving stolen vehicles being illegally exported into Mexico. He identified a stolen Chevrolet truck parked near the Gateway International Bridge Port of Entry in Brownsville and called for assistance. The agent was wearing FBI gear with clear law enforcement markings and began approaching the vehicle. Authorities asked Lopez to exit from the driver’s seat, but he failed to do so. Instead, he turned the vehicle’s wheels to exit the parking space and aggressively accelerated directly at the FBI agent. He managed to jump out of the way of the accelerating vehicle and avoided serious injury and or death by mere inches. Authorities apprehended Lopez in San Benito, following a high-speed vehicle chase through the streets of Brownsville and onto the freeway. The pursuit, which lasted 20 minutes, involves speeds exceeding 100 mph. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI and Brownsville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.


title: Foreign national sentenced to prison after escaping custody to avoid deportation

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison for obstructing an agency proceeding. According to court documents, in July 2016, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials encountered Dennis Arnoldo Zeledon Hernandez at the U.S.-Mexico border near Hidalgo, Texas. Zeledon claimed to ICE officials that he feared gang members in El Salvador. ICE officials served Zeledon with a Notice to Appear and a warning that failure to appear may result in a removal order and arrest and detention by the Department of Homeland Security. On Sept. 13, 2016, an Immigration Judge ordered Zeledon released on bond. In May 2018, the Immigration Court mailed a Notice of Hearing to Zeledon’s address, notifying him of his master hearing in Immigration Court on Dec. 9, 2019, in Arlington, Virginia. In addition, Zeledon made a phone call to an Immigration Court hotline that informed him of the date, time, and location of his master hearing. Zeledon failed to appear at the Dec. 9, 2019, hearing, however, and the Immigration Court ordered Zeledon removed in absentia. On May 14, 2023, Zeledon was arrested in York, Virginia, for driving under the influence, carrying a concealed weapon, and child neglect. ICE officials received notice that Zeledon had been arrested and issued a Warrant of Removal, resulting in Zeledon’s transfer to the Caroline Detention Facility (CDF) in Bowling Green, Virginia, under ICE custody on May 17, 2023. On July 2, 2023, Zeledon exited a building within CDF, ran across a field, scaled a fence using sheets he had tied to serve as rope, and climbed onto the roof of CDF’s Administration Building. He ran across the roof to a side facing a public parking lot, jumped to the ground, and ran across the parking lot into the nearby woods. After Zeledon escaped from CDF, he walked for two or three days until he met a Spanish-speaking man in a parking lot outside of a restaurant. The man allowed Zeledon to use his cell phone, which Zeledon used to call his friend who lived in North Carolina. Zeledon’s friend agreed to travel to pick up Zeledon and take him back to North Carolina. Over 100 members of law enforcement, including state, local, and federal officials, participated in the fugitive search for Zeledon. On July 7, 2023, members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force arrested Zeledon in an apartment complex in Durham, North Carolina. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Liana Castano, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Day and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike C. Moore prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-122.


title: Justice Department Announces Recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety. “All 21 of today’s awardees have demonstrated what community-oriented policing looks like in practice,” said Attorney General Garland. “They come from all different parts of the country. They represent communities of all shapes and sizes. Their typical days might not all look the same. But they are united by a deep commitment to protecting their communities.” The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing. “Today, we stand in the presence of extraordinary individuals who exemplify the very best of what it means to protect and serve,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We celebrate a remarkable truth: the profound and positive impact that law enforcement officers and deputies have on the communities they serve every single day. These awards honor those who exemplify the very best of the profession and showcases these individuals as pillars of trust, empathy, and unity.” The 2024 award recipients are: Category: Criminal Investigations Detective Matthew Newbold of the Polk County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office; Detective Liz Grant of the Kennewick, Washington, Police Department; Detective Tyler Norman of the Salt Lake City, Utah, Police Department; and Police Officer Reece Walno of the Spearfish, South Dakota, Police Department. Category: Field Operations Deputy Sheriff Jahmar Robinson of the Palm Beach County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office; Lance Corporal Justin Boyd of the Columbia, South Carolina, Police Department; and Detective/Community Policing Officer Stephen Leacroy of the La Marque, Texas, Police Department. Category: Innovations in Community Policing Corporal Adrian Maldonado, Deputy James Mackey, Deputy Jason Coker, Deputy Tammy Fox, and Deputy Yanick Exceus of the Palm Beach County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office; Detective Edwin Hugh and Police Officer Thomas Joy of the Suffolk County, New York, Police Department; Officer Stephen Malandro, Officer Trevor Stamper, and Specialist Todd Nutbrown of the Largo, Florida, Police Department; Officer Wesley Griffith and Officer Bill Koehn of the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department; Master Police Officer Thomas Rodriquez of the Manassas City, Virginia, Police Department; and Master Officer Shauna Moller of the Manassas City Police Department. “It is an honor to share the stage with these recipients,” said Director Hugh T. Clements Jr. of the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). “I am inspired by their actions and service.” The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities. The Justice Department commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov . The COPS Office is the federal component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Justice Department agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 138,000 officers.


title: Former Chairman of Health Care Company Board of Directors Sentenced to Prison for Selling Unregistered Securities

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former chairman of Massachusetts-based company Arch Therapeutics, Inc. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for three felony securities offenses, two of which concerned his undisclosed sale of over $1.3 million worth of company shares. Avtar Singh Dhillon, 63, of Long Beach, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to four months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release, with the first six months on home detention. Dhillon was also ordered to forfeit $1,493,500. In December 2022 , Dhillon pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to disclose stock sales, one count of aiding and abetting the sale of unregistered securities and one count of touting compensation nondisclosure conspiracy. Dhillon and his then attorney, Daniel V. Martinez, placed 2.75 million Arch Therapeutics shares that Dhillon beneficially owned into a limited liability company that Martinez created. Dhillon and Martinez then worked together to sell the shares in the open market without a valid exemption under the relevant securities laws and to distribute the approximately $1.34 million in proceeds. The proceeds were distributed primarily to third parties for Dhillon’s benefit, with a small portion distributed to Martinez directly. Dhillon thereafter willfully failed to report the stock sales to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and the investing public, as he was required to do. In October 2023 , Martinez was sentenced to one year of probation and 100 hours of community service. Martinez was also ordered to pay a fine of $7,500 and forfeit $110,999. Separately, Dhillon also participated in a securities conspiracy involving the nondisclosure of compensation paid to a subscription newsletter analyst. Specifically, Dhillon agreed with others to cause Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP), a life sciences company in San Diego, to indirectly compensate a subscription newsletter analyst to tout a securities offering by EHP without the analyst or the newsletter disclosing the compensation, as required under securities laws. Dhillon was both a one-time board member of and an indirect shareholder in EHP, which raised tens of millions of dollars in the securities offering. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission headquarters, Boston and Los Angeles regional offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: United States and State of Oklahoma File False Claims Act Complaint Against OKC Laboratory and Director

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – The United States and the State of Oklahoma filed a complaint under the federal False Claims Act and the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act against Coordinated Care Health Solutions, LLC d/b/a HunterCare Coordinated Care Health Solutions (CCHS) and Eric P. Wallis, Ph.D., for submitting or causing the submission of false and/or fraudulent claims for payment to certain Government Health Benefit Programs (Government Programs) for testing services that were not rendered or not reimbursable. The Government Programs harmed by the alleged conduct are Medicare, Oklahoma Medicaid, the TRICARE health plan, the Civilian Health and Medical Programs of the VA, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The complaint alleges CCHS purports to perform laboratory testing services ordered by third-party practitioners to monitor and treat patients. During the time relevant to the complaint, Wallis was employed by CCHS as its laboratory director. He was a management official, directed CCHS’s laboratory operations, and supervised the laboratory employees, including the CCHS billing supervisor. The complaint alleges that from at least November 2018 through 2021, CCHS and Wallis disguised non-reimbursable urine drug tests as blood tests to by-pass Oklahoma Medicaid’s prior authorization requirement for definitive urine drug testing services. The complaint alleges CCHS submitted, and Wallis caused the submission of, claims for payment to Oklahoma Medicaid that misrepresented the services performed and included services that were not rendered. The complaint also alleges CCHS systematically billed the federal agency Government Programs for presumptive urine drug testing that was not rendered, and that Wallis caused the submission of these claims. Defendants knew or should have known there was no medical purpose to report “presumptive results” and that those results were not used in the treatment of program beneficiaries. The claims were submitted to the Government Programs for payment for presumptive testing anyway and violated the False Claims Act. The complaint further alleges that, from at least November 2018 through January 2023, CCHS routinely billed the federal agency Government Programs for medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services, and Wallis caused the submission of these claims. These tests were ordered and/or billed through impermissible blanket directives, were not ordered at all, and/or were not medically reasonable and necessary for the treatment of program beneficiaries. The complaint alleges that, as a result of Defendants’ conduct, the Government Programs paid millions of dollars for thousands of false and/or fraudulent claims for non-reimbursable testing services. The United States and the State of Oklahoma seek to recover damages, along with appropriate trebling of those damages, and penalties for each false claim submitted or caused to be submitted by Defendants. This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Office of Audit Services, Qlarant (the CMS Unified Program Integrity Coordinator for the Southwestern Jurisdiction), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division, and the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation. The case is U.S. et al. v. Coordinated Care Health Solutions, LLC, d/b/a HunterCare Coordinated Care Health Solutions et al., No. CIV-24-1185-JD (W.D. Okla.). The claims asserted in this action are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Spearfish Police Officer Recognized with Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS — Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Among the 13 nationwide recipients was Officer Reece Walno of the Spearfish Police Department in Spearfish, South Dakota. This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety. “Community policing is essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “These officers have gone above and beyond their duty to foster partnerships with the communities they serve. Their work is an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the profound impact law enforcement can have on individuals, neighborhoods, and society.” During the course of 2023, Officer Reece Walno showed his commitment to his department and his community by establishing a strong and diligent work ethic and personally fielding more than 1,200 calls for service. One traffic stop stood out from the rest: On August 8, Officer Walno stopped a vehicle for speeding and equipment violations. During the traffic stop, Officer Walno observed multiple indicators of criminal activity. Officer Walno was able to obtain consent for a K9 free-air sniff which provided additional narcotic detection resources. During the vehicle search, suspected methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia were located and seized. Officer Walno’s training and experience led him to determine the evidence located was involved in the distribution of illegal controlled substances. The driver was later taken into custody for active arrest warrants and other felony and misdemeanor charges. Despite call volume and shift shortages, Officer Walno continued his proactive investigation and seized the suspect’s cellphone. Officer Walno began the search of the cellphone data and discovered information suggesting further narcotic activity occurring through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Officer Walno contacted the USPS Postal Inspector and provided actionable intelligence which led to an initial seizure of a dark web marijuana parcel from Wyoming. Officer Walno contacted drug agents with the UNET-N [Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team – North)] Drug Task Force and provided further intelligence. Officer Walno’s investigative tenacity and attention to detail produced significant, well-documented intelligence which allowed law enforcement to stop more than a pound of controlled substances in addition to dark web marijuana from being distributed to Spearfish and other surrounding communities. Officer Walno completed a high-level narcotics investigation while also meeting the high-volume demand for calls for service and continuing other proactive police activities. U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota Alison J. Ramsdell offered these comments, “I commend Officer Reece Walno on his selection for the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. In the District of South Dakota, we rely heavily on the work of local law enforcement officers like Officer Walno to build impactful federal drug prosecutions. Officer Walno’s detailed and thorough investigations have been crucial in helping to piece together drug rings and bring drug traffickers to justice. Through the dedicated efforts of Officer Walno and others throughout the law enforcement community in South Dakota, we will continue to dismantle the drug trafficking organizations that are peddling poison in our communities.” The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing. The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities. The Department of Justice commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov .


title: Theft of firearms from Billings pawnshop burglary sends Joliet man to prison for more than six years

body_text: BILLINGS — A Joliet man who admitted to stealing firearms from a Billings pawnshop during a burglary was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Lucious Machiavelli, aka Robert Allen Boyden, 48, pleaded guilty in August to theft from a federal firearms licensee. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered $8,783 in restitution. The government alleged in court documents that on Sept. 11, 2023, Pawnbrokers West, a federal firearms licensee, in Billings, was burglarized shortly before 3 a.m. Ten firearms were stolen during the break in. Five of the firearms are still at large. Law enforcement learned that Machiavelli was involved in the burglary. Some of the stolen firearms were recovered from the residence of a co-defendant, who told law enforcement that Machiavelli had brought the guns to the residence. Another co-defendant told law enforcement that he and Machiavelli broke into the pawn shop and stole the firearms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN. XXX


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2024. Wilson Boneshirt, 50, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Boneshirt was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty in September 2024. Boneshirt is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act due to a 2002 conviction in U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota, for Incest. In March 2024, Boneshirt was on parole with the South Dakota Department of Corrections and residing at the Glory House in Sioux Falls. On March 29, 2024, Boneshirt was granted a two-day furlough to attend a relative’s funeral, but he failed to return to the Glory House as required and did not update the sex offender registry with his new location. His whereabouts were unknown to registration officials until his arrest on May 23, 2024. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau J. Blouin prosecuted the case. Boneshirt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Maryland “Ghost Preparer” Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Filing False Tax Returns for Client

component: Tax Division

body_text: A White Plains, Maryland, man pleaded guilty today to preparing and filing a false tax return for a client. According to court documents and statements made in court, Anthony Judd was a full-time special police officer staffed at the National Archives and Records Administration and a part-time return preparer. Since at least 2013, Judd prepared and filed more than 40 false tax returns for individual clients which reduced the amount of taxes they owed and inflated their refunds. These returns reported losses for businesses that the clients did not actually have, and deductions for expenses — such as transportation and job-related expenses — that the clients did not actually incur. Judd prepared and filed each client’s tax return as a “ghost preparer,” meaning that he did not identify himself as the preparer on the returns. Judd caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $484,525. Judd is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant Chief Jorge Almonte and Trial Attorney Evan C. Mulbry of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 25, 2024. Jacob Denker, 41, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Denker was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (fentanyl) by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 28, 2024. Beginning around March 2023, Denker began obtaining fentanyl along with his girlfriend, Jamie Lee. They picked up fentanyl in Colorado and then brought it to South Dakota. In Rapid City, Denker and his girlfriend’s sub-distributors further distributed fentanyl throughout the Rapid City area and the Pine Ridge Reservation. This activity continued through September 2023. Overall, Denker and the other co-conspirators were responsible for bringing over 400 grams of fentanyl to the area. Co-defendant Eugene Giago is scheduled for trial on January 7, 2025, and co-defendant Jamie Lee is scheduled for sentencing on January 27, 2025. This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Martin Police Department, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case. Denker was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Two Years and Three Months in Federal Prison  For Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 18, 2024. Patrick Left Hand Bull, age 51, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. A federal grand jury indicted Left Hand Bull in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 28, 2024. Left Hand Bull is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act as a result of a federal felony conviction in February 2014 for Abusive Sexual Contact. On March 11, 2024, he updated his sex offender registry address to the Cornerstone Rescue Mission in Rapid City. Left Hand Bull resided there intermittently between March 11, 2024, and April 23, 2024. Between April 27, 2024, and May 8, 2024, he did not live at the Cornerstone Rescue Mission and did not register or update his new address with the sex offender registry. Left Hand Bull knew of his requirement to register and knowingly failed to do so. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. Left Hand Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Charles Merrival, age 32, was sentenced on November 22, 2024, to eight years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition was also ordered. Merrival was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2022 and pleaded guilty on July 8, 2024. From approximately July 2021 through January 2022, Merrival was involved in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in Rapid City. Law enforcement stopped Merrival in a truck in July 2021. A search of the vehicle recovered 10 grams of methamphetamine and other drug related items. On January 12, 2022, law enforcement witnessed Merrival hand a backpack to a co-conspirator in a store parking lot. When that backpack was subsequently searched, law enforcement located 40 grams of methamphetamine, a pink semi-automatic pistol, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Merrival was found to be in possession of additional rounds ammunition. During the investigation, multiple sources confirmed Merrival’s history of violence and firearm possession. Merrival is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions. Merrival is a former member and Sergeant-at-Arms of the Ghost Dance Motorcycle Club, a support group for the Bandidos. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy Morley, Brian Murphy, and Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case. Merrival was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing. Merrival faces additional, unrelated charges in Pennington County.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 11 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2024. Larry Wayne Moss, a/k/a “Lucci,” age 48, was sentenced to 11.5 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Moss was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 30, 2024. The conviction stemmed from an investigation early in 2023. Moss sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions between January and March of 2023. On March 6, 2023, investigators obtained a search warrant for the motel where Moss was staying. They executed the search warrant and discovered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine, 42 grams of fentanyl pills, ecstasy, and marijuana. Moss intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others in the District of South Dakota. Methamphetamine is a Scheduled II controlled substance. This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Moss was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Wallingford Men Charged with Trafficking Fentanyl Laced with Xylazine

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging ALEXANDER GARCIA, 28, and DANIEL VARGAS, 27, both of Wallingford, with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in August 2024, the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization led by Garcia and Vargas, who were sometimes called “Drake and Josh” or “Mikey and Tony.” Between August and November 2024, investigators made several controlled purchases of fentanyl from Garcia and Vargas. Completed laboratory analysis of some of the purchased fentanyl revealed the presence of xylazine. Garcia and Vargas were arrested on criminal complaints on November 13, 2024. On that date, a search of their residence on Lee Avenue in Wallingford revealed a firearm and more than $29,000 in cash. They have been detained since their arrests. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force includes members of the New Haven Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Over Three Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on November 26, 2024. Jordan Running Hawk, 21, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Running Hawk was indicted for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 12, 2024. In April 2024, an officer with the Rapid City Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Running Hawk. During the traffic stop, the officer discovered Running Hawk was in possession of a firearm and a firearm magazine loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition. When the officer asked Running Hawk about the firearm, Running Hawk attempted to flee but was apprehended by officers shortly thereafter and arrested. Running Hawk is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony crime. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Running Hawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Former Box Elder Teacher’s Aide Indicted and Detained for Sexual Exploitation and Enticement of a Minor Student

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Box Elder, South Dakota, woman for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. In August 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Duncan Sioux Witt, age 28, originally from Kansas. She was extradited from South Carolina after being arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service while working in a private school. Witt appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on November 22, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. Witt was previously employed at Douglas High School in Box Elder as a special education paraprofessional teacher’s aide. The alleged victim was a student receiving special education services at the time of Witt’s crimes. In February 2024, Witt began sending the boy sexually explicit messages, and sexually explicit images and videos of herself, using Snapchat. She induced the boy to send her sexually explicit pictures and videos of himself, which she saved in her Snapchat account. The charges are merely accusations and Witt is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The investigation is being conducted by the Box Elder Police Department and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting the case. Witt was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for January 28, 2025.


title: Mitchell Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Mitchell, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Identity Theft. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2024. Jeremy Zwetzig, age 44, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $1,935.90, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Zwetzig was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 29, 2024. The conviction stemmed from an incident on January 23, 2023, when Zwetzig stole mail in Mitchell. One piece of mail contained a check that was not addressed to him. He then used the banking information from that legitimate business check to create a fraudulent check drawn on that same account, unbeknownst to the actual holder of the account. Zwetzig made the fraudulent check payable to an actual person and then negotiated the fraudulent check by depositing it into a bank account that he fraudulently opened using the name of the actual account holder so he could draw the funds and spend them. This case was investigated by the Mitchell Police Department, the U.S Postal Inspection Service, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case. Zwetzig was allowed to self-report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service by December 30, 2024.


title: Bank contractor indicted for loading debit cards with fraudulent funds

body_text: HOUSTON – A Houston woman who worked as a contractor for a national bank has been taken into custody on wire fraud and conspiracy charges, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jaysha Victorian, 23, has already made her initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo. A federal grand jury returned the two-count indictment Nov. 20, which was unsealed upon her arrest. In the span of just a few weeks in January 2021, Victorian allegedly utilized her access to the victim bank’s systems to load prepaid debit cards with fraudulent credits when she knew no such credits were warranted. The charges allege the debit cards included prepaid cards that were used to provide unemployment benefits, including for the state of California. According to the indictment, cardholders were able to withdraw the fraudulent funds from bank branches and ATMs before the credited money could be rescinded. Victorian’s conduct allegedly resulted in over $8 million of fraudulent credits, over $7 million of which were withdrawn or used. If convicted, Victorian faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charge as well five years for the conspiracy. Both convictions also carry fines of up to $250,000. The FBI, Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Department of Labor-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Karen Lansden are prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Onalaska Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael Wilson, 46, of Onalaska, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 57 months in federal prison for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution. Wilson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 11, 2024. On July 21, 2022, Wilson sold fentanyl to an individual in La Crosse, Wisconsin during a delivery monitored by law enforcement. One week later, La Crosse police executed a search warrant at Wilson’s home in Onalaska. In one room of the home, police found drug packaging materials and a blender coated with white powder residue, near a digital scale used to weigh drugs. Concealed in the ceiling of the room, police located 96 grams of fentanyl and 83 grams of cocaine. At the sentencing, Judge Conley stated that his decision on the appropriate sentence was influenced by Wilson’s long, repeated history of returning to drug trafficking after multiple state court convictions reaching back to the age of 17. Judge Conley stated that the 57-month sentence plus four years of supervision following that sentence was necessary to protect the public and allow Wilson the opportunity to earnestly address addiction problems that triggered the drug trafficking. The charge against Wilson was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Dubuque County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: Kennewick Detective Recognized with Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Richland, Washington - Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing, including Detective Liz Grant of the Kennewick Police Department. This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety. Guided by exceptional instincts and an unwavering commitment to justice, Detective Grant connected a series of sexual assaults to a single individual. Her painstaking investigative work, combined with her compassion for victims and ability to earn their trust, led to the suspect receiving a 226-year prison sentence – an outcome that underscores the power of her dedication to pursuing justice. “Detective Grant’s extraordinary investigative abilities and dedication to supporting victims makes a powerful impact on the Tri-Cities community. Through her skill, compassion, and work ethic, she builds trust with victims and delivers impressive case results in the courtroom,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Detective Grant’s engagement with her community makes it a safer and strong place to live. I extend my heartfelt congratulations for this well-deserved recognition.” “Community policing is essential to building trust and ensuring public safety,” said Attorney General Garland. “These officers have gone above and beyond their duty to foster partnerships with the communities they serve. Their work is an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the profound impact law enforcement can have on individuals, neighborhoods, and society.” The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing. The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities. The Department of Justice commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Possessing Fentanyl Intended for Distribution

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Corvalis Stewart, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 16 years in federal prison for possessing 400 or more grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Stewart pleaded guilty to this charge on September 1, 2024. On the evening of February 8, 2024, Stewart and his codefendant Larry Williamson landed a rented Cessna 172 aircraft at the Middleton Municipal Airport, in Middleton, Wisconsin. Williamson was a private pilot who had rented the aircraft to fly to Phoenix, Arizona, to pick up drugs. Stewart was the passenger. Federal and state law enforcement received information about the flight and about Williamson and Stewart’s suspicious behavior in Arizona. Law enforcement tracked the aircraft as it returned to Middleton and landed at approximately 10:55 p.m. Williamson and Stewart got out of the airplane and walked to the parking lot. Stewart was carrying three bags, which he put in the back of his vehicle. Law enforcement detained the men and searched the bags. Two of the bags contained 19 pounds of methamphetamine. The third bag contained approximately 200,000 fentanyl pills known on the street as M30’s, which are counterfeit Oxycodone pills. This was the largest fentanyl seizure in Dane County, with an estimated street value of $2,000,000. The investigation revealed text messages showing that it was Stewart who arranged the drug pick up in Phoenix. Judge Peterson remarked that this case involved a “startling quantity of drugs” and that fentanyl was the leading cause of overdoses. Judge Peterson found that additional aggravating factors were present in the case, including Stewart’s serious criminal history, the fact that he was on federal supervision at the time of this offense, and the fact that Stewart planned the crime. Stewart has multiple felony convictions, including five convictions for gun- related offenses. At the time of this offense, Stewart was on federal supervision for a felon in possession of a firearm conviction. Stewart’s supervised release was also revoked at the sentencing and Judge Peterson sentenced him to 2 years in prison to run concurrently with the drug sentence. Stewart’s co-defendant, Larry Williamson, pleaded guilty on June 18, 2024, to possessing 500 or more grams of methamphetamine intended for distribution. On October 31, 2024, Williamson was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. The charges against Stewart and Williamson were the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Middleton Police Department, with the assistance of the Air Marine Operations Center in Riverside, California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.


title: Justice Department Finds Civil Rights Violations by Memphis Police Department and City of Memphis

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department announced today that the Memphis Police Department (MPD) and City of Memphis (City) engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law. Specifically, the Justice Department finds that: MPD uses excessive force. MPD conducts unlawful stops, searches and arrests. MPD unlawfully discriminates against Black people when enforcing the law. The City and MPD unlawfully discriminate in their response to people with behavioral health disabilities. The Justice Department also identified serious concerns about MPD’s treatment of children. Finally, the Department identified deficiencies in policy, training, supervision and accountability that contribute to MPD’s and the City’s unlawful conduct. “The people of Memphis deserve a police department and city that protects their civil and constitutional rights, garners trust and keeps them safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our exhaustive investigation found that the Memphis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, conducting unlawful stops, searches and arrests and discriminatory policing of Black people and residents with behavioral health disabilities. Our investigation also identified troubling policing practices that impact some of Memphis’ most vulnerable residents — its children. We acknowledge Memphis’ cooperation during our investigation and look forward to instituting reforms that will address the harms we identified.” “This process and these findings uncovered that our city has a lot of work to do,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee. “Memphians are rightly concerned with gun violence and violent crime. They are also rightly concerned about the collective approach that we must take to tackle these issues. We hope to work with Mayor Young, Chief Davis, the Memphis Police Department and our Memphis partners to move forward.” The City and MPD cooperated fully with the Justice Department’s investigation. The department provided a comprehensive written report of its investigative findings to the City and MPD. The report acknowledges the changes already made by the City and MPD, and it identifies additional remedial measures that the department believes are necessary to fully address its findings. The department opened this investigation on July 27, 2023. The investigation was conducted by career attorneys and staff in the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. The team conducted numerous onsite tours; interviewed MPD officers, supervisors and command staff; spoke with City officials and employees; accompanied behavioral crisis responders and officers on ride-alongs; reviewed thousands of documents; and reviewed hundreds of hours of body-worn camera footage. Department attorneys and staff also met with community members, advocates and service providers in the Memphis area. The department conducted this investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601 (Section 12601), which prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law, the Safe Streets Act of 1968, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The findings announced today are the result of the department’s civil pattern or practice investigation and are separate from the department’s criminal cases against former MPD officers for federal crimes related to the death of Tyre Nichols. The department will be conducting outreach to members of the Memphis community for input on remedies to address the department’s findings. Individuals may also submit recommendations by email at Community.Memphis@usdoj.gov or by phone at 888-473-3730. The department will hold a virtual zoom community meeting on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. CT. Please use this link to register for the event: www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_hf-KK_oOTpWQ6qinosSN2w . Members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the findings. This is one of 12 investigations into law enforcement agencies opened by the Justice Department under Section 12601 since April 2021. In 2023 and 2024, the department issued findings reports regarding five of those investigations: the Louisville, Kentucky, Metro Police Department , Minneapolis Police Department , Phoenix Police Department, Lexington, Mississippi, Police Department , and Trenton, New Jersey, Police Department . The five other ongoing investigations cover the Louisiana State Police ; Mount Vernon, New York, Police Department ; New York City Police Department’s Special Victims Division ; Oklahoma City Police Department ; and Rankin County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Department . Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt . ###