title: Orlando Man Charged With Receiving And Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Joseph Anthony Santopietro (46, Orlando) with receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Santopietro faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison on the receipt count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession count. According to the indictment, Santopietro received child sexual abuse material in November 2023. He was then found in possession of child sexual abuse material on September 18, 2024. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Ocala Man Indicted For Attempted Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alexander Thomas Daugherty (24, Ocala) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Daugherty faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Daugherty was arrested on a criminal complaint on September 20, 2024. He is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case. According to court documents, on September 20, 2024, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) posed undercover as a 13-year-old girl on an online social media platform. Daugherty contacted the undercover agent’s account and, after learning the child’s age, discussed engaging in sexual activity. Daugherty arranged to meet the minor for sex at a predetermined location in Marion County. Daugherty then traveled to the location and was arrested by law enforcement. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. 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: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

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

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Damian J. Brown, 32, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Our law enforcement partnerships play such a vital role in fighting violent crime and is central to our mission to protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence illustrates our shared resolve to keep our communities safe and the significant consequences associated with federal firearm violations.” On March 22, 2024, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers were conducting routine patrol operations in Gainesville, Florida when they spotted Brown. Officers were aware that Brown had an active warrant for violation of probation. GPD Officers attempted to take Brown into custody. He then fled on his bicycle before he was apprehended by a GPD K9 unit after a brief chase. During a search incident to arrest, officers discovered that Brown was in possession of a black Beretta 9mm pistol in the pocket of his pants. The firearm contained a loaded magazine and a chambered round. A second loaded magazine was found in Brown’s other pocket. “I want to assure the citizens of Gainesville that we are fully committed to reducing gun related violence in our community. Through strategic partnerships, intelligence led policing, and community engagement, we will continue to focus those who unlawfully possess and use firearms. Every arrest we make and every illegal gun we take off the streets brings us one step closer to making Gainesville a safer place for everyone. We are deeply grateful to our federal partners for their unwavering support in this endeavor. Together, we continue to build a stronger, safer future for our city,” said Gainesville Police Chief Moya. Brown’s prison sentence will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. This conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Gainesville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Harley Ferguson prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Natural Gas Producer Agrees to Settlement to Reduce Emissions in New Mexico

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) today announced a settlement with Hilcorp Energy Company resolving Clean Air Act and New Mexico state law violations at the company’s oil and gas production operations in New Mexico. Under the settlement, Hilcorp agreed to pay a civil penalty of $9.4 million for violations resulting from Hilcorp’s failure to reduce emissions during well completion operations. The civil penalty will be split between the U.S. and the State of New Mexico. In addition, the company must employ an EPA-approved third-party auditor to ensure compliance with all applicable Clean Air Act and New Mexico Air Quality Control Act requirements. Hilcorp is further directed to account for the excess volatile organic compound (VOC) and methane emissions released through improper well completions by replacing, on a faster timeline than federal regulations require, old process control equipment with equipment that does not emit air pollution. This mitigation project will occur on Tribal lands of the Jicarilla Apache Nation Reservation, in Rio Arriba County, and on Navajo Nation Off-Reservation Trust Land in San Juan and Sandoval counties; all of these areas have potential environmental justice concerns. The work that Hilcorp will do under this agreement will result in the equivalent of over 113,000 tons of reduced carbon dioxide emissions over the next three years, similar to the number of reductions achieved by taking 24,000 cars off the road for one year. The settlement will also eliminate nearly 583 tons of VOC emissions annually. The case is the first to address violations of the Clean Air Act New Source Performance Standards covering well completions following hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as “fracking.” “Hilcorp is a large, sophisticated natural gas producer and should know better than to violate Clean Air Act requirements to capture and control gas produced as a result of fracking,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are committed to upholding the rule of law and holding industry accountable. Today’s settlement importantly includes commitments to make infrastructure upgrades that will result in significant reductions of methane and VOC emissions.” “Oil and gas production results in significant air pollution, including emissions of methane that are one of the leading sources of near-term climate change, which makes today’s settlement with Hilcorp Energy a huge win for the environment and the planet,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is requiring Hilcorp to pay a $9.4 million penalty and make substantial investments in Clean Air Act compliance, which will reduce climate damaging emissions and improve air quality for all New Mexico residents, including communities with environmental justice concerns.” “This settlement holds one of the San Juan Basin's largest polluters accountable for their contribution to climate change and ozone pollution,” said Secretary James Kenney of the New Mexico Environment Department. “If we want to make New Mexico’s air safe for future generations then Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Corporation executives need to step up their game and comply with federal and state rules." Federal Clean Air Act and New Mexico state air regulations require oil and gas producers to capture gas that flows back to the surface following fracking using equipment that can accommodate flowback and to implement a reduced emission completion control, commonly referred to as a green completion. Producers have several green completion options to choose from. If none are technically feasible, producers may route the captured gas to a pollution control device like a flare. Based on EPA’s and NMED’s investigations, the U.S. and the state allege that Hilcorp conducted at least 192 well completion operations in Rio Arriba and San Juan counties from Aug. 2, 2017, through Aug. 1, 2019. At 145 of these well completions, Hilcorp captured none of the gas and instead released into the atmosphere all gas that flowed back following fracking. At the remainder of well completions, Hilcorp captured a portion of the gas and directed it to a flare but did not demonstrate that all green completion options were infeasible. Hilcorp’s actions resulted in thousands of tons of harmful methane and VOC emissions being released into the environment. Methane is a climate super pollutant and potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and VOCs adversely affect human health in multiple ways, including being involved in the formation of ground level ozone. Hilcorp is one of the nation’s largest privately-owned oil and gas exploration and production companies, and a top producer of natural gas in New Mexico from 2018-2021. New Mexico is one of the top ten producing states for natural gas in the United States for 2018-2023. In 2022, on-shore oil and gas industry data reported to EPA showed that Hilcorp’s San Juan Basin operation emitted the most methane in the U.S. among all oil and gas operations. The settlement is part of EPA’s Mitigating Climate Change National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, which focuses, in part, on reducing methane emissions from oil and gas and landfill sources. Like all EPA’s national enforcement initiatives, the Mitigating Climate Change initiative prioritizes communities already overburdened by pollution and other potential environmental justice concerns. More information on the settlement agreement is available on EPA’s Hilcorp Energy Company webpage. The consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico and is subject to a 30-day comment period. Information on providing public comment and the complaint and proposed consent decree are available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . EPA and NMED investigated the case. Attorneys of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.


title: Manassas businessman agrees to pay $1M to settle pandemic fraud allegations

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. –The founder of a Manassas business has agreed to pay $1,000,000 to settle allegations that he falsified payroll amounts to obtain inflated loans on behalf of True Information Assurance, LLC, through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP offered loans to eligible small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP borrowers were required to provide their income and supporting documents to qualify for the loan amount. Steven T. Covey obtained two PPP loans for True Information Assurance, of which he was owner and President, by submitting loan applications with false payroll figures to SBA-authorized lenders. Based on these fraudulent applications, True Information Assurance received two inflated loans. After Covey sold True Information Assurance in 2021, he retained all proceeds from both PPP loans. The settlement began with a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, United States ex rel. Salman v. Bull Run Capital Investments, Inc., et al. The whistleblower will receive a share of this settlement. The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Kim and Auditor Peter Melaragni for the Eastern District of Virginia. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia . Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit can be accessed on PACER by searching for No. 1:21-cv-852. The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: St. Louis County Woman Sentenced for $100,000 Pandemic Loan Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday ordered a woman who fraudulently obtained five pandemic relief loans to repay $113,223 to the U.S. Small Business Administration and placed her on probation for five years. Camille N. Foster, now 32, of St. Louis County, Missouri, obtained five Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between May 2020 and November 2021 by submitting fraudulent loan applications on behalf of three businesses: Humble Hearts Home Healthcare LLC, Embellished Jewels LLC and Muse Me Boutique LLC. On the applications, she knowingly misrepresented the payroll and annual income of the businesses, which were not in operation at the time. She also submitted fraudulent tax forms with the applications. In a loan application for Muse Me Boutique, Foster used someone else’s name and Social Security number on the application, and signed that person’s name on the application without the person’s knowledge. PPP loans were intended to help struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Foster did not use the money for that purpose. She spent it on retail purchases, dining, cosmetic surgery, bill payments, travel, taxes and payments to others. She then submitted fraudulent applications for PPP loan forgiveness for many of the loans she received, claiming that she had spent most or all the money on payroll costs. Foster, also known as Foster-Nunley, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of wire fraud. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case. Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Threat

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Sebastian Reigle, 24, of Woodbridge, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 4, 2023, Reigle used a cell phone while in Virginia to leave a voicemail message for an individual living within the Southern District of West Virginia. In the message, Reigle threatened to injure the individual and leave the individual unconscious. Reigle is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-134. ###


title: FLINT MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR IMPORTING  AND SELLING ILLEGAL MACHINEGUN CONVERSION DEVICES

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: FLINT – A Flint man was sentenced today to 4 years and 9 months in federal prison for illegally importing and selling machinegun conversion devices, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James Deir of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Detroit Field Division. United States District Court Judge Shalina D. Kumar sentenced Yusef D. Hairston, 31, following his guilty plea to illegal possession and transfer of a machinegun on June 5, 2024. A machinegun conversion device is a device that, when integrated with a semi-automatic firearm, converts the firearm into a fully automatic machinegun. Under federal law, a machinegun conversion device is itself a machinegun. Judge Kumar also sentenced Hairston to two years of federal supervised release following his release from incarceration. According to court records, in late 2022 and continuing into 2023, undercover ATF agents purchased various narcotics, firearms, and machinegun conversion devices from Dequan Hawkins. Eventually, Hawkins introduced the undercover ATF agents to Hairston, whom Hawkins identified as his source-of-supply for the machinegun conversion devices. Over the course of the next several months, Hairston sold the undercover ATF agents over 60 machinegun conversion devices. During this same time, Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Patrol interdicted two shipments from China containing over 100 machinegun conversion devices destined for Hairston. In total, Hairston was held responsible for possessing, importing, and selling over 200 machinegun conversion devices. “Machinegun conversion devices serve one purpose—to turn semi-automatic firearms into machineguns. And machineguns are inherently dangerous firearms, designed solely to inflict maximum harm in minimal time. There is simply no place for these dangerous weapons in our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Machinegun conversion devices pose a serious threat to our community’s safety and security. To be clear, these devices are NOT firearm accessories and are machineguns under federal law.” said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Mr. Hairston made a choice to possess and profit from illegally modified firearms. In the end, I urge every Michigander contemplating experimenting with a machinegun conversion device to think twice about the serious consequences associated with this choice. I know for a fact that Mr. Hairston will be pondering this exact thought while he spends a considerable amount of time in prison for choosing to possess a machinegun conversion device. These devices are a clear and present danger to public safety and will be investigated and prosecuted as such.” This case was investigated by special agents of the ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Vance.


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Stephanie M. Hinds as Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced that Stephanie M. Hinds has been appointed as the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA). “Stephanie is a superb leader with decades of experience at the Justice Department who will be an outstanding advocate for all 94 of our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country,” said Attorney General Garland. “Since joining the Justice Department 29 years ago, Stephanie has advanced its mission in a wide range of roles. The Justice Department, and the American people, are fortunate to have her in this role. I am grateful to her for her continued dedication to this Department and to the public we serve.” Prior to her appointment, Hinds served as Associate Deputy Attorney General beginning in May 2023. Hinds previously served as the Interim and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California (NDCA) from March 2021 to March 2023. At NDCA since 1995, Hinds also served in various positions such as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Deputy U.S. Attorney, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture Section, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Norman Wong, who has been serving as the Acting Director of EOUSA since July 1, 2023, will return to his position as Principal Deputy Director. “Norm Wong has been an excellent steward of EOUSA since becoming Acting Director of the Office in July 2023,” said Attorney General Garland. “Norm is an extraordinary public servant, and I am grateful to him for all he has done and will continue to do on behalf of EOUSA.” Learn more about EOUSA at www.justice.gov/usao .


title: Metairie Man Guilty of Federal Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that CARSON RIESS (“RIESS”) , age 40, of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 1, 2024 to Receipt of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey scheduled sentencing for January 7, 2025. At sentencing, RIESS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000, or the greater of twice the gross grain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person of the offense. In addition, RIESS faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, the case against RIESS stemmed from an online Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). On May 20, 2024, HSI special agents, along with members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, executed two federal search warrants at RIESS’s home. HSI’s investigation revealed RIESS received images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Former Telecommunications Company Executive Admits Defrauding Investors in Sports Betting Fund

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Pennsylvania man on Thursday admitted stealing $650,000 from investors in a sports betting fund. Elijah A. Goshert, 48, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of wire fraud. He admitted defrauding investors from at least Feb. 1, 2017, through Nov. 15, 2023, by falsely claiming the Magellan Sports Fund used a “sophisticated computer algorithm” that substantially reduced betting risks. Goshert sent emails to investors falsely claiming that he’d used their money to make sports bets and false “investors performance” updates claiming that their investments were making substantial profits. Goshert spent the vast majority of the victims’ investments on unauthorized expenses. He admitted stealing about $654,861 from at least 12 victims. Goshert is scheduled to be sentenced January 22, 2025. Each wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Lannie Earl Shaffer, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 31, 2023, law enforcement officers attempted to execute an arrest warrant for Shaffer for absconding parole supervision in Sissonville and found Shaffer in possession of a Taurus model 605 .357-caliber revolver. Shaffer fled in a vehicle and struck a law enforcement vehicle during his flight. Shaffer was arrested after rolling his vehicle onto its side. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Shaffer admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit a felony in Taylor County Circuit Court on May 18, 2020, for transferring and receiving stolen property in Kanawha County Circuit Court on February 5, 2015, and for burglary by breaking and entering in Kanawha Circuit Court on December 10, 2010. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-181. ###


title: Brockton Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was sentenced today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully possessing a Glock pistol and 18 rounds of ammunition. Michael Whitfield, 43, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to time served (one day) to be followed by three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In June 2024, Whitfield pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. In November 2023, Whitfield was indicted by a federal grand jury. On March 6, 2023, upon arrival at a motor vehicle accident scene in Brockton, law enforcement observed Whitfield in a vehicle with significant damage, its airbag deployed and a broken passenger door window. There was a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and an empty tequila bottle was observed on the passenger seat floor. A Glock 19X .9mm pistol loaded with 18 rounds was found on the driver’s side floorboard between Whitfield’s legs. Due to a prior felony conviction, Whitfield is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, Brockton Police Department and the Brockton Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Enterprise Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison Following Federal Gun Conviction

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, AL – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that 43-year-old Steve Allen Grubbs, Jr., a resident of Enterprise, Alabama, received a sentence of 120 months in prison following his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system. The sentencing occurred on October 16, 2024. According to the plea agreement and other court records, in the summer of 2019, law enforcement began an investigation related to suspected drug-trafficking taking place at a residence in Daleville. After confirming their suspicions, on August 2, 2019, officers from the Daleville Police Department executed a search warrant on the residence which was associated with Grubbs at the time. Among the items seized were two handguns. Grubbs has previous felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Grubbs pleaded guilty to illegally possessing the firearms on July 3, 2024. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Daleville Police Department, and Enterprise Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Eric M. Counts prosecuted.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced  for Cocaine Distribution  and Possession Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DAVID HESTER (“HESTER”), age 35, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 16, 2024 after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and, possess with intent to distribute, five hundred grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. HESTER was sentenced to eighty-eight (88) months imprisonment, four (4) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, HESTER, and other co-conspirators, are responsible for the distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana. During the investigation, law enforcement, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, seized seventy- one (71) kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, twelve (12) kilograms of fentanyl, four and a half (4.5) kilograms of heroin, and nearly $1,200,000.00 in U.S. Currency and other seized property. 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. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Novi Man Sentenced to 60 years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children

body_text: DETROIT – A Novi man was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison today for sexually exploiting multiple children, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). United States District Judge Gershwin A. Drain sentenced Glenn Dennison, 33, of Novi, Michigan. Dennison pleaded guilty to filming himself violently sexually assaulting three minor children who were all under the age of 10 years old on April 10, 2024. The youngest was just two years old when the abuse started. Dennison’s sexual assaults came to light in 2022 when he posted images of child sexual abuse material on a public website. During a search warrant at Dennison’s Novi home in July 2022, HSI agents found his cellphone, which contained multiple files of Dennison’s horrific sexual abuse of the three children. “This defendant was caregiver and preyed on the vulnerable children in his care. Our commitment to protecting children in our community and bringing to justice those who abuse them is unwavering. This sentence underscores that commitment, ” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Child rapists can manipulate their way into children’s lives and this perpetrator was convicted for monstrous acts against children in his care,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “We will never stop protecting and serving our community and seeking justice for victims. That being said these cases that prey upon innocent children are among the most difficult to investigate. I am ever grateful to our team for the work they do and I want to bring attention to the fact that these crimes tend to be hidden in plain sight. If you have information on suspected child exploitation, please report it to our tipline at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.” This case was investigated by HSI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Diane Princ.


title: Five Defendants Sentenced for Long-Running Bid-Rigging Conspiracy in Georgia Concrete Industry

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Four executives and a corporation were sentenced for participating in a long-running conspiracy to fix prices, rig bids and allocate jobs for ready-mix concrete in the greater Savannah, Georgia area. James Clayton Pedrick, Gregory Hall Melton, John David Melton, Timothy “Bo” Strickland and Evans Concrete LLC were charged in September 2020 with conspiring to fix prices, rig bids and allocate jobs for the sale of ready-mix concrete used in residential, commercial and public projects. Pedrick, Strickland and Evans Concrete later pleaded guilty for their participation in this conspiracy. Gregory Hall Melton and John David Melton were convicted by a jury in the U.S. District Court in Savannah earlier this year. Argos USA LLC separately admitted to its role in the conspiracy and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division in January 2021. Gregory Hall Melton was sentenced today to 41 months in prison, and three years of supervised release and to pay a $50,000 fine. John David Melton was sentenced today to 26 months in prison, three years of supervised release and to pay a $10,000 fine. The court previously sentenced Strickland to five months in prison and to pay $150,000 fine, Pedrick to one year of probation and Evans Concrete to pay a $2.7 million fine. Argos USA LLC paid a $20 million criminal penalty as part of its DPA. According to court documents, the defendants effectuated their conspiracy by coordinating the issuance of price-increase letters to customers, allocating specific ready-mix concrete jobs in the coastal Georgia area, and submitting bids to customers at collusive and noncompetitive prices. The charged conspiracy began as early as 2010 and continued until about July 2016. “These sentences reflect the egregious nature of rigging bids for materials like ready-mix concrete which are essential to the American economy,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Manish Kumar of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will hold accountable those who seek to exploit the critical need for these materials to harm consumers.” “Concrete is an essential material in construction projects, with prices set in the free market by the forces of supply and demand,” said U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia. “However, the defendants in this case for several years illegally rigged the system to benefit themselves at the expense of customers and are being held accountable for their conduct.” “Activities related to bid-rigging and collusion do not promote an environment conducive to open competition which harms the consumer,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). “The sentencing in this case represents a win for all law enforcement agencies who investigate those who engage in this type of harmful conduct to ensure that justice is served." “The sentences imposed today send a clear message to anyone who chooses corporate greed over open and fair competition,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Harris of the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG), Southern Region. “Our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners and DOJ’s Antitrust Division is unwavering as we continue to pursue and uncover corrupt conduct and hold companies that intentionally engage in wrongdoing accountable.” The FBI Washington Field Office, DOT OIG and USPS OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Patrick S. Brown and former Trial Attorney Julia M. Maloney of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr. for the Southern District of Georgia prosecuted the case. Anyone with information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation or other anticompetitive conduct in the ready-mix concrete industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations .


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Unapproved Drugs with Intent to Defraud over the Internet

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on October 17, 2024, Jeremy Brown, 55, of Simi Valley, California, pleaded guilty to introducing into interstate commerce new drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) with the intent to defraud or mislead. According to court records, between March 2019 and December 2023, Brown operated a company, Warrior Labz SARMs, and accompanying websites through which he sold unapproved versions of prescription drugs and other substances. Specifically, Brown sold Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (“SARMs”), which are substances similar to anabolic steroids; unapproved versions of erectile-dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis; and unapproved versions of weight-loss drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Brown falsely claimed on his websites that the drugs offered for sale were for “research purposes only” and “not for human consumption.” Alongside those claims, however, were claims that the drugs would provide various benefits affecting the structure and function of the human body. Brown obtained the bulk of the drugs he sold from China. Brown did not verify shipping or storage conditions, nor did he use a lab to verify the contents of the drugs he received from China. But he falsely claimed on his websites that his company used only the highest quality pharmaceutical grade ingredients and U.S. manufacturing practices. After receiving a warning letter from the FDA in June 2023, Brown continued to sell unapproved drugs over the internet. Between August and December 2023, Brown made three sales of unapproved drugs to an undercover law enforcement account in Vermont. Brown faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. “Drugs that are produced and distributed outside the FDA’s oversight present the risk of harm to the public health,” said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “We remain committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by distributing unapproved, and potentially dangerous, products.” United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Brown is represented by Rick Collins, Esq. and Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.


title: Montgomery Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Account Takeover Scheme and Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: Montgomery, AL – On October 16, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 32-year-old Heaven Noretta Robinson, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, to 57 months in prison for her role in a scheme to fraudulently add her name to credit card accounts and stealing the identity of a deceased man to purchase a vehicle, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Scott Fix of the Postal Inspection Service’s Houston Division. In addition to the prison sentence, the judge also ordered that Robinson pay restitution to her victims in the amount of $33,550.93 and to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Financial fraud and identity theft costs victims billions of dollars each year,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Criminals will use any information they can acquire to conduct their schemes and line their own pockets. I encourage everyone to be vigilant by reviewing your accounts and credit reports regularly for unusual activity. If you do see something suspicious, report it immediately to the appropriate financial institution and law enforcement. In addition, placing a credit or security freeze with each of the three credit bureaus is another way to prevent accounts being opened without your consent.” "A large part of the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to ensure public trust in the mail. When individuals challenge that mission, postal inspectors will aggressively investigate and remain steadfast in our resolve to seek justice to the end.” said Inspector in Charge Fix. “Robinson’s sentence is a reminder that fraud and identity theft are not victimless crimes and individuals who attempt to commit these crimes face significant penalties as a result of their criminal activity." According to her plea agreement and other court records, from February through October of 2022, Robinson acquired access to the bank and credit card accounts of others without the rightful owners’ knowledge or permission. Once she gained access, Robinson added herself to the accounts and had credit cards associated with those accounts mailed to her. During her plea hearing, Robinson admitted that she would use the illegally obtained cards to make fraudulent purchases at various retail establishments for her personal benefit. Robinson also admitted that, on September 17, 2022, she presented the personal identifying information of an individual she claimed to be her uncle to be used as a co-signor on a loan at a Montgomery car dealership. The loan was ultimately approved. However, the identifying information did not belong to her uncle. The information was that of a deceased man that never had any contact with Robinson, nor did his family or anyone else authorize her to use his identity as a co-signer on loan applications. Robinson pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft on July 3, 2024. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted the case.


title: Fort Yates, ND Woman Indicted for Arson and Destruction of Government Property

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Bismarck – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on October 17, 2024, Melody Walker-White Twin, age 33 from Fort Yates, ND, made her initial appearance and was arraigned in federal court. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Walker-White Twin for Arson and Destruction of Government Property, arising from a October 9, 2024 incident in Bismarck. The Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The Indictment alleges that on or about September 15, 2024, Walker-White Twin damaged or attempted to damage the United States Post Office located in Selfridge, North Dakota. Specifically, Walker-White Twin used rocks to break windows out of the Post Office. It also alleges that between September 15 and 16, 2024, Walker-White Twin damaged or attempted to damage the United States Post Office located in Selfridge, North Dakota by means of fire. The Post Office was a total loss with only the vault remaining. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Investigative Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell. # # #


title: Former NFL player charged with embezzling from commercial real estate projects

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on October 15, 2024, charging a Washington man with embezzling loan proceeds intended for the development and construction of two commercial real estate projects. According to the indictment, Christopher A. Harrison, 52, a former National Football League player and real estate developer, allegedly induced and misappropriated loan proceeds intended for the development and construction of two real estate projects: (1) the Model Tobacco Project in Richmond, Virginia; and (2) the Whitaker Park Project in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Harrison allegedly secured loans from Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust (CRBT) for $14,492,057 for the Model Tobacco Project and $7,706,675 for the Whitaker Park Project. Under the terms of the loan agreements, Harrison was prohibited from using loan proceeds to pay himself or affiliated entities any construction, management, development, or contractor fees or from using the loan proceeds for personal expenditures. As alleged in the indictment, however, Harrison skimmed loan proceeds intended for the Model Tobacco and Whitaker Park Projects by first creating a straw demolition company, Virginia Demolition LLC, that had no employees, demolition equipment, or office space. Harrison then allegedly created forged and falsified documentation purporting to show that Virginia Demolition LLC did actual work on the projects, including work that predated Harrison’s creation of the Virginia Demolition LLC entity. Harrison allegedly forged the signature of a separate individual, who Harrison falsely represented was the “President” of Virginia Demolition LLC, multiple times across Harrison’s various submittals to CRBT. Harrison also is alleged to have doctored and inflated invoices in the name of a separate construction vendor for Model Tobacco, inducing CRBT to disburse inflated loan amounts. In total, Harrison allegedly submitted over a dozen falsified invoices and lien waivers in draw requests to induce CRBT to disburse over $3.6 million in loan proceeds to Harrison to satisfy purported expenditures. Harrison allegedly used some of these loan proceeds for his own benefit, rather than applying them to the Model Tobacco and Whitaker Park Projects as required. As alleged in the indictment, Harrison used some of the money he stole for the following personal purchases and expenses, among others: Numerous purchases at luxury goods and fashion stores, including over $60,000 in payments to Lenkersdorfer Fine Jewelers to buy Rolex watches. Personal expenses, including his home mortgage, landscaping services for his residence, and tuition and tutoring expenses for his minor child. Expenses related to a separate construction project — the Petersburg Ramada Inn. For instance, Harrison allegedly used fraud proceeds to pay legal fees to a law firm for Harrison’s litigation against the City of Petersburg pertaining to the project. The Petersburg Ramada Inn was a shuttered building in Petersburg, Virginia. Harrison purchased the property in 2018 and sold it back to the City of Petersburg in June 2022. Harrison is charged with: wire fraud and mail fraud, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a two-year mandatory minimum prison term Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kashan K. Pathan and Avi Panth are prosecuting 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. 3:24-cr-152. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Jefferson Parish Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that COREY ESQUERRE (“ESQUERRE”) , age 50, a resident of Jefferson Parish, was sentenced on October 10, 2024, by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of methamphetamine. ESQUERRE was sentenced to 126 months imprisonment, five years (5) of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on July 31, 2023, the Gretna Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration searched ESQUERRE’s apartment and discovered 3.5 lbs. of methamphetamine in bags located in a toolbox in his bedroom. The bags contained 1880.1 grams of pure methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gretna Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit oversees the prosecution.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Pleas from Zuni Couple for Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni couple pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon for a brutal 2023 assault in the presence of minors. According to the plea agreements, on September 3, 2023, Shannon Concho , 46, and LouAnn Johnson , 28, both enrolled members of the Pueblo of Zuni, assaulted John Doe at his residence on the Zuni Pueblo. The incident began as a verbal altercation but quickly escalated to physical violence when Johnson repeatedly slapped the victim across the face. Concho and Johnson then prevented John Doe from calling for help by taking away two of his phones and attempting to enter a bedroom where a witness and two minor children were located. As the attack escalated, Concho beat John Doe over the head with a chair almost to the point of unconsciousness. Concho then directed Johnson to kick Doe in the head because she was wearing boots at the time. After Johnson kicked Doe in the head, Concho continued the beating until Johnson alerted him that a witness called the police. Concho and Johnson then fled the scene and were on the run before eventually being apprehended. At sentencing, Concho and Johnson each face up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro. # # #


title: Florida Man Accused of Stealing Mail from Missouri and Illinois Churches

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Florida has been indicted and accused of stealing checks from churches in Missouri and Illinois. Lourdes Mario Anton, 20, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday on two counts of theft of or receipt of stolen mail. The indictment accuses Anton of stealing an envelope containing a check from a church in O’Fallon, Missouri on October 2 and another check from a St. Peters church the same day. A motion seeking to have Anton held in jail until trial alleges that he stole at least 28 checks from mailboxes at six different churches using a specialized tool. After police spotted Anton, they found a FedEx receipt that led to the interception of a package containing stolen checks that Anton tried to send to himself in Florida, the motion says. Anton, who told a U.S. Postal Inspection Service special agent that he is from Romania, had an expired employment authorization card listing his birthplace as France, the motion says. Anton claimed that he was being paid $3,000 per month to be an altar boy in Hollywood, Florida, the motion says. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Each mail theft charge Anton faces carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the St. Charles County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing of Albuquerque Woman for 2023 Assault

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury after a drunk driving incident left a woman permanently disabled on the Navajo reservation. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on July 18, 2023, Jacquelyn Moore , 48, a certified member of the Navajo Nation, drove into the To'hajiilee Chapter House building after consuming alcohol. Multiple witnesses saw Moore enter the parking lot driving slowly, rev her engine, accelerate her vehicle, and jump a concrete parking curb before driving into a group of four women outside of the To'hajiilee Chapter House. Moore ’s vehicle struck Jane Doe, pinning her against the building wall. Moore also injured two other women. After the crash, Moore tried to flee, laughed at her actions, and yelled perceived threats. Due to Moore ’s repeated drunk driving history, the Court found that Moore acted deliberately and intentionally. The collision resulted in severe injuries to Jane Doe, including the amputation of her leg. Jane Doe's husband applied an emergency torniquet, probably saving her life. Jane Doe, who has endured 11 surgeries and will undergo continued physical therapy and treatment, as well as the other two women who were injured by Moore , continue to persevere through their injuries. Upon her release from prison, Moore will be subject to 3 years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Navajo Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Berlin Physician, Physician Assistant, and Practice Pay $300K to Resolve Controlled Substances Act Allegations

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that Dr. STEVEN SHIFREEN, Physician Assistant CHRISTOPHER NORVAL, and MULTICARE MUSCULOSKETETAL MEDICINE AND PAIN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, P.C. have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government and have paid a total of $300,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). Shifreen, a physician specializing in general medicine, and Norval, a physician assistant, practiced at Multicare Musculoskeletal Medicine and Pain Management Associates, P.C., a medical practice located in Berlin, Connecticut, which is currently owned by Norval. It is alleged that Shifreen and Norval prescribed controlled substances to patients who were exhibiting signs of potential diversion and drug abuse through their inconsistent urine drug test results. An inconsistent urine drug test result occurs when a patient tests positive for unexpected, non-prescribed substances in the urine, or tests negative for expected, prescribed substances. An inconsistent urine drug test can be indicative of diversion or drug abuse. The settlement resolves allegations that between March 23, 2021, and February 14, 2023, Shifreen and Norval issued 43 prescriptions to six patients for oxycodone and/or fentanyl. These prescriptions were each issued after the patient received a urine test result that was inconsistent with the medication he or she was prescribed. The government contends that these 43 prescriptions were issued without a legitimate medical purpose and were written outside the usual course of professional practice, in violation of the CSA. In passing the CSA, Congress took steps to create “a closed system” of distribution for controlled substances in which every facet of the handling of the substances – from their manufacture to their consumption by the ultimate user – was to be subject to intense governmental regulation. This mission was taken against the backdrop of trying to prevent the diversion and abuse of legitimate controlled substances, while still ensuring that an adequate supply of those substances meet the medical and scientific needs of the United States. “When medical practitioners prescribe controlled substances to patients who are showing signs of misuse or diversion, not only are they likely violating the law, but those medical practitioners are putting their patients at risk of overdose, and threatening the safety of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “This settlement demonstrates this office’s commitment to holding practitioners accountable for irresponsible prescribing.” “The DEA is committed to ensuring that all registrants are in compliance with the required regulations, which are enforceable through the Controlled Substances Act,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Belleau. “Failure to do so increases the potential for diversion and jeopardizes public health and public safety. DEA pledges to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure these rules and regulations are followed.” On March 10, 2023, Shifreen and Norval voluntarily surrendered their DEA registrations to prescribe controlled substances. As part of the settlement agreement, Shifreen and Norval will not re-apply for DEA registration numbers for a period of five years. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven District Office Tactical Diversion Squad and the Office of Diversion Control, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Kaczmarek.


title: U.S. Attorney Moore Appoints Election Officer

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - United States Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Nicholas Heberle will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Heberle has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western District of Missouri, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. United States Attorney Moore said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). United States Attorney Moore stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Heberle will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (816) 426-4233.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (816) 512-8200. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. United States Attorney Moore said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Binghamton Woman Admits to Stealing Her Child’s Social Security Benefits After Child Was Removed from Her Custody

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Loretta Washington, age 60, of Binghamton, New York, pled guilty yesterday to multiple charges of social security fraud, United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), New York Field Office announced. As part of her guilty plea yesterday, Washington admitted that she had applied for and was receiving social security benefits for her minor child, as her representative-payee. A representative-payee is a person or organization selected by the SSA to receive benefits on behalf of a beneficiary who is unable to manage their payments. In September 2018, Broome County Department of Social Services removed the minor from Washington’s custody after the minor—who was four years old at the time—was found walking on a road in the middle of the night. Washington never reported the change in custody to the Social Security Administration and, at one point, lied to the Social Security Administration that the child was still in her custody. In total, Washington stole over $25,000 in social security benefits between October 2018 and November 2021. Washington faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. She will also be required to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2025, in Syracuse. This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.


title: Bryant Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Federal Prison For Conspiracy To Possess With Intent To Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Montiz Tucker, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess 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 20 years’ imprisonment, Judge Marshall sentenced Tucker, 30, of Bryant, to five years supervised release. Tucker was indicted on April 5, 2023, in a three-count indictment charging conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. On May 16, 2024, Tucker plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. There is no parole in the federal system. An investigation revealed that on April 4, 2023, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) performed a controlled delivery of a package that had been intercepted and discovered to contain nearly four kilograms of illicit fentanyl pills. The package, later confirmed to contain 35,636 illicit fentanyl pills, was destined for a residence in Jacksonville, Arkansas, where Tucker accepted the package. Agents immediately executed a federal search warrant and Tucker was found inside the residence, along with two other individuals and the package. Tucker’s bedroom was discovered to contain additional fentanyl pills, cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded Glock 43 firearm. Classified as a career offender, Tucker’s sentence was based on the offense as well as his documented criminal history involving convictions for possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, cocaine, other controlled substances without a prescription such as oxycodone, Xanax, Promethazine and codeine, and illegal possession of a firearm. The investigation was conducted by the HSI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary. # # # 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: El Salvadoran National Guilty of Illegal Reentry into The United States

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MARIO ALONSO ALDANO-CARPIO , age 49, a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty on October 9, 2024 to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a). U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle scheduled the sentencing for January 15, 2025. According to court records, MARIO ALONSO ALDANO-CARPIO reentered the United States sometime prior to August 2, 2024, after having been previously removed on or about January 10, 2006. MARIO ALONSO ALDANO-CARPIO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2025. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Straw Purchase Earns Androscoggin Woman a Felony Record

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Androscoggin County woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for making a false statement while purchasing a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), also known as a straw purchase. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Tia Lavigne , 24, to time served and three years of supervised release. Lavigne pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024. According to court records, in June 2023, Lavigne purchased a .22 Glock pistol from an FFL in Scarborough. In completing the required Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, Lavigne falsely stated she was the actual purchaser. However, prior to purchasing the firearm, she received instruction and money from a second person who later retrieved the pistol from Lavigne’s vehicle. ATF investigated the case. STRAW PURCHASING: A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her. ###


title: Child Predator Sentenced to 10 ½ Year Prison Term for Abusing a Female Relative in 2015

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Gary Bellinger, 61, of Maryland, was sentenced today for child sexual abuse for the sexual abuse of a then-15-year-old female relative in 2015. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Bellinger to 10 1/2 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Upon release, Bellinger will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. Bellinger was found guilty of one count of first-degree child sexual abuse and one count of second-degree child sexual abuse on May 28, 2024, following a four-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, in 2015, Bellinger sexually abused a female relative who was 15 years old at the time. The victim first disclosed to family members in 2020. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck, Victim Advocate Maria Sanchez-Garcia, Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section Paralegals Tiffany Jones and Tiffany Fogle.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced  For Arson

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – TERRENCE COE (“COE”), age 45, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on October 8, 2024, by U.S. District Judge, Greg G. Guidry, to 60 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to arson, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i). The Court also ordered that COE be placed on supervised release for 3 years following release from imprisonment and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, COE set fire to merchandise inside of Walmart in Hammond, Louisiana. COE later admitted to members of the Hammond Police Department that he started the fire with a lighter while opening a package he wanted to steal. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Indian Government Employee In Connection With Foiled Plot To Assassinate U.S. Citizen In New York City

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Matthew G. Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee VIKASH YADAV, a/k/a “Vikas,” a/k/a “Amanat,” in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. The charges are contained in a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. YADAV’s alleged co-conspirator, NIKHIL GUPTA, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the First Superseding Indictment. YADAV is at large. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Last year, this Office charged Nikhil Gupta for conspiring to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin on U.S. soil. But, as alleged, Gupta did not work alone. Today, we announce charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, who orchestrated the plot from India and directed Gupta to hire a hitman to murder the victim. The right to exercise free speech is foundational to our democracy, and predicated on the notion that we can do so without fear of violence or reprisal, including from beyond our borders. Let this case be a warning to all those who would seek to harm and silence U.S. citizens: We will hold you accountable, no matter who and where you are.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person – regardless of their position or proximity to power – who seeks to harm and silence American citizens. As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil. Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every U.S. citizen is entitled.” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said: “Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States. To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “DEA foiled this assassination attempt last year and has continued to trace this case back to an employee of the Indian government whom we charge was an orchestrator of this intricate murder-for-hire scheme. DEA did not relent, and today’s indictment names Vikash Yadav as that alleged mastermind. We charge that Yadav, an employee of the Indian government, used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination of an outspoken critic of the Indian government here on U.S. soil. This case was led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of DEA, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department, and is a true testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights. The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.” FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy said: “As alleged in today’s indictment, Vikash Yadav, a senior field officer with the government of India’s Research and Analysis Wing, along with Nikhil Gupta, planned to murder a political activist and prominent critic of the Indian government who is an American citizen in New York City. The United States government was able to disrupt this abhorrent plot to silence an American before it could be carried out. Today’s charges make clear the FBI, in conjunction with our DEA and SDNY partners, will not tolerate a foreign government attempting to violate our laws and our sovereignty here in New York or anywhere.” As alleged in the Second Superseding Indictment and other public court documents: [1] Last year, YADAV, working together with others, including GUPTA, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the “Victim”). The Victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The Victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the Victim and his separatist organization from India. During times relevant to the Second Superseding Indictment, YADAV was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. YADAV has described his position as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence.” YADAV also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” YADAV is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the Victim from India. In or about May 2023, YADAV recruited GUPTA to orchestrate the assassination of the Victim in the United States. GUPTA is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with YADAV and others. At YADAV’s direction, GUPTA contacted an individual whom GUPTA believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source working with the DEA (the “CS”), for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the Victim in New York City. The CS introduced GUPTA to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the “UC”). YADAV subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by GUPTA, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the Victim. On or about June 9, 2023, YADAV and GUPTA arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. YADAV’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan. In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, YADAV provided GUPTA with personal information about the Victim, including the Victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the Victim, and details about the Victim’s day-to-day conduct, which GUPTA then passed to the UC. YADAV directed GUPTA to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which GUPTA accomplished by forwarding to YADAV, among other things, surveillance photographs of the Victim. GUPTA directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but GUPTA also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023. On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the Victim, and, like the Victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, GUPTA told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” GUPTA added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, YADAV sent GUPTA a news article about the Victim and messaged GUPTA, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.” * * * YADAV, 39, and GUPTA, 53, of India, have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s New York Field Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the DEA’s Special Operations Division, the DEA’s Vienna Country Office, the FBI’s Prague Country Office, the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters for their assistance. The DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force comprises agents and task force officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit, Violent and Organized Crime Unit, and Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The charges contained in the Second Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. yadav_superseding_indictment_s2_23_cr._289.pdf [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Second Superseding Indictment and the description of the Second Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Former FBI Agent Indicted in Foreign Currency Trading Scam

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A federal grand jury has indicted Jeffrey A. Royer, 61, of Montrose, Colorado, for defrauding investors in a foreign currency (“forex”) trading scheme, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The indictment, which was unsealed today, charges Royer with one count of commodities fraud and one count of wire fraud. According to the indictment and other court records, Royer was a Special Agent with the FBI from approximately 1996 to 2001. In 2005, Royer was convicted of federal securities fraud, among other charges, and was released from federal prison in 2012 after serving his sentence of imprisonment. From early 2020 through June 2023, Royer executed an investment fraud scheme involving his personal forex trading account. As part of the scheme, Royer fraudulently solicited and accepted over $1 million from various investors in the Eastern District of Michigan and elsewhere. He then misappropriated the money or lost it trading forex. Royer did not disclose the misappropriation or the extent of his trading losses. Instead, Royer concealed the truth from investors, including by providing investors with false monthly account statements that showed investment gains rather than the trading losses that Royer actually incurred. “Investment fraud is simply a sophisticated means to steal people’s money,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office has an unwavering commitment to prosecuting any and all fraudsters who take advantage of the residents of this District.” “I am grateful to our FBI Michigan team, alongside members from the FBI Grand Junction Resident Agency and the Montrose Police Department in Colorado, for their investigative work and arrest in this case,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Today’s indictment of former FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Royer is important to ensure the public, regardless of an individual’s current or former profession, if you engage in foreign currency trading schemes, the FBI will investigate and arrest you.” Law enforcement has identified many investors from southeast Michigan. Potential victims are encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant faces up to twenty-five years in prison on the commodities fraud charge and up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trevor Broad and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: United States Attorney Announces Election Day Program

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – United States Attorney Sean P. Costello announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) John P. Hutchins, III will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Hutchins has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Alabama, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. United States Attorney Costello said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). United States Attorney Costello stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Hutchins will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (251) 415-7139.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The Mobile FBI field office can be reached by the public at (251) 438-3674. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. United States Attorney Costello said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.” Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Man Involved in Shooting During Tennessee State University Homecoming Charged with Federal Firearm Violation

body_text: NASHVILLE – A criminal complaint obtained today charges Marquez Davis, 24 of Nashville, with being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Thomas J. Jaworski. According to the complaint, officers of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) were searching for Davis on October 14, 2024, to arrest him on state charges related to the deadly shooting on Jefferson Street during Tennessee State University’s Homecoming celebration on October 12 th . MNPD officers located Davis in a house in North Nashville and prepared to arrest him on outstanding warrants. Footage from law enforcement’s aerial surveillance showed an individual, later identified as Davis, exit the residence’s rooftop, climb to an adjacent rooftop, and discard a firearm. Davis was then arrested by MNPD on criminal homicide charges related to the October 12 th shooting on Jefferson Street. Officers recovered a Franklin Armory Inc, Model FAI-15 caliber multi-pistol near where Davis discarded it from the rooftop. According to the criminal complaint, Davis has prior felony convictions for robbery, possession of a controlled substance for resale, and being a felon in possession of a handgun. “Everyone in our community must be able to gather and celebrate together without fearing random gun violence,” said Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski. “Our office will do whatever it takes to keep firearms out of the hands of felons who may use those firearms to inflict greater damage on our citizens.” Jaworski added: “Our firm commitment is in our continued partnership with Chief Drake and the MNPD to hold offenders accountable, reduce gun violence, and ensure safer communities for everyone.” If convicted, the defendant faces up to 15 years in prison. This case is being investigated by the MNPD and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed A. Safeeullah is prosecuting the case. A federal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man in Connection With Robberies of Suburban Chicago Banks

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a man with robbing six banks in the Chicago suburbs. GERMAN CAMPOS JR., 24, of Franklin Park, Ill., committed the robberies in 2023 and 2024, according to an indictment returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment alleges that Campos Jr. brandished a handgun in five of the robberies. The indictment identifies the six bank robberies as follows: Oct. 18, 2023: U.S. Bank in Schaumburg, Ill. Dec. 16, 2023: U.S. Bank in Elmhurst, Ill. March 6, 2024: U.S. Bank in Schaumburg, Ill. June 13, 2024: U.S. Bank in Elmhurst, Ill. Aug. 9, 2024: BMO Bank in Park Ridge, Ill. Aug. 28, 2024: U.S. Bank in Niles, Ill. The indictment charges Campos Jr. with six counts of bank robbery, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, and five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, each of which would impose a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years. Campos Jr. is currently detained in law enforcement custody. Arraignment is set for Oct. 24, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the Schaumburg Police Department, Elmhurst Police Department, Park Ridge Police Department, Niles Police Department, and Franklin Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Stern. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. campos_indictment.pdf