title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Coast Guard Order to Cease Illegal Charter Operations

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A Detroit man pleaded guilty yesterday to a felony charge of willfully and knowingly violating the terms of a United States Coast Guard Order to cease all commercial operation of his pleasure boat until properly licensed and inspected, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Ison was joined in the announcement by United States Coast Guard Captain Richard P. Armstrong, Captain of the Port, Detroit, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service Central Field Office. Benjamin Michael Jones, 39, entered his guilty plea this afternoon, before United States District Judge Judith E. Levy. According to court records, in June of 2021, the Coast Guard issued a Captain of the Port Order to Jones, ordering him to cease all commercial operations until fully compliant with the applicable laws and regulations for carrying passengers for hire. On or about August 10, 2021, Jones willfully and knowingly violated the terms of that Order by operating his 40’ boat, known as “PWR TOWER,” on Lake St. Clair, while carrying passengers for hire, and without having complied with the applicable Coast Guard licensing regulations and inspection requirements. During that illegal voyage, the “PWR TOWER” caught fire with its passengers on board. Jones’s passengers were rescued, and the “PWR TOWER” was towed to shore by the Coast Guard. “The maritime laws and regulations are designed to ensure that the commercial operation of vessels on the waters of the United States is conducted safely. My office will continue to prosecute people like Jones, who knowingly and willfully violate the maritime laws and regulations and endanger the safety of others,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. "The guilty plea in this incident highlights the Coast Guard’s unwavering dedication to maintaining maritime safety and cracking down on illegal charter operations,” said United States Coast Guard Captain Richard P. Armstrong, Captain of the Port, Detroit. “Every action we take is aimed at safeguarding the boating public from potential hazards. This case serves as a resounding reminder that we will continue to uphold maritime laws, ensuring that our waterways remain safe and enjoyable for all.” “Mr. Jones’ repeated actions demonstrated blatant disregard for the Coast Guard’s policies and authority, which placed unsuspecting passengers at risk. This guilty plea demonstrates the aggressive posture the Coast Guard Investigative Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office have taken in the prosecution of illegal charter operations,” said Josh Packer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Central Field Office. The sentencing hearing is set for February 27, 2024 at 2:30pm, at which Jones faces a statutory maximum penalty of 6 years imprisonment. This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Wyse and Special Assistant United States Attorney Corinne M. Lambert.


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced To 30 Years In Federal Prison For Child Pornography

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Stephen Edward Cobb, 62, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Protecting innocent children from sexual predators remains one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “I commend our law enforcement partners and prosecutors who work diligently to identify these predators and bring them to justice so that they can no longer exploit any child again. Due to their efforts, our community is safer, and this repeat offender is exactly where he belongs – back behind bars.” In December 2021, law enforcement officers in Gainesville, Florida received information that Cobb was involved in sharing a video of child pornography using the Internet. Cobb is a convicted sex offender required to register under both state and federal law. In June 2022, Cobb was located, and search warrants were obtained for his cell phones and social media accounts. The devices and social media accounts were examined and found to contain hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. Cobb is a registered sex offender based on a prior state conviction in 2018 for Lewd and Lascivious Assault on a Child. “The decades long sentence in this case is based in part on the history of victimization caused by the offender, including harm to a child in this community,” said North Florida ICAC Task Force Commander Chris King. “We are thankful for our partnership with the U.S Attorney’s Office which helped achieve this result.” “This predatorial recidivist didn’t learn his lesson the first time and continued to victimize children,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the diligence of HSI and the Gainesville Police Department, we were able hold Cobb accountable for his deviant actions once again.” Cobb’s prison sentence will be followed by a Lifetime of supervised release. Cobb will continue to be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. The case was investigated by Internet Crime Against Children Task Force Gainesville Police Department and Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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 . 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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to Remove Unneeded Prescriptions, Prevent Addiction

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: DETROIT – The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 25 th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. For more than a decade, Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired. These medications can be a gateway to addiction, and have helped fuel the opioid epidemic. According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who use a prescription medication for a nonmedical purpose obtained that medication from a family member or friend. “I encourage everyone to dispose of unneeded medications to help keep our communities safe and healthy,” said DEA Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “The Take Back campaign is part of DEA’s continued efforts to combat the drug poisoning epidemic and protect the safety and health of communities.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the U.S., more than 110,000 American lives were lost to drug poisonings and overdose in 2022. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. The event will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed. A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at close to 15,000 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year. In addition, many police departments provide year-round drop boxes. ###


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Lewiston, Maine, Mass Shooting

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine: “I am heartbroken for those who have lost loved ones, for those who have been injured, and for the entire Lewiston community. The FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals are on the ground to provide investigative support and victims assistance services to our law enforcement partners in Maine. We stand ready to provide any support that our state and local partners need. No community should have to endure the horrific mass shootings that have become routine in our country.”


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud in Connection with Romance Scam

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 27 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with an online romance scam, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Mahmoud Bowler, 40, of Newark, was convicted on April 13, 2023, of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud following a four-day trial before U.S. Circuit Court Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr., sitting by designation to hold a District Court trial within the Circuit. U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti imposed the sentence on Oct. 24, 2023, in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial: From February 2015 through June 2019, Bowler and a conspirator participated in an online romance scheme. Bowler’s conspirator created a fraudulent profile on an online dating site and then pretended to strike up a romantic relationship with a woman living in Florida. In the online profile, Bowler’s conspirator falsely represented that he, and a company he owned, had been awarded multimillion-dollar oil contract. After establishing a virtual romantic relationship with the victim, the conspirator repeatedly solicited alleged loans from the victim, claiming that he could not access his own accounts because a foreign government had frozen his assets. From April 2018 to September 2018, the victim was directed to wire money to Bowler’s bank account on four separate occasions. After receiving the funds, Bowler withdrew a portion of the funds in cash, sent money to other individuals in Ghana through a money remitter, and wired some of the money to family members in Ghana. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Bowler to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $44,821. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; detectives from the New York City Police Department Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit, under the direction of Chief Thomas Galati; detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens; and detectives from the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police, Edward Cetnar, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Criminal Division.


title: Disbarred attorney arrested on charges related to using false identity to obtain jobs at law firms

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A disbarred attorney who previously practiced law in the Cincinnati area was arrested today by federal agents for allegedly using a false identity to obtain employment with at least three law firms. Richard Louis Crosby III, 36, of Mason, Ohio, is charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud, Social Security number fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the Cincinnati Bar Association filed a complaint against Crosby in November 2020. In April 2021, he indicated his intent to resign from the practice of law. In both June and November 2021, Crosby was indicted and charged in Hamilton County with crimes related to stealing client funds. After his indictments, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered an order disbarring Crosby. In May 2022, Crosby was arrested in both of his Hamilton County cases. He was sentenced to probation in both cases in June 2023. According to the federal charging document filed on Oct. 24, while Crosby’s local cases were pending, he created an email account using “richardcwilliamsesq.” Crosby used the email address and the alias Richard Williams to communicate with a law firm in Washington D.C. in June 2021. The firm briefly employed Williams. In September 2022 – at which point Crosby had been disbarred in Ohio and arrested on the Hamilton County charges – Crosby used his alias to apply for an attorney position with a law firm based in Miami, Florida. Crosby met with a recruiter via Zoom, and represented himself as Richard Williams, a licensed attorney admitted to the bar in New York and D.C. It is alleged Crosby then met with one of the firm’s hiring managers in Florida and was ultimately offered employment in October 2022. His starting salary was $185,000 per year with a $5,000 signing bonus. Crosby allegedly used another individual’s Social Security number, passport number and banking information to complete his onboarding paperwork at the law firm. In April 2023, the firm received an inquiry from an investigator with the Clermont County Child Support Enforcement Office, making the firm aware of Crosby’s true identity. He was subsequently fired. In July 2023, Crosby again used the alias to attempt to obtain employment. He allegedly interviewed over Zoom with senior management of a law firm located in Coral Gables, Florida. It is alleged that Crosby doctored a “screen shot” of the name Richard Coleman Williams Jr. in the online D.C. bar membership directory to attach with his resume. The firm offered Crosby a starting salary of $195,000 per year with a $10,000 signing bonus, but eventually determined Crosby was using a false identity and did not hire him. Crosby was arrested this morning in Mason and will make his initial appearance in federal court in Cincinnati at 1:30pm. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the charges. The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, United States Marshals Service, and Diplomatic Security Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. If you have information related to this alleged conduct, please contact the Social Security OIG tip line at 1-800-269-0271. # # #


title: Sex Offender Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Hundreds of Thousands of Child Sex Abuse Images and Stealing Thousands of Rounds of Ammunition from U.S. Military

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: EVANSVILLE- Timothy Guy, 76, of Martin County, Indiana, has been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, receiving stolen U.S. government property, and possession of child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, from 1966 through 2004, Timothy Guy was employed as an explosive’s handler at the Crane Army Ammunition Activity. While working at Crane, he falsified documents to make it appear that ammunition had been destroyed, when in reality, he stole the ammunition and smuggled it out of the facility. In 2018, Guy was found guilty of possessing child sexual abuse material after he was caught viewing the material at a Wendy’s restaurant—where he went to utilize the free Wi-Fi. On April 30, 2021, a community corrections officer found an unregistered computer in Guy’s home during a routine sex offender check. Guy admitted to having flash drives that contained child sexual abuse material. A Martin County Sheriff’s deputy assisting the corrections officers quickly located over 250,000 images of children under 12 years old, on 875 data storage discs and 60 thumb drives. Guy was again arrested for possession of child sexual abuse material. Indiana State Police investigators and Martin County Sheriff’s deputies began a search of Guy’s property following his April 30 arrest and discovered a cellar door. When a deputy checked the cellar, he located a large amount of ammunition and other material. Investigators later obtained a search warrant and recovered 10,000 rounds of ammunition, valued at over $1,000 and five firearms including three rifles and two pistols. Guy is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony conviction of possession of child sexual abuse material. “Undeterred by a prior conviction, the defendant possessed an enormous number of images of the most horrendous traumas inflicted upon countless innocent children, collected over many years, involving countless victims,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Even worse, he abused the position he was entrusted with to help keep our country safe, and instead stole an enormous quantity of deadly ammunition, despite being a convicted felon and forever barred by law from having guns or ammunition. I commend the work of the ATF, ISP, Department of Defense, and Martin County Sheriff’s Office and our prosecutor for their work to hold this criminal accountable and make our community safer by getting him off our streets.” “I applaud the investigative team and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their commitment to bring dangerous individuals like Mr. Guy to justice, putting an end to his reprehensible actions,” stated Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones, DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “This significant sentencing demonstrates our commitment to root out criminals associated with the DoD and safeguard the most vulnerable among us.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Defense, Criminal Investigative Service, Indiana State Police, and Martin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Guy be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 6 years following his release from federal prison and register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Boroughs Announces Nearly $500,000 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods in South Carolina

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $482,804 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the District of South Carolina. Funding will support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grants, to Anderson Police Department, the 15 th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, are part of several awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs. Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods, known as PSN, is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime , outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is guided by four key 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 of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions. “Our office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “The projects selected this year illustrate the value of combining community policing with the latest technology and investigative techniques to keep our neighborhoods safe. We are proud to work with these agencies.” This year’s projects include funding a criminal operation research and evaluation unit, hiring a gang investigator, and purchasing a ballistics comparison microscope. PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented. The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page . The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov . ###


title: Cherokee Man Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Meth Conviction

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 23, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Jason Werner, 38, from Cherokee, Iowa, pled guilty on June 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Werner’s involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Werner assisted at least seven others in the conspiracy in obtaining about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from sources in California and Nevada and transporting the drugs in a hidden vehicle compartment to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Werner was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Werner remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State Patrol, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Justice Department Announces Additional $251.1 Million in Grant Awards and Highlights Domestic Violence Awareness Month

body_text: The Justice Department joins survivors, victim service providers, advocates, and communities nationwide in recognizing October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). It is a time to center the experiences and leadership of survivors; honor those who have lost their lives to domestic violence; express gratitude to the countless individuals dedicated to preventing and addressing domestic violence and supporting survivors; and raise awareness on the issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate that about 41% of women and 26% of men experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and report an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. Domestic violence rates are even higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, Black individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals. Between Sept. 19th and 28th, and through authorization under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded an additional 496 grants totaling $251,107,460 to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The grants will reach communities across the United States, including Tribal nations, historically marginalized communities, underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, bolstering survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes. “Domestic violence is a pervasive and devastating crime that demands urgency and coordinated action at all levels of law enforcement,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Justice Department renews its commitment to building the capacity of our state, Tribal, and local partners to investigate and prosecute these crimes, pursue justice on behalf of survivors, and provide them with the support they need.” “One of the central tenets of the Justice Department’s comprehensive strategy to reduce violent crime is that local communities know best what works in their neighborhoods,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “That is why we are dedicated to supporting communities by providing the tools they need to investigate and prosecute all forms of violence, including domestic violence. These grants will help survivors seek justice and hold offenders accountable.” “The most effective response to domestic violence is one led by survivors and their advocates,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The grants announced today will help survivors access the resources and support they need, including from organizations familiar with their culture, language, and background, and will further the Justice Department’s goal of a national response to domestic violence that prioritizes survivors.” “Every day, a vast network of dedicated individuals helps domestic violence survivors access multiple pathways to safety, justice, and healing,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “OVW understands that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing domestic violence. These funds will enable communities to increase capacity and strengthen a coordinated community approach to prevent and address violence in more comprehensive ways tailored to their communities. Together, with our grantees, we are building a future where individuals and families can live and thrive without the threat of intimate partner violence.” Awards include: State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program : 84 grants totaling $18,052,754 will enhance the coordination between courts, child protective services agencies, advocates, law enforcement, and community programs to encourage trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses to domestic violence and sexual assault. Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program : 37 grants totaling $21,538,000 will promote coordinated community responses among law enforcement agencies, courts, victim service providers, and other system partners. Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program (Culturally Specific Program) : 53 awards totaling $25,024,327 will help community-based organizations develop culturally relevant programs specific to American Indian and Alaska Native populations, Black, Asian-American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Tribal communities to support survivors. Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program (SAS Culturally Specific Program) : 18 awards totaling $6,915,000 will support communities in establishing or expanding culturally appropriate services that address the needs of sexual assault survivors from culturally specific communities. Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Assistance Program (Rural Program) : 51 awards totaling $36,363,957 will support programs by local government, community-based organizations, and medical providers in rural areas to improve the safety of survivors. Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program (Transitional Housing Program) : 81 awards totaling $43,104,359 will support programs that provide six to 24 months of transitional housing or housing assistance to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Grants to Prevent and Respond to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Sex Trafficking Against Children and Youth Program (Consolidated Youth Program) : 20 grants totaling $9,561,203 will support community-based efforts to develop or expand prevention, intervention, treatment, and response programs for children and youth impacted by these crimes. Grants to Engage Men and Boys as Allies in the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls Program (Engaging Men and Boys Program) : 10 grants totaling $3,395,000 will support educational programming and community-based organizations that encourage men and boys to work with allies with women and girls to prevent crimes. Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus Program (Campus Program ): 40 grants totaling $15,634,184 will support colleges and universities to develop and strengthen effective security and investigation strategies for such crimes and to develop prevention education and awareness programs. In addition, OVW awarded 12 grants totaling $5,994,296 under the new Strengthening Culturally Specific Campus’ Approaches to Address Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative for grants supporting new programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). Training and Technical Assistance Initiative: 58 grants totaling $40,605,000 will support training and technical assistance programs to enhance the efforts of grant recipients to implement projects supported by OVW funds successfully. In addition, OVW awarded 25 grants totaling $21,778,800 under the Emerging Issues and Training and Technical Assistance Initiative to organizations exploring new issues in technical assistance projects that address the needs of OVW grantees. Research and Evaluation Initiative: Seven grants totaling $3,140,580 will support researcher-practitioner partnerships and a broad range of research and evaluation methods to generate more knowledge about effective strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and hold offenders accountable. Organizations interested in applying for these and other grants are encouraged to visit the OVW website for more details and application guidelines.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On October 18, 2023, DAMION WILSON , age 23, was sentenced to serve a total of 87 months in the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons. On June 27, 2023, DAMION WILSON , was found guilty of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, maintaining a drug involved premises, and lying to a federal agent. He was acquitted of two other related counts. As to his conviction for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, a violation of United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D), he was sentenced to 27 months in prison, and two years of supervised release. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), he was sentenced to sixty months in prison. This sentence must be served consecutively to the sentences imposed in the other counts of conviction. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. As to his conviction for maintaining a drug involved premises, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 856, he was sentenced to twenty-seven months in prison, and three years of supervised release. Lastly, as to his conviction for lying to a federal agent, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, he was sentenced to twenty-seven months in prison, and a one year term of supervised release. For each count of conviction, WILSON also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshal’s Service, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the General Crimes Unit and Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Robbing Two Camden County Banks

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 151 months in prison for robbing two banks in Camden County, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Leon I. Stanford, 54, of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with two counts of bank robbery. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence on Oct. 24, 2023, in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Feb. 22, 2020, Stanford entered the TD Bank in Oaklyn, New Jersey, and handed the bank teller a note which announced a robbery and demanded cash. The bank teller complied, and witnesses saw him depart in a white SUV. On Feb. 24, 2020, Stanford entered the Republic Bank in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and handed the bank teller a note which announced a robbery and demanded cash. The bank teller complied, and witnesses saw Stanford depart in a white SUV. Law enforcement officers were able to obtain a partial license plate number for the white SUV from surveillance videos in the area of both bank robberies, which generated a lead to a vehicle driven by Stanford, who was subsequently identified as the person in the bank surveillance videos. At the time of these bank robberies, Stanford was on federal supervised release as a result of prior bank robbery convictions, for which he served a 10-year term of imprisonment. In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Stanford to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Langham in Philadelphia; the New York/New Jersey U.S. Marshals Regional Task Force Camden Division, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos Jr.; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay; the Oaklyn Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jayne Jones; and the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Kempf, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Harberg in Camden.


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Series of Armed Robberies of Businesses in the Adams Morgan Neighborhood

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tarik Laghrib, 44, of Northwest Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today to multiple violent crime offenses arising from a series of armed and unarmed robberies and burglaries that targeted small businesses in the District’s Adams Morgan neighborhood in January and February of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to court documents, MPD officers arrested Laghrib in the early hours of Feb. 19, 2023, hours after he assaulted and robbed a clerk at Metro Wine & Spirits on the 1700 block of Columbia Rd. Police tracked Laghrib to a nearby apartment building. Officers apprehended Laghrib when he later emerged with a bottle of stolen liquor. Police had been investigating several other burglaries and robberies in the community that had begun in January 2023. As a result of the investigation, police and prosecutors linked Laghrib to that crime spree, which ended with Laghrib’s arrest and pre-trial detention. As part of his plea agreement, Laghrib admitted in D.C. Superior Court to the armed robbery of the liquor store and also admitted to an assault and second-degree theft at the Chocolate House on 18 th Street on Feb. 2, 2023. In addition, he admitted that he returned to the Chocolate House the next day and robbed its owner. Minutes after that robbery, Laghrib proceeded to the Cosmo Nail Bar where he committed another robbery. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for Jan. 12, 2024. Laghrib faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $75,000 for the armed robbery count, and an additional 15 years in prison and $37,500 fine for each of the additional robbery counts. This case was investigated by the MPD’s Third District Detectives Unit and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Joshua Hall.


title: California Woman With Five Prior Felony Drug Convictions Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Iowa Meth Conspiracy

body_text: A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 23, 2023, to 240 months’ imprisonment. Andrea Romo, 41, from Gardena, California, pled guilty on June 16, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed Romo’s involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Romo assisted at least seven others in the conspiracy in distributing about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from California and Nevada and transporting the drugs, in a hidden compartment in a vehicle, back to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Romo was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Romo remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Mercer County Man Convicted of Several Carjackings Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury to Victims

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was convicted of carjacking, brandishing a firearm during the carjacking, two attempted carjackings resulting in serious bodily injury, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Cedrick Hodges, 40, of Trenton, New Jersey, was convicted on Oct. 24, 2023, of all five counts of a second superseding indictment following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On the evening of Dec. 16, 2017, Hodges entered the rear passenger seat of a Toyota Camry and pointed a loaded sawed-off shotgun at the driver, demanding that she operate the vehicle while Hodges entered the rear seat. The driver exited the vehicle and ran, in response to which Hodges discharged the shotgun towards her as she fled. Moments later, Hodges approached a Honda Accord occupied by a driver and one passenger. Hodges pointed the shotgun at the driver’s window demanding that the driver and passenger exit the vehicle. When the driver refused, and instead began to drive the vehicle away from Hodges, Hodges discharged the firearm into the driver’s side window, striking the driver in his torso, causing permanent and serious bodily injury. Hodges fled the area and several minutes later approached a man who was entering a Nissan Rogue. Hodges demanded that the man hand Hodges the keys to the Nissan Rogue. When the man refused, Hodges brandished the shotgun and discharged the firearm at the man, causing permanent and serious bodily injury. The count of carjacking carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison. The counts of attempted carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury each carry a maximum potential sentence of 25 years in prison. The count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence is punishable by a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed on any other charges. The possession of firearm by a convicted felon carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney; the Hamilton Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Kenneth R. DeBoskey; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Suggs and Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.


title: Spirit Lake Man Guilty of Illegal Possession of Firearm in Spencer, Iowa

body_text: A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty October 25, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Andrew Mitchell, 36, from Spirit Lake, Iowa, was convicted of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Evidence shows that, on August 8, 2023, law enforcement stopped Mitchell for riding his bike on the wrong side of the road in Spencer, Iowa. Once stopped, Mitchell was recognized and identified by the stopping officer due to prior interactions. However, Mitchell provided a false name. Other officers arrived and attempted to handcuff Mitchell while his proper identity was determined. Mitchell resisted being handcuffed and was placed under arrest for interference. During a search of Mitchell upon arrest, law enforcement located a suspected THC vape pen, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a scale with methamphetamine residue, and a loaded 9mm firearm with an obliterated serial number strapped to his chest. At the plea hearing, Mitchell admitted to being a user of controlled substances which prohibit him from possessing firearms. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mitchell remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mitchell faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer, Iowa Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4060. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: California Woman to Federal Prison for Iowa Meth Conspiracy

body_text: A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced on October 25, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City. Lauretta Payce, 62, from Fontana, California, pled guilty on June 16, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea and sentencing hearings, Payce admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least three kilograms of methamphetamine from December 2019 through May 2022. Payce further admitted to assisting at least six others in distributing about four pounds of methamphetamine and one pound of marijuana from California and Nevada which was transported in a hidden compartment in a vehicle, to Cherokee, Iowa, for further distribution. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Payce was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment and a term of two years’ supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Payce remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, United States Postal Inspectors, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State Patrol, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and Cherokee Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4066. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Maryland Resident Sentenced to 5 Years Probation, Ordered to Pay Over $165,000 for Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Applications for Cares Act Financial Assistance

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SIEDAH ELEY, age 31, a resident of Columbia, Maryland, was sentenced on October 25, 2023 to five (5) years of probation by United States District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle after previously pleading guilty to a one-count bill of information charging her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1343. The charge stems from ELEY’S role in preparing and filing false applications for loans related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). ELEY was also ordered to pay $166,656 in restitution and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee . According to court documents, ELEY used both word-of-mouth and text messages to solicit individuals interested in fraudulently obtaining money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) program with her assistance. When a prospective applicant expressed interest, ELEY requested the applicant’s name, address, social security, and phone number, a copy of the front and back of the applicant’s driver’s license, a bank statement from 2020, and the routing and account number for the applicant’s bank account. ELEY then created a false and fraudulent loan application. ELEY falsely represented in the pertinent forms that the applicant had a sole proprietorship in the beauty industry that generated substantial income. ELEY also submitted false financial numbers overstating the gross receipts, expenses, and net income for the business. This resulted in the creation of a false federal tax Form 1040, Schedule C, that was accepted and processed by the online portal handling the application. In instances where the applicant actually received a small income from beauty industry work, ELEY knowingly and falsely inflated that income. Each of the above-described false representations constituted a misstatement that was material to the determination of the eligibility of the applicant and the loan amount the applicant would receive. Once the loan was paid to the applicant, ELEY charged some applicants up to $5,000.00 for preparing and submitting the fraudulent PPP application. ELEY used this same scheme to file her own fraudulent application as well as the applications for at least seven (7) co-conspirators. This resulted in a loss to the Small Business Association of approximately $166,656. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Conviction

body_text: A man who possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City on October 24, 2023, to 144 months’ imprisonment. Kelly Malloy, 55, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty June 13, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting another in the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on October 26, 2022, Malloy was stopped by Le Mars Police Department. During the traffic stop law enforcement located over 76 grams of pure methamphetamine partially concealed under the seat where Malloy was seated. Further evidence showed he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person. Malloy has an extensive criminal history including multiple convictions for eluding, possession of controlled substances, assaults, and a prior federal conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine conviction. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Malloy was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and will serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Malloy remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Le Mars Police Department and the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4007. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: U.S. Attorney Will Thompson Encourages West Virginians to Participate in DEA's National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. United States Attorney Will Thompson encourages West Virginians to take advantage of this latest opportunity to discreetly dispose of old, unwanted and unneeded medications. Take Back Day is a free, safe and anonymous way to get rid of prescription drugs that are susceptible to diversion and abuse. More than 60 collection sites throughout West Virginia have already been announced. A location finder and other information is available at www.DEATakeBack.com . Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose and death. The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second behind only marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in the U.S. “Prescription drug abuse continues to exact a terrible toll on West Virginia,” Thompson said. “DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a simple, proven way to protect loved ones and our communities.” For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 8,650 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage. Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm After a High-Speed Pursuit with Iowa State Trooper in Stolen Vehicle

body_text: Ahmed Abdullahai Khalif, 23, from Owosso, Michigan, was sentenced on October 23, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, for illegally possessing a firearm. Khalif pled guilty on March 30, 2023, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Khalif was a user of marijuana and was previously convicted of Illegal Sale/Use of a Financial Transaction Device, a felony, in the Michigan District Court for Shiawassee County, on June 21, 2019. Both prohibit a person from possessing a firearm. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on October 19, 2022, during a traffic stop, Khalif possessed a 9mm Taurus pistol and marijuana while being a felon. Prior to the traffic stop, an Iowa State Patrol trooper clocked the vehicle Khalif was driving on Interstate 35 in Franklin County, Iowa, in excess of 100 mph. After the trooper activated his emergency lights, Khalif led the trooper on a high-speed pursuit into Wright County, at times traveling toward oncoming traffic. Ultimately, Khalif intentionally rammed the trooper’s vehicle and fled on foot a short distance before being apprehended. The vehicle Khalif was driving came back as stolen out of Massachusetts. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement found the 9mm Taurus pistol and marijuana. Khalif has an extensive criminal history involving thefts of motor vehicles. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Khalif was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and must serve a three year term of supervised release following imprisonment. His sentence was reduced by one year and five days due to time served on related state convictions. There is no parole in the federal system. Khalif remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DCI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-3035. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Man who Tampered with a Witness Involved in his Federal Trial Sentenced to 150 Months’ in Federal Prison

body_text: A man who tampered with a witness involved in his federal trial was sentenced on October 25, 2023, to 150 months in federal prison. Michael Lyn Ashford, age 43, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to tamper with a witness and tampering with a witness. Evidence at the trial showed that Ashford, and his co-defendant, Jenise Colvin, spoke about their plan to contact the witness who had called 911 after a firearm was pointed at the witness while at a gas station in Dubuque. Ashford directed Colvin to contact the witness and told Colvin what to tell the witness. Colvin then called the witness and told the witness that they knew personal information about the witness, including the witness’s name and address. Ashford also called the witness while he was in custody and relayed similar information. In imposing its sentence, the district court found that Ashford pointed the firearm at the witness prompting the witness to call 911, tampered with the witness such that the witness did not want to testify at trial, and attempted to contact other potential witnesses in an attempt to obstruct justice. Ashford was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Ashford was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Ashford is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. Jenise Colvin was previously sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily N. Nydle and Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dubuque Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR- 1037-01. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Serial Kidnapper and Rapist Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: A man who committed five sexual assaults in five years, two of which occurred during federal kidnappings, was sentenced October 24, 2023, to 40 years in federal prison. Arjune Ahmed, age 27, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and formerly of Ethiopia, received the prison term after a March 3, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of two counts of kidnapping. Evidence at trial showed on August 21, 2019, Ahmed followed a woman from the Hard Rock Casino on Fourth Street, where he tricked her into getting close to his car. Once she was close, he grabbed her and pulled her into his car. He then sped into Nebraska from Iowa, where he sexually assaulted her. His August 21, 2019, victim testified that when he was done with her, he cursed her and pushed her out of his car at a rural location. Trial evidence also showed that 13 months later, on October 16, 2020, Ahmed used social media to trick a woman into meeting him for breakfast. Instead of driving her to breakfast, Ahmed took her from midtown Sioux City to Bacon Creek Park where he sexually assaulted her. His October 16, 2020, victim testified that when he was done with her, he discarded her in the woods. The jury also heard evidence that in 2015 a woman was the victim of a home-invasion and sexual assault. That crime went unsolved for nearly five years until DNA evidence discovered in the investigations of the 2019 and 2020 kidnappings was linked to Ahmed. Additionally, at sentencing, the United States proved defendant kidnapped and sexually assaulted two additional victims. One of whom was attacked on October 31, 2017, and another on July 25, 2018. Both incidents occurred in downtown Sioux City where Ahmed lured the women into his car with promises of a ride home, but instead, took them to an isolated location where he sexually assaulted or attempted to sexually assault them. In both cases the victims were able to fight off and escape Ahmed. Ahmed has previously been convicted of several assaults, criminal trespassing, public indecency, disturbing the peace, and obstructing a peace officer. Ahmed was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 480 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated that, “Due the fine work of multiple local, state and federal law enforcement, a dangerous individual who preyed upon the women of our community has been brought to justice. For roughly the next forty years, the victims of Mr. Ahmed can sleep soundly knowing he can’t hurt them.” Ahmed is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Dakota County, Nebraska Sherriff’s Office, the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department, the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 21-04087. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Two skilled nursing care centers resolve allegations of Americans with Disabilities Act violations

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Two nursing home chains in Western Washington have resolved allegations they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying admission to prospective residents because of their Substance Use Disorder (SUD). One of the nursing home groups resolved a second ADA complaint that it failed to provide a sign-language interpreter for a patient who is deaf. “It can be difficult to find appropriate nursing home care for our loved ones,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “It should not be made more difficult by care centers who discriminate against those with disabilities, violating the ADA. I am pleased that both skilled nursing groups identified in these cases are changing their policies and training to comply with the ADA.” Avalon Health Care Management Inc. manages three care centers in Western Washington: Avalon Care Center Federal Way; Benson Heights Rehabilitation Center; and Grays Harbor Health and Rehabilitation. The company previously managed Willapa Harbor Health and Rehabilitation. An investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office determined that Avalon facilities engaged in discrimination by denying admission to individuals with a Substance Use Disorder (SUD). The U.S. Attorney’s Office found that in some instances, patients were denied admission because they were prescribed FDA approved medication for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). As part of the settlement Avalon will submit a draft non-discrimination policy to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review. After approval, Avalon will post the policy at its facilities and will train its employees and contractors on the policy and on medications to treat SUD. Avalon will keep training and admission logs for review by the government and will alert government investigators to any ADA complaints. Avalon is to pay the government $12,000. However, $10,000 of the penalty is suspended pending successful compliance with the requirements of the settlement. Arcadia Medical Resorts operates two skilled nursing care facilities in Renton as well as facilities in University Place and Union Gap, Washington. The U.S. Attorney’s Office investigation determined that individuals were denied admission to the Arcadia facilities because of their Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Arcadia agrees to update its policies and not discriminate against persons who have been prescribed medication for their Opioid Use Disorder. The chain will undertake new training and keep logs of training and patient admissions. Any ADA complaints will be forwarded to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Like Avalon, Arcadia will pay the government $12,000. However, $10,000 of the penalty is suspended pending successful compliance with the requirements of the settlement. Finally, in a different settlement, Avalon Health Care - Federal Way LLC, has agreed to pay a patient who is deaf $20,500, for violating the ADA by failing to provide the patient with a qualified sign-language interpreter while the patient was recovering from back surgery. The patient was in the facility from February 18, 2021, to March 11, 2021. Avalon did not act on the patient’s requests for a sign-language interpreter so the patient could not communicate with staff about her treatment plan or physical therapy. Avalon disputes many of the government findings, but to avoid the cost and uncertainty of litigation, is choosing to resolve the matter. The settlement requires Avalon to put training, policies, and procedures in place to ensure staff do not violate the ADA and provide appropriate communication devices or services to the patients who need such assistance. The settlement lists a number of required improvements regarding evaluations, contracting, dissemination of policies and complaint tracking. The government will review the compliance for 18 months. The patient who is deaf was referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by the Northwest Justice Project. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington has investigated several similar complaints from patients who are deaf or hard of hearing regarding failures to provide communication assistance in the health care setting. Those settlements are detailed in the Disability Rights section of our website.


title: Two Members of Newark Sex, Money, Murder Gang Charged with Murder in Aid of Racketeering

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of the Sex, Money, Murder (SMM) street gang operating in the Bradley Court Housing Complex were charged by criminal complaint with murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy, and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Tyler Shorter, aka “Money Bags,” aka “Bags,” 19; and Amir Canty, aka “Blast,” 20; both of Newark, are charged by complaint with one count each of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. They made their initial court appearances on Oct. 25, 2023, before U.S. magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and were detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Shorter and Canty were members of the SMM street gang set operating in the Bradley Court Housing Complex, known as M-Blok. SMM is known for drug distribution in and around its controlled territory, fraud schemes, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as for violence against numerous rival neighborhoods and gangs. Among other things, Shorter and Canty used social media and rap music to tout the power of SMM in an effort to keep victims and rivals in fear of the gang. SMM has been involved in an escalating feud with a rival neighborhood-based gang known as GBlock, whose members are affiliated with the Grape Street Crips and operate in the area of Goodwin Avenue in Newark. Shorter and the victim, Nyshon Anthony, were rival rappers representing their respective gangs and neighborhoods. After an exchange of threatening and disrespectful music videos and songs released between the rival gangs, on Nov. 8, 2022, Shorter allegedly shot and killed the Anthony on South Orange Avenue in Newark, with the assistance of Canty. The murder in aid of racketeering charges are punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in prison and a potential capital punishment. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; detectives with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Fritz G. Fragé, the New Jersey State Police under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan, and the Nassau County Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Patrick J. Ryder. This case is part of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety to combat violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division; the U.S. Marshals; the Newark Department of Public Safety; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office; the N.J. State Board of Parole; the Union County Jail; the N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center; the N.J. Department of Corrections; the East Orange Police Department; and the Irvington Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Goldberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. shortercanty.complaint.pdf


title: New Braunfels Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Selling Misbranded Drugs

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man was sentenced in federal court in San Antonio to five years in prison for selling non-controlled but dangerous substances through the mail. According to court documents, Evan Asher Field, 42, and codefendant Michael Dominic Diaz, 31, purchased bulk quantities of various drugs, including synthetic opioids and benzodiazepines, and re-sold them through a website Field created in September 2019. The drugs, most of which originated in China and were not regulated or approved for any use by the FDA, can potentially cause toxic and fatal overdoses if consumed by humans. The two defendants repackaged the drugs into consumer-size containers and shipped them to various locations throughout the United States. The initial website remained online until September 2021, when Diaz launched a second website offering a nearly identical service. Despite disclaimers on the website and product packaging stating “for research purposes only,” and “not for human consumption,” the two defendants were aware that customers were purchasing the substances for personal use and consuming the drugs. Multiple consumers suffered overdoses, including some which were fatal. In addition to imprisonment, Field was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. Codefendant Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21. “The defendants in this case recklessly endangered the lives and well-being of the numerous individuals who purchased unregulated substances from them,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “We hope that this sentence brings attention to this type of conduct and serves as a warning to those who would engage in it.” “Unapproved prescription drugs can present a serious health risk to those who buy and use them. The drugs can contain unknown ingredients and can be made under unknown conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who traffic in unapproved and potentially dangerous drugs.” “Synthetic drugs remain the primary driver of the opioid epidemic, and attempting to profit off the epidemic plaguing our communities is an apparent complete disregard for human life,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Field Office. The FDA and DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Amy Hail prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted utilizing resources from the Dark Market and Digital Currency Crimes (DMDCC) Task Force. The DMDCC Task Force is a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI – Baltimore, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department, targeting the use of dark net marketplaces and digital currencies to facilitate criminal activities. ###


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to 330 Months in Prison for Gunpoint Robbery of East Orange Cell Phone Store

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 330 months in prison for his role in a January 2021 gunpoint robbery of a cell phone store in East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Kenneth Graham, 50, of Newark, was convicted of one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Graham was convicted following a one-week trial before Senior U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martini, who imposed the sentence on Oct. 25, 2023, in Newark federal court. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial: On Jan. 18, 2021, Graham was in the cell phone store when he pulled out a gun and pointed it at a store employee. He ordered the employee to place several cell phones from the display case and cash from the register into a bag. Video surveillance footage near the store showed Graham enter a black Nissan Altima after the robbery and drive away. A witness confirmed that Graham was the person entering the Nissan Altima after robbing the store. Historical cell phone records indicate that Graham’s cellular telephone was in East Orange near the store around the time of the robbery, and photographs on Graham’s cell phone showed Graham wearing a sweatshirt with a distinct logo. In the video surveillance footage from the robbery, Graham wore that same sweatshirt. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Graham to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $2,773. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levin and Jennifer S. Kozar of the Criminal Division in Newark.


title: Former Executive at Medicare Advantage Organization Charged for Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Update: On June 13, 2025, defendant Kenia Valle Boza was found not guilty by a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida. The Justice Department today announced charges against a former executive at HealthSun Health Plans Inc. (HealthSun), a Medicare Advantage organization that operates Medicare Advantage plans in South Florida, for her role in a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme. In addition, the Justice Department announced that it has declined prosecution of HealthSun after considering the factors set forth in the department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, including HealthSun’s prompt voluntary self-disclosure, cooperation, and remediation, as well as HealthSun’s agreement to repay the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approximately $53 million in overpayments. According to court documents, Kenia Valle Boza, 39, of Miami, formerly the Director of Medicare Risk Adjustment Analytics at HealthSun, allegedly orchestrated a scheme to submit false and fraudulent information to CMS to increase the amount that HealthSun received for certain Medicare Advantage enrollees. CMS pays Medicare Advantage plans like those HealthSun operates based, in part, on the health condition of their enrollees. To increase the company’s profits and their own compensation, Valle and her co-conspirators are alleged to have knowingly submitted and caused the submission to CMS of false and fraudulent information about chronic ailments that Medicare beneficiaries in HealthSun’s plans did not actually have, and that non-health care providers, such as coders, added to patient health records. For example, Valle and her co-conspirators allegedly entered and caused others to enter diagnoses into the medical records of beneficiaries enrolled in HealthSun’s plans based on diagnostic tests that were not a proper basis for diagnosing those conditions. In addition, Valle and her co-conspirators allegedly obtained the login credentials assigned to certain physicians to wrongfully access electronic medical records (EMR) as the physicians, and falsely and fraudulently entered chronic conditions directly into the medical records of beneficiaries. These diagnoses appeared to have been made and documented by the physicians when, in truth and fact, coders entered the conditions into beneficiaries’ medical records, often days or weeks after the physician saw the beneficiary. As a result of the scheme, Valle and her co-conspirators allegedly caused HealthSun to submit to CMS tens of thousands of false and fraudulent diagnosis codes, which resulted in CMS overpaying HealthSun millions of dollars. Valle is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of major fraud against the United States. If convicted, Valle faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy count and on each wire fraud count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count of major fraud against the United States. Acting Senior Counselor Brent Wible of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement. HHS-OIG and the FBI Miami Field Office are investigating the case. Assistant Chief John “Fritz” Scanlon and Trial Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Indictment


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ALVIE ROLLINS, a/k/a ALVIN ROLLINS , age 26, was sentenced on October 18, 2023 by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for being a felon in possession of a firearm. ROLLINS received a total sentence of 24 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court records, on August 4, 2022, two Task Force Officers (“TFO”) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New Orleans Gang Task Force, received information that that there was an FBI agent requesting assistance near the intersection of Dixon Street and South Carrollton Avenue, in New Orleans. Upon arrival, the TFOs’ saw two vehicles stopped side by side. The driver of one of the vehicle’s, later identified as ROLLINS , a Nissan Altima, held a black and silver pistol out of his open driver’s side window. ROLLINS began to drive away, then pulled his vehicle over after hearing the FBI’s sirens. The FBI agents ordered ROLLINS out of the Nissan Altima and handcuffed him. ROLLINS admitted he was driving a red Nissan Altima at the intersection of Tulane Avenue & South Carrollton Avenue and was in possession of a firearm. ROLLINS also admitted knowing that he was convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment before he possessed this firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Trummel and Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Aggravated Assault and Related Firearms Offenses in July 2020 Shooting

body_text: WASHINGTON – Vincent James, 39, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury on felony assault charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). James was found guilty of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction) following a three-day trial in D.C. Superior Court. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe detained James pending sentencing scheduled for January 12, 2024. On July 30, 2020, at approximately 2:00 a.m., James shot the complaining witness multiple times in the torso while in the parking lot of Spar Liquors, located at 3916 South Capitol Street, SE. The victim collapsed at a nearby bus stop before being transported to Washington Hospital Center where he was treated for multiple gunshot wounds. James was identified from surveillance footage from a nearby AutoZone where he made a purchase using his loyalty account earlier in the day. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Forgie and Ron Chester.


title: St. Louis Man Admits Making, Selling Fake Temporary Vehicle License Tags and Dealer Plates

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS –A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Thursday admitted manufacturing and selling fake temporary vehicle license tags, fake dealer plates and bogus insurance identification cards. Mario C. Cooks, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three felony counts of fraudulent transfer of an authentication feature. He admitted producing and selling 329 fake temporary tags and 27 fake insurance cards as well as dealer license plates. According to Cooks, he sold the fake temporary tags for $60 each and the fake dealer plates for $650 each. The investigation began when the St. Charles Police Department learned that Cooks was selling fake temporary tags and dealer license plates. In June of 2022, an undercover officer arranged to buy a counterfeit temporary tag from Cooks for $60, Cooks’ plea says. In subsequent transactions, Cooks sold the officer two counterfeit motor vehicle insurance identification cards and two more counterfeit temporary tags. In a court-approved search of Cooks’ home on Dec. 15, 2022, investigators found computer equipment, a printer, two counterfeit motor vehicle insurance identification cards, blank sheets of temporary Missouri Department of Revenue paper with authentication features, counterfeit temporary tags, fraudulent Missouri dealer license plates and blank stock check paper, Cooks’ plea agreement says. A forensic analysis of the computer equipment revealed Cooks’ history of producing hundreds of fake tags. The plea says that those who are trying to hide their possession of a stolen vehicle or dodge their financial obligations as vehicle owners often purchase fake temporary tags and other documents. Cooks is scheduled to be sentenced January 25. He could face up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The case was investigated by the St. Charles Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service and the Missouri Department of Revenue. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.


title: Woman Pleads Guilty for Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Fraud

body_text: A Dallas area woman who allegedly purloined more than $40,000 from pandemic-era financial programs pleaded guilty today to theft of government property, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Monica Moreno, 40, was indicted in November 2022. She plead guilty today to one count of theft to government property before U.S. Magistrate District Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez. According to plea papers, Ms. Moreno applied for – and received – funds from three different pandemic relief programs, The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, the Paycheck Protection Program, and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, totaling approximately $44,757 in federal funds. Ms. Moreno submitted an advance EIDL loan for her alleged business, JBP Financial. In application paperwork, she lied about her criminal history, indicating that she had never been convicted of a criminal offense despite her 2015 conviction for aggravated identity theft, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to defraud the united states, crimes for which she was sentenced to 48 months in prison. Ms. Moreno received $2,000 and used some of the funds for her personal benefit. In addition, Ms. Moreno submitted applications for over a year that contained false information to each of the three disaster relief programs and received approximately $44,757 in federal funds. Ms. Moreno now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s Gulf States Field Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Gary Smith, and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General’s Dallas Field Office, led by Special Agent in Charge Michael Martin, conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Dallas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nashonme Johnson is prosecuting the case with the help of Financial Auditor Sheila Powell. Both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the expanded Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program were authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP provided forgivable loans to small businesses to cover payroll, rent, and other certain expenses; EIDL provided quickly-issued, partially-forgivable loans to small business to cover operational expenses, including accounts payable, as well as payroll, mortgages, and other bills. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, also authorized under the CARES Act, provided up to 39 weeks of expanded unemployment benefits for individuals impacted by COVID-19.


title: OFAC-Designated Colombian National Extradited to Face Charge of Distributing Cocaine Internationally

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Tito Aldemar Ruano Yandun, also known as “Don T,” “Don Ti,” “Don Tito,” “Pedro Linares,” “Pedro AK2,” “Santos,” “Don Tuma,” “Viejo” and “Viejo Loco,” will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr., at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with leading an international cocaine distribution conspiracy. The defendant, a Colombian citizen, was arrested in Colombia pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request and was extradited to the United States on October 25, 2023. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Deanne Reuter, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Division (DEA); Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Dominick L. Chiumento, Acting Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP), announced the extradition and arraignment. “As alleged, the defendant is a drug kingpin who led an international trafficking organization that produced and exported thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will continue to pursue and bring to justice the leaders of transnational criminal organizations, wherever they are in the world.” Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the DEA’s office in Bogota, Colombia, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, the Colombian National Police, and the Government of Colombia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Ruano Yandun. “This indictment is a testament to the incredible hard work and resiliency of our investigators and speaks to the strength of our partnerships with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as our international counterparts. DEA’s message is clear: we will continue to work relentlessly to dismantle and defeat the international drug trafficking organizations responsible for bringing this poison into our communities, threatening the safety and health of our citizens,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Reuter. “This case proves again that New York City law enforcement has a very long reach and that anyone who participates in a criminal network – whether locally or globally – will be held to full account for their actions,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the DEA, the New York State Police, and all the members of OCDETF, for their dedication to this important long-term investigation.” “This indictment speaks to the tremendous interagency coordination and cooperation necessary to get illegal drugs off our streets,” stated NYSP Acting Superintendent Chiumento. “As a result of this effort, a dangerous international drug trafficking operation, and the organized crime perpetuated by it, has been shut down. A drug like cocaine destroys communities and puts lives at risk. I applaud the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all involved law enforcement partners for their outstanding efforts in dismantling this operation. This case sends a clear message that we will not tolerate this illegal activity in our communities, and we will continue to work together to keep our communities safe.” According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made in court, Ruano Yandun allegedly led a sophisticated drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) that operated in southwestern Colombia and Ecuador. After procuring cocaine from laboratories operating in Colombia, Ruano Yandun’s DTO arranged for the cocaine to be transported from Colombia and Ecuador through the Pacific Ocean via “go-fast vessels” (“GFVs”). Such GFVs typically carried several hundred kilograms of cocaine at a time. After being loaded with cocaine in Colombia or Ecuador, the GFVs would travel to Guatemala or other Central American countries. Upon successfully arriving in such countries, co-conspirators took possession of the cocaine and transported it by land into Mexico. Co-conspirators then usually sold the cocaine to Mexican DTOs, who would invariably smuggle the cocaine into the United States to be sold. The defendant’s organization exported thousands of kilograms of cocaine to Central America and Mexico so that it could eventually be smuggled into the United States. As part of the investigation, law enforcement authorities seized over 3,000 kilograms of cocaine attributable to Ruano Yandun’s drug trafficking enterprise. On November 29, 2017, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Ruano Yandun and his organization as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) for playing a significant role in international narcotics trafficking. At the time of the designation, OFAC explained that Ruano Yandun’s organization was “a key contributor to the increased cocaine production in the Nariño department of Colombia in recent years.” The extradition of Ruano Yandun is the result 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. The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Wang is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : TITO ALDEMAR RUANO YANDUN Age: 48 Colombia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-27 (WFK)