title: Browning man admits assaulting woman with belt on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man accused of beating and then using a belt to assault a woman on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Briar Joseph Crawford, 29, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Crawford faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Jan. 29, 2025. Crawford was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 6, 2023, Crawford went to Twin Lakes go fishing with the victim, identified as Jane Doe. They got into an argument, and Crawford began to severely beat Doe over several hours as they traveled from Twin Lakes to the East Glacier Cut Across Road. At one point, Crawford removed his belt, wrapped it around Doe’s neck, grabbed it and lifted her weight off the ground until she blacked out. Doe suffered numerous injuries from the prolonged assault. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: New Orleans Man Guilty for Being Convicted Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEVIN LADAY(“LADAY”), age 34, of New Orleans, pled guilty on September 18, 2024, before United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance to being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF") identified individuals involved in trafficking firearms in New Orleans. Between August 16, 2023 and August 28, 2023, agents communicated with LADAY , a previously convicted felon, about purchasing firearms and ammunition. On August 28, 2023, LADAY sold firearms and ammunition to undercover ATF agents in New Orleans. LADAY is scheduled for sentencing on January 15, 2025. LADAY faces up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following imprisonment and, 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. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution is being handed by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Helena felon sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegally possessing loaded AR-15 rifle on state capitol grounds

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Helena felon who admitted to illegally possessing a loaded AR-15 rifle found in his vehicle on the state capitol grounds in Helena was sentenced today to 21 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Joshua Nzeyimana, 23, pleaded guilty in April to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that on Dec. 6, 2023, Nzeyimana, a convicted felon on state supervision, possessed a loaded AR-15 rifle in his vehicle on the state capitol grounds in Helena. The rifle was found during a probation search of the vehicle. The rifle had a round in the chamber and was loaded with a 17-round magazine. Nzeyimana was listed as an absconder in Montana Conweb. During an interview, Nzeyimana acknowledged possessing the rifle. He previously shot the rifle, firing a single round in an open field near Elk Park. Nzeyimana knew he could not legally purchase the rifle himself, so he used another person to buy it. In June 2023, Nzeyimana was convicted and sentenced to a four-year suspended sentence in two state felony cases, one for felony criminal endangerment and one for felony assault with a weapon. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Highway Patrol, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Probation and Parole and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Former Colorado Springs Man Convicted Of Defrauding $500k Of Taxpayer Funded COVID-19 Relief Money

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Charles Lacona, Jr., 67, formerly of Colorado Springs, was found guilty by a federal jury on two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering related to fraudulent COVID-19 related funds he received through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to the facts established at trial, between April 2020 and April 2021, Lacona devised and participated in a scheme to defraud a lender of $513,732.50 in PPP loans. Lacona inflated payroll costs and gross receipts, made false statements and certifications, and submitted fabricated tax documents and payroll reports. During that same period, Lacona unsuccessfully applied for additional emergency government assistance through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Lacona used some of the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase a Cadillac CT6 for $67,704.13. “This is another case of someone using for personal gain a program meant to help people suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “I want the public to know that we are aggressively prosecuting people who stole from this relief program.” "These federal programs were designed to help families and small businesses facing financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. "Through our partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office, IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who attempt to exploit federal relief programs for their personal benefit." United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the trial. IRS Criminal Investigation handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig Fansler and Nicole Cassidy handled the prosecution. Sentencing will be held at a later date. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . On July 11, 2023, the Attorney General selected the District of Colorado’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of five national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-results-nationwide-covid-19-fraud-enforcement-action . 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


title: Boston Man Charged with Violating National Defense Airspace

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was arraigned today in federal court for allegedly flying a drone near the finish line at the Boston Marathon in April 2024. The drone flight prompted law enforcement and bomb technicians to seize the drone mid-air, land it and evaluate its threat to the public. Allan Nip, 30, was charged with unlawfully flying a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace. A deferred prosecution agreement filed along with the charging document reflects that the defendant has agreed to pay a $5,000 criminal fine and to forfeit his drone, valued at approximately $4,000. The United States also filed a civil forfeiture complaint in connection with this matter to forfeit the drone and its related controller. According to court filings, Nip was flying his drone within a few blocks of the Boston Marathon finish line approximately 20 minutes before the professional men in the wheelchair division were finishing the race The drone was detected by federal law enforcement monitoring the airspace near the finish line, was intercepted mid-flight, and was landed in a secure location in Back Bay. Once the drone was taken down and evaluated by bomb technicians, law enforcement responded to Nip’s apartment on West Springfield Street in Boston, where he allegedly admitted to flying the drone that morning. The controller on Nip’s drone, as with most drone controllers, allegedly provided warnings that day that he was flying in a restricted zone. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration had sent out notices warning anyone seeking to fly any type of aircraft (including drones) not to fly near the start or finish lines of the Boston Marathon on race day, without a special permit. Those special permits are not granted for amateur drone operators. The charge of operating a drone in restricted National Defense Airspace carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; Colleen D'Alessandro, Regional Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration in New England; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Lexington Man Sentenced  for Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, and former active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., Ethan McManus-Sanning, 21, was sentenced on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to 85 months in prison, for receiving child pornography. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement received information that McManus-Sanning sent money, via PayPal, to an account selling child pornography. In April 2023, McManus-Sanning was interviewed, and he admitted to purchasing, accessing, viewing, and receiving images of child pornography using the internet. Specifically, McManus-Sanning confirmed he was part of multiple groups on the internet where child pornography would be advertised, and he would direct message the seller to purchase the material. Law enforcement reviewed his phone and found over 500 images and 75 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Under federal law, McManus-Sanning must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI and the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Ft. Campbell. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: Jury Convicts Mechanicville Man of Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles Brennan, age 45, of Mechanicville, New York, was convicted today following a 6-day jury trial of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). The evidence at trial established that between July and September 2022, Brennan was a member of a drug conspiracy that involved the distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The jury concluded that during that time, Brennan distributed methamphetamine on two occasions from his residence in Mechanicville. During the execution of a search warrant at Brennan’s residence, Brennan was found in possession of 9 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, ammunition, and eight firearms, including a pistol with an altered serial number. The jury also concluded that Brennan possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Jurors voted to acquit Brennan on two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Brennan faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci on January 22, 2025. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. This case was investigated by members of the ATF and SCSO, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda, Joseph S. Hartunian, and Allen J. Vickey.


title: Cayuga County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brien Fredendall, age 46, of Port Byron, New York, pled guilty today to two counts of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Fredendall, who has a previous New York State conviction for possession of child pornography, admitted that he possessed videos and images of child pornography he received from a minor on his Snapchat account. He also admitted to possessing additional child pornography on his cellular phone. Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Fredendall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release of between five years and life, to begin after imprisonment. Fredendall will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with the assistance of the Cayuga County Sherriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted Fredendall as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: ST. CROIX DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED IN COCAINE CONSPIRACY CASE

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Leroy Roebuck Jr., 37, of St. Croix, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 97 months incarceration, three years of supervised release, a fine of $2,000.00, and a $100.00 special assessment, following his guilty plea to Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. According to court documents, on April 25, 2023, Roebuck arranged for the sale of 60 kilograms of cocaine to an undercover agent at a cost of $900,000.00. On April 26, 2023, Roebuck contacted the undercover agent and agreed to sell the agent 50 kilograms of cocaine after he discovered that the remaining 10 kilograms were of poor quality. Thereafter, on April 26, 2023, Roebuck and an unidentified individual arrived at a predetermined location to complete the sale of the cocaine. Roebuck asked the undercover agent if he wanted to see the cocaine, after which he showed the agent four containers that held varying quantities of individually wrapped bricks of cocaine. Roebuck was then placed under arrest. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Two Convicted Gang Members Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for RICO, Hobbs Act Violations

body_text: WACO, Texas – Two Temple men were sentenced today to life in federal prison for crimes committed in violation of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and the Hobbs Act. In February, a federal jury found the men guilty of all charges. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Atorius Marquis Williams aka Lil Man, 27, and Trashawn Lamar Alexander aka Mad Max, 30, were members and associates of a criminal organization referred to as Killas With Aggression (KWA), an organization engaged in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce by, among other things, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to rob persons engaged in the distribution of controlled substances. Williams and Alexander, along with codefendant Demonta Daniels aka Tado aka Tato, conspired to commit four murders, multiple violent assaults, extortion, drug trafficking and armed robberies in furtherance of the criminal enterprise. Specifically, the indictment alleges four overt acts to include murder—one committed by Williams on Sept. 30, 2017, in Belton; the second, committed by Williams and Alexander on Dec. 10, 2017, in Temple; the third, committed by Williams and Daniels on Jan. 16, 2018, in Temple; and the fourth, committed by Williams, Daniels and Alexander on Jan. 31, 2018, in Temple. Additionally, the defendants conspired to affect commerce by robbery, committing acts of physical violence and threatening to commit acts of physical violence to steal controlled substances and proceeds from persons engaged in illegal drug distribution. Williams, Daniels and Alexander were also convicted of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, namely robbery. Alexander was convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. On Monday, Alexander and Williams were each sentenced to life in prison for three counts and a concurrent 20 years in prison for three additional counts. “The result in this case is a testament to this office's commitment to seek justice for our community members,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “It reflects the hard work and interagency cooperation of our federal and state law enforcement partners, whose efforts brought this case to a successful conclusion. Violence in our communities will not be tolerated and justice will be served.” “Texas citizens have the right to feel safe from violent crime. The drug and gang activity that fuels these acts in our communities is unacceptable,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio field office. “Our agents have put in years of hard work to bring these defendants - Atorius Williams and Trashawn Alexander - to justice, and today’s sentence is evidence of their dedication. We want to thank our partners for their continued dedication to keeping our communities safe from violent crime.” Daniels will be sentenced at a later date. Seven other codefendants in the case had been sentenced prior to todays. Dominic Johnson was sentenced in January 2023 to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; Desmond Wilkerson was sentenced in September 2023 to 71 months in prison for racketeering conspiracy; James Roy Whitfield Jr was sentenced on Feb. 13 to 102 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of aiding and abetting; Jason Mayse was sentenced on Feb. 13 to 40 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; Jyaraciel Whitfield was sentenced in September 2023 to 144 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of aiding and abetting; Christopher Meyers was sentenced in August 2022 to 144 months in prison for racketeering conspiracy; and Reginald Williams was sentenced in September 2023 to 96 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of aiding and abetting. The FBI, Temple Police Department, Belton Police Department, Bell County Organized Crime Unit, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Cameron Police Department, and Hearne Police Department investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Killeen Police Department and Bell County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Blanton prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Home health care companies owner convicted of Medicaid fraud

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury convicted Sally Njume-Tatsing, 47, formerly of Pickerington, of Medicaid fraud. Njume-Tatsing was found guilty on all 13 counts as charged. The verdict was announced following a trial that began on Sept. 9 before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. According to court documents and trial testimony, in 2017, Njume-Tatsing owned and operated three home healthcare businesses named Labelle Home Health. The agencies were located in Reynoldsburg, Mt. Vernon and Parma. Njume-Tatsing resided in California during the majority of the time she owned the businesses, and despite not being involved in Labelle’s daily operations, she did all of the Medicaid billing for nursing services. While billing Medicaid for health aide services to individuals in their homes, the defendant inflated the hours of services provided, billed for registered nurses when licensed practical nurses completed the care, and billed for care for patients who were either deceased or ineligible to receive Medicaid. Njume-Tatsing was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023 and charged with one count of health care fraud and 12 counts of making false health care statements. Health care fraud is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and making false health care statements carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison. Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and the Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division announced the verdict returned on Sept. 16. Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth A. Affeldt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan L. Metzler of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Konawa Resident Pleads Guilty To Sexual Abuse Of A Minor In Indian Country

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Coty Layne Hayes, age 25, of Konawa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment on one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. The Indictment alleged that beginning on or about June 9, 2023, and continuing until on or about September 22, 2023, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian country, Hayes knowingly engaged and attempted to engage in a sexual act with a person who had attained the age of 12 years but not attained the age of 16 years. The crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, the Konawa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Hayes will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow Statement on the Passing of Former United States Attorney Daniel López Romo

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow released the following statement regarding the passing of former United States Attorney Daniel López Romo. On behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of former United States Attorney Daniel López Romo and recognize his exceptional service to the people of Puerto Rico and the nation. López Romo was a distinguished attorney and a great man, and we honor his many years of dedicated public service. May he rest in peace and may his memory be eternal. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins with Federal Bar Association and Law Schools to Hold Third Annual Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For the third year running, the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, held Sept. 21, 2024, connected employers with diverse legal candidates for future and current job openings in the greater Sacramento area. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association Sacramento Chapter made the joint announcement following today’s event. The Diversity Career Fair provided law students and attorneys with the opportunity to connect in person with over 65 employers from the private and public sectors. Starting with a panel discussion that featured state and federal judges as well as the managing partner of a national law firm, the day continued with employer table talks, and concluded with a reception during which students, attorneys, and employers could relax and continue their conversations. The Diversity Career Fair is the first legal career fair in the Sacramento region with an online platform where employers can post legal jobs and law students and attorneys can submit applications. In addition to the opportunity to talk to employers at their tables, this year the Diversity Career Fair included both interview and résumé collection components. A wide variety of employers, bar associations, law students, attorneys, and judges attended the Diversity Career Fair held at the McGeorge School of Law campus. “The Sacramento region has amazing public and private legal employers, and the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair shows the strength of that community and its commitment to diversity,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “This annual program proves the importance of working with our law schools, bar associations, and the larger legal community, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to sponsoring it.” “The Diversity Career Fair is a wonderful opportunity for our students and legal employers to meet on our beautiful campus and get to know each other,” McGeorge School of Law Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz said. “For a law school like McGeorge that is one of the most diverse law schools in the country and is in a city, Sacramento, that is one of our country’s most diverse cities, this fair is a perfect fit.” “It is truly an inspiration to see so many employers committed to diversifying the legal profession,” UC Davis School of Law Dean Jessica Berg said. “Equity and inclusion are driving principles at UC Davis Law, and it is an honor to be included with our incredible partners in this groundbreaking Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair as we work together to create invaluable opportunities for our students.” “FBA Sacramento is proud to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the law schools, and local affinity bar associations to enrich our legal community by welcoming diverse applicants into the Sacramento Region’s legal workforce,” said Victoria Boesch, President of the Sacramento Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. The panel discussion featured Sacramento Superior Court Judge Jerome Price, U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Claire (E.D. Cal.), and Stoel Rives LLP Managing Partner Melissa A. Jones. The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair was co-sponsored by all of the affinity bar associations in Sacramento, including the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS), Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, the Disability Bar Association of Sacramento (DIBAS), Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association, Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association (SacFALA), South Asian Bar Association (SABA), SacLegal Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association (WMBA), Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS), the Yolo Unity Bar, and by the Sacramento County Bar Association. For more information: https://www.sacramentodiversitycareerfair.org/ ..


title: San Antonio Woman Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Performance by a Child

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in federal court to 325 months in prison followed by 30 years of supervised release for one count of sexual performance by a child. According to court documents, Keisha Lyn Swarner, 42, induced a 13-year-old boy to engage in sexual conduct with a 12-year-old girl. Swarner, who was a fifth-grade teacher, facilitated meetings between the two children at her home on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Swarner induced sexual conduct between the children in various text messages she sent to the boy on a cell phone she had given him, instructing him not to tell his parents. Swarner was arrested on April 14, 2022, and has remained in federal custody. She pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2024, to one count of sexual performance by a child, admitting that she had authorized and induced a child younger than 14 years of age to engage in sexual conduct. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Calve and Bettina Richardson 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. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: Operators of Lux Living and Big Sur Construction and Chief Accountant Indicted on Wire Fraud Charges Involving Apartment Developments

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two operators of St. Louis area apartment complex construction and development companies, along with their companies’ chief accountant, have been indicted and accused of conspiring to defraud the City of St. Louis Minority Business Enterprise and Women Owned Business Enterprise program to gain millions of dollars’ worth of City tax incentives. Sidarth “Sid” Chakraverty, Victor Alston and Shijing “Poppy” Cao were indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis September 18 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 11 counts of wire fraud. The indictment was unsealed Friday morning. Chakraverty and Alston operate Big Sur Construction LLC, a construction management and development company and LuxLiving LLC, which primarily handled the development, brokerage, daily management, marketing and leasing of apartment complexes built by Big Sur. They also operate the entities which developed the Chelsea multifamily apartment development in the Pershing-DeBaliviere neighborhood of St. Louis, and the SoHo multifamily apartment development* in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis. Cao was the chief in-house accountant for all the Big Sur-affiliated companies. St. Louis’ Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) programs include participation goals that seek to address historical social and economic disadvantages experienced by women and members of minority groups, and to reduce barriers to participation by those groups in construction projects. Available tax incentives include sales tax exemption on the purchase of construction materials and property tax abatement once the projects are completed. The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) reviews proposals for redevelopment projects in St. Louis and makes recommendations to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen regarding requests for tax incentives. Once incentives are approved, the SLDC enforces compliance with the City’s MBE and WBE participation goals. The Chelsea Project For the Chelsea project, which began in 2019 and was completed in 2021, the participation goals set out in the City ordinance granting a 10-year tax abatement were 25% for MBEs and 5% for WBEs. Big Sur was itself certified as a Subcontinent Asian American MBE, so its own reported labor and material supplies made up the majority of MBE participation on Chelsea. A WBE subcontractor was paid about $21,504 for cleaning services it provided on the project, but the indictment says the defendants falsely claimed an additional approximately $272,393 in materials and labor had been supplied by that WBE company. To conceal and carry out the fraud, Big Sur Construction LLC issued sham “joint checks” that were written to the WBE subcontractor and the non-WBE companies which had actually purchased and supplied materials and labor for the project, the indictment says. In emails, Chakraverty, Alston and Cao discussed which non-WBE companies would be willing to accept a joint check to facilitate the scheme, the indictment says. Big Sur submitted false “Utilization Reports” about MBE and WBE participation, which were required by SLDC throughout the construction phase, and a false final lien waiver and other documents claiming that the WBE had been paid $298,897. Big Sur also submitted a false “Good Faith Narrative” claiming that the company had made a good faith effort to meet the WBE participation goal, the indictment says. They did not disclose that of their claimed WBE participation on the Chelsea project, 93% of the total came from falsely attributing $272,393 in materials and labor costs to the WBE subcontractor, the indictment says. The SoHo Project The City ordinance approving a 10-year tax abatement for the SoHo project set a 21% participation goal by African American MBEs, an 11% participation goal for WBEs and a 0.5% participation goal for Native American MBEs. The same WBE cleaning company subcontractor that worked on Chelsea was paid approximately $60,780 for its actual labor and materials on SoHo, but defendants falsely attributed approximately $1.15 million in labor and materials supplied by non-WBE companies to that company in its reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. It also says Chakraverty met with the owner of an African American MBE and offered $10,000 to the owner to allow Big Sur to falsely represent that non-MBE work had been performed by that company. The owner refused. But the owner of another African American MBE company agreed to a 5% “markup” fee on an eventual total of $2.17 million in materials and labor supplied by non-MBE companies that were falsely attributed by defendants to that MBE company in reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. That included $1 million in appliances purchased from Home Depot by Big Sur, but falsely attributed to the African American MBE company, it says. Chakraverty met with the owner of a Native American MBE and struck a deal for the owner to receive a 6% markup fee for construction materials and labor supplied by another non-Native American MBE company, the indictment says. False information as to the materials and labor supplied by the non-Native American company, but attributed to the Native American MBE, was submitted to SLDC, the indictment says. The indictment says Big Sur also issued sham joint checks and sham purchase orders on the SoHo project and submitted false reports to the SLDC, similar to defendants’ conduct on the Chelsea project. After SLDC officials and employees developed suspicions about false reporting by Big Sur, Chakraverty, Alston and Cao repeatedly tried to get the cleaning company WBE to falsely verify the inflated payments in reporting to SLDC, the indictment says. When they failed, they sought another WBE to act as a front company, it says. The indictment alleges that the fraudulent conduct on the Chelsea project resulted in at least $551,022 in sales tax exemptions and a property tax abatement worth about $1.75 million. Big Sur received more than $1 million in sales tax exemptions for the SoHo project but did not receive the anticipated property tax abatement due to SLDC’s concerns about the legitimacy of their WBE claims, the indictment says. The defendants originally anticipated a tax abatement on the SoHo valued at approximately $7 million. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The wire fraud charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case. *There are other developments with similar names in the St. Louis area. redacted_indictment_0.pdf


title: U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Criminal Charges in Fruitland Carjacking

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man was charged by indictment for carjacking incident in 2022 in Fruitland, New Mexico. Myles Cordelle Dan Padilla , 32, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which is set for November 12, 2024. According to the indictment, on April 10, 2022, Padilla took a motor vehicle from John Doe by force. During the incident, Padilla discharged a firearm. Padilla is prohibited by federal law from handling or possessing firearms or ammunition due to his previous felony convictions, which include breaking and entering, battery upon a peace officer, and battery against a household member. If convicted of the current charges, Padilla faces not less than 10 years and up to life in prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case. Padilla Indictment.pdf An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentence of Isleta Village Man for Federal Firearms Offense

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Los Lunas man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for shooting at a family friend with a shotgun following a dispute. According to court records, on December 14, 2023, Vincent Jerome Martinez opened fire on a family friend with a 12-gauge shotgun when the victim arrived to give a ride to Martinez 's grandmother and her granddaughters. Martinez exited his residence, pointed the shotgun at the victim, and yelled "I'm going to kill you!" before discharging the firearm multiple times. The victim fled the scene in his vehicle. The incident stemmed from a verbal altercation the previous night after the victim refused to take Martinez to purchase alcohol. As police responded, Martinez attempted to conceal the shotgun under railroad ties behind a metal shed. He was apprehended shortly after and initially denied having a weapon, despite shotgun shells falling from his pockets. During a subsequent interview, Martinez admitted to the shooting. Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $3,900 fine. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Isleta Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Madisonville, Kentucky Man Sentenced to Over 29 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Possessing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Owensboro, KY – A Madisonville, Kentucky, man was sentenced this week to 29 years and 6 months in federal prison for production and possession of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville made the announcement. According to court documents, Steven Ray Buchanan, 46, was sentenced to 29 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, on four counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Buchanan possessed over 1,200 images and 4 videos of child pornography. Buchanan also took lascivious videos and pictures of two young girls while they were in his bedroom. Upon his release, Buchanan will be required to register as a sex offender. Buchanan was also ordered to pay $24,000 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by HSI Bowling Green, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Madisonville Police Department, and the FBI Owensboro Satellite Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Lawrence man indicted for bank robbery

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank in Lawrence, Kansas. According to court documents, Alfonzo Cole, 41, of Lawrence is charged with one count of bank robbery. Cole is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation on July 2, 2024, to take U.S. currency from an employee at a Bank of America branch on Ohio Street. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case. OTHER INDICTMENTS David Mark Jones, 33, of Shawnee, was indicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Gadsden County Tax Preparer Sentenced To Federal Prison For Preparing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEEE, FLORIDA – Cedrick Campbell, 49, of Quincy, Florida, was sentenced to a term of 24 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to eleven counts of aiding in preparing false tax returns and ordered to pay $378,041 in restitution. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “The United States relies on the honest payment of taxes to defend our country and maintain its operations,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our dedicated partners at the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who steal from hard-working American taxpayers – whether by traditional evasion or the filing of fraudulent claims to further their criminal schemes.” Between 2018 and 2022, Campbell, ran an unofficial tax preparation business from his home in Quincy, Florida, where he prepared and filed false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. Campbell falsely represented the taxpayers’ deductions, credits, and the refund due. “A tax preparer who fraudulently inflates your refund isn’t doing you any favors,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Instead, it exposes clients to penalties and interest to be paid and dealt with for years to come. An honest preparer will be transparent and willing to explain everything that you’re entitled to. Unscrupulous preparers, like Mr. Campbell, should know that they will be investigated and face serious consequences.” This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Gary Milligan prosecuted the case. 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: Former Registered Sex Offender in Fresno Indicted for Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Darren Keith Sever, 55, of Fresno, charging him with receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between April 4, 2024, and June 4, 2024, Sever received at least one visual depiction of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sever has a prior conviction that required him to register as a sex offender up until April 17, 2024. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Sever faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Eight sentenced in Laredo drug trafficking conspiracy

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – Multiple people have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Hector Flores, 53, Aaron Elezar Pachuca, 30, Lauro Alberto Garcia, 31, Matthew Aaron Arce, 31, Javier Hernandez-Barajas, 71, Vincent Castro, 35, Jose Moises Cruz, 39, all of Laredo; and Ernesto Diaz-Velazquez, 41, Forney, had all previously pleaded guilty. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered Flores to serve a total of 171 months in federal prison. Castro and Pachuca both received 120-month terms of imprisonment, while Hernandez-Barajas, Cruz, Diaz-Velazquez, Garcia and Arce received 135, 130, 63, 70 and 70 months, respectively. Arce must serve three years of supervised release while the other seven were ordered to serve five-year terms. At the hearings held Sept. 19 and 20, the court heard additional evidence including information about the organization’s drug importation and smuggling operation. The investigation revealed Flores and other organization leaders sourced drugs from a Mexican supplier. They brought the drugs to a stash house in Laredo that Flores owned, then separated and re-packaged the drugs and distributed them to various couriers in order to move the drugs into the interior of the United States. Authorities seized over 14 kilograms of meth, 12 kilograms of heroin, 10 kilograms of cocaine, seven kilograms of fentanyl and $8,000 in drug proceeds throughout the investigation. Additionally, the United States ordered the forfeiture of the stash house used to traffic the narcotics. Arce and Garcia were allowed to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future, while the remaining six have been and will remain in custody. The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Border Patrol; Customs and Border Protection Air & Marine Operations; Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Public Safety; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; sheriff’s offices in Webb and Zapata Counties; police departments in Laredo, Texas A&M International University and United Independent School District; Webb County Precinct 4 Constables Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Evans prosecuted the case.


title: Couple Pleads Guilty to Theft from Isleta Pueblo Business

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A husband and wife have pleaded guilty to federal charges for working together to steal over $10,000 from a local business on the Isleta Pueblo. According to the plea agreements, on February 4, 2023, Eva Mae Hernandez and Frank Joe Hernandez drove to Chical Haystack, a general store located within the Isleta Pueblo. Eva acted as a lookout while Frank entered a restricted area of the store and stole $7,275.50 in cash and a check for $3,134.80 from the store’s safe. The couple was in the store for approximately five minutes before fleeing with the stolen funds. At sentencing, each faces up to five years in prison. They must also make restitution to Chical Haystack for the money they worked together to steal. Upon their release from prison, Eva and Frank will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today. The Isleta Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Belen Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones and Brittany DuChaussee are prosecuting these cases. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Delivers 12 Year Prison Sentence for 2019 Crime Spree

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 12 years and one day in prison for a violent crime spree that included two carjackings at gunpoint, an attempted bank robbery, and a high-speed chase with law enforcement. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on the evening of January 8, 2019, Charles Chavez , 33, approached a home on Gold Ave SW, rang the doorbell, and asked the homeowner to use the telephone. When the homeowner refused, Chavez brandished a loaded rifle and demanded the keys to the homeowner's truck. Fearing for his life, the homeowner complied, and Chavez fled in the truck. Shortly after, Chavez abandoned the stolen vehicle at a gas station located at 511 Bridge Blvd SW. There, he encountered E.E., who was refueling his vehicle. Chavez , armed with the same rifle, threatened E.E. and his passengers, demanding the keys to the vehicle. E.E. handed over the keys, and Chavez forcibly took the vehicle, leaving behind the first stolen truck. Chavez continued his crime spree at a Wells Fargo ATM near Rio Bravo Blvd SW, where he blocked in a vehicle occupied by A.B. and V.E. Chavez pointed the rifle at the pair and demanded money. When they could not produce any cash, Chavez ordered them to withdraw funds from the ATM. His attempt to rob the victims was interrupted when a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived at the scene and ordered Chavez to surrender. Instead of complying, Chavez shouted expletives and fled in the stolen vehicle, initiating a high-speed chase. Driving at speeds of up to 100 mph, Chavez ultimately crashed the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, still armed with the rifle. Deputies gave repeated commands for Chavez to surrender, but he refused, threatening officers and indicating he might shoot himself. Even after placing the rifle down, Chavez kept it within arm’s reach and continued to resist arrest. Deputies were forced to deploy non-lethal beanbag rounds and a K-9 unit to finally apprehend him. Upon his release from prison, Chavez will be subject to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niki Tapia-Brito prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN. # # #


title: Three Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of Southern Oregon Teenager

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—Three Oregon men were sentenced to federal prison Thursday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a Medford teenager. Hunter Fenstermaker, 23, a Medford resident, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; Napoleon Gomez, 22, also of Medford, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; and Conner Lee Francis, 27, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to 73 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. All three were also ordered to pay restitution to the victim’s family. According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, officers from the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a local 17-year-old high school student. Investigators soon learned the teenager had taken a counterfeit Percocet pill containing fentanyl, and, within days, identified Fenstermaker, Gomez and Francis as the teen’s first-, second- and third-level drug suppliers. On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Fenstermaker and Gomez with distributing fentanyl, and Francis with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On April 9 and June 17, 2024, respectively, Fenstermaker and Gomez pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to a person under twenty-one. On June 24, 2024, Francis pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. On May 14, 2024, a fourth individual—John Rocha, 31, of Medford—was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for his role in the Medford teen’s overdose death. Rocha was the teen’s fourth-level drug supplier. This case was investigated by the FBI, the Medford Police Department, and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.


title: Readout of Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Meeting with Jewish Community Stakeholders

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department yesterday convened its quarterly interagency meeting with Jewish community stakeholders. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland provided remarks to those at the meeting, underscoring the department’s commitment to addressing hate crimes. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division outlined relevant enforcement efforts across the department and highlighted actions to prevent and combat discrimination and hate crimes. Assistant Secretary of Education Catherine Lhamon of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights also addressed the attendees and highlighted efforts to ensure safe learning environments at schools, colleges, and universities. Justice Department leadership, including representatives from the Civil Rights Division, FBI, Community Relations Service, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Privacy & Civil Liberty, and the Office of Public Integrity, heard from participating organizations about hate crimes and incidents, campus safety, and civil rights protections around the election, among other areas. Representatives from other federal government agencies were also in attendance, including Officer Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Combating hate crimes, protecting religious freedom, and addressing claims of discrimination are among the division’s top priorities. Yesterday’s meeting represents the department’s ongoing efforts to engage with organizations and stakeholders on issues affecting Jewish communities. The department has continued to prosecute hate crimes, including recent cases involving a North Carolina man charged with making antisemitic threats to a rabbi in Georgia; California man who pleaded guilty to shooting two Jewish men, leaving an Los Angeles synagogue; Michigan man convicted and sentenced for conspiring with other members of a white supremacist group, the Base, to victimize Jewish and Black people, including desecrating a Jewish synagogue in Hancock, Michigan, with Neo-Nazi symbols; Mississippi man who pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and harassing synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in Pennsylvania; Indiana man sentenced for sending violent antisemitic threats to the Anti-Defamation League; and the leaders of the Terrorgram Collective , a transnational terrorist group for using digital platforms to solicit others to engage in hate crimes and terrorist attacks against immigrants and other groups based on hate-fueled bigotry and white supremacy. In May, Assistant Attorney General Clarke recognized Jewish Heritage Month and delivered remarks at the annual federal inter-agency Holocaust Remembrance Program . In March, the department hosted a community safety webinar for Jewish community stakeholders, during which the department released resource documents designed to help the public better understand federal civil rights laws, including laws that prohibit violence and discrimination on the basis of religion and national origin , and protections afforded by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act , a law that prohibits discriminatory land use decisions, and Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in public accommodations. If you believe that you or someone else experienced religious or national origin discrimination, you can report a civil rights violation online at civilrights.justice.gov. If you believe you are a victim or a witness of a hate crime, you can report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip at tips.fbi.gov . Learn more about the department’s work on hate crimes here . Assistant Attorney General Clarke meets with Jewish stakeholders during the quarterly interagency meeting.


title: Twelve Defendants, Including Members of International Criminal Gangs, Indicted for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in South Florida

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI - An indictment has been unsealed charging 12 defendants, including members of international criminal gangs MS-13, Sur-13, and the Mexican Mafia, with drug offenses in and around Broward and Miami-Dade Counties in the Southern District of Florida. The twelve-count indictment charges Edgar Garcia-Velasquez, a/k/a “Diablo,” 34, a citizen of Honduras, Francisco Rangel, a/k/a “Casper,” 41, of Calif., Gabriela Rodriguez-Carrillo, 42, of Calif., Luis Portillo, a/k/a “Shadow,” a/k/a “Sombra,” 35, of Miami, Jose Puga, a/k/a “Stranger,” 45, of Calif., Malinda Martinez, 42, of Fort Myers, Fla., Karina Martinez-Vazquez, 34, of Miami, Rafael Gutierrez, a/k/a “Rafy,” 28, of Miami, Jose Hernandez, a/k/a “Blue Demon,” a/k/a “Labomba3,” 39, of Belle Glade, Fla., Loupe Loredo, a/k/a “L3g3nd,” 39, of Lake Wales, Fla., Felipe Gonzalez, a/k/a “Wicked,” 41, of Calif., and Hugo Cruz, a/k/a “Houdini,” 33, of LaBelle, Fla., with conspiring with each other, their co-defendants, and others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. The indictment charges Garcia-Velasquez, Rodriguez-Carrillo, Puga, Gonzalez, and Martinez Vazquez, with conspiring with each other, their co-defendants, and others to possess with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Garcia-Velazquez, Rodriguez-Carrillo, Martinez, Portillo, Gutierrez, Puga, Loredo, and Martinez Vazquez face additional charges for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Arrests of the defendants began on Sept. 12, at various locations, and thereafter they began making their initial appearances in the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, all of the defendants face up to life imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) made the announcement. HSI Fort Lauderdale, FBI Miami, ATF Fort Lauderdale, DEA Miami, and BSO investigated this case with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Fort Myers, FBI Los Angeles, and FBI Fort Myers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment contains allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any update) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60174. ###


title: Federal jury convicts Browning man of distributing fentanyl that resulted in death of man on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A federal jury on Thursday found a Browning man guilty of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a man in his home on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. After a three-day trial that began on Sept. 17, the jury found the defendant, Douglas Darren Malatare, 59, guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl as charged in an indictment. Malatare faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years to life in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release on the distribution charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release on the possession charge. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court set sentencing for Jan. 22, 2025. Malatare was detained pending further proceedings. “Fentanyl is our nation’s deadliest illicit drug threat, as it is devastating families and communities. And we are fiercely determined to hold accountable those who are responsible for such devastation, especially when one’s drug trafficking results in another’s death. Malatare poisoned the Blackfeet reservation and made thousands of dollars doing it, including costing the victim his life. I applaud the jury for holding Malatare accountable and am relieved Malatare will no longer be poisoning the streets of Browning and the surrounding area,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Nov. 19, 2022, the mother of the victim, John Doe, with whom she shared a residence, found him deceased in his bathroom. Doe was 49 years old when he died, and his body showed no obvious signs of cause of death. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the Glacier County coroner investigated. In Doe’s bedroom, law enforcement found blue powder and a straw on top of a dresser. Doe’s mother reported that Doe had been at the residence the evening before. That evening, Doe’s friend, Malatare, had visited with Doe outside the residence. Doe and his mother then had dinner, during which she noticed Doe had a hard time staying awake. Doe’s mother found him unresponsive in the bathroom. Forensic testing and an autopsy conducted on Doe’s body showed that he had fentanyl in his blood and urine. Ibuprofen and hydrocodone also were detected in his body. A medical examiner concluded that Doe had died of acute fentanyl intoxication. The government further alleged that a law enforcement search of Doe’s cell phone found a text exchange between Doe and Malatare the evening Doe overdosed. The exchange included: Malatare to Doe: “Catch up with you lil bit bro, you looking.” Doe to Malatare: “Yeah, I’ll be home. Just got off work. I can only afford half if you can stop by.” An investigation determined that beginning in at least September 2022, an individual named “Doug,” and later identified as Malatare, was bringing fentanyl from Washington to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and that Malatare made several quick trips back and forth to Washington between September and December 2022. On Dec. 17, 2022, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services stopped Malatare for speeding and used a K-9 to conduct a sniff search on the car. The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics. Law enforcement seized the car and obtained a search warrant. Officers searched a fanny pack before allowing Malatare to possess it and found a bag of blue and white pills that they suspected contained fentanyl. In a search of the vehicle, officers found a quantity of multi-colored fentanyl pills in the back seat behind a middle armrest. They also recovered a digital scale and multiple rolls of U.S. currency. An analysis determined both the multi-colored pills and blue and white pills contained fentanyl. In total, the Drug Enforcement Administration lab found more than 600 fentanyl pills. A witness told law enforcement that Malatare was bragging that he purchased the pills for $2 per pill in Washington and sold them for $50 to $60 per pill in Montana. The pills seized from Malatare had an estimated street value of more than $30,000. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, DEA, and FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi Pleads Guilty to Sanctions Evasion

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct and to cause United States persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. Bazzi also agreed to forfeit the nearly $830,000 that was involved in the illegal transaction, and to be removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence. When sentenced, Bazzi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Cheryl Ortiz, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New Jersey Field Division announced the charges. “Today, Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi accepted responsibility for his role in conspiring to secretly move hundreds of thousands of dollars from the United States to Lebanon in violation of sanctions placed on him for assisting the terrorist group Hizballah,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This outcome demonstrates our commitment to enforcing sanctions imposed to starve terrorism financiers of funds, and the stark consequences that will be enforced when they are ignored.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Romanian authorities for its assistance on the case. “The guilty plea from Mohammed Bazzi is a result of the collaborative effort DEA New Jersey has with our law enforcement partners, and foreign counterparts, in effectively targeting those individuals and organizations that violate sanctions by providing financial assistance to terrorist organizations, like Hizballah.” stated DEA New Jersey Field Division Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. “The DEA remains committed to disrupting and dismantling these organizations and those who choose to support them financially.” In May 2018, the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for assisting in, sponsoring, and providing financial, material, and technological support and financial services to Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization that, since the 1980s, has engaged in numerous terrorist activities, including attacks against American military members, government employees, and civilians abroad. According to the OFAC designation, Bazzi is a key Hizballah financier who has provided millions of dollars to Hizballah over the years, generated from his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq, and throughout West Africa. As a result of the designation, Bazzi’s interest in any property in the United States were blocked, and all U.S. persons were generally prohibited from transacting business with, or for the benefit of, Bazzi. Following Bazzi’s designation, Bazzi and his co-defendant Talal Chahine, who remains at large in Lebanon, conspired to force or induce an individual located in the United States (U.S. Person) to liquidate their interests in certain real estate assets located in Michigan and covertly transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of the liquidation out of the United States to Bazzi and Chahine in Lebanon without the requisite OFAC licenses, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). During recorded communications, Bazzi and Chahine proposed numerous methods to conceal from OFAC and law enforcement officials that Bazzi was both the source and destination of the proceeds of the sale and to create the false appearance that the U.S. Person was conducting legitimate arms-length transactions unrelated to Bazzi and Chahine. For example, Bazzi and Chahine proposed that the funds be transferred through: a third party in China as part of a fictitious purchase of restaurant equipment from a Chinese manufacturer; a third party in Lebanon as part of a fictitious real estate purchase; Chahine’s family members in Kuwait as part of fictitious intra-family loans; and as part of a fictitious franchising agreement as payment for the rights to operate a Lebanese-based restaurant chain throughout the United States. Bazzi was arrested in February 2023 by Romanian law enforcement authorities and subsequently extradited to the Eastern District of New York. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, and Robert M. Pollack are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian and Senior Law Clerk Alfred Pelargu of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section are handling forfeiture matters. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition in this case. The Defendant : MOHAMMAD BAZZI Age: 60 Lebanon, Belgium, and United Kingdom E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-041 (DLI)


title: Nine Individuals Indicted In $28 Million Illegal Opioid Distribution Conspiracy Three Doctors and A Clinic Owner Among Those Indicted

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today charging nine individuals with conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. U.S. Attorney Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). Charged in the indictment are: Dr. Charles Wasson, 70, Orchard Lake, MI Dr. Maurice Potts, 65, Detroit, MI Dr. Bruce Kaplan, 83, Commerce Township, MI Sharlene Dawson (aka Sharlene Crawford), 55, Detroit, MI Desiree King, 41, Sterling Heights, MI Lanise Gortman, 53, Warren, MI Aaron Thomas, 42, Southfield, MI Valecia Logan, 33, Detroit, MI and Antoine Arnold, 38, Mt. Clemens, MI The indictment alleges that from June 2021 through September 2024, Sharlene Dawson (aka Sharlene Crawford), owner of P&A Aftercare, located in Southfield, Michigan, hired Drs. Charles Wasson, Maurice Potts, and Bruce Kaplan to issue controlled substance prescriptions for a cadre of “fake” patients, without medical necessity and outside the usual course of professional medical practice, in exchange for cash payments. According to the indictment, the “fake” patients were recruited by Lanise Gortman, Aaron Thomas, Valecia Logan, and Antoine Arnold. These recruiters would fill the prescription at area pharmacies and sell the controlled substances on the street. The indictment further alleges that Desiree King ran the front office at P&A Aftercare and worked closely with the recruiters to facilitate the issuance of the controlled substance prescriptions. The primary prescription controlled substances illegally prescribed by the doctors named in the indictment included Schedule II controlled substances Oxycodone, Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (Percocet), and Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (Norco). While most of the unlawful controlled substance prescriptions were paid for in cash, both controlled and non-controlled “maintenance” medications were billed to health care benefit programs by pharmacies. It is also alleged that billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary prescription drug medications and maintenance medications during this conspiracy exceeded $20 million. The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisandra Fernandez-Silber and Regina R. McCullough. The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative to combat the opioid epidemic. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Lebanese national Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, 60, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to conduct and to cause U.S. persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. In May 2018, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for assisting in, sponsoring and providing financial, material and technological support and financial services to Hizballah. Hizballah is a foreign terrorist organization that, since the 1980s, engaged in numerous terrorist activities, including attacks against American military members, government employees and civilians abroad . According to the OFAC designation, Bazzi is a key Hizballah financier who has provided millions of dollars to Hizballah over the years, generated from his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq and throughout West Africa . As a result of the designation, Bazzi’s interest in any property in the United States were blocked, and all U.S. persons were generally prohibited from transacting business with, or for the benefit of, Bazzi. Following Bazzi’s designation and according to the court documents, Bazzi and his co-defendant, Talal Chanine, who remains at large in Lebanon, conspired to force or induce an individual located in the United States (U.S. Person) to liquidate their interests in certain real estate assets located in Michigan and covertly transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of the liquidation out of the United States to Bazzi and Chahine in Lebanon without the required OFAC licenses, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). During recorded communications, Bazzi and Chahine proposed numerous methods to conceal from OFAC and law enforcement officials that Bazzi was both the source and destination of the proceeds of the sale and to create the false appearance that the U.S. Person was conducting legitimate arms-length transactions unrelated to Bazzi and Chahine . For example, Bazzi and Chahine proposed that the funds be transferred through: A third party in China as part of a fictitious purchase of restaurant equipment from a Chinese manufacturer; A third party in Lebanon as part of a fictitious real estate purchase; Chahine’s family members in Kuwait as part of fictitious intra-family loans; and As part of a fictitious franchising agreement as payment for the rights to operate a Lebanese-based restaurant chain throughout the United States. Bazzi was arrested in February 2023 by Romanian law enforcement authorities and subsequently extradited to the Eastern District of New York. The Justice Department thanks the Romanian authorities for their assistance in this matter. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Bazzi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He has also agreed to forfeit the nearly $830,000 that was involved in the illegal transaction, and to be removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, Claire Kedeshian and Robert M. Pollack for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition in this case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Texas Man Arrested and Charged with Making Threats to Kill Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk

body_text: NASHVILLE – A federal criminal complaint filed today charges David Aaron Bloyed, 59, of Frost, Texas, with threatening to lynch and kill Glenn Funk, the elected District Attorney General (“DA”) for Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Henry C. Leventis. According to the complaint, on July 14, 2024, members of the Goyim Defense League (“GDL”) – an antisemitic Neo-Nazi group – were protesting in downtown Nashville when they encountered an employee of a local bar. A fight broke out and a GDL member was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for hitting the bar employee repeatedly using a metal flagpole with a swastika flag affixed to the top. While in Nashville, GDL members routinely posted about their activities on various social media platforms, including Telegram. Following the arrest of the GDL member, a Telegram user associated with GDL posted threats against DA Funk that included a photograph of DA Funk with the caption, “Getting the rope,” and an emoji finger pointed towards Funk’s image. The posts also included a photograph of a person hanging by the neck from a gallows, with the phrases, “The ‘Rope List’ grew by a few more Nashville jews today,” and “Will you survive the day of the rope?” Law enforcement subsequently identified another social media account with an almost identical username, belonging to Bloyed and containing threats nearly identical to those posted on the Telegram account. “In a functioning democracy, we simply cannot tolerate threats of violence against elected officials,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “The charges announced today are just the latest illustration of the Department’s commitment to protecting public servants and upholding the rule of law.” If convicted, Bloyed faces up to five years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Resident Agency, Memphis Field Office and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. A federal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. # # # # #


title: Loan Originator Convicted in $2.6 Million Mortgage Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a loan originator of orchestrating a mortgage fraud scheme that bilked multiple financial institutions out of $2.6 million. KEVIN SMITH, 52, of Melrose Park, Ill., was found guilty on Sept. 6, 2024, of all five bank fraud counts against him. Each count is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge John F. Kness set sentencing for Dec. 17, 2024. Smith was a loan originator for mortgage lending businesses that originated and processed loans for real estate purchases in the Chicago area. Evidence at the two-week trial revealed that Smith engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $2.6 million in federally guaranteed mortgage loans in connection with the purchase of 14 properties in Chicago. Smith recruited buyers at real estate investment seminars held in Chicago-area churches and hotels and caused them to make false representations to lenders about, among other things, the source of their down payments and their intention to occupy the properties as their primary residences. Smith provided or caused others to provide funds to the buyers for use as down payments, knowing that the lenders would be falsely led to believe that the money belonged to the buyers. After a closing and the issuance of the government-insured mortgage loans, Smith made payments to the buyers – describing them as “grants” – and then pocketed payments from the sellers without notifying the lenders. The conviction was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General in Chicago, and Gregory Billingsley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Central Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick D. Young and Misty N. Wright. “Loan originators and other mortgage professionals are entrusted with protecting the integrity of the government-backed mortgage program,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Our office will continue to hold accountable any individual who violates that trust to line their own pockets.” “Smith abused his position of trust as a gatekeeper of FHA-insured mortgage loans and used his real estate knowledge to circumvent the rules to secure his own self-interest,” said HUD-OIG SAC Jindra. “HUD-OIG will continue to work with its prosecutorial and law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who seek to profit by abusing HUD’s mortgage insurance and housing programs.” “This guilty verdict demonstrates the VA Office of Inspector General’s commitment to protecting vulnerable veterans from fraudulent lending practices,” said VA-OIG SAC Billingsley. “The VA-OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”