title: Man sentenced for illegal firearm possession and making online threats

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition and sending threatening messages to a former girlfriend through Facebook. According to court documents, on May 28, 2019, Robert Edgar English, aka “H.B.,” “Hot Boy,” and “Head Buster,” 40, accompanied another person to a firearms retailer in Chesapeake, Virginia, and provided money for the straw purchase of a semi-automatic firearm. On June 16, 2019, during a traffic stop in Portsmouth, Virginia, law enforcement seized the firearm from the vehicle’s trunk, as well as an attached drum magazine with 26 rounds of ammunition and a 60-round capacity. In 2005, English was convicted in Kings County, New York, of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. As a previously convicted felon, English cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. On Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, 2021, English threatened his ex-girlfriend through messages from a Facebook account under the name “Howard Barnes.” Among other messages, English threatened that the victim “better be looking for the reaper” and that he would “black out your whole family.” On Nov. 13, 2023, English pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and interstate threatening communication. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi prosecuted the case. Former Assistant United States Attorney William B. Jackson also provided assistance on this case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-19.


title: Newport News man sentenced for prolific card-swiping operation

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to nine years and 11 months in prison for leading a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme that victimized thousands of people and caused at least $1.5 million in loss. According to court documents, Damier Dorsey, 29, and his co-conspirators purchased account information for identity theft victims from the darknet, including the “BriansClub” website, and re-encoded that information onto cards in their possession. They used the altered cards without authorization from the legitimate account holders, beginning in 2017 when Dorsey purchased cartons of cigarettes that he would resell to a local business. In 2018, the scheme evolved to purchasing items for resale and purchasing lottery tickets to launder proceeds through the Virginia Lottery. For example, on April 14, 2018, Dorsey and his co-conspirators purchased $2,716.06 of merchandise from Toys “R” Us and attempted to resell the merchandise on Facebook Marketplace. The same day, Dorsey used the same re-encoded card to withdraw $300 from a bank ATM. On June 27, 2018, Dorsey and his coconspirators purchased $200 of lottery tickets with a re-encoded card. Dorsey and his co-conspirators were aspiring musicians who released music under the moniker, “$wipaG@ng.” Dorsey participated in a music video in which he and his co-conspirators boasted about committing fraud and other criminal activities. On Aug. 2, 2018, Dorsey and a co-conspirator were stopped while driving by the Virginia State Police. Dorsey was in possession of a credit card embossing machine, numerous credit cards in various states of imprinting, and over $23,000. During a search of Dorsey’s home, law enforcement recovered multiple re-encoded credit cards, magnetic strip cards without labels, a magnetic strip card reader/writer, lists of numbers, lottery tickets, and W-2G tax forms for lottery winnings. The operation was so prolific that a co-conspirator approximated that she and Dorsey spent $10,000 per week on re-encoded and re-embossed credit and debit cards. On Sept. 11, 2023, Dorsey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. U.S. Attorney Aber thanks the Virginia State Police for their assistance in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-38.


title: Arkansas Man Admits Exchanging Nude Pictures with Girl

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Arkansas pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday and admitted exchanging nude pictures with a minor for five years, starting when she was 12. Joseph D. Najera, 25, of Lincoln, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one felony count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Najera and the victim met in 2017 via Kik Messenger when Najera sent her a friend request. At that time, the victim told Najera her age. During their online communications, Najera sent the victim artwork depicting nudity, pornography and graphic violence. He then had her draw artwork as well. His instructions about what to draw became increasingly complex and sexual. On numerous occasions, Najera told the victim to perform sex acts during video chats, and to create pornographic images and pictures, his plea agreement says. He sent her pornographic videos via TextNow and Facebook Messenger. Najera also had parental controls set up on the victim’s phone to monitor her online actions and told her she was not allowed to talk with boys at school. He had to approve her makeup, her clothes and whether she cut her hair. They discussed meeting in person but never did. Najera is scheduled to be sentenced June 27. Both sides are recommending 10 years in prison. The FBI, the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force, the St. Charles County Police Department and the Montgomery City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Marcus Jerell Anderson, age 35, was sentenced to four years and two months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Anderson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on December 1, 2023. On February 11, 2023, Anderson was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation. While car-side, officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was searched. Law enforcement located over 100 grams of marijuana, over 20 grams of cocaine, a working digital scale, $2,575 in cash, and a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat. The investigation confirmed that Anderson had been in possession of that firearm; however, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he is a convicted felon. In 2009, Anderson was convicted of Aggravated Assault in Davison County, South Dakota. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert 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. Anderson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.


title: South Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Covid-19 Relief Fraud, After Buying Jewelry and Luxury Cars with Loan Money

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI — On March 7, Andre Lorquet, 39, of Miami, Florida was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief loans and grants under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Relief Program (EIDL), and the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG). According to a court records, Lorquet submitted fraudulent applications, seeking more than $4.7 million in COVID-relief funds. In the COVID-relief applications, Lorquet falsified his revenue and payroll and submitted fraudulent IRS tax forms. Lorquet received approximately $4.4 million in COVID-relief funds from the fraudulent scheme. Lorquet used the fraudulently obtained proceeds to purchase, among other things, two Tesla S models, a Lamborghini Urus, a Porsche Panamera GTS, a diamond Audemars Piguet watch, a rose gold and diamond pendant with his company’s logo, a half-kilogram gold chain with 70 carats of diamonds, and a 1-kilogram gold chain. Lorquet pled guilty to money laundering. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael K. Moore. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement. HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn prosecuted it, and Assistant United States Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken handled asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov . under case no. 22-cr-20326. ###


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024. Jayden Kusiek Wolf, age 24, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Wolf will also need to register as a sex offender upon his release. Wolf was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023. The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 25, 2021, and July 7, 2021, when Wolf persuaded a minor female in Sioux Falls to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Wolf used the social media app Snapchat to induce the minor to send explicit photographs to him. “This case underscores the dangers of social media in the hands of vulnerable youth,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Here, Jayden Wolf used Snapchat to entice very young victims into sharing sexually explicit images of themselves. Their lives have been forever changed by his predatory behavior. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners at Homeland Security Investigations for uncovering Wolf’s criminal activity, and we hope this case will serve as a reminder to parents throughout South Dakota that they must be vigilant in monitoring their children’s use of social media.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case. “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul special agents work tirelessly to combat child predators like Wolf,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “We will continue to fight against the exploitation of children and support victims by providing critical resources and services. Well done to the HSI special agents in South Dakota and our law enforcement community partners for bringing Wolf to justice for his reprehensible crimes.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Wolf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rosebud Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexual Contact

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024. Christopher Wright, age 32, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Wright was indicted for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 11, 2023. Wright’s mother regularly provided childcare for her friends’ children, including the victim. Wright would be present in the Rosebud home while the children were there. When the victim was approximately 8 or 9 years old, and the defendant was in his mid-twenties, the defendant engaged in sexual contact with the victim. During an interview, the defendant admitted that he knew it was wrong and further stated that he put the victim through “traumatizing stuff.” This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case. Wright was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Corporate Insider Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Conspiring With Long Island Boiler Room to Pump and Dump Stock on Elderly Investors

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Michael Watts, a former registered broker who participated in a criminal conspiracy to promote and manipulate the price of shares in Hydrocarb Energy Corp. and other companies, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 60 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and money laundering. At an earlier proceeding, the Court ordered Watts to pay more than $560,000 in forfeiture and $4,430,354.03 in restitution. Watts was convicted by a federal jury in October 2019 following a three-week trial. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence. “Michael Watts and his co-conspirators lined their pockets with the lifetime savings of hard-working folks across the country with ruinous results,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence holds Watts accountable for the economic harm he intentionally inflicted on the victims, many of them senior citizens living on a fixed income, and should serve as a warning to others like him that there will be consequences for crimes of greed.” Mr. Peace thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, for its hard work and dedication in leading the investigation and expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group (FINRA CPAG), for their cooperation and assistance. From 2014 to 2016, Watts and others working with a Melville, New York-based boiler room artificially inflated the price and trading volume of Hydrocarb stock. They did so through an illegal cold call campaign that used lies and high-pressure sales tactics to lure victims, including the elderly and the vulnerable, into purchasing stock. Watts, who was one of the largest shareholders in Hydrocarb and therefore knew that the business was in a downward spiral, also used the boiler room to dump more than $2 million of Hydrocarb shares that he owned or controlled on unsuspecting investors in the months leading to the company’s April 2016 bankruptcy. The conspiracy’s market manipulation fraudulently inflated the stock price of Hydrocarb and four other companies by more than $147 million. All 16 defendants charged in this case have been convicted. Among those who have been sentenced, Jeffrey Chartier, Ronald Hardy and Brian Heepke each received 10 years’ imprisonment; Dennis Verderosa received six years; Lawrence Isen received five years; McArthur Jean received four years; Paul Ewer received three years; and Emin Cohen received two years. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Whitman G.S. Knapp and Kaitlin T. Farrell with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Peyton Jefferson. Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha Payne of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters in the case. The Defendant : MICHAEL WATTS Age: 68 Sugarland, Texas Docket No. 17-CR-372 (JS)


title: Justice and Interior Departments Outline Commitment, Next Steps in Effort to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human Trafficking Crisis

body_text: The Departments of Justice and the Interior today released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The response recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States. “These recommendations are an important and necessary step toward healing the trauma, pain, and loss that Tribal communities have endured for generations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Department of the Interior to put an end to the missing or murdered Indigenous persons and human trafficking crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Not Invisible Act commissioners and the survivors and family members of victims who testified before the Commission about their heartbreaking experiences. Those testimonies and the Commission’s recommendations will continue to guide our work.” “Addressing violent crimes against Indigenous peoples has long been underfunded and ignored, as a cause of intergenerational trauma that has affected our communities since colonization,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Through historic efforts like the Not Invisible Act Commission, we’re identifying recommendations created by Indian Country, for Indian Country. This will ensure that epidemics like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis and Human Trafficking are addressed with the resources they demand.” The Justice and Interior Departments’ response addresses the Commission’s areas of concern including: Law enforcement and investigative resources; Recruitment and retention of law enforcement; Data collection and reporting; Cross-jurisdictional coordination; Family and survivor resources; Improving public safety resources; and Alaska-specific issues. The Not Invisible Act Commission was created by the Not Invisible Act, the enactment of which was led by Secretary Haaland during her time in Congress. The Commission included law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing or murdered individuals, and survivors. As mandated by the Act, the Commission developed recommendations for federal government actions to take on focused topics to combat violent crime against Indigenous people and within Indian lands, and to address the epidemic of missing people, and the murder or trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, as specified under the law. Background on Efforts to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) At the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden signed Executive Order 14053 on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People directing the Departments of the Interior, Justice, and Health and Human Services to work with Tribal Nations and partners to build safe and healthy Tribal communities and to support comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention and support services. In March 2022, the President signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 into law, which built on advancements from previous reauthorizations and reinforced Tribal sovereignty by recognizing Tribes’ inherent authority to address the epidemic of violence within their lands and communities. At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country. The agreement specified that the BIA Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) and the FBI would cooperate on investigations and share information and investigative reports as well as establish written guidelines outlining jurisdiction and investigative roles and responsibilities. The agreement also requires that all BIA, FBI, and Tribal law enforcement officers receive training regarding trauma-informed, culturally responsive investigative approaches. In addition, at the Tribal Nations Summit, the Attorney General announced the selection of the Justice Department’s first Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who works to ensure that victims of crimes have a voice in every step of the criminal justice process where the federal government has jurisdiction. Attorney General Garland traveled to Alaska last August, meeting with Tribal leaders and representatives of Native Tribal organizations to discuss public safety challenges and partnerships with Tribal communities to combat the MMIP crisis. Since the establishment of the NIAC in 2020, the Justice Department has made strides in implementing systems aimed at preventing new instances of MMIP, locating individuals who are reported missing, and, where a crime has occurred, investigating and prosecuting those responsible. In June 2023, the Justice Department launched the MMIP Regional Outreach Program . This program places regional attorneys and coordinators at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people, and it will work closely with the Native American Outreach Services Liaison to improve the Justice Department’s response to the MMIP crisis. The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime expanded the scope of allowable activities under its Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside grant program to permit Tribal communities to pay for costs related to generating awareness of individual missing persons cases involving American Indians and Alaska Native persons, supporting search efforts and coordination of Tribal, state, and federal responses to MMIP cases.


title: Carleena Graham Sentenced For Defrauding Federal Program Funding Recipient

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Carleena Graham, 57, of Accokeek, Maryland, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to four years of probation following her guilty plea to a charge of wire fraud. As a condition of probation, Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford ordered that Graham make a final restitution payment of $209,000 within 60 days. Graham had previously paid $210,000 in restitution. On May 31, 2023, the United States filed a one count information charging Graham with wire fraud. The defendant pleaded guilty to that charge last summer. According to the information, the victim, World Learning, is a non-profit global development and exchange organization that delivers educational and professional training programs, and people-to-people exchange opportunities around the world. World Learning had headquarters in Brattleboro, Vermont and Washington, D.C. World Learning received millions of dollars in federal funding from the United States Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development. In 2014, World Learning hired Graham as the Director of Human Resources. She was subsequently promoted to Divisional Vice President of Human Resources and then to Vice President of Human Resources. Graham worked in World Learning’s Washington office. By reason of her positions of trust, Graham had access to a World Learning credit card that was to be used for human resources purposes. At the time she was employed by World Learning, Graham also held positions at or had relationships with other non-profit and charitable organizations in the Washington, D.C. area (together the “third-party organizations”). Beginning in approximately 2016 and continuing until the middle of 2022, Graham orchestrated a scheme to defraud World Learning of hundreds of thousands of dollars. As part of the scheme, Graham arranged for goods and services to be delivered to the third-party organizations, and then fraudulently arranged for World Learning to pay for these goods and services via electronic transfers of funds from its Vermont bank account. Graham falsified invoices submitted by vendors for payment of the goods and services to make them appear as though World Learning was the recipient of the goods and services. Graham often misused her access to World Learning’s credit cards to cause World Learning to pay the expenses incurred by the third-party organizations. World Learning suffered a loss of $419,000 because of this fraud. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commends the excellent work of the Offices of Inspector General of both the U.S. State Department and the Agency for International Development, who partnered to investigate this case. These Offices are committed to protecting the people, programs and financial resources of the State Department and the Agency for International Development. “This result demonstrates the significant consequences for individuals who defraud organizations responsible for implementing critical U.S. foreign assistance programs,” said USAID OIG Special Agent in Charge Jason Donnelly and Chris Hileman, Special Agent in Charge of the State Department’s OIG. “Our agencies, through their global investigative activities, will continue to work with the Department of Justice and other law enforcement counterparts to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable those whose schemes compromise the work of the State Department and USAID around the world.” Graham is represented by Walter Reynoso, Esq. of Coral Gables, Florida and Christina Nolan, Esq. of Burlington, Vermont. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.


title: Local drug trafficker gets life in prison for his role in murder-for-hire plot

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 50-year-old man has been sentenced for perpetrating multiple violent crimes related to a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal jury deliberated for six hours before returning the guilty verdicts Oct. 31, 2023, on all counts against Ronald Brown aka Nuk, Nook or Nookie following a six-day trial. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, intentional killing related to drug trafficking, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a murder, kidnapping and using a firearm in relation to the kidnapping as well as conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Brown to serve life in federal prison. At the trial, the court heard argument regarding Brown’s repeated attempts to intimidate, influence and kill witnesses in his trial. In handing down the life sentence, the court recommended that Brown be confined in a communications management unit to ensure heightened monitoring of Brown’s external and internal communications. In December 2013, law enforcement seized 21 kilograms of cocaine from one of Brown’s associates who had placed the bag in a vehicle at a Valero gas station. Brown was upset by the loss and sidelined him from the drug operation at that time. During trial, the jury heard from several witnesses who testified about working directly for Brown. He was responsible for moving as much as 100 to 200 kilograms of cocaine each week from Houston to Atlanta, Georgia, on 18-wheeler trucks and car haulers. Once in Atlanta, his associates would divide the shipments before delivering it to Brown’s customers. The jury also heard testimony from one of Brown’s drivers who was robbed of approximately 56 kilograms of cocaine April 18, 2014. Brown suspected the same individual who lost the drugs at the Valero and another drug associate conspired to steal the cocaine from him. On April 23, 2014, Brown and others kidnapped the associate, zip-tied his arms and legs and put him in the trunk of Brown’s girlfriend’s vehicle. A good Samaritan picked up the victim and attempted to drive him to safety after the victim managed to free himself from the trunk. However, Brown pursued and shot at them repeatedly, ultimately striking the good Samaritan in the upper body and the associate in the head. Both survived. One of the kidnappers told the jury he met Brown following the kidnapping who directed him to dump the vehicle and gun used during the shooting. Brown also directed his girlfriend to report the vehicle as stolen. Following the failed attempt to kill this person, Brown began searching for the other man from the Valero incident whom he also thought was part of the alleged theft on April 18, 2023, in order reclaim his drugs. He ultimately decided he wanted to kill him. Testimony revealed Brown was able to obtain the date of the man’s next parole visit. Through a middleman, Brown then hired a shooter and provided him with a handgun. Following that parole visit on July 1, 2014, the victim returned to his vehicle in the parking lot. The shooter then fired multiple shots at close range at the victim as he sat in the driver’s seat. He died at the scene. Afterwards, Brown met the shooter and middleman in the parking lot of a grocery store and paid them $20,000. At the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that other members of Brown’s drug trafficking organization orchestrated the kidnapping and murder. They did not believe those claims and found Brown guilty as charged. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division, Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Parole Division, U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Britni Cooper prosecuted the case.


title: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt: Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 7 was: Dai Shawn Whitford, 33, of Box Elder, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Whitford faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release. Whitford was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-01. Appearing on March 6 was: Joseph Abe Racine, Jr., 53, of Browning, on assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to an intimate partner and assault with a dangerous weapon. If convicted of the most serious crime, Racine faces a maximum of 10 years prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Racine was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-09. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: South Bay Man Charged in Federal Grand Jury Indictment with Sex Trafficking and Allegedly Raping Victim in Angeles National Forest

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A South Bay man is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon on a five-count federal grand jury indictment that alleges he kidnapped a woman, forced her to work for him as a prostitute in Orange County, and then raped her in the Angeles National Forest. Leslie Anthony Bailey, 32, who lives on a boat docked in Wilmington, was arrested Thursday by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations and members of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. Bailey is expected to be arraigned today in United States District Court in Santa Ana. The indictment returned Wednesday and unsealed Thursday afternoon charges Bailey with sex trafficking, kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of using a cellphone to facilitate his business involving prostitution, pimping and pandering. The victim identified as “J.H.” was kidnapped on February 5, 2022, held for several days, and was subjected to force, threats of force and coercion that caused her to engage in at least one commercial sex act, according to the indictment. That kidnapping continued until February 8, 2022, when Bailey drove the victim into the Angeles National Forest, where he raped her “by using force against victim J.H. and by threatening victim J.H. and placing victim J.H. in fear that victim J.H. would be subject to death, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping,” the indictment states. “Sex traffickers prey upon vulnerable people, turning their misery into profits,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “This defendant is charged with using threats, coercion and physical violence to control his victim. We are committed to fighting human trafficking and bringing perpetrators to justice.” “HSI Los Angeles and our partners at the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are committed to ensuring that violent sexual criminals and their heinous conduct have no place in our community,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “My office will hold these predators accountable and will provide victims with a pathway towards restorative justice.” Bailey allegedly used a “facility of interstate commerce” – a cellphone – as part of a business enterprise in which he “caused victim J.H. to engage in prostitution and supervised, directed, and collected the proceeds of victim J.H.’s prostitution.” The fifth count in the indictment alleges that between March 7 and April 25, 2023, Bailey used the internet and a cellphone to further the prostitution, pimping and pandering of a second victim. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. The sex trafficking offense in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life imprisonment. Both the kidnapping and the aggravated sexual abuse charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of life. The two counts alleging the use of a facility in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activity each carry up to five years in federal prison. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. The Task Force includes HSI, the Anaheim Police Department, the Irvine Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin N. Spencer of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Cape Girardeau Man Sentenced to 14+ Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a Cape Girardeau, Missouri man to 175 months in prison for selling fentanyl. Jimmy L. Hudson Jr., 47, pleaded guilty last year to distribution of fentanyl. He admitted selling fentanyl in April of 2023 to an informant working for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) . This latest case represents Hudson’s third federal drug-trafficking conviction, according to court documents. At the time he sold the fentanyl, Hudson was on federal supervised release stemming from a 2015 conviction for distributing methamphetamine. After serving the nearly 15-year sentence, Hudson will once again be placed on supervised release. The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.


title: Justice Department Information on Efforts to Protect the Right to Vote, Prosecute Election Crimes, and Secure Elections

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Justice Department Press Release issued January 9, 2024: In advance of this year’s federal election cycle, and consistent with longstanding Justice Department practices and procedures, the department today is providing information about its efforts, through the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, National Security Division (NSD), and U.S. Attorneys’ offices throughout the country, to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation, or criminal activity in the election process, and to ensure that our elections are secure and free from foreign malign influence and interference. Civil Rights Division The department’s Civil Rights Division is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, and with the criminal provisions of federal statutes prohibiting discriminatory interference with that right. This work is often performed in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ offices. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of a wide range of federal statutes that protect the right to vote including: the Voting Rights Act; the National Voter Registration Act; the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act; the Help America Vote Act; and the Civil Rights Acts. Among other things, collectively, these laws: prohibit election practices that have either a discriminatory purpose or a discriminatory result on account of race, color, or language minority status; prohibit intimidation of voters; allow voters who need assistance in voting because of disability or inability to read or write to receive assistance from a person of their choice (other than agents of their employer or union); require minority language election materials and assistance in certain jurisdictions; require accessible voting systems for voters with disabilities; require that provisional ballots be offered to voters who assert they are registered and eligible to vote in the jurisdiction, but whose names do not appear on poll books; require states to provide for absentee voting for uniformed service members serving away from home, their family members also away from home due to that service, and U.S. citizens living abroad; and require covered states to offer the opportunity to register to vote through offices that provide driver licenses, public assistance, and disability services, as well as through the mail, and to take steps regarding maintaining voter registration lists. The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination in voting based on disability. The ADA applies to all aspects of voting, including voter registration, selection and accessibility of voting facilities, and the casting of ballots on Election Day or during early voting, whether in-person or absentee. The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter interference based on race, color, national origin, or religion. Throughout the election cycle, Civil Rights Division attorneys in the Voting, Disability Rights, and Criminal Sections in Washington, D.C., will be ready to receive complaints of potential violations of any of the statutes the Civil Rights Division enforces. The Civil Rights Division will work closely with counterparts at U.S. Attorneys’ offices and other department components to review and take appropriate action concerning these complaints. Individuals with complaints related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can call the Justice Department’s toll-free telephone line at 800-253-3931, and can also submit complaints through a link on the department’s website at www.civilrights.justice.gov/ . Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY), or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at ada.gov. Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911. They should also be reported to the department after local authorities are contacted. Criminal Division and the Department’s 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices The department’s Criminal Division oversees the enforcement of federal laws that criminalize certain forms of election fraud and vindicate the integrity of the federal election process. The Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and U.S. Attorneys’ offices are responsible for enforcing the federal criminal laws that prohibit various forms of election crimes, such as destruction of ballots, vote-buying, multiple voting, submission of fraudulent ballots or registrations, alteration of votes, and malfeasance by postal or election officials and employees. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorneys’ offices are also responsible for enforcing federal criminal law prohibiting unlawful threats of violence against election workers, and prohibiting voter intimidation and voter suppression for reasons other than race, color, national origin, or religion (as noted above, voter intimidation and voter suppression that has a basis in race, color, national origin, or religion is addressed by the Civil Rights Division often in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices). U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country designate Assistant U.S. Attorneys who serve as District Election Officers (DEOs) in their respective districts. DEOs are responsible for overseeing potential election-crime matters in their districts, and for coordinating with the department’s election-crime experts in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Attorneys’ offices work with specially trained FBI personnel in each district to ensure that complaints from the public involving possible election crimes are handled appropriately. Specifically: In consultation with federal prosecutors at the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., the DEOs in U.S. Attorneys’ offices, FBI officials at headquarters in Washington, D.C., and FBI special agents serving as Election Crime Coordinators in the FBI’s 56 field offices will be on duty while polls are open to receive complaints from the public. Election-crime complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorneys’ office or the local FBI field office. A list of U.S. Attorneys’ offices and their telephone numbers can be found at www.justice.gov/usao/districts/ . A list of FBI field offices and accompanying telephone numbers can be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us . Public Integrity Section prosecutors are available to consult and coordinate with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the FBI regarding the handling of election-crime allegations. All complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should be reported first to local police authorities by calling 911. After alerting local law enforcement to such emergencies by calling 911, the public should contact the Justice Department. National Security Division The department’s NSD supervises the investigation and prosecution of cases affecting or relating to national security, including any cases involving foreign malign influence and interference in elections or violent extremist threats to elections. In this context: NSD oversees matters involving a range of malign influence activities that foreign governments may attempt. NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section oversees matters involving covert information operations (e.g., to promulgate disinformation through social media); covert efforts to support or denigrate political candidates or organizations; and other covert influence operations that might violate various criminal statutes. NSD’s National Security Cyber Section oversees such matters when they are cyber-enabled (i.e., when online platforms, such as social media and other online services, are central to the commission of the offense), as well as those involving computer hacking of election or campaign infrastructure. NSD’s Counterterrorism Section oversees matters involving international and domestic terrorism and supports law enforcement in preventing any acts of terrorism that impact Americans, including any violent extremism that might threaten election security. As in past elections, the National Security Division will work closely with counterparts at the FBI and our U.S. Attorneys’ offices to protect our nation’s elections from any national security threats. Attorneys from National Security Division sections will be partnered with FBI Headquarters components to provide support to U.S. Attorneys’ offices and FBI field offices to counter any such threats. The Department of Homeland Security also plays its own important role in safeguarding critical election infrastructure from cyber and other threats. Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local authorities by calling 911 and, after local authorities are contacted, then should be reported also to the department. Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. The department encourages anyone with information regarding concerns in these subject areas to contact the appropriate authorities. For more information about the department’s work to ensure compliance with federal civil and criminal laws related to voting, please visit Voting | Department of Justice and Election Crimes Branch | Department of Justice .


title: Gun Supplier to Warring Gangs in Columbus Pleads Guilty to Theft of Firearms

body_text: A gun supplier who was stealing firearms from area pawn shops to sell to warring criminal street gangs in the Columbus community entered a guilty plea for his crimes in federal court last week, along with two co-defendants. Joshua Holland aka “Lou,” 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count; co-defendants James David Lowery, 28, of Columbus, and Jerry Starks aka “John Hill,” 31, of Columbus, both pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and face a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The pleas were entered on Tuesday, Feb. 27. U.S. District Judge Clay Land is presiding over the cases. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. The defendants are not eligible for parole. “Our office has zero tolerance for individuals caught supplying violent criminal organizations with firearms and will pursue federal charges for gun traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “As exhibited in this Project Safe Neighborhoods’ case, making our streets safer and holding individuals accountable for their crimes requires the partnership of law enforcement and community stakeholders at every level.” “The unlawful acquisition and selling of firearms are serious crimes that feed and intensify the violence that plagues so many communities," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. "This investigation illustrates the collective resolve of ATF and our law enforcement partners working together to make a safer community.” According to court documents, Holland admitted to stealing firearms from area businesses in 2022 to sell to warring criminal street gangs in Columbus, including the Zohannon and the Marlo organizations. On Aug. 9, 2022, at approximately 1:35 a.m., Holland and his co-conspirators burglarized the Northside Money Mizer Pawn Shop on Manchester Expressway in Columbus. One of the burglars crashed a stolen car through the front door of the store. Holland entered the business and stole five firearms, while other co-conspirators assisted by carrying the stolen guns or acting as lookouts. Holland and the others ran away; some of the burglars were picked up by another car and driven away. On Sept. 7, 2022, around 1:46 a.m., Holland and his co-conspirators forced entry into A Better Pawn on 2 nd Ave in Columbus and stole 19 firearms. On Sept. 16, 2022, the Money Mizer Pawn shop in Phenix City, Alabama, was burglarized by Holland and five others, who forced entry into the store and stole eight firearms. Holland and two others were captured and taken into custody by Phenix City Police Department officers. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results. This case was investigated by Columbus Police Department, Phenix City Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Gang Member Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison on Racketeering Charge and Related Crimes

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for his role a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Amir Edmonds, aka “G Baby,” 22, of Newark, pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding indictment that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Edmonds was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. Edmonds previously admitted to working with at least one other member of the enterprise to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 7, 2020, Edmonds possessed with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug offense. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Edmonds to four years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller; investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé; the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves; the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, with the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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 is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division.


title: Mail thief who stole postal vehicles and mailbox keys sentenced to 3+ years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A man who committed a series of mail vehicle and mail key thefts was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 41 months in prison for theft of government property, mail theft, illegal transactions on access devices, and illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Johny Mixayboua, 27, committed a string of mail theft incidents involving stolen postal vehicles, stolen postal keys, mail theft and associated crimes. The postal service had to halt deliveries in the zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court by Judge Richard A. Jones said, “You had opportunities to look at your past and look at your future. You have failed to take advantage of the opportunities provided along the way to change your future…As you grow and mature, you will see all the years wasted engaged in criminal activity.” “Mr. Mixayboua’s thefts caused widespread hardship – especially for the elderly and disabled who were suddenly forced to line up at the post office to get their mail,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The theft of checks and credit cards caused harm to those hit with fraudulent charges. But even those who did not suffer theft were impacted. Individuals who relied on the mail for medication, medical supplies, food, and financial documents, were asked to physically come into the post office to pick up their mail because they had to shut down service due to the defendant’s actions.” “Mail theft and identity theft remains a plague in our communities. Mixayboua’s thefts victimized numerous U.S. Postal Service customers throughout the Seattle area, but through our partnerships with local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we were able to shut down this prolific mail thief,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti, “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure the U.S. mail remains safe and secure for all members of our community.” According to records in the case, on December 28, 2022, a U.S. Postal Service vehicle was stolen from the 6300 block of South Bangor Street in Seattle. In the vehicle was a postal key that is used to access the cluster mailbox units in the 98178 zip code. The key allows the postal worker to open the back of the cluster box to deliver mail to multiple households. Since the theft of the vehicle and postal key, there had been numerous reports of cluster boxes in zip code 98178 being opened and mail stolen. Working with neighbors, the Postal Inspection Service was able to get door camera footage showing the person accessing the postal boxes. Neighbors reported credit cards being stolen and attempts being made to use them. Inspectors were able to review images from when the credit card attempts occurred and ultimately identified Mixayboua as the person stealing the mail and attempting to use the stolen credit cards. Additionally, local law enforcement determined that vehicles used in a number of the mail theft incidents were reported stolen. On January 17, 2023, two more Postal Service vehicles were stolen. One in the 3000 block of Beach Drive SW and a second one in the 3600 block of 57 th SW. Both are in zip code 98116. Using doorbell camera footage from the block where one of the vehicles was recovered, investigators saw Mixayboua removing mail and parcels from the stolen postal vehicle and putting them in another vehicle. Again, law enforcement traced credit cards stolen from the mail and obtained surveillance footage that appears to show Mixayboua attempting to make purchases with the credit cards. On January 30, 2023, a fourth postal vehicle was stolen – this time from the 2000 block of S. Columbian Way in Seattle. On March 28, 2023, a fifth postal vehicle was stolen from the 5700 block of S. 129 th Ave. One of the people associated with the theft matched the description of Mixayboua. In late January and February, the mail theft incidents continued -- this time in the Snoqualmie, Washington area. The cluster boxes were opened with either a counterfeit or authentic postal key. Again, credit cards were stolen, and one was linked to images of Mixayboua making purchases at Target. Throughout April, mail thefts continued from as far north as Lake Forest Park and as far south as southeast Seattle. The postal service halted deliveries in zip code 98118 for about a week while investigators worked to track down and arrest Mixayboua. Mixaboua apparently was living in a vehicle near a relative’s home. He was arrested after running from officers. Law enforcement found a Polymer unregistered firearm – known as a ‘ghost gun’ - that Mixayboua threw into the bushes while attempting to run away. Mixayboua is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple felony convictions in King County for auto theft, possession of stolen property, and bail jumping. In asking for a 41-month prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught wrote to the court, “Beginning in December of 2022 up to his arrest in May of 2023, the defendant, Johny Mixayboua’s full-time job was to use stolen postal keys to steal mail from the residents of King County, leaving a trail of financial and sentimental loss along the way. As the thefts increased, the United States Postal Service made the difficult decision to shut down mail service to an entire zip code, requiring residents, including the elderly and disabled, to physically come into the office to pick up their mail.” This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught.


title: Billings felon sentenced to more than five years in prison for bank fraud, aggravated ID theft, illegal possession of firearm

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man with seven prior felony convictions was sentenced on March 7 to five years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for using a stolen bank card to make unauthorized purchases and for illegally possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. James Kendall Wiles, 42, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court also ordered Wiles to pay $4,439 restitution. In court documents, the government alleged that in September 2022, a victim, identified as Jane Doe 2, notified the Billings Police Department that her bank card had been stolen from her vehicle and successfully used by someone to make purchases around Billings. An investigation found that Wiles used the stolen bank card at Walmart to purchase a pre-paid gift card for $504. Later, in December 2022, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper observed Wiles stealing property from a vehicle in Billings. The trooper attempted a traffic stop of Wiles’ vehicle but stopped his pursuit because of safety concerns. Police officers found Wiles a short time later outside of a friend’s apartment and learned that Wiles had asked to store a few things in the residence because he was being chased. Officers located two semi-automatic pistols and various rounds of ammunition. One of these pistols was reported stolen from the vehicle the trooper had seen Wiles breaking into. Wiles had seven prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: In separate cases, two defendants plead guilty to assaults on aircraft

body_text: Seattle – Two defendants entered guilty pleas this week, to abusive sexual contact and to simple assault of a person under 16, connected to their conduct on aircraft flying into Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing in June 2024. Today, Jack Roberson, 69, entered a plea of guilty to simple assault for his contact with a 15-year-old seated next to him on a July 2023 flight from Atlanta to Seattle. According to records in the case, Roberson placed his hand on the 15-year-old victim’s thigh and slowly moved it up her thigh and under her skirt to her inner thigh. The victim reported to her guardian immediately and the defendant was taken into custody when the flight landed. Roberson faces up to a year in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lauren King on June 5, 2024. On Tuesday March 5, 2024, Duane Brick, 53, entered a guilty plea to abusive sexual contact. Brick admitted that on March 20, 2023, on a flight from Phoenix to Seattle, he took the hand of the woman seated next to him and placed it on his crotch. The woman appeared to be asleep, and Brick reached under the woman’s shirt and touched her breast. He admits he did it for his sexual gratification. Sentencing is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on June 10, 2024. Brick faces up to two years in prison. Finally, this week a 38-yar-old Indian citizen was arraigned on a charge of abusive sexual contact for an assault on a teen sitting near him on an Emirates flight to Seattle. Abhinav Kumar was arrested when the flight arrived on Sunday February 18, 2024. Today he pleaded “not guilty,” and trial before U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead is scheduled for May 6, 2024. “The Western District of Washington continues to see an alarming increase in sexual abuse cases aboard aircraft,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Last August we emphasized that we have zero tolerance for such assaults. Sadly, we continue to learn of new allegations and are investigating and charging those cases.” The Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuting these cases are Sanaa Nagi, Jocelyn Cooney, Amanda McDowell, and Jin Kim. These cases were investigated by the FBI, Port of Seattle Police, and U.S. Air Marshals.


title: Owner of Telemedicine Companies Pleads Guilty to Role in $136M Medicare Fraud Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The owner of two purported telemedicine companies pleaded guilty today to her role in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare of $136 million. According to court documents, Jean Wilson, 52, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, was a licensed nurse practitioner in New Jersey. Wilson owned two purported telemedicine companies, Advantage Choice Care LLC (ACC) and Tele Medcare LLC (Tele Medcare), and two orthotic brace suppliers, Southeastern DME and Choice Care Medical. Wilson, through these companies, recruited medical professionals who were bribed to sign prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries for orthotic braces and prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement, or not provided as represented. In certain instances, Wilson only paid providers when they signed orthotic brace orders. The medical professionals Wilson recruited would often sign the orthotic brace orders based solely on a brief telephonic interaction with the beneficiary, or no interaction at all. Wilson and the medical providers she retained frequently signed false and misleading documentation to support claims to Medicare. During the conspiracy, Wilson and others submitted, or caused the submission of, false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicare sponsors, and Medicare Part D plans in excess of approximately $136 million for orthotic braces and prescription drugs that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement, or not provided as represented. Medicare, Medicare sponsors, and Medicare Part D plans paid at least $66 million for these claims. Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. As part of her plea, she has agreed to pay over $66 million in restitution to Medicare and the IRS. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy of the FBI Newark Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office made the announcement. The HHS-OIG, FBI, and IRS-CI are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Two Convicted of Drug and Firearm Charges After Mailing Fentanyl From Arizona to Iowa

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who drove to Arizona several times to mail fentanyl pills to his co-conspirator in Sioux City, was convicted by a jury on March 1, 2024, after a 5-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. Aki Awou, age 33, from Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The verdict was returned following about 4 hours of jury deliberations. On February 21, 2024, just prior to heading to trial, Awou’s co-conspirator, co-defendant, and brother, Karom Bol, age 20, of Sioux City, entered a guilty plea to five counts: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of firearms by a drug user, and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Evidence in the case revealed that between January 2022 and May 2022, Awou traveled to the Phoenix, Arizona area, where he would mail packages containing thousands of fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone to Bol’s address’ in Sioux City, Iowa. The Omaha Police Department’s Gang Intelligence Unit utilized a GPS tracker on Awou’s vehicle to pinpoint Awou’s travels and possible package locations, including at addresses in Sioux City and Post Offices in Arizona. Postal Inspectors were able to intercept a package, and conduct a controlled delivery at one of the Sioux City addresses. Afterwards, Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant. During the search warrant, Bol was observed throwing firearms out a second story bedroom window. During the search, agents identified a second location tied to Bol and Awou, and obtained a second search warrant for that residence. Smaller quantities of additional illegal pills were found, as well as documents identifying Bol and Awou as the occupants of both Sioux City residences. The day after the search warrants were executed, Postal Inspectors received notice of another package being sent from Arizona to the address in Sioux City. The Postal Inspector was able to intercept that package as well before delivery, revealing that package also contained thousands of fentanyl pills. Laboratory results subsequently revealed that Awou’s fingerprints were on three packages used as evidence in the case and Bol’s palm print was located on the package used during the controlled delivery. Evidence also established Bol and Awou are known Trip Set gang members aka South Sudanese Soldier gang members. United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Timothy T. Duax stated: “This was a great example of local law enforcement from Iowa and Nebraska working with federal law enforcement to stop fentanyl dealers in their tracks, and prevent thousands of fentanyl pills from hitting the streets.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Awou and Bol both remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Awou and Bol face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release following any imprisonment. Bol must also serve a mandatory minimum and consecutive 5 years’ imprisonment for his possession of firearms during and in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. This case was investigated by the Omaha, Nebraska Police Department, Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, United States Postal Inspector, DEA Tri-State Drug Task Force, Lancaster County, Nebraska Sheriff’s Department, and the ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons, Shawn Wehde, and Patrick Greenwood. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4051. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Woman Who Produced and Distributed Child Pornography Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: A woman who created child pornography videos and distributed them online was sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison. Abigail Elizabeth Lambert, age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 12, 2023 guilty plea to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of children. At the guilty plea, Lambert admitted that she used, persuaded, induced, or enticed at least one minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing one or more visual depictions of the conduct. She also admitted that she knowingly distributed visual depictions of child pornography over the internet. Court documents reflect that, in June 2023, Lambert exchanged messages with an undercover officer over a fetish website. Lambert told the officer that she had committed sexual acts with two minors and that she had videos of the sexual acts. On June 29, 2023, Lambert sent the undercover officer some of the videos she had previously described. Lambert was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Lambert was sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Lambert is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. 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.” Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23‑CR‑00049‑CJW‑MAR. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Albany Man Indicted for Fentanyl Sales

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jahvan Martin, age 28, of Albany, was arrested and arraigned yesterday on two counts of distribution of fentanyl. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. Martin is charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl in June-July 2023. Both sales involved more than 40 grams of the controlled substance. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Martin faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, and at least 4 years of supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment. 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. Martin was arraigned yesterday in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and detained pending a hearing on March 11. The DEA and the Watervliet Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian is prosecuting the case.


title: Leader of the Rodriguez Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug Conspiracy and Money Laundering

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Ivan Rodriguez, Senior, age 48, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 121 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office. After a lengthy investigation, Rodriguez, Sr. was identified as the head of a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl in and around Oneida County from May 2020 to October 2021. On September 20, 2021, the defendant and his son, Ivan Rodriguez, Jr. arranged for co-conspirator Eric Ares to drive to a source of supply in New York City to pick up fentanyl for redistribution in the Utica area. Law enforcement officers interdicted the vehicle en route back to Utica and recovered three kilograms of fentanyl from a speaker inside of Ares’ rental car. During the conspiracy, Rodriguez, Sr. also provided cash obtained from drug trafficking to a straw purchaser to buy cars, including a BMW. Ivan Rodriguez, Jr. will be sentenced on May 2, 2024. Eric Ares will be sentenced April 11, 2024. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Village Police Department, and the Whitesboro Village Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson. This case 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: Utica Man Sentenced for Possession of Cocaine for Distribution and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Edgar Tejada, age 36, of Utica, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 12 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Those sentences were ordered to run consecutively, for a total of 72 months (6 years) imprisonment. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office. As part of his guilty plea, Tejada admitted to possessing over 500 grams of cocaine for distribution at his residence in Utica, as well as possessing a loaded silver Ruger handgun to protect himself and the drugs he kept at that location. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Village Police Department, and the Whitesboro Village Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson. This case 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: Romanian citizen pleads guilty to people smuggling scheme across northern border

body_text: Seattle – A 27– year-old citizen of Romania pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to transport those not legally in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Daniel Andronache was arrested near Blaine, Washington on November 9, 2023, after he and a coconspirator picked up 12 people who had illegally crossed into the U.S. From Canada. Andronache is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Lauren King on June 12, 2024. “We are seeing a huge increase in human smuggling attempts across our northern border,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “As in this case, the conduct is unsafe, putting the lives of many at risk. The Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigation is working diligently to stop these smuggling schemes and interdict those being transported in a way that keeps everybody safe from harm.” According to the plea agreement, Andronache flew from Omaha, Nebraska to Seattle on November 7, 2023, and obtained a white Ford Expedition in Tacoma. Andronache and a coconspirator used the car to drive to Blaine, Washington. The men parked on a road near the international border. Twelve Romanian citizens emerged from brush near the border and got into the car. The car only had seats for eight people, and there were 14 in the vehicle. When Border patrol stopped the car, they found two children unrestrained in the trunk of the car, and another was unrestrained on the center console of the vehicle. The youngest child in the car was under the age of three. In his plea agreement Andronache admits he knowingly entered the conspiracy to transport the non-citizens so they could stay illegally in the U.S. Those who entered the U.S. illegally were referred to immigration authorities for processing. Conspiracy to transport non-citizens is punishable by up to ten years in prison. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell.


title: Leader of Tri-cities Drug Trafficking Organization  Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Etzael Bejar-Cardenas, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 180 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to information presented during court proceedings, multiple members Bejar-Cardenas’ family have been involved in drug trafficking in the Tri-Cities and Seattle area for an extended period of time. This group was responsible for trafficking hundreds of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills into those communities. In March 2022, search warrants were executed in the Tri-Cities area at several locations related to the investigation. A substantial amount (over 1 kilogram) of fentanyl pills, as well as multiple firearms were located in a “stash house” run by this family in Pasco, Washington. When police knocked and announced their presence at the home where Bejar-Cardenas was staying at the time, a 15-year-old flushed an unknown quantity of fentanyl pills down the toilet. During a search of that the mother’s bedroom, multiple firearms were located in a safe with $30,000 in U.S. Currency, and an AR-15 style rifle was located under the teenager’s bunk bed. There also were a small amount of loose fentanyl pills located on the floor of the residence, where an infant resided along with other members of Bejar-Cardenas’s family. Of note, Bejar-Cardenas was not located during the execution of the March 2022 search warrants. Instead, agents later learned Bejar-Cardenas had seen the search warrants being executed on a security camera and fled to Mexico. While in Mexico, Bejar-Cardenas continued his drug trafficking activities. He continued to take orders from customers in Eastern Washington and directed others in the United States to deliver the drugs. Unbeknownst to Bejar-Cardenas, he began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer, and solicited that individual to help him set up a new ‘stash house’ to store 50,000 fentanyl pills after law enforcement raided the previous one. When Bejar-Cardenas later returned to the United States, he was arrested. While detained in custody awaiting the disposition of his case, he offered others housed with him the number for his “uncle,” who was the head of the drug trafficking organization, so those individuals would have a source of supply of drugs to sell when they got out of jail. In fashioning the appropriate sentence, Judge Dimke noted the nature and circumstances of this offense were extremely serious, as Bejar-Cardenas and his family trafficked a substantial amount of fentanyl and were in possession of a substantial number of firearms. Judge Dimke ruled that Bejar-Cardenas’ pattern of behavior showed he was not deterred, despite law enforcement interventions, which gave him an opportunity to change course. Judge Dimke addressed the nature of the offense – noting that it was clear Bejar-Cardenas family was involved in this organization. Based on the totality of the circumstances, Judge Dimke advised she was “thoroughly convinced” a substantial sentence was needed to convince him to stop and hopefully to serve as an example to younger family members to not follow in Bejar-Cardenas’ footsteps. “Mr. Bejar-Cardenas was a key member of a large drug trafficking organization and directed distribution of a large number of deadly drugs across Eastern Washington,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Mr. Bejar-Cardenas exposed minor children and even an infant to deadly fentanyl and to his drug trafficking activities. After he was taken into custody, Mr. Bejar Cardenas brazenly attempted to distribute illegal narcotics. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. The Eastern District of Washington is safer and stronger today as a result of the tireless work of our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors.” “The fentanyl crisis is the most dangerous drug threat I have seen in my 26 years of Federal drug enforcement,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Fentanyl traffickers like Mr. Bejar-Cardenas act with total disregard for the lives lost or ruined for their profit, but this sentence shows the resolve of the DEA and our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to confront this threat and safeguard our community.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.


title: Former Treasurer of Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Foundation

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield woman, LeAnn Shirley, 57, of the 40 block of Pinto Drive, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2024, to wire fraud relating to funds belonging to the Illinois State Police Heritage Fund. Sentencing for Shirley has been scheduled for July 17, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois. In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen McNaught, Shirley admitted that, in 2019 when she was the Foundation’s treasurer, she devised a scheme to defraud the Foundation by causing approximately $79,000 to be wired from a Foundation bank account in Illinois to an account in Vermont. After the money was transferred to the bank in Vermont, all but approximately $5,000 of it was then transferred into a cryptocurrency account by a third-party. To facilitate the initial transfer, Shirley falsely claimed to bank employees that the payment was being used to ship items for the Foundation and that the Foundation would be reimbursed in the next couple of weeks. The Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation is a charity under Internal Revenue Service Section 501(c)(3) committed to preserving the history of the Illinois State Police. The statutory penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.


title: Richland Drug Trafficker Who Transported Drugs in Sophisticated “Trap Car”  Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

body_text: Richland, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Angela Madrigal Chavez, was sentenced on February 22, 2024, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 120 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a substantial drug trafficking organization with ties around the United States. As part of the investigation, and in February of 2022, The DEA used a confidential informant to contact a member of the organization, Ruben Galvan-Trujillo , and arrange for the purchase and delivery of 20 pounds of methamphetamine to Pasco, Washington. Per Galvan Trujillo, this was a test run for establishing a drug distribution line to this Eastern Washington, wherein Galvan-Trujillo’s Drug Trafficking Organization would begin to send regular drug shipments in excess of 50 pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and other product. Chavez worked as a transporter and drug distributor supplied by this Drug Trafficking Organization. Chavez and another member of this organization transported the 20 pounds from California to Pasco, WA. The drugs were hidden in a sophisticated trap car. Chavez even had to use tools to open the trap, which contained 20 individual packages, each containing approximately one-pound quantities of crystal methamphetamine. After the arrest of Galvan Trujillo, Chavez was again located in Eastern Washington with that same trap car, which again contained large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and deadly fentanyl laced pills. “Ms. Chavez was engaged in transporting a large quantity of drugs, hidden in a vehicle designed to avoid detection from law enforcement. Even after his co-conspirator was apprehended, Mr. Chavez was undeterred and again used the same method to transport illegal drugs. I grateful for the superb investigative work by our law enforcement partners to stop Ms. Chavez from transporting and distributing illegal narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “As this case demonstrates, The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to removing illegal drugs from Eastern Washington communities. Even those who use sophisticated methods to transport large quantities of illegal drugs will be caught and prosecuted.” “The DEA and our partners work hard every day to stop drug traffickers like Ms. Chavez from preying on our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence Ms. Chavez received in this case should serve as a warning to anyone trying to profit from the misery caused by methamphetamine trafficking.” This case was investigated DEA Tri-Cities which includes DEA, USCBP, and Kennewick PD. The Metro Drug Task Force assisted. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.


title: California  man arrested, charged with cyberstalking and identity theft

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment charging Max Yang Chen, 29, of San Jose, CA, with three counts of obtaining information from a protected computer, three counts of cyberstalking, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 36 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan P. Cantil and Douglas A.C. Penrose, who are handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between March 2021, and June 2023, Chen accessed the computers of three separate victims, without authorization, to obtain information about the victims. Chen then used that information to harass and intimidate the victims. In addition, Chen unlawfully accessed the social media accounts of the victims, and then stole data from those accounts. Chen made an initial appearance in the Northern District of California and was held pending a detention hearing on March 11, 2024. He will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.


title: Arkansas Man Sentenced for Multi-State Check Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ricky Ellis Lamb, age 66, originally from Arkansas, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for passing a fictitious obligation. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Lamb to a sentence of time served; Lamb has been in custody for related charges in multiple states since August 15, 2019. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lamb is released from custody on additional pending charges in multiple states, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Lamb was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $55,653.16 to the victims of his offense. From on or about January 15, 2019, through on or about July 15, 2019, Lamb traveled throughout the Midwest passing, uttering, presenting and offering fictitious securities to farm or hardware store. Specifically, Lamb passed, 72 fictitious checks at multiple stores throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Colorado. The fictitious checks purported to be issued under the authority of 14 different fictitious organizations belonging to Lamb. As a result of Lamb’s scheme, he caused a total loss of $64,651.27. Of that total loss, $7,243.37 occurred within the District of Nebraska across a span of 7 fraudulent transactions. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service in conjunction with numerous local law enforcement agencies across several states.