title: Drug Dealer Receives 235 Months After Picking Up a Package with 4 Pounds of Methamphetamine Inside

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mitchell Bostic, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Brian C. Buescher sentenced Bostic to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bostic’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On December 5, 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package that contained nearly 4 pounds of meth in Nebraska. On December 6, 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package whereby Bostic and Stephanie Cummings picked up the package at a residence in Omaha and law enforcement surveilled Bostic and Cummings as they drove away in Bostic’s vehicle. Believing law enforcement was following them, Bostic instructed Cummings to throw the package containing meth out of the car window. Law enforcement located the package and subsequently conducted a traffic stop of Bostic’s vehicle and both Bostic and Cummings were arrested. Cummings is awaiting sentencing in federal court. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Two Omaha Men Sentenced for Firearm Offenses after Jury Trial

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

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Dilang N. Dat, age 31, and Jany Jock, age 29, both of Omaha, Nebraska were sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Omaha. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Dilang Dat to 120 months for possessing a firearm as a felon and 24 months consecutive that for violating the terms of his supervised release as a result of a prior conviction for robbery. Judge Buescher sentenced Jany Jock to 120 months for transferring a firearm to a prohibited person. There is no parole in the federal system. After Dat and Jock are released from prison, each defendant will begin an individual 3-year term of supervised release. On January 26, 2022, the Omaha Police Department (“OPD”) executed a search warrant at home near 47 th and Ellison Avenue, Omaha, based on reports by a concerned citizen that drugs were being sold and stored at the residence. At the time, the home was part of an on-going police investigation into gang activity based on the recent homicide of Goa Dat, a Trip Set gang member who was shot and killed in Lincoln, Nebraska on October 30, 2021. His brothers, Dilang Dat and Baling Dat, both convicted felons and Trip Set gang members, resided at the home. Officers located distribution amounts of drugs, including marijuana and cocaine, and recovered five (5) firearms in the home, one of which had been reported stolen. Two of the firearms recovered during the search were purchased by Jany Jock. More evidence revealed that Jock has purchased other firearms that were not found in his possession. Jock gave permission to law enforcement to search his phone. Jock’s iPhone contained several pieces of evidence, including text messages between Jock, Baling and Dilang Dat indicating a conspiracy to purchase, transfer and possess firearms. Further evidence established that Jock knew Baling Dat was a convicted felon at that time due to his communications with Baling Dat while Dat was incarcerated in the Nebraska Department of Corrections for a robbery conviction. Dilang Dat is a convicted felon out of the District of Nebraska for robbery and was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest. Jany Jock and Dilang Dat were arrested along with Baling Dat and Bumatet Duop. Following a two-week jury trial, Baling Dat, Dilang Dat, and Jany Jock were convicted on all counts against them. 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. Baling N. Dat was convicted by a jury trial for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, possessing a firearm in drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced on January 8, 2025, to 195 months in prison. Bumatet G. Duop pled guilty to possession of a stolen firearm and on June 7, 2023, was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, consecutive to a state sentence he was serving in Woodbury County, Iowa. He will serve a 3-year term of supervision upon his release. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Omaha Police Department and United States Marshals Service Omaha Metro Fugitive Task Force.


title: Mexico National Sentenced to Over 11 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Sergio David Jaime-Zazueta, age 45, of Mexico, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Jaime-Zazueta to a total of 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jaime-Zazueta’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On April 25, 2024, Jaime-Zazueta was contacted as the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle on Interstate 80 in Seward County, Nebraska. Jaime-Zazueta agreed to speak with law enforcement. He said that he was driving from Stockton, California to St. Louis, Missouri for work, but he kept changing his story about the route he took. Eventually, a K9 performed a sniff on the vehicle and alerted. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found approximately 200 pounds of a substance that tested positive for meth. The meth was found in a box in the rear cargo area of the vehicle and in garbage bags on the back seat of the vehicle. The box in the cargo area contained 75 2-lb bags of meth. The garbage bags on the back seat contained 25 2-lb bags of meth. After his arrest, Jaime-Zazueta agreed to speak with the DEA through the aid on an interpreter. Jaime-Zazueta informed the DEA that he was transporting the drugs for someone in Mexico from Los Angeles, California to St. Louis, Missouri. This was his second trip and he had previously driven 100 pounds of meth from Los Angeles to St. Louis. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Seward County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kyle Joseph Kumpula, age 41, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Kumpula to 46 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Kumpula’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. In April and May of 2024, a confidential informant working with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force made two purchases of meth from Kumpula and two purchases of meth from a co-conspirator for a total of approximately 1 ½ ounces. Both purchases from Kumpula occurred at a Lincoln residence shared by Kumpula and his two co-conspirators. On May 6, 2024, a search warrant was executed at that residence. During the search, investigators found a total of approximately 21 ¾ ounces of meth at various locations in the residence. After the search was completed, investigators saw Kumpula arrive and park near the house. He was found in possession of another ½ ounce of meth. Kumpula agreed to talk to investigators. He told them he had been living at the searched residence for three to four months. He admitted he had meth on his person at the time of his arrest. He said he started selling meth about two months prior. He said he had about five customers and the meth he sold came from his co-conspirators. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.


title: Columbus Woman Convicted of Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Christine L. Parry, age 62, of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for trafficking in counterfeit goods. United States District Court Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Parry to time already served and a $12,000 fine. Parry was also ordered to pay an additional $1,935 in restitution to two victims. On July 26, 2021, Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) agents at a FedEx facility in Anchorage, Alaska, inspected goods arriving from China. The CBP agents discovered a package addressed to Parry in Columbus. The package contained counterfeit goods, including imitation Birkenstock sandals, Ray Ban sunglasses, Chanel earrings, Louis Vuitton bags, and Louis Vuitton shoes. Records obtained from shipping companies, such as FedEx and DHL, showed numerous deliveries of packages from China and Taiwan to Parry. Information obtained from Facebook revealed that Parry had been operating an online store named “Bugaboo Boutique,” at least since April 2019, and continuing to August 2022, which sold numerous counterfeit goods just like the counterfeit goods seized by CBP on July 26, 2021. HSI agents obtained search warrants for Facebook accounts associated with Parry and the Bugaboo Boutique online store. The records revealed that Parry knowingly sold counterfeit goods through their online store. The counterfeit goods were described using words such as “inspired by” name brand goods. The counterfeit goods were described as virtually identical to the name brand goods but sold at a more affordable price because they were sourced through a different manufacturer. The counterfeit goods included items such as clothing, footwear, purses, bags, wallets, tumblers, headphones, and sports apparel which had counterfeit marks identical to, or substantially indistinguishable from, marks used by many name brand companies which were in use and registered for goods on the principal register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A search warrant was obtained for the Parry’s residence and executed on August 10, 2022. HSI agents seized counterfeit goods, various records associated the purchase and sale of such counterfeit goods, and electronic devices which were used to help facilitate the sale of counterfeit goods through the online store “Bugaboo Boutique.” At Parry’s sentencing hearing, Judge Bazis remarked about how businesses who work hard to develop a reputation for making quality products are substantially harmed when counterfeit goods are sold. The counterfeit goods are far inferior in quality. And even when the initial purchaser of the counterfeit goods are told that the goods are counterfeit, often times those purchasers turn around and sell them to other unsuspecting customers who do not realize they are being sold counterfeit goods. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.


title: Lexington Attorney Arrested and Charged for Allegedly Embezzling at Least $2.5 Million

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An attorney working as a bookkeeper for three Massachusetts companies has been arrested and charged with embezzling at least $2.5 million from the companies. David Smerling, 74, of Lexington, was charged by complaint with wire fraud. He was arrested yesterday and released on conditions. According to court documents, between January 2016 and May 2020, Smerling allegedly embezzled from the companies by transferring funds from the companies’ bank accounts to accounts in his name. To conceal his scheme, Smerling allegedly transferred some funds through an intermediary account owned by one of the victims before transferring funds to his accounts. The complaint also alleges that Smerling caused bank statements to be mailed to his home address, rather than the victims’ addresses, to further hide his conduct. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraud and Money Laundering

body_text: BOSTON – A Thomaston, Conn. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield in connection with a scheme to obtain bank loans and money for projects in Saudi Arabia. Hanibal Tayeh, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 27 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In August 2024, Tayeh pleaded guilty to a superseding indictment with two counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. Tayeh was originally charged and arrested in July 2018. In 2013 and 2014, Tayeh used fake documents and misrepresentations to obtain a $9.1 million loan package and later a $400,000 extension of credit from a bank. A number of the fake documents and misrepresentations pertained to a business venture Tayeh claimed to be pursuing in Saudi Arabia. Further, he financially defrauded an individual by making misrepresentations related to construction projects he claimed to be pursuing in Saudi Arabia. Tayeh then laundered the proceeds of his fraud schemes through payments made to third parties for his personal obligations. Additionally, Tayeh made a false statement during a bankruptcy proceeding when he denied knowledge of a fake letter of credit that he created. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Morgan of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Norfolk drug trafficker sentenced to 19 years in prison after being caught with 17 firearms and 17 kilos of meth

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 19 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Eric Joseph McGinnis, 44, had been supplying controlled substances to a co-conspirator since November 2022. On July 28, 2023, law enforcement searched McGinnis’ residence and business, EJM Enterprise, both in Norfolk. Agents seized 17 firearms, including two personally manufactured firearms. Agents also recovered 17 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of marijuana, 1.5 kilograms of psilocyn, 1.2 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, a half-kilogram of fentanyl mixed with Xylazine and/or para-fluorofentanyl, and hundreds of capsules and tablets of different types of controlled substances, including Oxycodone. As a previously convicted felon, McGinnis cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. After the searches at his business and residence, McGinnis directed his girlfriend to destroy or conceal evidence that was material to the investigation. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the 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. 2:24-cr-72.


title: Violent Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Counterfeit Pills to Undercover Officer

body_text: BOSTON – A Taunton man who sold over a kilogram of counterfeit pills to an undercover officer was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine. Shavon Gurley, a/k/a “Soo Soo,” 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2024, Gurley pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Gurley was identified as being involved in trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in conjunction with a Brockton-based drug trafficking organization. As part of the investigation, between Aug. 2-5, 2024, undercover law enforcement communicated with Gurley about purchasing methamphetamine pills. On Aug. 5, 2024, Gurley sold 6,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing over a kilogram, to an undercover officer. During the interaction, Gurley stated that he would drop the price per pill if the undercover officer were to buy 10,000 or 20,000 pills. Gurley continued to discuss his drug operation with the undercover officer and boasted about selling kilograms of fentanyl that his customers then go on to sell in Maine. During the controlled purchase with the undercover officer, Gurley stated that he sells kilograms of fentanyl for $30,000, and that the fentanyl is such high quality that it can be adulterated with cutting agents into 10 kilograms. Gurley then stated he also sells a higher quality and purity fentanyl for $50,000, which can be adulterated into 50 kilograms. Gurley also boasted about property he has already acquired through selling narcotics and that he intends to reach $600,000 in profits. Gurley complimented the undercover officer’s “aura” and promised to do business with the officer in the future. At the time of the sale, Gurley was on pretrial release for a domestic violence offense. Lastly, during the execution of search warrants at Gurley’s residence and vehicle, law enforcement recovered a loaded black firearm, two posters depicting cherubim – with captions that read, “I Only Fear the Feds,” and “Rats Don’t Make it To Heaven,” – a bag containing an amount of controlled substances believed to be fentanyl, as well as a number of plastic bags containing approximately 10,000 counterfeit Adderall pills believed to contain methamphetamine. Gurley has a lengthy juvenile record and criminal history that includes a number of prior firearm and violent offenses – including a 2012 conviction for assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon for attacking a man with a pistol and pointing the firearm at the victim’s head, for which he served a six to 10 year term in state prison. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Eric G. Olshan Steps Down as United States Attorney

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today that he will resign his position, effective 11:59 p.m. on January 19, 2025. “The dedicated public servants who walk the halls of our office are second to none in their clear-eyed and even-handed commitment to pursuing justice on behalf of the more than three million people who call the Western District of Pennsylvania home,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Serving alongside this team of career civil servants—prosecutors, civil litigators, and professional staff alike—has been the privilege of my career. I am grateful to President Biden, Senator John Fetterman, and former Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey for their trust and faith in my ability to lead the office. I will always treasure the 17 years I have devoted to representing the United States and working to defend and uphold the rule of law on behalf of the Department of Justice and the American people.” During Olshan’s tenure as U.S. Attorney, the office continued its steadfast efforts to tackle violent crime and the most serious narcotics offenses, focusing on large-scale drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and the offenders who drive violence in western Pennsylvania. Working side by side with dedicated federal, state, and local law enforcement partners throughout the district, the office brought charges against: 24 members and associates of the “Drizzy” street gang for cocaine trafficking (Pittsburgh); eight members and associates of the “Zhoove” street gang for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking (Pittsburgh); 19 defendants involved in an interstate DTO trafficking fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone (New Castle); 35 members and associates of a cross-country and transnational DTO trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (Johnstown area); 13 defendants involved in a DTO trafficking methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine (Altoona area); and 26 regional drug dealers trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (Erie). Driving down the illicit sale and use of firearms likewise remained a priority, with the office securing convictions of three defendants , including a former police officer, who built and sold so-called “hit kits” containing untraceable privately made firearms (“ghost guns”), silencers, subsonic ammunition, and latex gloves. The office also brought charges against several extremely violent offenders, including an alleged methamphetamine dealer who orchestrated a targeted bombing resulting in the death of a woman who owed him a drug debt; an alleged fentanyl and heroin dealer who discharged a Glock equipped with a machinegun conversion device while fleeing from the police; a violent drug offender who allegedly shot at and attempted to kill a DEA agent; and a violent recidivist offender who allegedly committed multiple armed carjackings and robberies of Pittsburgh-area businesses. Notably, after experiencing a steady increase in homicides beginning in 2019, Pittsburgh—the district’s largest municipality—has seen more than a 40% decrease in homicides since 2022. Non-fatal shootings in the city similarly have dropped by more than 50% over the last three years after a four-year increase starting in 2018. Under Olshan’s leadership, the office focused on offenders who preyed upon the most vulnerable members of our communities. On the white collar front, prosecutors brought charges against the alleged perpetrators of a multi-million-dollar international “lottery” scam targeting the elderly, as well as a far-reaching “bail bond” scam, securing convictions and significant sentences against multiple co-conspirators and successfully extraditing the alleged masterminds from Panama. The office also continued its impressive track record of obtaining substantial justice for child victims, including cases against a defendant who engaged in the sextortion of multiple children (30 years in prison); a defendant who used the dark web to distribute child sexual abuse material (25 years); a Florida resident who transported and sexually exploited a child from Erie (20 years); a Pennsylvania State Trooper who surreptitiously recorded children (23 years); and a defendant who created “morphed” sexually explicit images of child actors (14 years). During Olshan’s tenure, the office strengthened its position at the forefront of complex cyber enforcement, working with domestic and international law enforcement partners to disrupt a Russia-based criminal enterprise through the seizure of web domains used to create more than 40,000 spoofed websites and store the personal information of more than a million victims. The office also coordinated a court-authorized operation that disrupted a worldwide botnet operated by Chinese state-sponsored hackers and shut down the illicit Rydox online marketplace where cyber criminals had access to over 300,000 cybercrime tools. The office further demonstrated its ongoing commitment to combatting the threat of domestic and international terrorism, obtaining convictions against two defendants who violently obstructed law enforcement during a protest on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh and bringing terrorism charges against an Upper St. Clair resident who traveled to Lebanon and Syria with a “master plan . . . to join Hezbollah and kill Jews.” Under Olshan’s leadership, the office cemented its reputation as a national leader in hate crime enforcement, including through the completion of a groundbreaking prosecution of two co-conspirators who committed violent assaults against over a dozen severely disabled residents at a Beaver County long-term care facility. The office also brought hate crime charges against two defendants , including a self-avowed Hamas adherent, who allegedly vandalized Jewish property in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. Moreover, Olshan’s tenure saw the successful conclusion of the prosecution of the worst antisemitic mass shooting in United States history, resulting in the deaths of 11 Jewish worshippers from three congregations at the Tree of Life Synagogue on October 27, 2018. “This investigation and prosecution will forever be a part of the fabric of our office,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “There is no greater honor as a prosecutor than securing justice for crime victims, and I will always be grateful for the faith and trust of the victim community in this case. It was a gift our team of prosecutors, investigators, and victim-support staff worked each day to earn, and it sustained us throughout the years-long litigation.” Olshan also worked with office colleagues and law enforcement partners to enhance community outreach efforts around the district, including through participation in numerous United Against Hate educational programs, the Take Back the Night march at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, National Night Out police-community engagement events, Shon Owens Unity Week events in Beaver County, a “Bigs in Blue” event through Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pride events, and the Allegheny County Anchored Reentry Annual Summit, which the office co-hosted. During Olshan’s tenure, the office coordinated multiple trainings for federal, state, and local law enforcement, including programs on strategic subject interviewing techniques, criminal use of artificial intelligence, criminal intelligence analytics, and First Amendment-protected activity. The office’s Civil Division additionally saw significant results in cases across multiple areas of enforcement under Olshan’s leadership. For example, the office filed a complaint against a nationwide insurer and its subsidiaries for falsely placing auto insurance on hundreds of thousands of car buyers; secured a $6.5 million False Claims Act judgment against a telecommunications company related to violations of an FCC subsidy program; entered into a consent decree with the Allegheny County Jail to ensure that inmates received prescribed medications for opioid use disorder under the Americans with Disabilities Act; obtained an injunction prohibiting Philips Respironics from manufacturing and distributing faulty sleep and respiratory devices; and resolved Clean Air Act claims against two oil and natural gas producers for over $5 million. The office’s affirmative civil enforcement, financial litigation, and asset forfeiture staff likewise continued to set the standard in financial recoveries, collecting more than $120 million in civil, criminal, and forfeiture actions in fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Upon Olshan’s resignation and pursuant to the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti, who has served the office for over 27 years, will become the Acting United States Attorney. Rivetti previously served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the office prior to Olshan’s confirmation. *** U.S. Attorney Olshan joined the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., through the Attorney General’s Honors Program in 2007 and spent a decade prosecuting public corruption offenses in federal courts around the country as a Trial Attorney and Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. Olshan became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania in 2017, and, prior to assuming his position as U.S. Attorney, most recently served as the Chief of the Economic, Cyber, and National Security Crimes Section. During his time in the office, Olshan also served as the Civil Rights Coordinator, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, Public Corruption Coordinator, Environmental Crime Coordinator, and District Election Officer. Olshan was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on March 21, 2023, and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on June 8, 2023. As U.S. Attorney, he oversaw an office of approximately 130 prosecutors, civil litigators, and professional staff in three offices—Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnstown. During his tenure, Olshan served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), a select group of U.S. Attorneys who advise the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management. Olshan was also a member of the AGAC’s White Collar Fraud, Terrorism and National Security, Civil Rights, and Environmental Justice subcommittees.


title: Settlement Agreement Reached to Resolve Discrimination Against Disabled Veteran with Service Animal

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has entered into a settlement agreement with OptumServe Health Services, Inc. (“OptumServe”), a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, to resolve allegations that OptumServe discriminated against a disabled veteran in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). “Service animals are not pets and are often prescribed to assist veterans diagnosed with particular service-related disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is committed to ensuring veterans have access to medical care that is free of discrimination or other barriers that impede them from equal access to healthcare services.” OptumServe provides medical services to veterans with disabilities across the country. The agency refused to see the veteran in this matter at the time of a scheduled appointment because he was accompanied by a service animal. The veteran’s service animal is required for a service-related disability. As a result, the veteran left the office without receiving any medical care. Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, and privileges of any place of public accommodation. OptumServe is a private entity that operates healthcare facilities that are places of “public accommodation” within the meaning of Title III of the ADA. Under the terms of the agreement, OptumServe will make changes to its policies and procedures and provide additional training to its staff to ensure compliance with the requirements of the ADA and that proper care is provided to its patients. Additionally, OptumServe will pay the veteran $85,000 in compensatory damages. This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Fallica and Senior Civil Investigator Tamara Jones. Complaints regarding discrimination or civil rights violations can be submitted directly to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at USAGAN.CivilRights@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-4626. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga . Settlement Agreement: optum_serve_settlement_signed.pdf


title: South Texas dealer handed prison sentence for selling fentanyl to teenager resulting in death

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old resident of Laredo has been sentenced for providing fentanyl to a 15-year-old, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jose Antonio Carlos III aka Jose Carlos pleaded guilty Jan. 4, 2024, to distributing fentanyl resulting in death. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Carlos to serve 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Carlos was also ordered to pay $5,400 in restitution. In handing down the sentence, the court noted how sad the facts of the case were and that the individual who died was only 15 years old. “This case represents the tragic consequences of fentanyl’s infiltration into communities nationwide, a crisis that continues to devastate families, overwhelm healthcare systems and claim lives at an alarming rate,” said Hamdani. “By addressing the sources and networks that distribute this lethal substance, we aim to disrupt the cycle of devastation and send a clear message: those who endanger public safety for personal gain will face justice.” "Greed doesn't care about age. Regardless of how young the victim was, it still didn't stop Jose Carlos from selling deadly fentanyl to the victim," said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division. "Our DEA Laredo Overdose Taskforce will continue to aggressively pursue those who taint our communities for their selfish gains." On May 17, 2023, authorities responded to an overdose call at a home in Laredo. Once on scene, they found the victim laying in his bed unresponsive and holding a rolled-up dollar bill with a white powder on it. The white powder later tested positive for fentanyl. A toxicology report and autopsy confirmed the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity. The investigation revealed text messages which showed the victim wanting to buy “pase” from Carlos. “Pase” was code for cocaine. Carlos indicated the price and provided an address off Longoria Loop. On the evening of May 16, 2023, an individual drove the victim to that address. There, a person later identified as Carlos handed the victim a small baggie with a white powder inside it. The driver then dropped off the victim at his home, a home he shared with his aunt. The next morning, the victim’s aunt heard her nephew’s phone ringing. She thought the victim overslept, so she knocked on his door but heard no response. She then tried to open the door to the victim’s bedroom but was unable to, so she climbed in through one of the bedroom windows. Once inside the room, she noticed her nephew lying face down on the bed. When she touched him, his body was stiff and cold. Law enforcement responded to the residence and pronounced the victim dead on-scene. As part of his guilty plea, Carlos admitted to selling “pase” to the victim. He also acknowledged sending a text to the victim May 17, 2023, asking “What’s up was it good or no[?].” Carlos will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department and Webb County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Medical Examiner. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . More information on the dangers of fentanyl can be found on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill


title: Justice Department Finds Conditions in Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in South Carolina Violate the Constitution

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today its findings that conditions of confinement at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center (the Jail) in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The department’s report details the findings of a comprehensive investigation of the Jail, which is funded and operated by Richland County through an Administrator and Director. The Jail currently houses approximately 965 people. The department concluded that the county and Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center violate the constitutional rights of people incarcerated at the Jail. Specifically, the department found that the Jail fails to provide reasonable safety and to protect incarcerated people from serious harm and death by physical violence from other incarcerated people, including assaults with weapons, assaults by multiple people on single victims and sexual assaults. “Incarceration in our nation’s jails should not expose a person to severe and pervasive violence like that in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Most people in the jail have not been convicted of any crime — they are awaiting hearings or trial dates. They have a right to be free of violence, threats and sexual assault. The Jail has a constitutional duty to protect people in its care from the horrific violations we uncovered here. We hope Richland County and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center will respond to our findings by working with the Justice Department to implement much-needed reforms.” “The conditions inside the Richland County jail are a matter of life and death. Individuals accused of crimes in Richland County should not face a death sentence before they ever see a court room,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “By addressing the remedial measures outlined in our findings, we believe this can change. We hope to work with Richland County and the detention center to make it a safer place for both detainees and staff.” Systemic problems that have persisted at the Jail for years engender severe violence and avoidable harm. There were at least 60 stabbings in the Jail in 2023. Gangs prey on incarcerated people. Weapons, drugs and contraband cell phones are commonplace and facilitate gang control and violence in the Jail. Inadequate staffing, a deteriorating facility and systemic security lapses, such as deficient prisoner supervision, inadequate internal investigations and lax contraband prevention, yield an ongoing failure to protect incarcerated people from violence. Jail leadership knows about these conditions, and others detailed in the report, which fall far below the constitutional minimum. The department conducted its investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), which authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct. The department provided Richland County and the Jail with written notice of the supporting facts for its conclusions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the alleged violations. The department is committed to working with the county and Jail toward a cooperative solution. The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The findings announced today are the result of the department’s civil investigation and are separate from any criminal cases brought by the Justice Department. The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee , California , South Carolina and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky . The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons , Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities , the Georgia Department of Corrections and San Luis Obispo County, California, Jail . The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, covering the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail , Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail , the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut and the Massachusetts Department of Correction . The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons . For more information about the Civil Rights Division and its Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . You can also report civil rights violations by completing the complaint form available at civilrights.justice.gov/ . To provide information related to the department’s investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, please call 1-888-473-3201 or email the department at Community.Glenn@usdoj.gov .


title: Media Advisory – U.S. Attorney to Announce Arrest of ISIS Sympathizer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., along with Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert DeWitt, and other law enforcement partners will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce the arrest of a Durham man for allegedly attempting to provide material support to ISIS. WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office – 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2100, Raleigh, NC 27601 WHEN: Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. Media: please arrive by 2:00 p.m. for set up .


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Selling Firearms Without a Federal License

body_text: CLEVELAND – Richard Seawright, 28, of Cleveland, has been sentenced to 33 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, after he pled guilty to reselling firearms he acquired legally, reselling them without a federal firearms license, and lying on paperwork that he was the actual buyer. According to court documents, Seawright legally bought more than 50 firearms from around April 17, 2018, to about Dec. 12, 2022, at federally licensed dealers throughout Northeast Ohio. He admitted to lying on federal firearms transaction record forms which he completed and submitted when the firearms were purchased. The forms are a requirement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to inform buyers about the specific restrictions on the receipt and possession of firearms. Each buyer must certify that they do not intend to transfer or sell the firearm. Seawright admitted to making the purchases with the intent to sell them to others who were not legally allowed to buy or own firearms. The practice of acquiring firearms for others who are legally prohibited from buying, owning, or possessing them is known as ‘straw purchasing.’ During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that Seawright’s purchases from the licensed firearms dealer, were in fact re-sold to others and found to have been used in multiple acts of violence. Firearms that Seawright purchased were traced to crimes using the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN. Ballistic cross analysis determined that firearms originally purchased by the defendant had multiple NIBIN connections to other shootings including one that resulted in a homicide. This case was investigated by ATF-Cleveland and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Kane for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Man Who Pistol Whipped Victim and Fled from Officers Sentenced to 12 Years

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Jeremiah Jermaine Debnam, a 30-year-old resident of Raleigh has been sentenced to 154 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after shooting and pistol-whipping a victim in a shopping center parking lot. Debnam pled guilty on October 28, 2024. “Raleigh is one of the safest large cities in America and we aim to keep it that way,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We have a team of prosecutors dedicated to driving down gun violence in this city, meeting consistently with law enforcement to keep violent shooters off our streets and engaging with community groups to get resources for victims.” According to court documents and other information reviewed, on July 5, 2023, officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded to a call regarding a shooting in the parking lot of a shopping center on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh. Upon arrival, officers found the victim lying on the ground with two gunshot wounds. The victim identified his assailant as a man who went by the street name “Oosie,” later identified as Debnam. Law enforcement learned that Debnam and the victim had engaged in a verbal confrontation. During this confrontation, Debnam struck the victim with a firearm multiple times before shooting him twice. After the shooting, Debnam fled the scene. Officers collected several shell casings near the area where the victim was found as part of their investigation. On July 6, 2023, law enforcement received information from a confidential source indicating that Debnam was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh. RPD officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. As it came to a stop, Debnam jumped out and fled on foot. Officers pursued him and saw him discard a gun as he was fleeing. Debnam discarded the gun while fleeing. He was apprehended shortly thereafter, and officers later found a stolen, loaded 9mm pistol in the woods near where he was arrested. A search of Debnam’s person revealed less than one gram of fentanyl concealed in a dollar bill. Following his processing at the Wake County Detention Center, an additional amount of crack cocaine was discovered on him, which he had attempted to hide. A forensic analysis determined that both the firearm seized from Debnam on July 6, 2023, and the shell casings collected from the shooting scene on July 5, 2023, were fired from the same weapon. A federal search warrant was then obtained for Debnam’s DNA, leading to the discovery that his DNA was found on the firearm and in the magazine. At the time of his arrest, Debnam was found to have prior felony convictions. He was on supervised release after being convicted in federal court in 2018 for conspiracy to possess a quantity of cocaine base (crack) with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting. Debnam was released from federal prison on January 18, 2023, and arrested again on March 14, 2023, for possessing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine by RPD. He was released on a state bond. The investigation revealed that Debnam has a criminal history dating back to 2010, including convictions for drug offenses, assaults, larcenies, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:23-CR-00259-FL and 5:18-CR-49-3FL.


title: Owner of Foreign Currency Trading Firm Pleads Guilty to Running a Ponzi-Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Henry Abdo, 47, of Lebanon, pled guilty in federal court to orchestrating an over $6 million investment fraud ( Ponzi ) scheme run through his company, Titanium Capital LLC (“Titanium”). According to court records, Abdo’s company, Titanium, purported to operate a sophisticated foreign-exchange platform that guaranteed fixed returns for investors. In reality, Titanium had no such platform, and Abdo used investor funds to pay off earlier investors and finance his personal lifestyle. Beginning in July 2014, Abdo falsely claimed that Titanium was a “zero-risk” investment fund that generated profits from fees on foreign currency transactions. Abdo further deceived investors by claiming Titanium was part of a multibillion-dollar holding company, had developed proprietary software, and was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In addition to fraudulent investment claims, court records reveal that Abdo attempted to bolster his credibility by falsely associating himself with various charitable and educational organizations. None of these claims were true. Court documents indicate that Abdo solicited investments through in-person meetings, emails, video conferences, and phone calls. Abdo directed potential investors to websites and promotional materials that falsely depicted Titanium as a legitimate enterprise. In truth, Titanium operated as a classic Ponzi scheme, using funds from new investors to pay earlier investors while diverting large sums of money for Abdo’s personal use, including international travel and other expenses. After soliciting millions from over 200 investors, Abdo’s scheme unraveled. Many victims were financially devastated. Several victims reported losing retirement accounts and personal savings that they had relied on for basic living expenses, such as food and medication. On Jan. 13, 2025, during a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas, Abdo pled guilty to wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Abdo faces up to 20 years in prison. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. FBI Miami’s Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Bailyn and Justin Chapman prosecuted this case. 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 number 23-cr-80209. ###


component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today its findings that conditions of confinement at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center (the Jail) in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The department’s report details the findings of a comprehensive investigation of the Jail, which is funded and operated by Richland County through an Administrator and Director. The Jail currently houses approximately 965 people. The department concluded that the county and Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center violate the constitutional rights of people incarcerated at the Jail. Specifically, the department found that the Jail fails to provide reasonable safety and to protect incarcerated people from serious harm and death by physical violence from other incarcerated people, including assaults with weapons, assaults by multiple people on single victims and sexual assaults. “Incarceration in our nation’s jails should not expose a person to severe and pervasive violence like that in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Most people in the jail have not been convicted of any crime — they are awaiting hearings or trial dates. They have a right to be free of violence, threats and sexual assault. The Jail has a constitutional duty to protect people in its care from the horrific violations we uncovered here. We hope Richland County and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center will respond to our findings by working with the Justice Department to implement much-needed reforms.” “The conditions inside the Richland County jail are a matter of life and death. Individuals accused of crimes in Richland County should not face a death sentence before they ever see a court room,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “By addressing the remedial measures outlined in our findings, we believe this can change. We hope to work with Richland County and the detention center to make it a safer place for both detainees and staff.” Systemic problems that have persisted at the Jail for years engender severe violence and avoidable harm. There were at least 60 stabbings in the Jail in 2023. Gangs prey on incarcerated people. Weapons, drugs and contraband cell phones are commonplace and facilitate gang control and violence in the Jail. Inadequate staffing, a deteriorating facility and systemic security lapses, such as deficient prisoner supervision, inadequate internal investigations and lax contraband prevention, yield an ongoing failure to protect incarcerated people from violence. Jail leadership knows about these conditions, and others detailed in the report, which fall far below the constitutional minimum. The department conducted its investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), which authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct. The department provided Richland County and the Jail with written notice of the supporting facts for its conclusions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the alleged violations. The department is committed to working with the county and Jail toward a cooperative solution. The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The findings announced today are the result of the department’s civil investigation and are separate from any criminal cases brought by the Justice Department. The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee , California , South Carolina and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky . The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons , Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities , the Georgia Department of Corrections and San Luis Obispo County, California, Jail . The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, covering the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail , Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail , the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut and the Massachusetts Department of Correction . The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons . For more information about the Civil Rights Division and its Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . You can also report civil rights violations by completing the complaint form available at civilrights.justice.gov/ . To provide information related to the department’s investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, please call 1-888-473-3201 or email the department at Community.Glenn@usdoj.gov . ### Read the Findings Report of Investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center here.


title: Armed Henderson Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to Nine Years

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Henderson man was sentenced to 117 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On September 23, 2024, Kortez Travon Williams, age 26, pled guilty to the charges. According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) to conduct multiple controlled purchases of narcotics from Williams. Two days after selling the CI marijuana, Williams sold the CI approximately 400 dosage units of a substance containing fentanyl. One week later, Williams sold the CI almost 500 dosage units of a substance containing fentanyl. During all three controlled purchases, Williams had a firearm with him and visible. Following the controlled purchases, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence, during which they recovered approximately 7,095 dosage units, a firearm, and $12,736. Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the Henderson Police Department, and the Vance County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00063.


title: McKeesport Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 216 months of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Frank McClellan, 55, on January 14, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, between March 2021 and September 2021, McClellan conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as 280 grams or more of cocaine base. Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, McKeesport Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Penn Hills Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McClellan. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Local meth dealer sent to prison

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 45-year-old Corpus Christi man has been sentenced to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute meth in Corpus Christi, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jose Humberto Morales pleaded guilty Oct. 24, 2024. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Morales to serve 130 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered additional evidence of Morales’ lengthy criminal history dating back to 1996 and including more than 10 state convictions for burglary. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the serious and recidivist nature of his criminal behavior. On May 5, 2023, law enforcement observed Morales, an identified gang member they knew to have active arrest warrants, on the street outside a residence in Corpus Christi. They arrested him on those warrants and was found to have three separate baggies containing meth. He possessed a total of over 50 grams of meth. Morales was later recorded on a jail call admitted the meth was intended for distribution. Morales will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.


title: Glassport Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Glassport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 14, 2025, to a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Rashee Beasley, 33, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Beasley, who has been convicted of multiple felony offenses, was found in possession of a loaded and stolen firearm on October 27, 2022. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Monroeville Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Beasley.


title: Eleven Defendants Sentenced to a Total of 123 Years in Federal Prison as Law Enforcement Dismantles Cartel-Linked Drug Trafficking Ring that Used Train Cars in the Midwest to Smuggle Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— The following eleven defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a large methamphetamine trafficking ring: Defendant Charge(s) Prison Sentence Erick Apolinar Romero, 35 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Distribution of Methamphetamine Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances 19 years 5 years supervised release Matthew Wright, 47 Palestine, Illinois Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine 19 years 5 years supervised release Julian Islas-Lozada, 37 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Distribution of Methamphetamine Unlawful use of a communication facility 19 years 5 years supervised release Zachary Polk, 46 Vincennes, Indiana Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine 188 months (15.7 years) 5 years supervised release Junior Castillo, 36 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances Unlawful use of a communication facility 170 months (14.1 years) 5 years supervised release Kevin Josue Patino-Romero, 21 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Distribution of Methamphetamine 140 months (11.7 years) 5 years supervised release Alexander Franco-Lopez, 21 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances 80 months (6.7 years) 3 years supervised release Jesus Alberto Casillas-Martinez, 28 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances 65 months (5.4 years) 3 years supervised release Eduardo Perez-Martinez, 30 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. 65 months (5.4 years) 3 years supervised release Eduardo Abel Torres De Leon, 31 Unlawful use of a communication facility 4 years 1 year supervised release Richard Michael Moore, 56 Unlawful use of a communication facility 3 years 1 year supervised release According to court documents, between September 2021 and November 2022, the defendants conspired together to distribute a total of nearly 400 pounds of methamphetamine, and over seven kilograms of fentanyl. Romero supervised the organization, and throughout the course of the conspiracy, he and other members assisted the smuggling of methamphetamine and fentanyl from a Mexican drug cartel to the United States. The methods ranged from delivery by the United States Postal Service, commercial land vehicle smuggling, and the use of trains. Romero, Islas-Lozada, and Patino-Romero then supplied the drugs to De Leon, Moore, Polk, and Wright for redistribution to various communities, including out of state. On multiple occasions, Franco-Lopez, Castillo, Perez-Martinez, and Casillas-Martinez assisted Romero by traveling to Iowa, Nebraska, and other locations in the Midwest to smuggle drugs from various trainyards for later circulation. In late October 2022, Drug Enforcement Administration agents learned that the traffickers were traveling to Nebraska to locate a rail car loaded with drugs by the Mexican cartel. Romero directed the entire operation, which was unsuccessful due to interception by DEA agents. The agents seized over 68 kilograms of methamphetamine and over seven kilograms of fentanyl hidden in a top-side void of the rail car that had been wielded shut. On December 13, 2022, DEA agents arrested Islas-Lozada and Castillo in their Indianapolis home and located nine black PVC pipes and plastic bags filled with 56 kilograms of methamphetamine. The PVC pipes bore the stamp “HECHO EN MEXICO” (“Made in Mexico”). Erick Romero, the ringleader of the operation, was also arrested that day at his home in Indianapolis. Officers located 10.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and thirteen firearms in the home. Additionally, several members of the trafficking ring used firearms to protect themselves and their profits. In total, law enforcement officers seized 20 firearms from the defendants during court-authorized searches at multiple locations in Indianapolis. “International cartels have flooded our communities with poisons, using planes, trains, automobiles, and even the U.S. Mail to smuggle fentanyl and meth into our communities right here in Indiana for local distribution,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Every link in this chain fuels the death and misery touching far too many of our families—and must be dismantled. Thanks to the hard work and cooperation of the DEA, US Postal Inspection Service, IRS-CI, and many other federal, state, and local agencies, this significant drug trafficking organization is out of business and its members are off our streets.” “I am incredibly proud of the outstanding work that was done by the DEA, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Metropolitan Drug Task Force in this investigation. Additional collaboration with the DEA Special Operations Division assisted agents with the highest levels of investigative techniques allowing agents to fully unravel a sophisticated international drug trafficking organization linked to the Sinaloa Cartel,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon. “This operation has had a significant impact on Indianapolis, Indiana, and the broader Midwest region, resulting in the seizure of hundred-pound quantities of methamphetamine kilogram quantities of fentanyl, and the removal of numerous firearms from our streets. These actions are a big win for all Hoosiers. I deeply appreciate the strong partnerships that made this critical investigation possible.” “Every day, Postal Inspectors work to prevent the mail from being misused by criminals, including large scale Drug Trafficking Organizations,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. I want to acknowledge the contributions of the officers and agents with our partner agencies, whose relentless efforts not only help us protect the mail, but also our communities from the dangers of these organizations. I also want to thank the Assistant United States Attorneys who supported this investigation.” The Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Lawrence Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives provided valuable assistance. The sentences were imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayson W. McGrath and Lindsay Karwoski, who prosecuted this case. This case was part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program and an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation . OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Bollinger Shipyard LLC Agrees to Pay $1,025,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Billing the Coast Guard for Employees Ineligible to Work in the United States

component: Civil Division

body_text: Bollinger Shipyard LLC (Bollinger), a Lockport, Louisiana, based company, has agreed to pay $1,025,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing the U.S. Coast Guard for labor provided by workers who were not eligible to work in the United States. Bollinger manufactures ships for the United States, including the Coast Guard’s Fast Response Cutter (FRC). The United States alleged that, from 2015-2020, Bollinger knowingly billed the Coast Guard for labor prohibited under the FRC contracts. Specifically, the United States alleged that Bollinger was contractually required to confirm that its employees were eligible to work in the United States. The United States further alleges that Bollinger failed to comply with this requirement and, as a result, several ineligible employees worked on the contract. Further, the United States alleged that Bollinger billed the Coast Guard for the labor provided by the ineligible employees and received payment for those bills. “It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our fleet that contractors comply with all contractual requirements,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly disregard their contractual obligations.” “Companies that conduct business with the United States are required to do so in a legitimate manner,” said U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The favorable resolution of these False Claims Act allegations illustrates the collaboration and commitment by our federal partners to use all available remedies to address signs of fraud, waste and abuse.” “Today’s settlement sends a clear message that contractors providing services to DHS programs will be held accountable for breaking the law,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D. of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “DHS’ Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) and our law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize protecting our national security from these kinds of schemes.” “The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) is committed to continually working with all our law enforcement partners to protect and secure taxpayer funds and aggressively act to fully investigate allegations of false claims involving the Coast Guard,” said Assistant Director William Hicks of CGIS. Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Lee Sears for the Eastern District of Louisiana handled the matter. DHS OIG and CGIS assisted in the investigation. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Settlement


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with the Orange County, California, District Attorney’s Office to Enhance and Sustain Reforms on Custodial Informants

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Orange County, California, District Attorney on the use of custodial informants at the Orange County jails in California. The agreement resolves the department’s civil investigation finding that custodial informant activity by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) from 2007 through 2016 with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) violated criminal defendants’ right to counsel under the Sixth Amendment and right to due process of law under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Under the agreement, the District Attorney agrees to continue implementing reforms to protect against misuse of custodial informants at the Orange County jails and to disclose to criminal defendants exculpatory evidence about custodial informants, in accordance with constitutional guarantees to a fair trial and right to counsel. Specifically, the District Attorney agrees to maintain changes to OCDA policies, training, document and information systems and internal audits, as well as to engage with representatives of the Orange County criminal justice system on additional improvements. The department will also have full and direct access to independently validate that the reforms have taken hold at OCDA and are achieving their intended results. “Under the Sixth Amendment, law enforcement cannot use custodial informants as their agents to elicit incriminating statements from defendants represented by counsel,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend the District Attorney and his staff for initiating corrective action at OCDA to comply with constitutional requirements. The District Attorney’s proactive efforts, together with today’s agreement, will not only protect the constitutional rights of individual defendants; they will also help restore the public’s confidence in the fundamental fairness of the criminal justice system in Orange County.” The out-of-court agreement is the result of extensive cooperation from the District Attorney and members of OCDA following the release of the department’s investigative findings in October 2022. The agreement is also the result of systemic improvements initiated by the District Attorney, including suspending the use of custodial informants without his express, prior approval in 2016. The department opened its investigation into OCDA and OCSD in 2016. The evidence uncovered by the department revealed that custodial informants in the Orange County Jail system acted as agents of law enforcement to elicit incriminating statements from defendants represented by counsel and that, for years, Orange County sheriff deputies maintained and concealed systems to track, manage and reward those custodial informants. The evidence also revealed that Orange County prosecutors failed to seek out and disclose exculpatory information regarding custodial informants to defense counsel. The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted the investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601. The statute prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The department’s negotiations with the Orange County Sheriff on remedial measures at OCSD are ongoing. Since January 2021, the division has opened 12 investigations into law enforcement agencies. The section is enforcing 15 agreements with law enforcement agencies and two post-judgment orders. The department also reached a court enforceable agreement with Louisville and Minneapolis to resolve its findings. Both are pending review by the court. The department’s investigative findings from October 2022 can be found here . Information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt .


title: Memphis Man Receives Significant Sentence for Selling Methamphetamine to Undercover ATF Agents

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A Memphis man, Richard Collins , 35 , has been sentenced to 100 months of imprisonment for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine in Memphis, Tennessee. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. In June 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives began investigating drug distribution by members of the 92 Bishop Blood street gang. On June 13, 2023, ATF Special Agents, acting in an undercover capacity, asked to purchase approximately two ounces of pure methamphetamine from Richard Collins for $500. Collins arranged for the agents to meet him at a location on Jackson Avenue in Memphis the same day. When they arrived, Collins coordinated with another individual to bring the methamphetamine onsite. This individual arrived at Collins’s request moments later and exchanged 63.34 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine for the agreed-upon amount of currency. Collins was indicted in February 2024, on conspiracy and aiding and abetting distribution of methamphetamine charges. On October 10, 2024, Collins entered a guilty plea to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. On January 8, 2025, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Collins to 100 months of incarceration with a four-year period of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system. “The ATF works collaboratively with its state, local, and federal partners to ensure that justice is served on those individuals who repeatedly and intentionally violate the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus S. Watson, ATF-Nashville Field Office. “Organized crime is a huge problem in many cities and none of our law enforcement partners are a stranger to it. We strive hard each day to remain in lockstep with our law enforcement partners and remove these individuals from the communities that we serve.” This case was investigated by the Memphis Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Nashville laboratory assisted in this investigation. Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Bryce H. Phillips and Wendy Cornejo who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Mobile Man Sentenced To 96 Months For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Ladarius Cannon, a Mobile man, has been sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade. According to court documents, in April 2023, members of the Mobile Police Department responded to a domestic violence call in a neighborhood within Mobile County. The homeowner reported that Cannon was in her home with her adult granddaughter and a firearm. Another occupant of the home witnessed Cannon discharge the firearm at least one time while inside the home. Photographs documented damage to the interior of their home and the investigation led to the collection of three casings within the home. Around the same time as these events, neighbors from a home on the same street called 911 to report that they could see Cannon on their home security camera outside their home. The caller indicated Cannon was at the front door holding a firearm to a female. The preserved footage shows Cannon holding a firearm to a female, at times pressing the firearm to her body. Cannon can be heard saying “don’t run from me.” When the police arrived, they took Cannon into custody and recovered the firearm Cannon possessed near his vehicle. Cannon has been convicted of 8 prior felony offenses, including several violent crimes, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Cannon was on probation for a state offense of shooting into an occupied building at the time of this offense. At sentencing, Judge Granade imposed a 96-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Cannon’s discharge from prison. The federal sentence is to run consecutively to a 15-year state probation revocation sentence Cannon is currently serving. The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation Into  Fatal Police Shooting of Justin Robinson

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officers for their role in a September 1, 2024, fatal shooting of Justin Robinson, 25. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD’s Internal Affair’s Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of physical evidence, surveillance video footage, body-worn camera footage, audio and visual recordings from nearby video cameras, witness accounts, autopsy records, and MPD reports. On September 1, 2024, at about 5:20 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officers received a radio run for a vehicle that had crashed into the side of the McDonald’s located at 2529 Marion Barry Avenue in Southeast D.C. MPD Officers and D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Service (DCFEMS) members responded to the scene and observed an unresponsive individual, later identified as Justin Robinson, sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Mr. Robinson had been sitting inside his car in the drive-thru of the McDonald’s, unresponsive, for around an hour before it moved forward and crashed into the building. When the MPD Officers arrived, they observed a firearm in plain view in Mr. Robinson’s lap. As the officers were devising a plan to remove the firearm from the vehicle, Mr. Robinson woke up, prompting multiple officers to scream at Mr. Robinson to put his hands up and not to touch the gun. As an MPD officer reached into the car and attempted to retrieve the gun from Mr. Robinson’s lap, a struggle ensued, during which Mr. Robinson refused to relinquish control of his own gun and grabbed the firearm of that MPD Officer. MPD officers instructed Mr. Robinson to take his hand off the gun. After this warning, as Mr. Robinson continued to struggle, two MPD officers discharged a total of 11 rounds from their service pistols at Mr. Robinson, striking him. After Mr. Robinson was struck by the MPD Officers’ discharged rounds, the officers safely removed Mr. Robinson’s firearm, removed Mr. Robinson from the vehicle, and immediately began resuscitation efforts. Although DCFEMS took over the life-saving efforts, Mr. Robinson was pronounced dead on the scene. After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the MPD Officers were criminally liable for Mr. Robinson’s death. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. MPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia. ##


title: Texas hospital CEO sentenced to federal prison for role in health care kickback conspiracy

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A former Texas hospital chief executive officer has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Jeffrey Paul Madison, 49, of Burnet, Texas; Susan L. Hertzberg, 66, of New York, New York; Matthew John Theiler, 58, of Pinehurst, North Carolina; David Weldon Kraus, 66, of Maryville, Tennessee; and Thomas Gray Hardaway, 52, of San Antonio, Texas, were found guilty by a jury on November 30, 2023, following a seven-week-long trial before U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. Madison was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison by Judge Kernodle on January 15, 2025. Madison also agreed to pay $5,343,630 to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act involving illegal payments to physicians for laboratory referrals in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. On November 20, 2024, Theiler was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $75,000 fine. On December 5, 2024, Kraus was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. On January 12, 2022, Hertzberg, Theiler, Kraus, Hardaway, and Madison, as well as Jeffrey Paul Parnell, 56, of Tyler; Laura Spain Howard, 50, of Lucas; Todd Dean Cook, 59, Ocala, Florida; William Todd Hickman, 61, of Anna; Christopher Roland Gonzales, 48, of Fairview; Ruben Daniel Marioni, 40, of Spring; Jordan Joseph Perkins, 40, of Conroe; Elizabeth Ruth Seymour, 42, of Corinth; Linh Ba Nguyen, 60, of Dallas; Thuy Ngoc Nguyen, 56, of Dallas; Joseph Gil Bolin, of Dallas; Heriberto Salinas, 64, of Dallas; and Hong Davis, 57, of Copper Canyon, were indicted for conspiring to commit illegal remunerations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs. The defendants were charged for their roles in a conspiracy through which physicians were incentivized to make referrals to rural hospitals and an affiliated lab in exchange for kickbacks which were disguised as investment returns; and in which marketers were incentivized to arrange for or recommend the ordering of services from rural hospitals and an affiliated lab. Two rural Texas hospitals, Little River Healthcare (LRH) based in Rockdale, and Stamford Memorial Hospital based in Stamford, partnered with Boston Heart Diagnostics (BHD), a clinical laboratory based in Framingham, Massachusetts, that specialized in advanced cardiovascular lipid testing. For a fee, BHD processed the blood tests while the hospitals billed the tests to insurers as hospital outpatient services, with the hospitals charging insurers a much higher rate than BHD could receive as a clinical laboratory. The hospitals utilized a network of marketers who in turn operated management services organizations (MSOs) that offered investment opportunities to physicians throughout the State of Texas. In reality, the MSOs were simply a means to facilitate payments to physicians in return for the physicians’ laboratory referrals. Pursuant to the kickback scheme, the hospitals paid a portion of their laboratory revenues to marketers, who in turn kicked back a portion of those funds to the referring physicians who ordered BHD tests from the hospitals or from BHD directly. BHD executives and sales force personnel leveraged the MSO kickbacks to gain and increase referrals and, in turn, to increase their revenues, bonuses, and commissions. Parnell, Howard, Cook, Hickman, Gonzales, Marioni, Perkins, Seymour, Thuy Nguyen, Salinas, and Davis pleaded guilty prior to trial. In January 2022, Robert O’Neal, 66, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit illegal remunerations, in violation of Anti-Kickback Statute, and to conspiracy to commit money laundering. His role in the kickback conspiracy was to arrange for physician referrals and recommend the ordering of services to the rural hospitals and BHD. O’Neal also had kickback proceeds laundered on his behalf and, at various times, obtained proceeds from the kickback conspiracy. In July 2023, Peter J. Bennett, of Houston, was convicted of money laundering conspiracy, money transmitting conspiracy, and perjury. According to information presented in court, Bennett created sham trusts and shell corporations through which he laundered at least $2,724,080.41 in healthcare kickback proceeds. Bennett used his law firm’s Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA), operating account, and a personal bank account to launder and transmit the kickback proceeds. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remunerations in exchange for the referral of or arranging for or recommending the ordering of items or services payable under federal health care programs. Under federal statutes, violations of the Anti-Kickback statute are punishable by up to five years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce - Export Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian Garcia, Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Lucas Machicek, and Robert Austin Wells. ###


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Gina Allery as Director of the Office of Tribal Justice

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today announced that Gina Allery has been appointed to serve as the Director of the Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland swore Allery in to the office on Monday afternoon. In this role, Allery will lead OTJ and serve as the principal advisor on Tribal matters to the Attorney General and other Department leaders. “Gina Allery’s experience and leadership on Indian law and Tribal issues in a variety of roles across the Justice Department will make her an incredible asset to the Office of Tribal Justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “I am confident that Gina will skillfully lead the Department’s efforts to partner with Tribal Nations in the pursuit of justice and safety for Tribal communities. I am grateful that she has agreed to continue her public service in this important role.” OTJ was initially formed in 1995 in response to requests from Tribal leaders for a dedicated point of contact for Indian country-specific legal and policy matters. The office was made permanent on July 29, 2010, with the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act. OTJ is the program and legal policy advisor to the Attorney General on the treaty and trust relationship between the United States and Indian Tribes. The office also serves as a primary point of contact for federally recognized Tribal governments and Tribal organizations on Department policies and programs, as well as issues relating to public safety and justice in Indian country. OTJ also coordinates with other bureaus, agencies, offices, and divisions within the Justice Department on issues and initiatives that affect Tribes and American Indian and Alaska Native people. Prior to her appointment, Allery served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Tribal Resources and Land Acquisition Sections of the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), beginning in 2022. From 2018-2021, Allery served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota where she prosecuted violent crimes in Indian country. Previously, she served for six years as Deputy Director of OTJ, where she worked on a variety of legal and policy issues impacting Indian Tribes. Allery began her career with the Justice Department as an attorney in ENRD, where she litigated cases on behalf of Tribes, including land-into-trust, reservation boundary, treaty rights, and gaming cases. She served for three years as ENRD’s Senior Counsel for Indian Affairs, providing legal advice to the Assistant Attorney General on variety of Indian law issues. She is a recipient of the John Marshall Award, the Department’s highest award for attorneys for contributions and excellence in specialized areas of legal performance. Prior to working at the Justice Department, Allery worked in private practice. Allery earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. Daron Carreiro, who has been serving as the Acting Director of OTJ since March 2024, will return to his role as Section Chief in ENRD’s Tribal Resources Section. “Daron Carreiro has been an excellent leader and advisor since beginning as Acting Director of OTJ,” said Attorney General Garland. “I thank him for his dedicated public service and for his ongoing contributions to the Department’s work alongside our Tribal partners.”


title: Browning man sentenced to 13 years in prison for sexually abusing child, sending obscene material to minors

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A federal judge today sentenced a Browning man to 13 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for sexually abusing a child on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and for sending sexually explicit photographs of himself to minors, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Treston Lane Kickingwoman, 29, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of abusive sexual contact and two counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in 2022, the victim, Jane Doe 1, disclosed to law enforcement that when she was about six years old, in 2014 or 2015, Kickingwoman sexually abused her one time. While staying at a house in Browning, Kickingwoman laid down on the bed by her and sexually abused her. Kickingwoman stopped when another person started moving in the room. Nearly a decade later, in March 2024, an FBI online covert employee with a fictitious persona as a juvenile began communicating on Facebook with Kickingwoman. Kickingwoman sent the persona explicit pictures and videos of his genitalia and solicited sexually explicit pictures from her. During a search of Kickingwoman’s Facebook account, law enforcement discovered that Kickingwoman had sent pictures of his nude genitalia to dozens of separate Facebook accounts. Investigators identified two Facebook accounts for juvenile girls, Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3, who were living on the Blackfeet Reservation. Law enforcement interviewed both girls, who confirmed that they had messaged with Kickingwoman on Facebook Messenger in the summer of 2023, when they were 12 years old and that they told him they were 13. Kickingwoman sent both girls pictures of his nude genitalia and solicited sexually explicit pictures from them. Jane Doe 2 provided the requested photographs to Kickingwoman through his Facebook account. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation. XXX