title: Anchorage Man Indicted on Federal Guns and Drug Charges

body_text: ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging an Anchorage man with possession of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and multiple firearms. According to the indictment, Paul Thomas Baldwin Jr., 32, possessed with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of heroin in September 2022. Between March 22 and April 21, 2023, he again possessed with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. It is alleged that Baldwin also possessed over $25,000 in cash that was involved in the drug offenses. Baldwin, who has a prior serious drug felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms, was also charged with possessing two pistols. The defendant is scheduled for his court appearance on May 24, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the United States District Court of Alaska. If convicted, based on his prior conviction for a serious drug felony, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Anchorage Police Department (APD), and Alaska State Troopers (AST) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Ex-Signal Peak Mine safety manager sentenced for conspiring to make false reports about coal mine injury

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — The former safety manager at the Signal Peak Energy LLC underground coal mine near Roundup was sentenced today for conspiring to make false reports about a mine accident in which an employee had his fingers crushed, resulting in partial amputation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Curtis Floyd, 47, of Billings, was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $2,000. Floyd pleaded guilty in January to an information charging him with conspiracy to submit false statements in mine records. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. In a plea agreement reached in the case, the parties agreed that a term of probation was appropriate. “As Signal Peak Energy’s safety manager, Floyd had a duty to make sure miners were safe and protected and to document and report accidents. Floyd not only failed the miners, but he also flaunted mandatory mine health and safety reporting regulations. We expect mines and their managers to operate in compliance with all regulations, and when they don’t, they will be held accountable,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “The Mine Safety and Health Administration relies on accurate and timely reporting data to inform our investigations and address safety and health hazards. These reports also help mine operators uphold their legal obligation to keep miners safe and healthy by advising the industry of necessary changes to prevent future incidents. Floyd’s failure to report this data undercuts this system and puts miners at risk. We thank the Department of Justice for its vigorous enforcement of the Mine Act and helping MSHA protect the nation’s miners,” said Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson. “Protecting the health and safety of our nation’s miners requires a team effort, which starts with mine operators following crucial safety and health laws and regulations. When mine operators violate their obligations or attempt to cheat the system, the Department of Labor will not hesitate to use every available tool to uphold the law, including partnering with other agencies. We are grateful for the Department of Justice’s critical partnership to keep all our nation’s miners safe,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda. The government alleged in court documents that in 2018, Floyd was the safety manager at the Signal Peak Energy coal mine and was responsible for overseeing safety-related accidents and injuries, ensuring that all such incidents were properly reported as required by federal law. Instead, the government alleged, Floyd went along when management needed an accident covered up. Floyd dropped off injured miners at the hospital instead of escorting them inside or let them go home, knowing they would lie to doctors about how they got hurt, and he let required safety reports disappear instead of making sure the reports were filed. In early 2018, John Doe 1, a miner, had his fingers crushed while loading mining materials. The injury eventually required partial amputation. As Floyd was taking John Doe 1 to the hospital, Dale Musgrave, the former vice president of underground operations, called the injured miner and directed him to falsely claim that the injury was unrelated to his work. Musgrave told John Doe 1 that he would make it worth his while. Floyd told John Doe 1 he would support whatever decision was made. The injured miner agreed to not report the incident. Floyd and Musgrave were required to complete a U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration Mine Accident, Injury and Illness report, but they never completed or submitted a report for this incident. They also failed to report John Doe 1’s injury on another MSHA quarterly report. This prosecution was part of a broad corruption investigation into Signal Peak Energy’s management and operations that resulted in criminal misdemeanor convictions of the company for willful violation of health and safety standards and felony convictions of some former mine managers and associates for embezzlement, tax evasion, bank fraud, money laundering, drugs and firearms violations. Musgrave was sentenced to probation and fined $20,000 for his conviction in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin M. Rubich, Zeno B. Baucus and Timothy Tatarka prosecuted the case. The IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI, Department of Labor and Environmental Protection Agency conducted the investigation. XXX


title: United States Files Forfeiture Action to Recover Crypto Proceeds Traceable to Cyber Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover cryptocurrency alleged to be proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) fraud scheme targeting a Massachusetts business. The government seeks to forfeit cryptocurrency seized from seven accounts located at Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian. The seized cryptocurrency included bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), APE (APEcoin), JASMY (an Ethereum token), OGN (Origin Protocol), SHIB (Shiba Inu), XEC (eCash), TLM and BNB (Binance coin). In March 2022, a federal investigation began into a BEC scheme targeting a Massachusetts business that was allegedly tricked, through a fraudulent email, into wiring $898,342 from its Massachusetts bank account to a bank account opened in California. From that transfer, proceeds were traced to another bank account and then to a cryptocurrency exchange where the funds were converted to bitcoin. From there, the funds, in the form of cryptocurrency, were transferred through a series of intermediary cryptocurrency addresses, in a manner consistent with tactics employed in money laundering transactions. Ultimately, some of the funds were traced to accounts located at Binance, where they, or things of equivalent value, were seized in August and September 2022. It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. The complaint alleges that the seized currency was both proceeds of the wire fraud and/or property involved in money laundering. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and BEC fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of Levy’s Asset Recovery Unit. The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations. The United States Attorney’s Office has not filed a corresponding criminal action on the matter.


title: Jefferson Parish Man Charged with Federal Firearm Possession

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA. - KEVIN HAMILTON , age 27, of Marrero, LA, was indicted on May 19, 2023 on a single count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to the indictment, HAMILTON possessed a firearm in the French Quarter despite being prohibited from doing such due to previous felony convictions. If convicted, HAMILTON faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 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. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Former Missouri Prison Guard Admits Assaulting Inmate, Possession of Child Pornography

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former Missouri prison guard pleaded guilty to federal charges Tuesday and admitted assaulting an inmate and possessing child pornography. Carl Hart, 37, of Farmington, was a sergeant in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre at the time of the Oct. 28, 2021 assault. After a verbal disagreement with an inmate who is the victim in the case, Hart ordered the victim out of his office. When the victim did not immediately return to his cell, two other corrections officers pepper-sprayed him. The victim went to the showers to wash off the spray. Hart admitted striking the victim in the shower and again after the victim had left the shower and was on the ground, handcuffed and compliant. The victim suffered lacerations on his head, swelling on his face, a black eye, numb arms and rib pain that continues to this day, Hart’s plea says. In a separate investigation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip about suspected child pornography in Hart’s Dropbox account. The Missouri Highway Patrol Digital Forensics Unit investigated and found child pornography in Dropbox and on one of his phones, Hart admitted in his plea agreement. Hart pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of possession of child pornography. The civil rights charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Each child pornography charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Hart is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24. He also faces child pornography charges in St. Francois County Circuit Court. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.


title: Co-leader of Alien Smuggling Organization Sentenced to Four Years in Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national residing in Plano was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso on May 3 to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for one count of conspiracy to transport aliens. According to court documents, Ana Maria Villa-Flores, 40, of Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico, conspired, communicated and coordinated the smuggling of a group of 22 undocumented noncitizens from El Paso to the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a co-conspirator in July 2021. Villa-Flores also conspired and coordinated with another co-conspirator to move 24 undocumented noncitizens from El Paso to Plano in January 2022. Further investigation revealed Villa-Flores to be a leader and organizer for conspiring to smuggle undocumented noncitizens via locked and enclosed cargo trailers from El Paso to Dallas-Fort Worth. Villa-Flores is held accountable for smuggling 124 known undocumented noncitizens between July 2021 and April 2022. “As demonstrated in this case, our dedicated partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol remain vigilant in their pursuit of justice. The dismantling of this alien smuggling organization is a testament to their commitment and tireless effort,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Together, we stand resolute in protecting our borders and upholding the rule of law, safeguarding the integrity of our nation.” “Individuals involved in the illicit movement of human cargo into the country and then onto further destinations within the United States have a callous disregard for the value of human life and are placing profit ahead of public safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for HSI El Paso. “HSI will continue to aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to identify and arrest those involved in this illicit and dangerous activity.” HSI and USBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Crosby prosecuted the case. ###


title: Washington drug trafficker sentenced to 11 years in prison for 11 pounds of meth seized in Glendive traffic stop

body_text: BILLINGS — A Washington man who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine after law enforcement seized 11 pounds of the drug from him in a traffic stop in Glendive was sentenced today to 11 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Charles Antonio Gray, 47, pleaded guilty in November 2022 to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that on June 16, 2021, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop in Glendive of a vehicle in which Gray was a passenger, along with two other occupants. Gray was traveling from California to North Dakota. A search of the vehicle led the trooper finding a leather bag that contained five vacuum sealed packages in the trunk. Gray claimed ownership of the bag. The meth seized weighed approximately 11.4 pounds, which is the equivalent of 41,313 doses. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie R. Patten prosecuted the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Montana Highway Patrol, conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. XXX


title: Woman Accused of $104,000 Pandemic Loan Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County, Missouri woman has been indicted in federal court and accused of fraudulently seeking and receiving pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $104,000. Camille N. Foster, 31, was indicted May 17 on three counts of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud. The indictment was unsealed Monday. Foster is scheduled to make her first appearance in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on May 30. The indictment says Foster devised a scheme to defraud Paycheck Protection Program lenders by submitting a series of fraudulent loan applications for three companies, Humble Hearts Home Healthcare LLC, Embellished Jewels LLC and Muse Me Boutique LLC, from May 2020 to February 2021. Those applications contained false information about company payrolls and profits and the purpose of the loans, the indictment says, as well as Foster’s false claims that she didn’t own or have common management with any other business. Humble Hearts received two $20,832 loans and Embellished Jewels received two $20,833 loans. Muse Me Boutique received one $20,833 loan. Foster, also listed in court records as Foster-Nunley, later sought loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that a portion of each loan had been used for payroll costs, the indictment says. Instead, Foster transferred the PPP loan money to other accounts she controlled, took some out in cash, transferred some to other people and spent some on retail and restaurant purchases and cosmetic surgery, the indictment says. The bank fraud charges are punishable by up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Federal Grand Jury  Indicts Man for Gun and Drug Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On Friday, May 19, 2023, MARCUS THEODORE , age 31, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged in a four-count indictment by a federal grand jury for violations of the Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. THEODORE is charged in Count 1 with conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846. THEODORE is charged in Count 2 with possession with the intent to distribute forty grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). In Count 3, THEODORE is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). In Count 4, THEODORE is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The indictment also alleges that THEODORE has a prior serious violent felony conviction, for manslaughter, that increases his potential punishment on the drug charges. If convicted of Count 1, THEODORE faces a mandatory minimum penalty of fifteen years up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, THEODORE faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $8,000,000 fine, and at least 8 years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 3, THEODORE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release. If convicted of Count 4, THEODORE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to each count, THEODORE also faces payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit .


title: Former deputy constable heads to prison for cocaine conspiracy

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON - A 49-year-old Huffman resident has been sent to prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Alexsander S. Reyes, a former Harris County Precinct 1 deputy constable, pleaded guilty Jan. 6, 2022. Today, U.S. District David Hittner sentenced him to a total of 210 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Reyes committed a “gross abuse of public trust” and committed these crimes while on duty further mentioning how he used his patrol vehicle while possessing his service firearm. Judge Hittner also deemed Reyes a leader/organizer because he recruited other persons to assist in the crimes. “Reyes was a cop who wanted to help criminals by becoming one himself,” said Hamdani. “While the vast majority of police serve with courage and character, there are sadly a few that choose to dishonor their badges. Ferreting out those bad apples is something we in the Southern District of Texas take seriously so as to ensure the integrity of our criminal justice system.” “Alexsander Reyes was a dirty cop who got caught red-handed and has now been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison,” said Special Agent in Charge James Smith of the FBI. “We hope his lengthy sentence sends a clear message to others who think they can mask their criminal and corrupt behavior with their uniform, gun and badge.” On or about Dec. 5, 2020, Reyes escorted a tractor-trailer in a marked constable vehicle through Houston with the assistance of his then girlfriend, Priscilla Yvette Cervantes, 46, Huffman. They both believed it contained 10 kilograms of cocaine. For their assistance, Reyes received a total of $6000 in cash. However, the drug load was actually part of an undercover operation and included “dummy” or fake cocaine. Prior to the escort, Reyes and Cervantes had traveled twice to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to transport a total of $350,000, proceeds allegedly from the sales of narcotics. Reyes has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons Facility to be determined in the near future. A federal jury convicted Cervantes in October 2022. She has since been ordered to prison for 121 months. The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, Houston Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter prosecuted the case.


title: Trafficker admits to smuggling $1.5M worth cocaine in produce boxes

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Mexican resident has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 88.5 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On Nov. 13, 2022, Faustino Perez Luna was driving a tractor trailer loaded with cocaine. The drugs were the priority load of a known drug trafficking organization. Luna approached the Falfurrias checkpoint and claimed to be headed to Atlanta to drop a load of produce. However, a K-9 soon alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle. Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where they discovered the cocaine concealed between produce boxes on the tractor trailer. The drugs weighed approximately 88.5 kilograms with an estimated street value of $1.5 million. From March 2022 to Nov. 13, 2022, law enforcement arrested several others in connection with this drug trafficking organization. It operated in the lower Rio Grande Valley transporting either narcotics, guns or money. The investigation led to the discovery of the priority load – the 88.5 kilograms Luna had transported. It was intended for Atlanta, Georgia. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing for Luna Aug. 10. At that time, Luna faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. Luna has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores is prosecuting the case.


title: Beverly Hills Man Finishing Federal Sentence in Fraud Case Indicted in New Alleged $9 Million Scam for Investments in Fake Hemp Farm

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury this afternoon returned a five-count indictment that accuses a Beverly Hills man – who was completing a sentence in a prior federal fraud case – of soliciting more than $9 million from investors with false claims they were investing in a hemp farm that did not exist. Mark Roy Anderson, 68, who was living in Beverly Hills while on supervised release after serving a 135-month prison sentence, faces five counts of wire fraud in a case that alleges he tricked investors into providing funding for his company, called Harvest Farm Group, to harvest and process hemp, grown on his farm, into medical grade CBD isolate to be sold for a substantial profit. Special agents with the FBI arrested Anderson in this case on May 9 after prosecutors filed a criminal complaint outlining a series of actions and false statements that allegedly induced victims to send money to Anderson during the scheme that ran from at least June 2020 to April 2021. “To induce the victim-investors to invest in Harvest Farm Group, defendant Anderson falsely represented that, through Harvest Farm Group: (i) he owned and operated a hemp farm in Kern County, California; (ii) he had already completed successful and profitable harvests of hemp from the farm; and (iii) he was using his own machinery and equipment to convert the hemp into CBD isolate and/or Delta 8, a psychoactive substance that, like CBD isolate, could be used in consumer products ranging from olive oil to body cream,” according to the indictment, which goes on to allege that none of those claims was true. Anderson allegedly attempted to maintain a veneer of trustworthiness by taking steps to assure investors Harvest Farms Group was legitimate and he “was not the ‘Mark Roy Anderson’ with multiple prior fraud convictions.” The indictment alleges Anderson “concealed that he had been convicted of multiple federal and state felony crimes, including mail fraud, wire fraud, grand theft, forgery, preparing false evidence, and money laundering, and concealed that he was still serving a criminal sentence and still on supervised release at the time he was soliciting investments.” Anderson allegedly used investor money for personal expenses, including more than $650,000 worth of luxury and vintage vehicles, over $400,000 in cash withdrawals, more than $142,000 in retail purchases, and other personal expenses, including more than $1.3 million spent to purchase a residence and surrounding citrus groves in Ojai. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Anderson, who has been ordered held without bond in this case, is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in United States District Court on May 30. Each count of wire fraud alleged in the indictment carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The FBI is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting the case.


title: Columbia County man sentenced to federal prison for possession of child pornography

body_text: AUGUSTA, GA: A Columbia County man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing images of child sexual abuse. Bradley Fearneyhough , 35, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 172 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Fearneyhough to pay $21,000 in restitution, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 20 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Predators who possess images of child sexual exploitation perpetuate the victimization of these vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence makes it clear that such despicable activity won’t be tolerated in our communities.” “As described in court documents and testimony, in May 2022, the FBI received an online tip that Fearneyhough possessed images that depicted child sexual abuse. He was arrested after subsequent interviews and searches of his electronic devices. Agents found hundreds of images of child pornography on multiple devices in Fearneyhough’s possession, including videos depicting sexual abuse of children as young as infants. "Thanks to a public tip submitted to the National Threat Operations Center, Fearneyhough will be held accountable for his heinous crimes," said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "This case is an outstanding example of how partnerships between the FBI and the public are essential in protecting our citizens, in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens." Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/ . The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons.


title: Bangor Man Faces Up to Life Following Guilty Plea to Drug and Gun Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records, in May 2022, officers with the Brewer Police Department responded to a call for a service and located Allen Henry , 48, in a parked vehicle. A record check revealed Henry had an active warrant for his arrest and active bail conditions stemming from a state charge. The bail conditions prohibited him from using or possessing any alcohol or illegal drugs. Upon conducting a bail check to ensure Henry was compliant with conditions, officers located more than 400 grams of fentanyl, approximately 30 grams of cocaine base and a firearm in his vehicle. Henry has a previous 2013 state conviction that prohibits him from possessing firearms. Henry faces a maximum term of life imprisonment on the drug charge and up to ten years on the firearms charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Brewer Police Department investigated this case. ###


title: Shreveport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Fredarius D. Jackson , 25, of Shreveport, Louisiana , was sentenced today by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. Jackson was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. On May 29, 2021, Jackson was arrested outside of a residence on Dove Street in Shreveport by officers with the Shreveport Police Department. During his arrest, officers found Jackson to be in possession of a Taurus 9mm pistol, a TNW Firearms ASR rifle with a 50-round drum magazine and other ammunition. At the time of Jackson’s arrest, he was serving a period of state probation for a felony offense and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) examined and tested the firearms and found them to be operational. The case was investigated by the ATF and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Shannon. 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: Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach sentenced Francisco Xavier Ortiz-Colón to 30 years in prison,10 years of supervised release, and registration as a sex offender for nine counts of production of child pornography, eight counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual conduct, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. On November 9, 2022, Ortiz-Colón was found guilty of 19 counts of child pornography. According to court documents and testimony during trial, from August 2019 through June 2020, Ortiz-Colón induced, enticed, and coerced nine female victims, ranging from nine to fourteen years of age, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Ortiz-Colón used multiple Instagram accounts to commit these crimes. During trial, the government presented evidence to prove that Ortiz-Colón used three Instagram accounts, while impersonating a female user, to procure armpit photos of the minor victims. After obtaining photos of the minors’ armpits and breasts, he used those photos to extort further explicit pornographic photos of the minors. HSI law enforcement agents executed several search warrants of the address where Ortiz-Colón’s Instagram account IP Address was identified and found him in possession of the smartphone through which he exercised control of the Instagram accounts used to extort the minor victims. “The sentenced imposed today reflects the heinous nature the crimes committed by the defendant and the abuse inflicted on his victims,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly investigate and prosecute the misuse of social media platforms to commit these atrocious crimes.” “Today’s sentencing not only concludes a long emotional process of victim testimonies which impacted everybody present in the courthouse, but most importantly provides closure to all the minors who this predator attacked with no mercy,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos. “This man once told one of his victims that he would never get caught by law enforcement, he believed he was above the law, preying on our children. HSI arrested him and a jury found him guilty, it’s time to face a long sentence in jail.” The Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Y. Hernández-Vega, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator in the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Cut Bank woman sentenced for role in vehicle crash that killed one, injured another in East Glacier

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Cut Bank woman who admitted to manslaughter and assault charges after the vehicle she was driving crashed head on into another vehicle in East Glacier, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Feather Lynn Stillsmoking, 32, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to involuntary manslaughter and to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered $8,661 restitution. In court documents, the government alleged that on March 12, 2022, Stillsmoking was driving an Oldsmobile west on US 2 into East Glacier at a high rate of speed. As she was negotiating a left-hand curve, the car rotated counterclockwise because of the speed, crossed the centerline and collided head on with an eastbound Nissan. A passenger, identified as John Doe, who was in the Oldsmobile, died at the scene of blunt force injuries. The driver of the Nissan, identified as Jane Doe, suffered serious injuries. An analysis of Stillsmoking’s blood found alcohol, amphetamine and methamphetamine. Stillsmoking told investigators that she drank a fifth of vodka prior to the crash. Investigators determined that the Oldsmobile was traveling at 102 mph five seconds before impact. The speed limit at the crash location is a 25-mph restricted speed zone. In the government’s sentencing memo, John Doe’s mother and Jane Doe described how the crash has affected their lives. “There is no greater pain than having your child gone from you in a blink of an eye and there is nothing you can do about it,” John Doe’s mother said in her statement. Jane Doe described having surgeries and ongoing pain, seeking mental health counseling and experiencing financial stress from being unable to work for six months while being the main source of income for her family. “This happened at a time in my life, I will be 75, when I was hoping I could stop working, but I can’t,” Jane Doe said in her statement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. XXX


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced To 12 Years For Receiving Military-Type Training From Hizballah, Marriage Fraud, And Making False Statements

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALEXEI SAAB, a/k/a “Ali Hassan Saab,” a/k/a “Alex Saab,” a/k/a “Rachid,” was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for receiving military-type training from Hizballah, marriage fraud, and making false statements. A jury convicted SAAB of those offenses in May 2022 after a two-week trial. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe, who also presided over the trial. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Alexei Saab’s actions as a Hizballah operative, both domestically and internationally, were deeply disturbing. Saab trained extensively on military tactics and weapons use, he specialized in how to construct and detonate explosives, and he surveilled major American landmarks to identify potential attack sites. But his apprehension by law enforcement before an attack could be carried out is a testament to the importance of our counterterrorism efforts. We will continue to protect the American people by thwarting terrorist organizations’ pursuits of murder and mass destruction. Thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, Saab will now spend the coming 12 years in federal prison.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial: Hizballah is a Lebanon-based Shia Islamic organization with political, social, and terrorist components. Hizballah was founded in the 1980s with support from Iran after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and its mission includes establishing a fundamentalist Islamic state in Lebanon. Since Hizballah’s formation, the organization has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including U.S. citizens and military personnel. In 1997, the U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah a Foreign Terrorist Organization, pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it remains so designated today. In 2001, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Hizballah a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. In 2010, State Department officials described Hizballah as the most technically capable terrorist group in the world and a continued security threat to the U.S. The Islamic Jihad Organization (“IJO”), which is also known as the External Security Organization and “910,” is a component of Hizballah responsible for the planning and coordination of intelligence, counterintelligence, and terrorist activities on behalf of Hizballah outside of Lebanon. In July 2012, an IJO operative detonated explosives on a bus transporting Israeli tourists in the vicinity of an airport in Burgas, Bulgaria. The detonation killed six people and injured 32 others. Law enforcement authorities have disrupted several other IJO attack-planning operations around the world, including the arrest of an IJO operative surveilling Israeli targets in Cyprus in 2012, the seizure of bomb-making precursor chemicals in Thailand in 2012, and a seizure of similar chemicals in May 2015 in connection with the arrest of another IJO operative. In June 2017, two IJO operatives were arrested in the U.S and charged with terrorism-related offenses in the Southern District of New York. In May 2019, a jury convicted one of those two IJO operatives on all counts, and in December 2019, he was sentenced principally to 40-years in prison. SAAB joined Hizballah in 1996. SAAB’s first Hizballah operations occurred in Lebanon, where he was tasked with observing and reporting on the movements of Israeli and Southern Lebanese Army soldiers in Yaroun, Lebanon. Among other things, SAAB reported on patrol schedules and formations, procedures at security checkpoints, and the vehicles used by soldiers. SAAB also, alongside his brother, planted an improvised explosive device that detonated and hit Israeli soldiers, seriously injuring at least one. In approximately 1999, SAAB attended his first Hizballah training. The training was focused on the use of firearms, and SAAB handled and fired an AK-47, an M16 rifle, and a pistol, and threw grenades. In 2000, SAAB transitioned to membership in Hizballah’s unit responsible for external operations, the IJO, and he then received extensive training in IJO tradecraft, weapons, and military tactics, including how to construct and detonate bombs and other explosive devices and how to best use these devices in attacks. Specifically, SAAB received detailed instruction in, among other things, triggering mechanisms, explosive substances, detonators, and the assembly of circuits. In pre-arrest interviews with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), SAAB was able to diagram multiple improvised explosive devices that would have been viable if constructed as diagrammed. In 2000, SAAB entered the U.S. While living in the U.S., SAAB remained an IJO operative, continued to receive military training in Lebanon, and conducted numerous operations for the IJO. For example, SAAB surveilled dozens of locations in New York City — including the United Nations headquarters, the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and local airports, tunnels, and bridges — and provided detailed information on these locations, including photographs, to the IJO. In particular, SAAB focused on the structural weaknesses of locations he surveilled in order to determine how a future attack could cause the most destruction. SAAB’s reporting to the IJO included the materials used to construct a particular target, how close in proximity one could get to a target, and site weaknesses or “soft spots” that the IJO could exploit if it attacked a target in the future. SAAB conducted similar intelligence gathering in a variety of large American cities, including Boston and Washington, D.C. SAAB admitted that his surveillance was designed to best position the IJO to attack the U.S. in the future. SAAB also was tasked by Hizballah with opening a front company that he could use to obtain fertilizer in the United States for use as an explosives precursor. In addition to his attack-planning activities in the United States, SAAB conducted operations abroad. For example, in or about 2003, SAAB attempted to murder a man he later understood to be a suspected Israeli spy. SAAB pointed a firearm at the individual at close range and pulled the trigger twice, but the firearm did not fire. SAAB also conducted surveillance in Istanbul, Turkey, and elsewhere. Finally, in or about 2012, SAAB entered into a fraudulent marriage in exchange for $20,000. The purpose of the marriage was for SAAB’s purported wife to apply for her citizenship. SAAB later falsely affirmed, under penalty of perjury, and in connection with his purported wife’s efforts to obtain status in the U.S., that the marriage was not for any immigration-related purposes. * * * In addition to the prison term, SAAB, 46, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department. Mr. Williams also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jason A. Richman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Jessica Fender and Alexandra Hughes of the Counterterrorism Section.


title: Poplar woman admits to trafficking meth; customer died after taking the drug

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Poplar woman today admitted to a methamphetamine trafficking crime after a customer died shortly after taking the drug, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Danyell Rose Black Dog, 22, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Black Dog faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 18. Black Dog was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 27, 2021, Fort Peck Tribes law enforcement officers responded to a 911 medical call regarding a woman identified as Jane Doe. Doe was unresponsive and officers began CPR. Family members told officers at the scene that Doe had used meth prior to the 911 call. Emergency medical responders arrived and transported Doe to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The government further alleged the investigation determined that Doe would buy $5 or $10 worth of meth from Black Dog on a regular basis, and that Black Dog had sold to Doe two to three times a week. Black Dog sent text information to another individual in which she said she was on her way to sell Doe meth approximately 30 minutes before the incident and how she sold and delivered it to Doe. An autopsy of Doe conducted by the Montana state medical examiner listed the cause of death as methamphetamine toxicity. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Caswell Woman Sentenced to 12 ½ Years on Federal Drug and Gun Charges

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Caswell woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possession of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Nicole McLaughlin , 42, to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on the drug charge and 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on the firearms charge, to be served concurrently. According to court records, in May 2022, McLaughlin was in a single-vehicle car accident in Presque Isle. Responding officers from the Presque Isle Police Department discovered methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a handgun in her vehicle. Agents with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency responded and investigated further. A search of McLaughlin’s residence resulted in the seizure of a large safe containing approximately 92 pounds of methamphetamine, the largest meth bust ever in the state of Maine. The search also uncovered four handguns, including one with an obliterated serial number, and documents bearing McLaughlin’s name. The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case, with assistance from the Presque Isle Police Department and the Maine State Police. U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee thanked the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office for the consultation and coordination it provided. # # #


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Todd Tyler Snead, 57, of Waynesboro, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, admitting to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, Snead admitted to traveling to St. Albans on March 14, 2023 to obtain approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine from a co-defendant. Law enforcement officers followed Snead back to a hotel in Cross Lanes, where they searched the trunk of his vehicle, found the methamphetamine and arrested him. Snead had obtained pound-level quantities of methamphetamine from the co-defendant for several months leading up to his arrest. Snead is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Snead is among 30 individuals indicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 200 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 28 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl, 18 firearms and $747,000 in cash. Seven other co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Indictments against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31. ###


title: Passaic County Man Charged with Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was arrested for transporting and possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Edward M. O’Hagan, 49, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He appeared this May 22, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On Jan. 19, 2023, O’Hagan used one of his email accounts to send video files containing images of child sexual abuse to himself. He also used two email addresses to create accounts on an encrypted file storage platform that was used to upload or create files containing images of child sexual abuse. The email accounts he used to access the platform were associated with an IP address that traced to O’Hagan’s address. The count of transportation of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the arrest. He also thanked the Hawthorne Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Knepper, and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Criminal Division in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ohagan.complaint.pdf


title: Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Charitable Nonprofit

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Benjamin Cisco, 30, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud. Cisco admitted to defrauding a charitable nonprofit organization of $871,288.34 intended for suffering West Virginians. According to court documents and statements made in court, from about March 19, 2020, through about September 28, 2022, Cisco devised and executed his scheme to defraud the charitable non-profit organization while employed as its finance and operations manager in Belle and Charleston. Through his position, Cisco had control over the victim charity’s finances and access to its debit cards, and regularly worked with its accountant. Cisco’s duties included preparing the victim charity’s biweekly payroll, depositing payments into its bank accounts and providing its Board of Directors with updates regarding its finances. Cisco admitted that his fraud scheme followed a two-step process. First, Cisco electronically transferred money from the victim charity’s debit cards to its account with the Flipcause crowd-funding platform, which recorded those transfers as donations. Second, Cisco electronically transferred money from the victim charity’s Flipcause account to his personal bank account, which he had falsely labeled as belonging to the victim charity. Cisco admitted that these fraudulent transactions included electronic transfers from the victim charity’s Flipcause account to his personal bank account of $4,724 on January 28, 2022, and $2,874 on May 6, 2022. Both transfers traveled in interstate commerce between Charleston, West Virginia, and California. Cisco further admitted to executing the fraudulent two-step process more than 100 times. Cisco’s fraudulent scheme specifically caused at least $518,101.70 of loss to the victim charity. Cisco also admitted to defrauding the victim charity of an additional $285,626.64 in travel reimbursements he was not authorized to receive and $67,560 by purchasing gift cards with victim charity funds without authorization. The total loss is $871,288.34. Cisco is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. He also owes $871,288.34 in restitution. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Erik S. Goes are prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen Robeson contributed to the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-25. ###


title: Louisiana Man Charged with Vidor Armed Carjacking

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A New Orleans, Louisiana man has been named in a federal indictment charging him with carjacking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Aubrey Young, 36, was charged with carjacking, possession of a firearm by a felon, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 3, 2023. Young appeared before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone today on those charges. Young is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on May 25, 2023. According to the indictment, on Oct. 26, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a call regarding a stolen car, taken at gunpoint. The suspect allegedly approached two individuals in Vidor, pulled a gun from his backpack and demanded the keys to their vehicle. The vehicle was spotted near Anahuac and a high-speed chase ensued involving officers from the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Young, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was arrested and a firearm was located in the vehicle. Further investigation revealed Young is a convicted felon and prohibited by a federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. If convicted, Young faces up to 22 years in federal prison. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case is being investigated by the Vidor Police Department, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison For Illegally Possessing Eight Firearms and Over 600 Rounds of Ammunition

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A former Jefferson man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing eight firearms and 600 rounds of ammunition as a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Hunter Ramsay, 29, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 72 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On January 23, 2023, Ramsay pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms as a previously convicted person. “The defendant illegally possessed an arsenal of ammunition and firearms, which included three sawed-off shotguns. He compounded his threat to the community by leading law enforcement on a dangerous high-speed pursuit,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “I commend the brave acts and poise under pressure of the officers and State troopers who successfully brought Ramsay to justice.” “ATF will continue to actively pursue individuals with firearms and/or ammunition, who are legally prohibited from doing so. These weapons continue to be used to further criminal activity, and ATF is committed to stopping it,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson. On July 7, 2021, Ramsay was wanted on outstanding state warrants for probation violations in both New Hampshire and Vermont when he was observed by New Hampshire State Police driving a truck in Bethlehem. Ramsay initially fled, so his vehicle was disabled by law enforcement’s deployment of spike strips in Littleton. Ramsay was taken into custody, and a total of eight firearms and over 600 rounds of ammunition were recovered on him and in his vehicle. At the time, Ramsay was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law as a result of a prior felony conviction in Vermont state court. Ramsay has been detained since his July 2021 arrest. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire State Police, the Littleton Police Department, the Coos County Attorney’s Office, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau. ###


title: Fentanyl Enforcement Surge Results in Massive Increase in Seizures and Arrests

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 23, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Law enforcement leaders today announced that an unprecedented two-month fentanyl-enforcement surge along the southwest border has resulted in the seizure of about 4,721 pounds of fentanyl, 1,700 pounds of fentanyl precursors and more than 200 arrests of alleged smugglers, traffickers and dealers within the Southern and Central Districts of California. The surge, labeled Operation Blue Lotus, was launched by the Department of Homeland Security along the Southwest border, including the Southern and Central districts of California and the District of Arizona, from March 13 to May 10, 2023. According to DHS, in San Diego County alone, the two-month surge has resulted in a 300 percent increase in fentanyl seizures versus the same period last year – from 732 pounds in 2022 to 2,931 pounds in 2023. During the DHS surge, the U.S. Attorney’s Office saw a 30 percent increase in defendants prosecuted for fentanyl-related crimes in the Southern District of California compared to the same time period in 2022. And these prosecutions follow a record-setting fiscal year 2022, when we prosecuted 317 defendants for fentanyl offenses (more than an 1,800 percent increase compared to FY2017). The operation involved the deployment of an extra 85 Homeland Security Investigations special agents and 35 Customs and Border Protection officers; many more targeted inspections at the border; the use of advanced technology at locations along the border; and intensified efforts to gather intelligence to build criminal cases against transnational criminal organizations and U.S.-based distribution networks. “We are an epicenter for fentanyl trafficking into the United States, and we know the immense responsibility that we bear to address this crisis,” said U.S Attorney Randy Grossman. “We are answering that call to action with hard work, a purpose and a plan. Every milligram of fentanyl that we seize, and every smuggler, trafficker and dealer we bring to justice, means less fatal doses on the streets of San Diego and beyond.” “As demonstrated by the results under Operation Blue Lotus, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), our DHS partners, law enforcement agencies and departments throughout Southern California are bringing the full weight of combined federal and local law enforcement resources to combat this fentanyl crisis,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge, HSI San Diego. “We are not only seeking to seize the Mexican cartel’s deadly drugs, but to remove their members and their associates from our communities and deny their opportunities to continue their deadly criminal enterprises.” “Operation Blue Lotus represents the kind of exceptional law enforcement and prosecution innovation and collaboration that can effectively impact deadly fentanyl distribution and save lives,” said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan. “I want to recognize the leadership of the U.S. Attorney and other key partners in bringing this operation forward. This operation yielded an extraordinary outcome that is having a direct impact on public safety. The prosecutions that resulted from this operation are an example of our ongoing commitment to holding dealers and traffickers accountable.” “This operation was truly an outstanding demonstration of our partnership approach here in San Diego in working together to combat the importation of fentanyl,” said Sidney K. Aki, Director of Field Operations for San Diego Field Office of Customs and Border Protection. “CBP alongside our partner agencies are committed and will continue to protect our communities from this devasting.” “In just a few months, Operation Blue Lotus was successful in removing millions of potentially deadly doses of fentanyl off the streets,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “But our work is not done. Fentanyl and meth continue to find their way onto the streets of San Diego, fueling addiction and driving deaths higher. Combined with our federal, state, and local partners we will continue to hold accountable those who traffic drugs and threaten the safety of our community.” “I'm extremely proud of the work our investigators have done to interdict and interrupt the cross-border criminal organizations who continue to traffic deadly drugs into our communities and across the nation. The long hours and collaboration across federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement organizations is a testament to the dedication and commitment all of us feel to keep our communities safe,” said San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez. Some examples of the Blue Lotus Operation results include: seized fentanyl that also tested positive for xylazine. The White House has designated the combination of xylazine and fentanyl as an emerging threat to the United States based on xylazine’s growing role in overdose deaths. Officials seized a quantity of fentanyl precursor drugs that could produce more than 200 million fentanyl pills. A vehicle inspection at the border resulted in the discovery of 116 packages containing about 163 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the rear bumper, quarter panels, doors, seats, center console, gas tank, and firewall of the vehicle. The driver was arrested and charged. In addition to the surge associated with Operation Blue Lotus, law enforcement officials here have attacked the fentanyl crises through aggressive prosecutions at every level of the supply chain – from the Sinaloa Cartel leadership, to cross-border trafficking organizations, to money launderers, to street level dealers who are selling drugs that result in overdose deaths. These impactful cases are the result of a close collaboration among the U.S. Attorney’s Office and several multi-jurisdictional task forces focused on combatting the fentanyl crisis, including the HSI-led Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST), a joint federal, state and local law enforcement task force that targets fentanyl distribution networks in the Southern District of California. FAST’s mission compliments the work of the DEA’s Overdose Response Team (formerly Team 10) which investigates fentanyl overdoses in the City of San Diego.


title: Anchorage Inmate Indicted for Orchestrating  Purchase of Firearms with Oregon Woman

body_text: ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week, charging an Oregon man and woman with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms while the man was in prison. According to the indictment, Dominique Kyle James Swain, 25, was arrested in Oregon in January 2022 for violating his supervised release from a previous federal criminal case in the District of Alaska. He was transported from Oregon to Alaska following his arrest. As a convicted felon, Swain was prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms. While he was in custody in Anchorage, Swain orchestrated and directed Abigail Corinne Elaine Sturdevant, 25, who was in Oregon at the time, to purchase firearms on his behalf. Sturdevant agreed and throughout July and August 2022, she purchased several specific models of firearms at Swain’s direction, falsely claiming she was the actual buyer when they both knew the firearms were purchased for Swain. It is alleged that Swain was on the phone with Sturdevant as they made the firearm purchases. Sturdevant then stored the purchased firearms at her residence for Swain. Swain and Sturdevant are each charged with one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms. Swain is further charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Eugene Police Department, are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Nacogdoches Man Sentenced to 12 years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Nacogdoches man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Brandon Spears, 38, pleaded guilty on April 20, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. According to information presented in court, Spears was part of a trafficking organization responsible for trafficking at least 44 grams of methamphetamine in the Nacogdoches area. During the 2 ½ year investigation, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine from Spears on multiple occasions. During one attempted sale of methamphetamine, Spears and co-defendant, Angel Aguilar, were out of stock so they provided the buyer with a firearm and pills containing a mixture of cocaine and methamphetamine as collateral towards the future purchase of methamphetamine. The firearm given as collateral was later confirmed to be stolen. At sentencing, Spears forfeited three firearms seized by law enforcement during the investigation. Aguilar was previously sentenced to 180 months in federal prison. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Nacogdoches Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. ###


title: Schenectady Felon Sentenced for Firearms Possession

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Larry Peterkin, age 46, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. Peterkin admitted that on November 14, 2021, he possessed a 9mm Springfield Armory pistol and a .25 caliber Raven Arms MP25 pistol with a partially obliterated serial number, while driving in Rotterdam, New York. At the time, Peterkin had several prior felony convictions, including for second-degree manslaughter; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. Under federal law, those convictions prevented Peterkin from lawfully possessing the firearms. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Peterkin to serve a 3-year term of supervised release when he is released from prison. ATF and the Rotterdam Police Department investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Segovia prosecuted this case.


title: Herkimer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing and Intending to Distribute “Bath Salts”

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jordan Burks, a/k/a Justin Burts, age 32, of Ilion, New York, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for possessing a drug, sometimes marketed as “bath salts,” with the intent to distribute it. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, made the announcement. On January 12, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Burks’s home and recovered about 454 grams of alpha-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone, three digital scales, and $19,393 in cash. In the weeks leading up to the execution of the search warrant, agents seized five packages of alpha-Pyrrolidinohexiophenone—one of which contained more than a quarter-kilogram of the drug—bound for Burks’ home. Burks admitted that he intended to distribute the “bath salts.” United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed 3 years of post-release supervision. HSI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted it.


title: Louisiana Man Indicted for Shipping Firearms to New York

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Rodell Patterson, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was indicted today on charges that he engaged in the firearms business without a license, sold firearms to a person he knew to be a convicted felon, and unlawfully sold firearms to a resident of another state. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. Patterson sent a package containing multiple handguns from Baton Rouge to the Capital Region in May 2022. Two of those firearms were recovered the following month in an apartment in Troy, New York. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges filed against Patterson carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart previously ordered Patterson detained pending trial before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. ATF’s Albany Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, ATF’s Baton Rouge Field Office, and the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.


title: Troy Man Indicted for Stealing Six Firearms from Federally Licensed Dealer

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael C. McDermott, age 30, of Troy, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with theft of six firearms from a federally licensed dealer. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Gina F. Cocchiara of the Bethlehem Police Department made the announcement. The indictment alleges that on May 10, 2022, McDermott stole five shotguns and one rifle from the Walmart in Glenmont, New York. The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Earlier today, United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel ordered McDermott detained pending a trial scheduled for July 24, 2023 before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. The charge filed against McDermott carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The ATF and the Bethlehem Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case.


title: Rome Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK –Harry Rodriguez, Jr., age 43, of Rome, New York, pled guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Carla Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division and Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office. In pleading guilty, Rodriguez, Jr. admitted that on July 21, 2021, he purchased approximately 36 grams of fentanyl for redistribution. He also admitted that on September 14, 2021, he purchased approximately 50 grams of fentanyl for redistribution. Sentencing is scheduled for October 11, 2023, before United States District Judge David N. Hurd. Rodriguez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Rome Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the New York Army National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Yorkville Police Department, the Whitesboro Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson.


title: Kaneohe Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Posting Threats to Kill Others on Social Media

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Lindsey Kinney, 44, of Kaneohe, was sentenced today in federal court by Chief United States District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 37 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release for posting two threats to kill others on Instagram. Kinney was found guilty of those crimes by a federal trial jury on February 8, 2023. Kinney has been detained since his arrest on April 13, 2022. According to the evidence presented at trial, the evidence as to Count 1 showed that in January 2022, defendant posted on his Instagram account threats to cut off the heads of persons identified as Victims 1, 2, and 3 in the indictment and their social media profiles. Victim 1 believed defendant threatened Victims 1 and 2 because Victim 1, acting in his official capacity as a government official, had recently been involved in two encounters with another individual, and the defendant repeatedly referred to Victim 1’s official title. Victim 2 is the wife of Victim 1, and Victim 3 is a close friend of them both. The information presented as to Count 2, was that in March 2022, Kinney publicly posted on his Instagram account a 15-minute videorecording in which he and a second unseen person made threats to kill Victim 4 and Victim 5, both government officials, and to injure Victim 4’s security staff, including stating, “we cut their heads off right in the [obscenity omitted] palace, for treason -- for treason and human trafficking.” After learning of the threatening post, Victim 4’s security staff increased its vigilance, familiarizing themselves with defendant’s appearance and scrutinizing those who approached Victim 4 to ensure that defendant did not get close to Victim 4. Similarly, in response to Kinney’s post and until the arrest operation began, armed personnel were present at Victim 5’s office during working hours to protect Victim 5 and his staff should defendant appear. “This prosecution and sentence by the Court send an important message that conduct engaged in on social media can have serious criminal consequences,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “Posting threats to kill specific targets on social media like Instagram criminally terrorizes members of our community and will not be tolerated by federal law enforcement.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that resulted in the convictions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan prosecuted the case.


title: Former Metropolitan Police Officer Convicted of  Federal Civil Rights Violations

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Mark Lamont Clark, 57, a former officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, was found guilty today of two counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. According to evidence presented in court, on July 13, 2018, while acting under color of law and fully dressed in his MPD uniform, Clark applied a prohibited chokehold to victim D.T., causing bodily injury and depriving D.T. of civil rights, outside a McDonald’s restaurant, following a confrontation Clark had with a friend of D.T. Just five days later, on July 18, 2018, while acting under color of law and fully dressed in his MPD uniform, Clark similarly escalated a verbal confrontation with a McDonald’s patron, victim K.C., and then applied a prohibited chokehold and a prohibited carotid artery hold to K.C., causing bodily injury and depriving K.C. of civil rights. Both offenses were captured on Clark’s MPD body-worn camera (BWC). U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols presided over Clark’s trial and scheduled Clark’s sentencing for August 30, 2023. This case was investigated by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Truscott and George Eliopoulos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing the Fentanyl and Cocaine that Resulted in Two Deaths

body_text: WASHINGTON – Sheldon Marbley, 44, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to federal charges of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine, admitting that he distributed the drugs to customers in Southwest Washington, D.C. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget, of the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Interim Chief Ashan M. Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Marbley pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 7, 2023. Under the terms of the plea agreement, which is subject to the Court’s approval, Marbley is to be sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to evidence presented in court, Marbley admitted that he distributed fentanyl and cocaine to a male and female, both of whom subsequently died from consuming the fentanyl and cocaine that Marbley provided. Marbley also admitted that he distributed fentanyl and cocaine to another male and female, and they suffered serious bodily injury as a result of consuming the fentanyl and cocaine that Marbley provided. As part of his plea agreement, Marbley acknowledged that on the morning of January 28, 2022, and in the days thereafter, Emergency Medical Service and MPD officers responded to at least 13 fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses located near the area of First and O Street, S.W. in Washington D.C. Marbley admitted that, on that morning, he had distributed fentanyl and cocaine from the driver’s seat of a vehicle in Southwest Washington. Closed-circuit television (“CCTV”) footage from that morning depicts numerous individuals approaching the front driver’s side of the vehicle and appearing to engage in narcotics purchases. After the mass overdose event on January 28, 2022, Marbley went to stay at the residence of another drug user and customer, where he continued to possess with the intent to distribute narcotics until he was arrested in the customer’s apartment building on March 23, 2022. Marbley knew that his prior drug distributions resulted in several overdoses resulting in serious bodily injury and death. This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Henek and Andy Wang and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreements with Ten Employers for Posting Discriminatory Job Advertisements on a College Recruiting Platform

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has secured another 10 settlements with companies that used a college recruiting platform to post job advertisements that unlawfully excluded non-U.S. citizens. These agreements add to the department’s recent settlements with 20 other companies resolving similar claims – 16 in June 2022 and another four in September 2022 – and bring the total civil penalty amount for all 30 employers to over $1.6 million. “The Justice Department has now held 30 companies accountable for using a college recruitment platform to post discriminatory job advertisements that locked non-U.S. citizen students out of job opportunities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These settlements should make clear our commitment to enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure that all applicants have a fair and equal chance to compete for jobs.” The department’s involvement in these matters began after a Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) student, who was a lawful permanent resident at the time, filed a discrimination complaint with the Civil Rights Division. The student alleged that a bank’s advertisement on a Georgia Tech job recruitment platform restricted the posted internship opportunity to U.S. citizens only. On investigation, the department discovered many other discriminatory advertisements on Georgia Tech’s job recruiting platform, as well as platforms operated by other colleges across the United States. The department found that each of the ten employers with which it is now settling posted on an online job recruitment platform operated by Georgia Tech at least one job announcement excluding non-U.S. citizens. The department determined that the advertisements deterred qualified students from applying for jobs because of their citizenship status, and in many cases the citizenship status restrictions also blocked students from applying or even meeting with company recruiters. The new settlements, like the 20 before them, require each company to pay a civil penalty. The amount of each employer’s penalty is based on the number of discriminatory advertisements it posted: Employer Penalty Amount 1. Asurion LLC $13,395 2. Black & Veatch Corporation $8,930 3. Deluxe Corporation $183,065 4. Freese & Nichols Inc. $4,465 5. Grey Orange Inc. $13,395 6. Honeywell International Inc. $191,995 7. Procter & Gamble $8,930 8. Georgia Tech Research Institute $31,255 9. Stryker Employment Company LLC $4,465 10. Wiley Bros. $4,465 TOTAL $464,360 In addition to paying civil penalties, the employers’ recruiting staff must undergo training on the Immigration and Nationality Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision and refrain from including specific citizenship or immigration status designations in their campus job postings unless the restrictions are required by law. The INA generally prohibits employers and recruiters from limiting jobs based on citizenship or immigration status unless required by a law, regulation, executive order or government contract. The INA protects asylees, refugees, recent lawful permanent residents, U.S. citizens, and U.S. nationals from citizenship status discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment or referral for a fee. The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices ; and retaliation and intimidation . Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video . IER’s website has more information on how employers can avoid discriminating based on citizenship status when hiring and recruiting . Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge . The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov ; sign up for a free webinar ; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe for email updates from IER. Spanish version


title: Federal Correctional Officer Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: A federal correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin (FCI Dublin) made his first appearance before the Northern District of California after a federal grand jury returned a 12-count indictment charging him for sexually abusing three female inmates in his custody. According to the indictment, Darrell Wayne Smith, 54, now residing in Florida, was employed at FCI Dublin as a correctional officer when he engaged in sexual acts and sexual contact with three female inmates who were then serving prison sentences. The indictment describes 12 incidents between May 2019 and May 2021 during which Smith allegedly engaged in illegal sexual contact and acts with his victims, including digitally penetrating a victim’s anus by use of force. “The charges announced today are the latest in the Justice Department’s campaign to root out sexual misconduct within the Bureau of Prisons,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “As alleged, Darrell Smith exploited his authority to sexually abuse three vulnerable victims in custody at FCI Dublin. To enforce the BOP’s dual mission of providing a safe, humane environment for those in custody while preparing them to return to society, we will hold accountable all BOP personnel who abuse their authority.” “For years, the defendant allegedly used his position of authority, as a federal corrections officer, to commit unspeakable acts of abuse and violence against multiple victims in a correctional institution,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to aggressively pursuing those who violate the civil rights of others, no matter their rank or title. Nothing can undo the pain inflicted on the victims, but we hope today’s indictment is a further step towards justice.” “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to bringing to justice every single BOP employee at FCI Dublin who sexually abused inmates. To date, those efforts have already included arrests and convictions of FCI Dublin’s former Warden and Chaplain,” said Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. “Today’s indictment alleges brazen and violent sexual assault by Smith and alleges abuse of multiple inmates over several years. As evidenced by these charges, the OIG and FBI investigation remains ongoing, and we will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of abuse at FCI Dublin and across the Federal Bureau of Prisons.” “This indictment shocks the conscience of anyone reading it,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “The alleged conduct falls far below the minimum standards of decency required – much less, the standards of integrity expected – of any Bureau of Prisons employee. Rest assured, the Department will root out any such conduct and prosecute all persons who are responsible.” Each of the alleged victims is identified in the indictment by initials and was in official detention and under Smith’s custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority at the time of the alleged illegal conduct. In addition, each count in the indictment corresponds with one encounter during which Smith allegedly engaged in unlawful sexual acts or contact with one of the victims. Smith is charged with five counts of sexual abuse of a ward, six counts of abusive sexual contact, and one count of aggravated sexual abuse. Smith faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted of the aggravated sexual abuse, a maximum of 15 years of in prison for each count of sexual abuse of a ward, and a maximum of two years in prison for each count of abusive sexual contact. In addition, as part of any sentence, the court may order a term of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 for each count, restitution, and additional assessments. A federal district judge will determine sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Smith was arrested on May 11 and made his initial federal court appearance in the Northern District of Florida on the same day. Smith made his initial Northern District of California appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. Smith’s next federal court appearance is scheduled for July 10. DOJ OIG and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Priedeman and Andrew Paulson for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Leeya Kekona. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.