title: Whitley County Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Federal Murder Conviction

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky . - A Woodbine, Ky., man, Daniel Scott Nantz, 33, was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier, for the first-degree murder of a federal witness, Geri D. (Bays) Johnson. According to the investigation and plea agreement, Nantz was engaged in multiple methamphetamine trafficking conspiracies throughout Whitley, Knox, and Laurel Counties, from March of 2017 through March of 2019. In the Spring of 2019, some of Nantz’s methamphetamine sources of supply and co-conspirators were charged in federal indictments . One such co-conspirator was Ms. Johnson. Nantz began to grow increasingly concerned that he too would be charged in an indictment. Prior to the murder, Nantz learned that Johnson had cooperated with law enforcement. Nantz discussed his fears regarding Ms. Johnson’s potential continued cooperation with multiple witnesses, as well as Ms. Johnson herself. At the sentencing hearing, multiple witnesses testified to observing Nantz becoming increasingly violent towards Ms. Johnson, including witnessing Nantz shoot at Ms. Johnson. On March 13, 2019, Nantz texted Ms. Johnson “I’ll kill you [expletive].” On March 14, 2019, Nantz texted Ms. Johnson, “Your very dangerous for me. Very very dangerous.” Then, on the morning of March 16, 2019, Nantz told a witness “Geri is talking to the feds. I think she is telling. If so, I’ll just kill her.” Afterwards, a note, handwritten by Nantz, was recovered from the murder scene, which read “Funeral/fed’s pulled [redacted name] and geri out asking questions.” Ultimately, on the afternoon of March 16, 2019, Nantz left an armed kidnapping that he was participating in to return to his secluded trailer in Steele Hollow. Ms. Johnson was at Nantz’s residence watching his two minor children and desperately attempting to find a ride out of the area. Text messages from Ms. Johnson’s phone show that she begged two friends for a ride from Nantz’s residence, and even asked Nantz himself for a ride away from the residence. After he arrived at the residence, Nantz fired the first round at Ms. Johnson in the master bedroom of his trailer. Then, Nantz ordered his children into their bedroom and Ms. Johnson fled outside with her belongings. Nantz followed Ms. Johnson outside into the driveway, where he shot her in the back through her shoulder, with a stolen .38 special revolver. Ms. Johnson continued to flee from the trailer, when Nantz fired a third round that pierced her neck. A blood trail of approximately 127 feet established Ms. Johnson’s attempt to flee. The autopsy revealed the round through Ms. Johnson’s neck ultimately caused her to asphyxiate on her blood. Ms. Johnson was approximately 33 weeks pregnant at the time. After the shooting, Nantz drove Ms. Johnson’s body back to the kidnapping site, to pickup a friend. Nantz then held up Ms. Johnson’s body while his friend drove the pair back to Nantz’s trailer. Once back at his trailer, Nantz instructed his friend to “get the DVRs.” Multiple witnesses testified that Nantz had a surveillance system connected to a DVR box that would have captured the front driveway where the murder occurred. After instructing his friend on the DVRs, Nantz finally called 911 and started the drive from his residence to Baptist Health Hospital in Corbin, Kentucky. Ms. Johnson was pronounced dead at the hospital. Ms. Johnson’s daughter, Amelia Jo Johnson, was born via emergency Cesarean section, at approximately 33 weeks gestation. Amelia passed away on March 19, 2019, due to brain damage caused by severe oxygen and blood deprivation due to her mother’s injuries. Nantz received sentencing enhancements for obstructing justice post-murder, for the destruction of the DVR(s), and for murdering a vulnerable victim, a woman in her third trimester. “The conduct in this case was truly appalling, and certainly warranted the life sentence imposed,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “In a disgraceful choice, Daniel Nantz elected to protect his illegal drug trafficking operation and self-interests, over the lives of two people – his girlfriend and her daughter. This brutal act of cruel self-importance underscores how violent and serious the illegal methamphetamine trade has become. I am hopeful that this sentence will provide some measure of justice to the victims and their family; and I want to commend the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners, whose dedicated efforts made this conviction and sentence possible.” “Today, Daniel Nantz was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in federal prison for murdering Geri Johnson, who was pregnant,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow. “We are pleased with the life sentence. Our hope is it brings some sense of justice to her loved ones and sends a message that Kentucky law enforcement is committed to seeking justice for crimes against innocent victims. I want to commend the ATF London Office, Kentucky State Police, prosecutors, and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly on this case.” United States Attorney Shier; ATF SAC Morrow; and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and KSP. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenna E. Reed. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. – END –


title: District Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Sexual Abuse

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Defendant Sexually Abused a Minor Child Over a Six-Month Period WASHINGTON –Mikeale Frazier, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced, on July 25, 2023, to 10 years in prison for first degree child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Sarah Linden, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Frazier pleaded guilty on October 25, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered 10 years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, Frazier sexually abused a fourteen-year-old minor child for approximately six months. When a relative of the minor victim told Frazier to stay away from the victim due to her age, Frazier continued to sexually abuse the minor victim. Frazier also recorded a video of his sexual abuse of the minor victim. Frazier was arrested on June 21, 2021, and has been in custody since. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Special Agent in Linden, and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force as well as the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar.


title: Cleveland Man Found Guilty of Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition

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

body_text: AKRON – Reggie Jordan was found guilty of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition today by a jury after a 3 day trial before U.S. District Judge John Adams. The jury also agreed to forfeit Mr. Jordan’s interest in six firearms that were seized from his residence. According to court documents and testimony, Sergeant Marlon Wills, a Cleveland Police Detective assigned to the FBI Safe Streets Task Force was monitoring social media pages of several suspected local gangs when he observed the Defendant post a video from a local shooting range where he was showing off five firearms. Video surveillance from the range showed Jordan firing the weapons. A search warrant of his residence was conducted and six total firearms were discovered which included an AK-47, a Draco, a stolen firearm, and several large capacity magazines. Jordan has prior convictions for Aggravated Robbery, Drug Trafficking, and Drug Possession from Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2023. This case was investigated by the Cleveland Police Department, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Dangelo and Pete Daly.


title: Jury Convicts Felon of Illegally Possessing a Gun

body_text: VALDOSTA, Ga. –A South Georgia resident with a criminal history was convicted by a federal jury of illegally possessing a firearm. Shi-Young Lamar Sharper, 39, of Valdosta, was found guilty of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at the conclusion of a one-day trial before U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson on July 26. Sharper faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 15. “In this case, the defendant dangerously attempted to avoid arrest and crashed his car into a citizen’s yard. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and he was captured safely,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Working with law enforcement, our office will hold repeat offenders accountable at the federal level when they chose to illegally pick up a gun.” “Repeat offenders in possession of a firearm pose one of the most serious threats to public safety in our communities,” said Rich Bilson, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta's Valdosta office. “Sharper's criminal history demonstrates his disregard for the law, and now he will be held accountable at the federal level without the opportunity for parole.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to a traffic stop on the vehicle Sharper was driving in Feb. 2021. Instead of pulling over, Sharper drove through the front yard of a Valdosta residence, struck some bushes and then ran away from the scene. Law enforcement quickly found him with debris from the bushes on his head and shoulders. Officers found a .38 revolver in his car. Sharper has prior felony convictions. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. 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. The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government, with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch and Criminal Chief Leah McEwen.


title: Man that Previously Possessed a Firearm Illegally Sentenced to Prison After Selling a Gun to Another Person

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who previously possessed firearms illegally was sentenced July 18, 2023, to more than two years in federal prison. David Tyler Galloway, age 22, from Toronto, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 9, 2023 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. At the guilty plea, Galloway admitted he unlawfully possessed a firearm in September 2019. Galloway sold the firearm to an individual after arranging to sell it and psilocybin mushrooms to the other person. Galloway was previously convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon in Cedar County, Iowa, and received a deferred judgment in July 2019. Galloway was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Galloway was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. Galloway is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Cedar County Sheriff’s Department, Muscatine County Sheriff’s Department, Muscatine Police Department, Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, Clarence Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-CR-00093. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearms

body_text: A man who possessed a large quantity of methamphetamine and had numerous firearms was sentenced on July 26, 2023, to more than 15 years in federal prison. Johnny Mack Hill, Jr., age 32, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 4, 2023 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms during and in relation to his drug offense, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the guilty plea, Hill, Jr. admitted that on October 14, 2020, he was in possession of at least 500 grams of methamphetamine he intended to sell to others, and multiple firearms that he possessed in connection with his drug offense. Hill, Jr. was previously convicted of attempted murder for a shooting on October 2, 2020, in a Cedar Rapids bar. Hill, Jr. was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hill, Jr. was sentenced to 185 months’ imprisonment to be served consecutive to his sentence for attempted murder imposed in the Iowa District Court for Linn County. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. Hill, Jr. is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 21-CR-00021. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Who Transported Hundreds of Pounds of Methamphetamine from California Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: A man who regularly transported methamphetamine from California to Iowa for a Cedar Rapids drug trafficking organization was sentenced July 25, 2023, to more than 16 years in federal prison. Calub Joseph Storlie, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 7, 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. Information provided at sentencing and evidence presented in a prior hearing showed that Storlie took numerous trips to California between 2017 and 2020 to obtain ice methamphetamine for David Belton. Storlie eventually recruited a relative, Albert Bailey, to join him on the trips, and each was paid about $2,000 per trip as well as expenses. On these trips, Storlie commonly drove a “trap car” with a false compartment inside to transport the drugs. That “trap car” was seized by law enforcement in 2020 with documents indicating that the insurance for the car was in Storlie’s name and 30 pounds of ice methamphetamine was found inside the false compartment. During a wiretap investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Cedar Rapids in late 2021 and early 2022, Bailey was discovered to be a driver for a group of individuals who were purchasing ice methamphetamine in California and selling it in eastern Iowa. Bailey traveled to California and then drove between 30 and 60 pounds of methamphetamine back to Iowa, where other individuals sold it. In February 2022, intercepted communications over the wiretap indicated that Bailey would be transporting methamphetamine from California to Iowa. Investigators tracked Bailey’s vehicle and stopped it in York County, Nebraska. During a search of the vehicle, investigators located and seized approximately 60 pounds of ice methamphetamine. Immediately following the seizure of the methamphetamine in Nebraska, Storlie was intercepted on the wiretap speaking to other members of the conspiracy about the seizure and how to cover it up. Evidence in the case showed that Storlie had previously gone on similar trips to California for the same individuals as Bailey. In addition to his involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine, Storlie purchased and stored at least nine firearms for Belton, who was a felon. Storlie had falsified ATF forms to purchase the firearms. Eleven other individuals were charged in the same investigation as Storlie. David Poitier Belton, Derek Michael Mims, Phillip Lanell Rogers, Robert Lee Michael Bates, Anton Tarrice Whitney, Jr., Christopher Eric Curley, Elmer Mims, and Timothy Michael Webber are all awaiting sentencing. Kiyonte Levell Sowell was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. Albert Henry Bailey was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment. Jesus Vera was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. Storlie was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Storlie was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Storlie is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force in Cedar Rapids consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22‑CR‑39‑CJW‑MAR.


title: Peru, Indiana Man Sentenced to 348 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: SOUTH BEND – James Rippy, 40 years old, of Peru, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Rippy was sentenced to 348 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, Rippy took photos and videos of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, he possessed other images of child pornography downloaded from the internet. This case was investigated by United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Peru Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk. ###


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that George Buck, 34, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 26, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Buck to 120 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Buck will begin a five-year term of supervised release. From July of 2016 to January of 2022, Buck was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana, in the Omaha area. Buck was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana. During the conspiracy, on October 2, 2017, law enforcement found Buck in possession of a Ruger LCP .380 handgun. On October 8, 2020, and October 15, 2020, Buck sold fentanyl to a confidential informant. Co-defendants Ty-Sean Nunn, Willis Parker, Anthony Hill-Gaines, Dominique Thomas, and Jerrell Jackson have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the conspiracy. Thomas was sentenced on June 7, 2023, to 90 months of imprisonment. The others are pending sentencing. Only co-defendant Terrance Traynham is pending trial. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, and the Bellevue Police Department.


title: Omaha Attorney Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Thomas O. Campbell pleaded guilty today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for willfully filing a false tax return, a felony. United States Magistrate Judge Susan M. Bazis conducted the plea hearing and will recommend to United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher that he accept Campbell’s guilty plea and plea agreement. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2014 and 2018, Campbell, of Omaha, was the owner and manager of TLN Law, a solo practice law firm. During this time, Campbell filed annual personal tax returns that understated TLN Law’s gross receipts by more than $2.8 million. In total, Campbell caused a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) exceeding $250,000. Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of up to three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. District Judge Buescher will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The IRS-Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.


title: Arizona Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Victor Gabriel Gonzalez-Garcia, 52, of San Luis, Arizona, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Gonzalez-Garcia to 14 years’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system. On June 22, 2021, Bartolo Roman-Tapia was arrested after a search warrant of his Omaha residence revealed 28 one-pound packages of crystal methamphetamine and $18,754 in drug proceeds. Investigators learned that Roman-Tapia had received the 28 pounds of methamphetamine on June 19, 2021, at an Omaha gas station. Video surveillance from the gas station showed Roman-Tapia meeting with a passenger of a white Saturn and handing him a black suitcase containing narcotics proceeds. While at the gas station, the driver of the Saturn entered to pay for gas and was identified as Victor Gabriel Gonzalez-Garcia by video from inside the store. The investigation revealed that after leaving the gas station, the occupants of the white Saturn delivered 28 pounds of methamphetamine to Roman-Tapia at a nearby location. On September 16, 2022, investigators arrested Gonzalez-Garcia who admitted that he was the driver of the white Saturn that delivered methamphetamine to Omaha on June 19, 2021. Gonzalez-Garcia also admitted to transporting loads of narcotics from Phoenix, Arizona to Omaha on several occasions during the last five years. The $18,754 seized on June 22, 2021, was previously forfeited to the United States as proceeds from narcotics trafficking. Roman-Tapia was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment on April 19, 2023. This case was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Steven Israel Mendoza, 33, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Mendoza to 120 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 60 months of imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 180 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On October 15, 2019, a confidential source arranged to purchase a half pound of methamphetamine and a shotgun from Mendoza. The confidential source drove to Mendoza’s Blondo Street residence and met Mendoza at the back door before entering the residence. The confidential source purchased methamphetamine for $2,500 and a 12-gauge shotgun for $500. A forensic lab determined the methamphetamine to be 95% pure. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Brainard Man Sentenced for Child Pornography

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Samuel Richardson, 57, of Brainard, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for Possession of Child Pornography. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Richardson to 70 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Following the completion of his incarceration, Richardson will serve a 10-year term of supervised release. Richardson was also ordered to pay $5,100 in special assessments. Richardson came to law enforcement’s attention stemming from multiple cyber tips from Microsoft (Bing) for activity occurring between March and May 2021 involving images of child pornography. On February 10, 2022, the Nebraska State Patrol executed a search warrant at Richardson’s home in Brainard. During the search warrant, law enforcement seized Richardson’s computer, phone, and an external hard drive. Richardson was interviewed and admitted to having seen at least one of the images from the cyber tips. Richardson admitted to viewing child pornography and that law enforcement would find child pornography on his computer and external hard drive. Richardson’s devices were forensically examined, and 5,000 images of child pornography were found. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Iowa Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine.

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Lukas Allen Vogt, 29, of Guttenberg, Iowa, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Vogt to 9 years’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release as there is no parole in the federal system. On August 26, 2021, an Omaha Police Officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that failed to maintain its lane at mile marker 441 eastbound on Interstate 80. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Vogt and a passenger was identified as co-defendant Cody Lee Fischer. A Police Service Dog was deployed during the stop and alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from within the vehicle. A subsequent search revealed a bag of methamphetamine in the glove box. Two loaded semi-automatic handguns were found in a black duffle bag on the back seat of the vehicle. A search of the trunk revealed approximately five pounds of methamphetamine in multiple sandwich bags. After both men were arrested, Fischer admitted traveling from Denver, Colorado, where he purchased the methamphetamine and intended to sell it in Luxemburg, Iowa. Fischer admitted the guns were his and that Vogt was being paid to drive. Fischer was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment on July 6, 2022. This case was the result of an investigation by the Omaha Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: California Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Los Angeles, California man was sentenced today to 105 months in prison for conspiring to distribute kilograms of marijuana. According to court documents, Anthony Robert Tirado, 31, was the leader of a California-based drug-trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of marijuana from the Los Angeles area to Mobile and other cities throughout the United States from at least January 2018 through March 2022. Tirado employed several couriers—juveniles among them—who ferried bulk amounts of marijuana in their checked luggage on dozens of commercial flights from California to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Texas, and West Virginia, among other locations. In turn, the couriers transported hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds back to California for Tirado. In Los Angeles, Tirado rented several units at a luxury apartment complex that he used to store and distribute bulk amounts of marijuana in furtherance of his nationwide drug-distribution operation. On multiple occasions, law enforcement seized bulk drugs and cash from Tirado’s couriers in various locations in the Southern District of Alabama and elsewhere. For example, in November 2018, narcotics agents arrested one of Tirado’s Alabama-based coconspirators who had recently purchased drugs from one of Tirado’s juvenile couriers at a hotel in Mobile. During a subsequent search of the coconspirator’s car and apartment, agents seized a handgun, 20 pounds of high grade marijuana in a suitcase, and more than $33,000 in cash. On another occasion in June 2020, agents seized nearly $60,000 in bulk cash from one of Tirado’s couriers at the airport in New Orleans, Louisiana. When United States marshals tracked and arrested Tirado in California on March 18, 2022, Tirado admitted that he knew about his pending arrest warrant but had not turned himself in. A search of Tirado’s cell phone revealed numerous text messages, photos, videos, and other data demonstrating that until his arrest, Tirado had continued distributing bulk marijuana using couriers traveling on commercial flights to Alabama and elsewhere. In addition to the 105-month prison term, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Tirado to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Tirado to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and Deborah Griffin prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: 30 Years for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA Okla. – A Broken Arrow man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Christopher Dean Dana, 37, pleaded guilty Monday, October 18, 2021. U.S. Chief District Judge John F Heil III has now ordered Dana to serve 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard from the victim who explained how she has trouble sleeping at night because that is when it all hits her. “I’m scared of what everyone is going to think of me,” she said, and “I’m scared to hang out with guy friends because I don’t know what they’re capable of.” “Christopher Dana betrayed the trust of this young victim and has caused lasting emotional harm,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “My office and our law enforcement partners will diligently prosecute those that prey upon the children in our communities.” At the time of his plea, Dana, a non-Indian, admitted that when the victim was between seven and 12 years of age, he encouraged her to engage in sexual activity and sexually abused her. When she resisted his advances, Dana would pressure the victim by offering her money. The victim is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation. Dana has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The Broken Arrow Police Department and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Gina Gilmore prosecuted the case.


title: Sexual Predator Gets Life

body_text: TULSA Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for multiple crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. A federal jury convicted Elga Eugene Harper, 41, a Choctaw Nation citizen on Feb. 9, for kidnapping in Indian Country; aggravated sexual abuse by force and threat in Indian Country; assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country; and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III, who presided over the trial and sentencing, noted that the case was easily the most serious he had seen. He sentenced Harper to a total of life in prison on July 27. “Elga Harper violently beat and sexually assaulted an elderly woman in her home for four hours,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The victim bravely faced her attacker and testified; and through her perseverance, strength and courage, justice was served in this case.” “The victim in this case bravely took the witness stand to recount the tremendous suffering she endured at the hands of Elga Harper,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “If not for her compelling testimony, Harper may not have received the two life sentences he indisputably deserves. The citizens of Oklahoma can rest assured he will never again be able to harm an innocent person.” Harper had previously performed work at the victim’s home, and the two had numerous conversations about philosophy and her work in counseling. The woman eventually paid Harper in full and told him she no longer needed his assistance. On May 4, 2022, several months after their last meeting, Harper returned unexpectedly to the victim’s home. After a brief conversation, he asked to use the bathroom. When Harper did not exit the bathroom, the victim walked toward the back of the home and found Harper standing naked in her room. Harper immediately attacked her. During the next four hours, Harper violently assaulted the victim both physically and sexually. She pleaded for him to call 911, but he refused. He also ransacked her home, took her car keys, and told her to “shut up” when she prayed aloud. She called 911 as soon as he fled, reporting the assault and that Harper was responsible. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim gravely injured, with extensive injuries to her face, head, neck, arms, hands, and legs. Harper was located and taken into custody on May 10, 2022. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department Special Victims Unit conducted the investigation with extensive support from other units in the Tulsa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chantelle D. Dial and Melody N. Nelson prosecuted the case.


title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: BOISE – Kobe Jace Mahoney, 22, of Seminole, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 336 months in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child by producing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, in November 2021 investigators learned that Mahoney traveled from Twin Falls, Idaho to Elko, Nevada, to meet a 13-year-old child. Mahoney admitted that he met the child on the Snapchat messaging application. He admitted that he had sexual intercourse with the child in Elko and used his cellphone to make a recording of the acts. Mahoney further admitted that he had engaged in sexual acts with approximately 24 different minor females with ages ranging from 11 to 17 years old in eight different states between August and November 2021. Mahoney claimed he exclusively used the Snapchat messaging application to meet the minor females. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Mahoney’s cellphone. Two videos of the sexual acts between Mahoney and the child in Elko were found on the cellphone and were created in the fall of 2021. Messages between Mahoney and the child were also found. The child informed Mahoney that was she was underage prior to his travel from Idaho to Nevada to meet her. Mahoney was previously convicted of rape in Garvin County, Oklahoma. “Our collective efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, our children, have never been more urgent,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I thank our federal and local partners for all that they did in this case, and I look forward to working with them to ensure the safety of Idaho’s children.” “Mahoney is a child predator who will spend the next 28 years behind bars in a federal prison and children across the country are safer because of it,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations operations in the Pacific Northwest. “This sentence is another example of the successful partnerships that exist between HSI and Idaho law enforcement. We are especially appreciative of the work conducted by the Twin Falls Police Department, as the results of this investigation not only lead to a lengthy prison sentence, it has assisted in identifying additional victims of child exploitation.” U.S. District Judge Amanda Brailsford also sentenced Mahoney to a lifetime of supervised release, which will commence upon completing his prison sentence. Mahoney will also be required to register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked Homeland Security Investigations in Boise and Reno, the Twin Falls Police Department, the Twin Falls County Prosecutor’s Office, the Elko County Sheriff’s Office, and the Elko County Prosecutor’s Office for their collaboration and hard work on this case. Law enforcement have identified and interviewed five minor victims in this investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: 华女对以营利为目的的签证欺诈和移民走私计划认罪

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: 今天早些时候，廖海燕（Haiyan Liao）在布鲁克林的联邦法院对签证欺诈和洗钱指控认罪，因为其参与了旨在将中国公民非法带入美国以谋取经济利益的多年计划。 廖某于2021年1月被起诉。 美国纽约东区检察官布雷昂·皮尔斯（Breon Peace）、司法部刑事司助理司法部长小肯尼斯·A·波利特(Kenneth A. Polite, Jr.)、美国国务院外交安全局（DSS）首席副助理部长兼调查代理副助理主任格雷戈里·巴特曼（Gregory Batman）宣布了此消息。 “向廖支付了过千美元，以助向联邦政府撒谎，将包括无人陪伴的未成年人等个人带入美国，以谋取私利，”美国检察官皮尔斯（Peace）说。“本办公室致力维护法治并保护我们移民流程的完整性。” “刑事司致力于在法律允许的最大范围内起诉人口走私者和人贩子，”司法部刑事司助理总检察长 小肯尼斯·A·波利特(Kenneth A. Polite, Jr.)说。 “廖的定罪表明，对那些剥削弱势群体谋取个人贪婪的人士追究责任的承诺。” “外交安全局的全球存在让我们的机构能够充当美国和外国执法机构之间的联络人，协助双方努力制止人口贩运，” DSS 代理副助理调查主任格雷戈里·巴特曼(Gregory Batman)说。 “今天的认罪证明 DSS 在全球的部署如何能够阻止人口贩运的浪潮，并针对捕猎这些受害者的犯罪分子。” 根据法庭文件，已入籍的美国公民、土生土长的中国公民廖某与他人参与一项计划，协助来自中国的非公民非法进入美国。廖透过向美国驻广州领事馆提交包含虚假陈述的申请，以欺诈手段为这些非公民取得旅客签证。对于申请被批准的非公民——包括四名未成年人——廖为他们前往美国提供了便利，包括陪同他们乘坐商业航班飞往约翰肯尼迪国际机场。该等非美国公民及其家人支付了上千美元才能到达美国。由于此计划，廖透过从中国到美国的电汇汇款获取了至少 98,673.72 美元的非法收益。 廖承认了串谋非法将非法移民带入美国以谋取经济利益，最高可判处五年徒刑和洗钱罪，最高可判处20年徒刑。联邦地区法院法官将在考虑美国量刑指南和其他法定因素后确定任何量刑。 DSS 刑事欺诈调查科对此案进行了调查。 纽约东区助理美国检察官诺米·贝伦森(Nomi Berenson)和司法部人权和特别起诉科的审判律师拉米·巴达维(Rami Badawy)正起诉此案。 被告： 廖海燕（Haiyan liao） 年龄： 45 内华达州拉斯维加斯 纽约东区法院案卷号：20-CR-500 (SJ)


title: British Investor And Billionaire Businessman Joseph Lewis Charged With Insider Trading And Financial Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging JOSEPH LEWIS and his co-conspirators, PATRICK O’CONNOR and BRYAN WAUGH, a/k/a/ “Marty Waugh,” with insider trading securities fraud and related charges. The defendants were arrested this morning and will be presented later today. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “My Office, the Southern District of New York, has indicted Joe Lewis, the British billionaire, for orchestrating a brazen insider trading scheme and his co-conspirators and personal pilots, Patrick O’Connor and Bryan ‘Marty’ Waugh. We allege that, for years, Joe Lewis abused his access to corporate boardrooms and repeatedly provided inside information to his romantic partners, his personal assistants, his friends, and his pilots. Those folks then traded on that inside information – and made millions of dollars in the stock market – because, thanks to Lewis, those bets were a sure thing. None of this was necessary. Joe Lewis is a wealthy man, but as we allege, he used inside information as a way to compensate his employees or to shower gifts on his friends and lovers. That’s classic corporate corruption. It’s cheating. And it’s against the law – laws that apply to everyone, no matter who you are.” FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: "As alleged, Lewis and his associates used material, non-public information for the personal benefit of themselves and close associates, despite knowing that the activity was illicit. This type of behavior - blatant disregard for the law - is not only illegal but undermines the integrity of our financial markets. The FBI is determined to ensure that anyone willing to perpetrate insider trading schemes is held accountable in the United States criminal justice system." According to the allegations contained in the Indictments unsealed in Manhattan federal court and court filings: 1 JOSEPH LEWIS is a billionaire businessman and investor who is the principal owner of the Tavistock Group, an international private investment organization. By virtue of LEWIS’s investments in certain companies, he has controlled one or more board of director seats at those companies and has deputized employees to serve on various company boards. In turn, through these employees, LEWIS received material, non-public information about these companies, including, for example, information about upcoming favorable test results for biochemical companies. LEWIS, on multiple occasions over the course of several years, then misused and misappropriated this confidential information to provide stock tips to various individuals in his life, including his employees, romantic partners, and friends, as a way to provide them with compensation and gifts. These individuals, in turn, traded on the tips provided by LEWIS for vast personal gain. In addition, LEWIS conspired with others to hide his ownership shares of a pharmaceutical company through a pattern of false filings and misleading statements. More specifically, LEWIS was required to file schedules of share ownership with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) because he was an owner of more than 10% of the stock of Mirati Therapeutics (“Mirati”). LEWIS reported to the SEC that he owned between 16 and 19.99% of the stock, when, in reality, he beneficially owned more than 19.99% of Mirati stock through an elaborate array of shell companies and other entities, including an offshore trust purportedly for the benefit of his granddaughter. As a result of the false disclosure of his ownership, LEWIS was able to exercise warrants in Mirati that he would otherwise not have been able to exercise, at vast financial gain. At one point, when HSBC bank inquired about a transaction related to Mirati, LEWIS’s employee falsely told HSBC that the transaction was the repayment of a loan from LEWIS, a false explanation that LEWIS had told him he was “happy with,” despite knowing it was false. PATRICK O’CONNOR and BRYAN WAUGH are two pilots employed by LEWIS to fly his private aircraft. LEWIS tipped both O’CONNOR and WAUGH and encouraged them to trade based on material, non-public information. In one instance, LEWIS gave O’CONNOR and WAUGH loans, each worth $500,000, so they could buy a company’s stock before the public release of favorable clinical results. In connection with that loan, O’CONNOR texted a friend to buy the stock, told the friend the “Boss is helping us out and told us to get ASAP,” and assured the friend that “All conversations on app is encrypted so all good. No one can ever see.” O’CONNOR also texted the friend that “Boss mentioned around 6 to 8 weeks for [Mirati] to take profit” and that he thought “the Boss has inside info” and “knows the outcome” of not-yet-public clinical testing. O’CONNOR and WAUGH later sold the stock they had purchased on the basis of these tips for a profit, as did LEWIS’s assistant and friends. * * * LEWIS, 86, a British national, has been charged with 13 counts of securities fraud under Title 15, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; three counts of securities fraud under Title 18, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and three counts of conspiracy, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. O’CONNOR, 66, of Preston Hollow, New York, has been charged with four counts of securities fraud under Title 15, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; three counts of securities fraud under Title 18, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. WAUGH, 64, of Lynchburg, Virginia, has been charged with four counts of securities fraud under Title 15, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; three counts of securities fraud under Title 18, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. He also expressed appreciation for the SEC, which separately initiated civil proceedings against the defendants today. Mr. Williams further thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance during this investigation. This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas Roos, Jason A. Richman, and Alex Rossmiller are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 1 As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Joseph Lewis Indictment U.S. v. Joseph Lewis et al Indictment


title: Drugs Seized from Residence in Claiborne Parish Leads to 15+ Year Sentence for Haynesville Man

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of Dean Fitzgerald Williams , 40, of Haynesville, Louisiana. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote sentenced Williams to 181 months (15 years, 1 month) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Williams pleaded guilty to the charges on February 8, 2023. Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Williams on June 24, 2022. During the search of the residence, officers located methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and a scale in a storage room in the residence. Inside the master bedroom of the residence, law enforcement agents located additional crack cocaine (approximately 8.5 gross grams) and approximately 680.2 grams of marijuana. A Sig Sauer pistol, model: 1911 We the People, caliber: .45 Auto was located in Williams’ bedding and a Hi-Point pistol; model: C9; caliber: .9mm, was located under his mattress and box springs, as well as approximately $13,000 in cash, which he admitted post- Miranda to be drug proceeds. The narcotics were sent to the DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami, Florida who analyzed them and determined the drugs to be 419.8 grams of methamphetamine actual (pure) and 113.0 grams of cocaine base. Williams admitted that the narcotics found in his residence belonged to him included the methamphetamine found in the storage room and that he possessed both firearms in furtherance of the commission of the drug trafficking offense charged, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the DEA, ATF, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office and Ruston Police Department and was prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Edwards and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath. # # #


title: Shreveport Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Loaded Firearms at His Residence

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – Roderick Agnes , 42, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced in U.S. District Court, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote sentenced Agnes to 112 months (9 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to evidence presented to the court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a house on State Street in Shreveport, Louisiana on May 27, 2022. Agnes lived at the home and was present when the search occurred. Inside the master bedroom of the residence, law enforcement agents located a loaded Taurus pistol, model: PT1911, caliber: 45 containing seven rounds of ammunition; a loaded Century Arms pistol, model: Canik TP9, caliber: 9mm containing 12 rounds of ammunition; a Maverick Arms shotgun, Model: 88, caliber: 12 gauge; approximately 4 ounces of cocaine hydrochloride; digital scales; and over $2,000 in cash. The suspected cocaine was submitted to the crime lab for testing and the results confirmed the substance was in fact cocaine hydrochloride. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) examined the recovered firearms and found all three firearms to be operable. In addition, agents determined that all three firearms traveled in interstate commerce. Agnes pleaded guilty to the charges on December 6, 2022. Agnes is a convicted felon, having previously been convicted of Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance in Caddo Parish in 2005. At the time he possessed the Taurus pistol, the Century Arms pistol, the Maverick Arms shotgun, and the ammunition on or about May 27, 2022, Agnes knew that he had previously been convicted of a felony crime and was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy. This effort is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: Threats Made to VA and Medical Center Employees Sends Noble, LA Man to Federal Prison

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Aaron Wade Knight , 31, of Noble, Louisiana, has been sentenced for making threats of violence against employees with the Sabine Medical Center (SMC) and the Veterans Administration (VA). Knight was convicted in February 2023 by a federal jury in Shreveport. Knight was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to 27 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for making these threats of violence. The charges Knight was convicted of stem from incidents which both occurred on June 1, 2022, when he made threats of violence against employees of the SMC in Many, Louisiana, and the VA in Shreveport and Alexandria. The first incident occurred in the morning hours of June 1 when Knight, who was living in Virginia at the time, called the VA hot line in Alexandria and spoke to a nurse who was working the call center. Knight proceeded to tell the nurse that he was upset about a bill he had received for a hospital visit a few weeks earlier at the SMC. As the conversation continued, Knight became more agitated and made the comment to her, “What do I need to do, do I need to blow up this place to get some help?” Out of concern about the threatening comments Knight made to her, the nurse contacted a patient advocate with the VA in Shreveport who had worked with Knight before. The patient advocate then contacted Knight out of concern about the comments he had made moments earlier to the nurse. During the phone call, Knight became angry with the patient advocate and began to shout and made the following threatening statement to her, “do I need to go up there and shoot these motherf***rs in the f***ing face.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Many Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Andrew Weber. # # #


title: Kevin Love Hubbard Appointed to Coordinate Affirmative Civil Enforcement Matters in the District of Rhode Island

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha, announced today that he has appointed Kevin Love Hubbard, an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Office’s Civil Division, to serve as Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator, overseeing the District’s significant docket of civil investigations and litigation in which the federal government is suing to vindicate the public interest. These civil cases are an important and significant part of the Office’s docket, and include actions under the federal False Claims Act, environmental enforcement statutes, civil matters involving the Controlled Substances Act and other federal laws. Affirmative civil enforcement cases frequently seek to recover funds that are paid out by the federal government as a result of healthcare, procurement, or related fraud; enforce compliance with federal law; and seek penalties for other types of publicly harmful conduct along with injunctive relief designed to stop conduct that violates various federal statutes. AUSA Hubbard joined the United States Attorney's Office in 2021, from the partnership of Medina Orthwein; earlier in his career he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Neil Wake of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. He is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University and Yale Law School. ###


title: Departments of Justice, Commerce and Treasury Issue Joint Compliance Note on Voluntary Self-Disclosure of Potential Violations

component: National Security Division (NSD)

body_text: The Justice Department, Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today issued a joint compliance note focusing on the voluntary self-disclosure policies that apply to U.S. sanctions, export controls and other national security laws, including recent updates to certain of those policies. Today’s note marks the second collective effort by the three agencies to inform the private sector about enforcement trends and provide guidance to the business community on compliance with U.S. sanctions and export laws. “American businesses play a vital role in defending our national security because they are gatekeepers for sensitive technologies and key participants in the financial system,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Responsible companies that come forward as soon as they learn of potential sanctions and export control violations will benefit from the protections of these self-disclosure policies.” “When it comes to protecting our cutting-edge technology from falling into the wrong hands, industry is our first line of defense,” said Assistant Secretary Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. “As this joint compliance note makes clear, we need companies to tell us when they have potentially violated our rules and offer them concrete benefits for doing so.” The compliance note describes the voluntary self-disclosure policies of BIS, the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and OFAC, and highlights recent updates related to these policies. Additionally, the compliance note highlights the Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FinCEN)’s Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Whistleblower Program, which incentivizes individuals in the United States and abroad to provide information to the government about violations of U.S. trade and economic sanctions, in addition to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. “As adversaries leverage increasingly sophisticated efforts to evade international sanctions and export controls, it’s more important than ever to maintain open communication between the public and private sectors,” said Director Andrea Gacki of the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. “By taking advantage of our voluntary self-disclosure policy, companies can both help themselves and help us protect our financial system.” The note underscores the importance of an effective and robust compliance program. If a company discovers a potential violation, whether it is an administrative or criminal violation, that company must promptly disclose and remediate. Not only does such reporting make the disclosing company potentially eligible for significant mitigation, but it also alerts national security agencies to activities that may pose a threat to the national security and foreign policy objectives of the U.S. government. The full compliance note is available here . Tri-Seal Compliance Note


title: Two Brooklyn Men Indicted For Passing Over $7,800 In Counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes At Multiple Stores In Tri-State Area

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eli Gabriel Lewis, Jr., age 20, of Brooklyn, New York, and Dejuan Smartt, age 26, of Brooklyn, New York, were indicted on June 13, 2023, by a federal grand jury on charges of passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and conspiracy. The case was unsealed on July 24, 2023. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between February 4, 2023, and February 22, 2023, Lewis and Smartt conspired to pass counterfeit federal reserve notes, including incidents at no fewer than 16 different stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The Indictment further alleges that on six different occasions during the above-described time frame, Lewis and Smartt, either individually or collectively, passed counterfeit $20 Federal Reserve notes to retailers within the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Mount Joy Police Department, the Northwest Lancaster County Regional Police Department, the Walnutport Police Department, the Manheim Township Police Department, the Kingston Township Police Department, the Upper Macungie Police Department, the Clinton Township (NJ) Police Department, the Snyder County District Attorney’s Office, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Buchanan is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Former Oklahoma Private Prisoner Transport Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Pretrial Detainee

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A former private prisoner transport officer was sentenced in the Northern District of Oklahoma to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for violating a male pretrial detainee’s civil rights by sexually assaulting him. According to the plea agreement, at the time of the offense, Dewayne Lewis Dudley, 56, worked as a private prisoner transport officer for Blue Raven Services. As a private prisoner transport officer, Dudley performed the government function of picking up individuals who were arrested on out-of-state warrants and transporting those individuals back to the jurisdictions that issued the warrants. On Aug. 26, 2021, Dudley picked up the victim, a male pretrial detainee, from a jail in Booneville, Indiana, to transport him to a jail in Los Lunas, New Mexico. On Aug. 27, 2021, before arriving in New Mexico, Dudley stopped the transport vehicle at a Holiday Inn Express, located in Marshfield, Missouri, where he rented a room. Dudley brought the handcuffed victim into the hotel room and told him to shower. After the victim showered, Dudley pointed a gun at the victim and told him to undress. Dudley then proceeded to grope the victim’s genitals. When the victim’s penis did not become erect, Dudley handcuffed himself to the victim, before going to sleep. Several hours later, Dudley resumed transporting the victim, before stopping the transport van at Dudley’s apartment, located in Claremore, Oklahoma. Against the victim’s protests, Dudley brought the handcuffed victim inside his apartment. While inside his apartment, Dudley again groped the victim’s genitals, causing the victim bodily injury. The victim said, “No!” and was able to break free and run outside of Dudley’s apartment. As part of the plea agreement, Dudley admitted that the victim did not consent to any of the sexual conduct, that there was no legitimate law enforcement purpose for it and that the sexual misconduct resulted in bodily injury to victim and included kidnapping. “The defendant kidnapped and sexually assaulted a man entrusted to his care and custody, exploiting his authority and depriving this victim of his constitutional right to bodily integrity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence sends a clear message that the Justice Department is committed to protecting victims of sexual violence carried out at the hands of law enforcement officials. The privatization of positions in law enforcement does not affect our determination to hold these individuals accountable when they violate our federal civil rights laws.” “Dudley had a legal obligation to provide safe transport to the prisoner in his custody instead he violated him and his rights,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Our office is committed to protecting the judicial process and that includes protecting the rights of the accused.” “The American public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement officials will protect them, regardless of their class, status or creed. Dewayne Dudley violated that trust when he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a detainee in his care,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “Safeguarding the civil rights that every American is entitled to is fundamental to the FBI’s mission. We will continue to work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure predators like Dudley are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office investigated this case. Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Compton for the Northern District of Oklahoma prosecuted this case.


title: Manchester Man Charged With Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine Distribution Offenses

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man has been charged in connection with the distribution of fentanyl and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Walter Velez, 41, was arrested and charged with distribution of controlled substances in connection with the sale of fentanyl to a confidential informant. Velez made an initial appearance in federal court on Friday, July 21, 2023. Velez was ordered temporarily detained and a detention hearing is scheduled for July 26, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. According to the charging documents, Velez sold fentanyl and crack cocaine on four separate occasions totaling over 200 grams of fentanyl and over 20 grams of crack cocaine. The charge of distribution of a controlled substance provides for a sentence of at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Brighton Food Truck Business Owner Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for $1.5 Million COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a Massachusetts-based food truck business was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for filing fraudulent loan applications in order to obtain $1.5 million in pandemic relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act. Loc Vo, 56, of Brighton, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to two years in prison and two years of supervised release. Vo was also ordered to pay $1,516,606 in restitution and forfeiture. Vo pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in January 2023. Vo owned Smart Gourmet LLC (Smart Gourmet), a food truck business in Massachusetts, and Indy Publish, a dormant Maryland company. Between April 2020 and July 2021, Vo submitted loan applications on behalf of these businesses under three Small Business Administration pandemic relief programs: the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund . In these applications, Vo requested approximately $1.5 million and committed to use the funds for rent, mortgage interest, payroll and utilities, among other eligible expenses. After receiving the relief funds, Vo immediately transferred most of them to brokerage accounts in his name to purchase shares in an electric car manufacturer, an internet marketplace company and a biotechnology company, among others. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses, through the PPP. Another is the EIDL, through which the SBA offers loans that can only be used on certain permissible business expenses, which can include payment of fixed business debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other business-related expenses that could have been paid had the COVID-19 disaster not occurred. The American Rescue Plan Act established the RRF to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open through forgivable loans for eligible uses. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Ocala Woman Indicted For Fraud Relating To  COVID-19 Relief Funds

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Passion Lajodia Jackson (30, Ocala) with one count of wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. If convicted, Jackson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Her case is set for trial before Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell in October 2023. According to the indictment, between April 2 and April 6, 2021, Jackson devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA). During this time, she applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan under the CARES Act. It is alleged that Jackson made false representations and provided false documentation to obtain the loan. The United States is seeking an order of forfeiture for at least $20,132, which represents the unlawful proceeds of the offense charged in the indictment. An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Yogibo to Pay $217,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Underpaying Customs Duties

body_text: BOSTON – Yogibo, a New Hampshire-based furniture seller, has agreed to pay $217,832 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay customs duties on imports from China. Customs laws require importers to pay duties on the price paid for imported goods, including the cost of quality control testing, product design services, foreign inland freight and more. Between 2016 and 2022, Yogibo imported goods from a Chinese manufacturer, Leadershow Home Textile Co., Ltd (Leadershow). For each shipment, Leadershow provided Yogibo with two invoices: a commercial invoice listing one price for the goods being imported; and a second invoice (which Yogibo called the “QC Invoice”) that included a separate and additional charge for inland freight from Leadershow to a Chinese port, design services and quality control testing. Yogibo did not provide the QC Invoice to its customs broker for determining duties owed to the United States government on Leadershow imports and instead, only provided the commercial invoice with the lower total price. As a result, the customs broker did not calculate the duties owed based the total cost of the goods, including the additional charges on the QC Invoice. Under the Department of Justice’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases, the Department of Justice credited Yogibo’s cooperation in this matter. “Customs laws are intended to, among other things, protect domestic companies from unfair competition,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office will deploy the False Claims Act to go after anyone who cheats the system and defrauds the federal government.” “U.S. Customs & Border Protection is responsible for facilitating lawful international trade while regulating and enforcing hundreds of laws from dozens of federal agencies. Submission of false invoices on imported goods is a serious matter. This scheme involves entities importing goods without paying the U.S. Government the lawful amount of duties owed, creating an unfair advantage over law-abiding American businesses. I am glad that we were able to work with our federal partners to reach a satisfactory settlement to recover these funds,” said Michael McCarthy, Acting Director of Field Operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office. “Customs fraud is a serious allegation. Yogibo used a system of dual invoicing to circumvent requirements for establishing the proper duty. HSI takes undervaluing products imported into the United States seriously and will continue to protect the integrity of the False Claims Act through the aggressive enforcement of our customs laws,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. The settlement stems from allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. In connection with today’s announced settlement, the relator will receive 20 percent of the recovery. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, CBP Acting Director McCarthy and HSI Acting SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter. US v. Yogibo - Settlement Agreement


title: Two Supervisors Charged With Federal Crimes In Connection With Beating Of 16-Year-Old Resident At Bronx Juvenile Detention Center

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today criminal charges against DAQUAN SEYMOUR and RASHAWN WALKER, two supervisors at the Horizon Juvenile Center (“Horizon”), a secure detention center for juveniles located in the Bronx, New York. The charges relate to the April 25, 2022, beating of a 16-year-old resident at Horizon (the “Minor Victim”) and attempt to cover-up the beating. SEYMOUR and WALKER were charged with federal civil rights offenses, including conspiring to deprive the Minor Victim of his constitutional rights and depriving the Minor Victim of his constitutional rights under color of law, as well as filing false reports. SEYMOUR and WALKER were arrested this morning and will be presented in Manhattan federal court later today. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today’s charges allege a violent beating and a brazen cover-up by two supervisors at a juvenile detention facility in the Bronx that left a teenage resident seriously injured. Instead of safeguarding the youth that they were entrusted with protecting, Seymour and Walker violently dragged, punched, and stomped on the minor and then took steps to conceal the beating. My Office is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of all New Yorkers, including minors residing at youth detention facilities, and will ensure that those who abuse their authority are held accountable.” DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “Defendants Seymour and Walker, ACS supervisors, had a duty to protect the youth residing in the Horizon Juvenile Center in the Bronx. Instead, they taunted and violently beat a 16-year-old resident, resulting in bodily injuries requiring medical care, and attempted to hide their disturbing misconduct by filing false reports, as alleged in the Indictment. Juvenile residents in custody should never be victimized by those entrusted with their safety. I thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their partnership in this investigation and in our efforts to protect the rights of juveniles in detention centers.” According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] On or about April 25, 2022, SEYMOUR and WALKER were employed as Associate Youth Development Specialists at the Horizon Juvenile Center (“Horizon”), a secure detention center for juveniles located in the Bronx, New York, that was operated by the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (“ACS”). Associate Youth Development Specialists at Horizon are responsible for, among other things, supervising other staff members and ensuring the safety of all juvenile residents. At the time of the beating, the Minor Victim was a 16-year-old pre-trial juvenile resident at Horizon. Following a confrontation between several staff members and juvenile residents at Horizon, including the Minor Victim, SEYMOUR and WALKER violently dragged the Minor Victim by his forearms across the floor of a residential hall and into a private room (the “Room”). Once inside the Room, SEYMOUR and WALKER beat the Minor Victim, striking him repeatedly and forcefully as the Minor Victim lay on the floor. SEYMOUR and WALKER took steps to restrain the Minor Victim, including by pinning down the Minor Victim’s hands. WALKER also stomped on the Minor Victim’s stomach and groin area. Both SEYMOUR and WALKER taunted and directed profanities at the Minor Victim during the beating. As a result of the beating, the Minor Victim suffered bodily injuries, including a deep laceration to his upper lip area, which required the Minor Victim to be transported to a nearby hospital for medical care. Following the beating of the Minor Victim, SEYMOUR and WALKER attempted to cover up their participation in the beating. In particular, both SEYMOUR and WALKER prepared Horizon incident reports that described the confrontation between Horizon residents and staff members that immediately preceded the assault but failed to disclose that they dragged or physically assaulted the Minor Victim. * * * SEYMOUR, 33, of the Bronx, New York, and WALKER, 33, of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to deprive civil rights, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of falsification of records, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the DOI for their outstanding work on this matter. Mr. Williams also thanked the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their significant assistance. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie Bagliebter and Mitzi S. Steiner are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Seymour and Walker Indictment


title: Rural Alaska Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A man from a rural Alaskan village was sentenced July 18, 2023, to over 12 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor. According to court documents, Melvin Andrew, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Court documents say Andrew sexually abused a 14-year-old girl over the course of 10 months, with abuse taking place at least once a week. The defendant engaged in physical sexual abuse and requested sexually explicit images from the minor via text message. “Individuals who target Alaska’s most vulnerable will be held accountable for their destructive actions,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska. “Mr. Andrew’s actions have caused immense damage, and our office will continue to dedicate time and resources to identifying and prosecuting these cases on behalf of victims of abuse.” “The defendant’s predatory behavior involved the repeated sexual abuse of a minor – a heinous crime that must be met with consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protect Alaska’s youth from predators, no matter where they lurk.” The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office and the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Gladstone Couple Sentenced for Producing, Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Gladstone, Mo., husband and wife were sentenced in federal court today for producing and distributing pornographic images of two child victims. Joshua Paul Goodspeed, 47, and Jennifer Goodspeed, 38, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes. Joshua Goodspeed was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison without parole. Jennifer Goodspeed was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Jennifer Goodspeed to pay $5,000 in restitution to each of 12 victims, or $3,000 to each victim if paid within 30 days of the sentencing hearing. The Goodspeeds will be required to register as sex offenders upon their release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout their life. On March 9, 2023, Joshua Goodspeed pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, one count of attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet, and one count of receiving child pornography over the internet. Jennifer Goodspeed pleaded guilty the same day to one count of attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet. Joshua Goodspeed admitted he used two child victims to produce child pornography from Jan. 1, 2011, to March 12, 2012. He also admitted that he attempted to distribute child pornography on Nov. 17, 2020, and that he received child pornography over the internet on Feb. 29, 2012. Jennifer Goodspeed admitted that she attempted to distribute an image of child pornography over the internet on Feb. 29, 2012. Joshua Goodspeed pleaded guilty without a plea agreement. According to Jennifer Goodspeed’s plea agreement, an FBI undercover investigation identified a social media file-sharing platform, which was knowingly accessing, importing, and maintaining video files that depicted the sadistic sexual exploitation, torture, and abuse of a toddler. Joshua Goodspeed was linked to an account on this social media site. On June 16, 2012, the FBI executed a search warrant at the Goodspeeds’ residence. Federal agents seized Joshua Goodspeed’s iPhone, laptop and one computer hard drive, and interviewed both defendants. According to the plea agreement, Joshua and Jennifer Goodspeed admitted they took nude photos of two child victims. Jennifer Goodspeed told investigators she sometimes sent some of the photos to her husband via cell phone or email while he was traveling. Forensic examiners found hundreds of images of child pornography on the devices seized by agents, including photos of the two child victims that were produced by the Goodspeeds. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo, Police Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Justice Department, EPA and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Reach Agreement with City of Jackson on Proposal to Address Sewer System Issues

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the City of Jackson, Mississippi agreed to a proposed stipulated order, lodged today in federal district court, to expedite needed sewer system repairs and address spills of raw and undertreated sewage into homes, businesses, streets, yards and waterways. Under the terms of the agreement, the federal court would appoint Ted Henifin as interim third-party manager of the city’s sewer system. Henifin, who has been serving as interim third-party manager for the city’s drinking water system since November 2022, would manage, operate and maintain the city’s sewer system. The proposal is an interim measure until the parties negotiate modifications to a judicially enforceable consent decree to achieve the sewer system’s long-term compliance with federal and state regulations. The proposed stipulated order is subject to a public comment period through Aug. 31, during which public meetings will be held in the City of Jackson. “Under today’s agreement, expedited measures will be taken to address the City of Jackson’s deteriorating sewer infrastructure and inadequate operation and maintenance, which have caused residents and businesses to endure sewage discharges that threaten public health and the environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This action shows the continuing commitment of the Justice Department to seek justice, health and safety for the residents of Jackson, Mississippi, and to prioritize enforcement in the communities most burdened by environmental harm.” “In November of last year, the Justice Department filed a proposal to appoint a third-party manager to oversee and implement improvements to Jackson’s drinking water system,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today, we continue to protect the health and safety of Jackson residents by proposing the oversight and programs needed to restore Jackson’s sewer systems.” “This agreement is an appropriate next step in our enforcement efforts to ensure that the City of Jackson lives up to its responsibility, pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act and Mississippi law, to address and correct issues with its sewer system,” said Executive Director Chris Wells of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The agreement acknowledges that the city failed to achieve significant progress under a 2013 settlement among the parties that was entered by the federal court as a consent decree, and that the sewer system has further deteriorated over the last 10 years, resulting in violations of the settlement, the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), the Mississippi Air and Water Pollution Control Law (MAWPCL), and the city’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits associated with the sewer system. The agreement requires implementation of certain programs and capital projects to improve the sewer system’s condition, operations, and maintenance that are anticipated to bring near-term relief to the city’s residents and businesses. The interim third-party manager would have the authority to, among other things: Operate and maintain the city’s sewer system in compliance with the CWA, MAWPCL and NPDES permits; Implement capital improvements to the city’s sewer system. This includes a set of priority projects to investigate and repair certain areas of the sewer system (including 215 areas previously identified by the city as emergency sewer failure locations), and certain repair work associated with the Savanna and Trahon wastewater treatment plants; and Implement or continue implementing programs to post signage about sewer overflows where there is a reasonable expectation of public exposure; keep fats, oils, and grease out of the sewer system; and clean and inspect lines on a recurring schedule. Under the proposal, the Justice Department, EPA, MDEQ and the City of Jackson will resume negotiations within three years to modify the 2013 settlement to achieve long-term compliance with the CWA, MAWPCL and NPDES permits. A copy of the proposed stipulated order and instructions for submitting public comments is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees . All comments must be electronically submitted or postmarked by Aug. 31. Public meetings to receive comments are planned at the Mississippi e-Center, 1230 Raymond Road, Jackson, Mississippi on Aug. 21, 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Additional meetings are being planned and will be announced separately. For information and details on the public meetings, please visit www.epa.gov/ms/jackson-ms-sewer-system . The case is being litigated by the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section, in conjunction with EPA and MDEQ. Members of the public can help protect our environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations. Learn more here .