title: Spokane Bank Manager Pleads Guilty to Stealing more than $345,000

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Jessica Ann Marshall, age 27, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty to one count of Theft and Embezzlement by Bank Employee. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice accepted Marshall’s guilty plea, and set sentencing for June 27, 2024, in Spokane. According to court documents, between June 2023 and September 2023, Marshall was working as a Bank Manager at the Bank of Idaho’s downtown Spokane, Washington branch. Using her position as a manager, Marshall stole and embezzled at least $345,664 in cash from the bank vault, ATM, and her cash drawer. Marshall falsified documents to reconcile the cash and directed bank employees to sign falsified count sheets in order to hide her theft and embezzlement. Marshall also used her position as Bank Manger to make fraudulent deposit transactions into her spouse’s account. These fraudulent transactions reflected that money was being deposited into the account; however, no funds were deposited. When Bank of Idaho inquired about the deposits into her spouse’s account, Marshall attempted to conceal her conduct by using a co-worker’s email account to send an e-mail with false information. Marshall then accessed the computer of another co-worker to delete an email from Bank of Idaho inquiring about the deposits. “Bankers and financial professionals are given an extraordinary amount of trust. When they abuse that trust to commit theft and line their own pockets, they devastate our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who use their position to enrich themselves.” “In only several months of employment, Ms. Marshall betrayed her company’s and clients’ trust by misusing her access to accounts, stealing a large sum of money, and attempting to cover up the crime,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “The FBI, together with our partners, will continue to investigate financial crimes and bring unethical behavior to light.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. Case No. 2:24-CR-00040-TOR


title: Jury Finds District Woman Guilty of Two Counts of First-Degree Child Sexual Abuse with Aggravating Circumstances

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Griselda Martinez-Moz, 42, of Maryland, was convicted today of two counts of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. The verdict, announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), follows a seven-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2024. According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, on two occasions in 2015 and 2016, Martinez-Moz sexually abused a child who was eight years old at the time. A close friend of the child’s family, Martinez-Moz, on multiple occasions, subjected the child to sexual acts. Martinez-Moz faces the potential of life imprisonment without the opportunity of release. If she were to be released, Martinez-Moz would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of her life. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Houck, Niki Holmes, and Dana Joseph, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Felice Roggen and Bryan Han.


title: Thefts on Menominee Indian Reservation Result in Prison Sentence for Keshena Man

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Merwin J. “Pete” Wynos (age: 36), a former resident of Keshena and an enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, received a sentence of 30 months in federal prison following a conviction for theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 661 and 1153(a). The sentence, imposed on March 20, 2024, by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach, was the result of a guilty plea entered by the defendant on January 16, 2024. Wynos will also face three years of supervised release once he completes his sentence. According to court records, on September 25, 2023, several companies reported thefts of equipment from the site of the new Menominee Indian High School in Keshena. Investigators for the Menominee Tribal Police Department and Menominee County Sheriff’s Office discovered that Wynos had entered the closed, fenced, and locked construction site during nighttime hours. Wynos used a utility vehicle on the site to transport construction tools and electronics that he took from construction trailers to his residence. Wynos attempted to sell some of the items at local pawn shops, which reported their suspicions to the police. Wynos was arrested after being caught with others in a car full of stolen construction tools and, after being released from tribal custody, entered the construction site again on November 25, 2023. Wynos was caught on the site taking additional items and was re-arrested. Wynos admitted in court to being responsible for three separate theft incidents on the construction site and will pay over $29,000 in restitution to the victims. At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the need to punish Wynos for the persistent nature of his crimes. Judge Griesbach said, “Stealing from hard working people, especially those building a new school that will help your community, shows a persistent willingness to violate the law.” Judge Griesbach also described the need to show the community that there is a punishment for this sort of behavior. The Menominee Tribal Police Department, Menominee County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier prosecuted the case in U.S. District Court in Green Bay. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Florida Man and Brazilian National Indicted for Decade-Long Scheme to Defraud the IRS

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment today charging Dan Rotta, of Aventura, Florida, and Sergio Cernea, of Sao Paolo, Brazil, with conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing income and assets in Swiss bank accounts. The indictment also charged Rotta with tax evasion, filing a false tax return, making a false statement and failing to file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. Rotta was arrested on a related criminal complaint on March 8, 2024. According to the indictment, between 1985 and 2020, Rotta hid more than $20 million in assets in at least two dozen secret Swiss accounts at five different Swiss banks, including UBS, Credit Suisse, Bank Bonhôte and Bank Julius Baer. The accounts were allegedly held in his own name, in the names of sham structures and, in one instance, a pseudonym. Over the years, Rotta allegedly earned substantial income from these assets that he did not report on his tax returns. From 2001 through 2017, Rotta allegedly falsely represented to the banks that he was a Brazilian citizen residing in Brazil, even though he had been a naturalized citizen and resident of the U.S. since the 1970s. During those years, Rotta and a company he controlled allegedly received millions of dollars in transfers from his secret Swiss accounts. Starting in 2008, after it was reported publicly that UBS and its bankers were under criminal investigation for helping U.S. taxpayers evade their taxes, Rotta allegedly took steps to continue concealing his offshore assets, including by closing his UBS account and moving the funds to Credit Suisse and Bank Bonhôte. According to the indictment, in 2011, after the IRS obtained records related to one of Rotta’s Swiss accounts, Rotta nominally changed the documentation of his accounts at Credit Suisse and Bank Bonhôte to make it appear that Sergio Cernea, a Brazilian national, owned the assets in the accounts. Despite the change, Rotta allegedly continued to control the assets and transferred millions of dollars out of those accounts for his use. Shortly after Rotta changed the account documentation, the IRS allegedly began auditing Rotta. During the audit, Rotta allegedly falsely denied that he owned the assets in the foreign financial accounts and, instead, claimed that the millions of dollars he withdrew from the accounts were non-taxable loans from Cernea and others. Rotta allegedly provided the IRS with fake promissory notes and false affidavits from Cernea and others to corroborate his claims. The IRS allegedly did not believe Rotta and assessed millions of dollars of additional taxes as well as penalties and interest against him. According to the indictment, Rotta sought to reverse the assessments by causing the filing of a U.S. Tax Court petition that sought a redetermination of the IRS’s assessments. In that petition, Rotta, through his attorney, allegedly falsely denied having any foreign accounts and attached the fictitious loan documents. Furthermore, Cernea and another co-conspirator allegedly traveled to the United States to retell the false loan story to IRS attorneys. In 2017, after Rotta allegedly presented evidence that the purported loans had been repaid, the IRS reversed the deficiencies and agreed that Rotta owed no additional tax. Unbeknownst to the IRS, however, the funds that Rotta purportedly repaid to Cernea and others allegedly went into accounts that Rotta controlled. According to the indictment, as part of the conspiracy, in 2016, Rotta had attorneys create trusts in the United States that Cernea funded with the assets transferred from the Swiss accounts and held for the benefit of Rotta. In fact, the funds in the trusts allegedly belonged to Rotta, and Rotta controlled the trusts. In 2019, Rotta allegedly became aware that the IRS would receive additional account records from Switzerland that contradicted the false claims that he had previously made. To avoid criminal liability, Rotta allegedly applied to participate in the IRS’s voluntary disclosure practice. Under that practice, taxpayers who willfully do not comply with their tax and reporting obligations can make timely, accurate and complete disclosures of their conduct, which may be a way to resolve their non-compliance and limit their criminal exposure. According to the indictment, Rotta made a number of false statements in his submission, including falsely claiming the assets in the Swiss accounts mostly belonged to Cernea and that Cernea was providing Rotta with millions of dollars because Cernea had no children when, in fact, Cernea had two. If convicted, Rotta and Cernea face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, tax evasion, failure to file a report of bank and financial accounts and making a false statement. They face a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing false tax returns and one year in prison for each count of failing to file tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement. The International Tax and Financial Crimes group of IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Senior Litigation Counsels Sean Beaty and Mark Daly and Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell and William Montague of the Justice Department’s Tax Division as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Homer for the Southern District of Florida, are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Rotta Cernea Indictment 03.22.24.pdf


title: District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft  for CVS Theft in Adams Morgan

body_text: WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 20, Travon Carter, 31, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on February 27, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Carter is to be arraigned on April 4, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge. According to the government’s evidence, on February 27, 2024, Carter entered the CVS located at 1781 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC; took numerous items for sale; and left the store without paying. Carter was later located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department. Carter has more than two prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted. Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 36 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Wessel. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: Six Former Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Sentenced for Torturing and Abusing Two Black Men

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers were sentenced this week for torturing and abusing two Black men in Rankin County, Mississippi. Senior District Judge Tom Lee sentenced the defendants to terms in prison ranging from 10 to 40 years. Christian Dedmon, 29, former Narcotics Investigator of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Brett McAlpin, 53, former RCSO Chief Investigator, was sentenced to 27.25 years in prison. Hunter Elward, 31, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Jeffrey Middleton, 46, former RCSO Lieutenant, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison. Daniel Opdyke, 28, former RCSO Deputy, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison. Joshua Hartfield, 32, former Narcotics Investigator for the Richland Police Department, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. “The depravity of the crimes committed by these defendants cannot be overstated, and they will now spend between 10 and 40 years in prison for their heinous attack on citizens they had sworn to protect,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These defendants kicked in the door of a home where two Black men were residing, handcuffed and arrested them without probable cause, called them racial slurs, and punched, kicked, tased, and assaulted them. After one of the defendants fired his gun in the mouth of one of the victims, breaking his jaw, the defendants gathered outside to come up with a cover story as the victim lay bleeding on the floor. Officers who violate constitutional rights will be held accountable by the Justice Department for their crimes that harm individual victims and betray the trust of entire communities. I am grateful to the Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the FBI Jackson Field Office, and our state partners for their outstanding work bringing these defendants to justice.” “It is hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by the defendants in this case,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “But it is also hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims. As the result of the bureau’s color-of-law investigation, which we worked in collaboration with our federal and state partners, all six pleaded guilty last August and will serve lengthy sentences for their crimes.” “By holding these officers accountable, we are sending a clear message that law enforcement abuse of Black people, or any American, will not be tolerated in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These six white law enforcement officers sought to dehumanize two innocent Black men through cruel, violent, and lawless abuse. The defendants didn’t count on the victims’ courage to come forward and tell the truth or the justice system to hold them accountable. The court imposed severe sentences reflecting the defendants’ savagery, including the longest federal sentence in recent years for a civil rights police misconduct case. Justice demands accountability, especially when the defendants’ actions not only scarred the victims physically and emotionally, but also harmed the entire community, stripping away their sense of security, corroding trust and respect for the police.” “We expect our law enforcement officers to take seriously their oath to be our protectors, but these defendants instead chose to be predators on a hate-fueled power trip,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Rather than serving Mississippi, the defendants treated it as a place where they could assault, intimidate, torture, and frame their victims at will. These violations of civil rights should serve as a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do in Mississippi and this nation to ensure that law enforcement officers are properly hired, trained, equipped, supervised, and held accountable for their actions.” “We hold positions of trust and serve as stewards of authority for the community. Color of law violations are harmful to the victims, to the American people, and to the law enforcement community across the globe,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Maher Dimachkie of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “These six individuals violated their oaths and disgraced other law enforcement officers that carry their duties with pride and honor. We will continue to execute our duties to the highest level of ethical and moral values. We will continue to work with our community partners to rebuild and strengthen the partnership and trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains steadfast in aggressively investigating and bringing those who misuse their authority to justice.” “The six officers who committed these heinous acts caused more than physical harm to these two individual victims; they severed the vital trust between law enforcement and the people they pledge to protect,” said Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “This abuse of power will not be tolerated. I am proud of this joint effort and shared commitment across agencies to pursue truth and justice for these victims. It is my hope and prayer that we can help these victims on their healing journey, and we can restore confidence in our criminal justice system.” “The sentencing of the six former officers who violated their oath of office proves the effectiveness of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. “As we move forward, we should all work together creating new policies and oversights to help prevent these types of incidents in the future. Thank you to all parties involved for their diligent work in ensuring that justice was served for the victims.” Last year, the six defendants pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with a total of 13 felony offenses, including civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice. According to court documents and the plea hearings, the defendants admitted that on Jan. 24, 2023, Dedmon sent a group message to Middleton, Elward, and Opdyke, three members of the “Goon Squad,” orchestrating a “mission” to forcibly enter a home in Braxton, Rankin County, Mississippi, where two Black men, M.J. and E.P., were residing. “The Goon Squad” is a group of RCSO officers who were known for using excessive force and not reporting it. Dedmon warned the officers that there might be surveillance cameras at the house, and told them “no bad mugshots”, meaning that the officers should use excessive force, but they should make sure not to leave any marks that would be captured in a mugshot. Upon arrival at the home, the defendants kicked in the door and entered the home without a warrant or any exigent circumstances. The defendants handcuffed and arrested the men without probable cause to believe they had committed any crime, called them racial slurs, and warned them to stay out of Rankin County. Dedmon fired his gun twice to intimidate the men. Further, the defendants punched and kicked the men; tased them 17 times; held them down and poured liquids on their faces, forcing them to involuntarily ingest these liquids; threw eggs at them and assaulted them with a dildo. McAlpin, the senior officer on the scene, failed to intervene to stop the torture or abuse and stole property while the incident occurred. At the conclusion of the incident, Elward surreptitiously removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun, forced the gun into M.J.’s mouth, and pulled the trigger. The unloaded gun clicked but did not fire. Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.’s tongue, broke his jaw, and exited out of his neck. As M.J. was bleeding on the floor, the defendants did not provide medical aid, but instead gathered outside the home to devise a false cover story and took steps to corroborate it by planting a BB gun on M.J.; destroying surveillance video, a spent shell casing, and taser cartridges; submitting fraudulent drug evidence to the crime lab; filing false reports; charging M.J. with crimes he did not commit; making false statements to investigators; and pressuring witnesses to stick to the cover story. For several of the defendants, the incident with M.J. and E.P. was not their first-time abusing Rankin County residents. During a separate incident on Dec. 4, 2022, Dedmon beat and tased a white man and fired a gun near his head to coerce a confession, while Elward and Opdyke failed to intervene. Dedmon then sexually assaulted the man. In connection with that incident, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke each also pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with three additional federal felony offenses, including deprivation of rights under color of law and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the federal case. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation investigated the state case. Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Mississippi Deputy Attorney General Mary Helen Wall, who was deputized as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi for the federal matter, prosecuted the case.


title: District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft  for Theft from Target in Northwest

body_text: WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Shawn Hunter, 28, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of second-degree theft (felony) with offense committed during release enhancement, stemming from events occurring on February 27, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Hunter is to be arraigned on March 20, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge. According to the government’s evidence, on February 27, 2024, Hunter took a range of merchandise without paying from the Target store located at 3505 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. Hunter was quickly located and arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department. Hunter has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted. Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 36 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Campbell. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: Justice Department Secures Settlement with Ohio Manufacturing Company to Resolve Alleged Discrimination Against National Guardsman

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it has resolved its lawsuit against U.S. Development Corporation, doing business as Akro-Plastics, on behalf of Ohio National Guardsman Staff Sergeant Nicholas Whitman. The department alleged that Akro-Plastics violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) when it failed to promote Sergeant Whitman to a human resources position based on his military service obligation and constructively discharged him on his return from military service. “Federal law safeguards the civilian employment rights of our nation’s servicemembers and ensures that their career opportunities aren’t harmed because of their military duties,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Employers must ensure that servicemembers receive all career advancements that they deserve.” “American servicemembers make great sacrifices to protect our citizens and the freedoms, liberties and civil rights that we all enjoy,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio is committed to protecting all its citizens from discrimination, including servicemembers who employers discriminate against by denying them deserved workplace opportunities because of their past, present or future military service.” According to the complaint , Sergeant Whitman started working at Akro-Plastics in June 2022. He applied for a human resources job in September 2022 and went through three interviews. Supervisors and officials knew about his upcoming three-month military deployment and repeatedly cited it as the reason for not promoting him. From December 2022 to April 2023, Sergeant Whitman fulfilled his military duties with the National Guard. Following his deployment, he returned to work for a short while before being forced to leave due to hostility from Akro-Plastic’s management. Under the settlement agreement, Akro-Plastics will pay Sergeant Whitman monetary damages. The company will also revise its policies, practices and trainings to prevent violations of USERRA. The Department of Labor (DOL) referred this matter to the Justice Department following an investigation by its Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section continues to work collaboratively with the DOL to protect the jobs and benefits of military members. The Justice Department gives high priority to the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. Additional information about USERRA can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/laws-we-enforce and www.justice.gov/servicemembers , as well as on the DOL’s website at www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/userra .


title: Pawn shop owner charged with money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a license

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On March 20, a Miami pawn shop owner was charged by criminal complaint with money laundering and operating a money transmitting business without a license. As alleged in the criminal complaint and underlying criminal complaint affidavit, Andrey Perov, 38, of Miami, Florida, owned Bee Pawn LLC, a pawn shop in Miami and Hard Rock Giffies, a pawn shop in Hollywood, Florida. Allegedly, from Jan. 27, 2021, through June 3, 2021, Perov or an associate of Perov, at the direction of Perov, laundered $110,000 that Perov believed were drug proceeds. The charging documents further allege that, from Dec. 17, 2021, through Nov. 22, 2022, an associate of Perov, under his direction, redeemed approximately $540,000 worth of purportedly stolen or fraudulent gift cards. Furthermore, from 2017 through March 20, 2024, Perov allegedly redeemed approximately $53,000,000 in gift cards and money orders and failed to obtain the required federal or state license in order act as a money transmitting business, as stated in the charging documents. Perov made his initial appearance on March 20 in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. Perov faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000 or up to twice the value of the property involved in the transactions with respect to the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge. Perov also faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the operating a money transmitting business without a license charge. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agentt in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. IRS-CI, Miami Field Office and FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan are prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture. A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-mj-6121. ###


title: District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft  for Theft from CVS in Northwest

body_text: WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Michael Smith, 26, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on October 6, 2023, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Smith is to be arraigned on April 8, 2024, before a Superior Court judge. According to the government’s evidence, on October 6, 2023, Smith stole several items from a CVS store on Georgia Avenue in Northwest, Washington, DC, by putting store merchandise into a bag in the store before walking out. Smith has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted. Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 36 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erika Norman. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.


title: Florida Couple Sentenced To Federal Prison For Unlicensed Dealing In Firearms And Falsification Of Gun Purchase Records

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John C. Antoon II has sentenced Kingsley Wilson (35, Kissimmee) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), and causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. His co-defendant, Viviana Rodriguez (41, Kissimmee), has been sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to an FFL, and causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. Both Wilson and Rodriguez entered guilty pleas in late 2023. According to evidence presented in court, between January 2022 and July 2023, Wilson purchased 92 firearms from multiple gun dealers in the Middle District of Florida. Rodriguez, Wilson’s girlfriend, purchased an additional 48 firearms during that same period. While purchasing the firearms, Wilson and Rodriguez each falsely certified on ATF Form 4473s (Firearm Transaction Records) that he or she was the “actual transferee/buyer” of the firearms. In actuality, Wilson and Rodriguez were purchasing these firearms for others in exchange for monetary payments. Wilson’s cellphone revealed numerous conversations between Wilson and others, including Rodriguez, about the illegal purchases and transfer of these firearms. To date, 24 of the firearms purchased by Wilson and Rodriguez have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes involving drug trafficking, illegal firearm possession by felons, shootings, and homicides. Of the 24 recovered firearms, 12 were found in The Bahamas and another 12 in Canada. This firearms trafficking prosecution was made possible, in part, by firearms tracing conducted in cooperation with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Ontario Provincial Police, and ATF’s International Affairs Division. “Gun traffickers are the purveyors of violent crime,” said ATF Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Our investigators immediately stopped the illegal flow of crime guns to neighboring countries and then worked with partners to bring two conniving suspects to justice.” This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Royal Bahamas Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Hays man admits distributing meth on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Hays man accused of selling methamphetamine from a yellow school bus he used as his residence on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to a trafficking charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Lyle Gilbert Snow, Sr., 64, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. Snow faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 31. Snow was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that in April 2022, the FBI received information that Snow was selling meth on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and had been selling gram quantities since at least 2021 from the yellow school bus in which he lived. Law enforcement made a series of controlled purchases of meth from Snow. In June 2023, law enforcement served a federal search warrant on the yellow school bus and recovered a loaded .270-caliber rifle, ammunition and a flip phone. Messages on the phone indicated drug trafficking. While the search was under way, law enforcement saw Snow pull off the highway and begin to drive down his driveway. When he saw law enforcement, Snow pulled out of the driveway and began traveling away from his residence. Snow was pulled over a because he was driving with a suspended license. Snow possessed $1,537 in cash, including $20 bills identified as having been used in a controlled buy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Bakersfield Man Charged with Laser Strikes of Police Helicopter

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Jesse Torres-Alonso, 35, of Bakersfield, charging him with aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Sept. 28, 2023, Torres struck a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter (Air One) 12 times with a dangerously bright green laser beam. The laser strikes interfered with the pilot’s ability to see and avoid other aircraft and effectively monitor the aircraft instrument panel. Law enforcement officers were able to locate and seize the laser device, which bore a prominent warning label, stating, “DANGER,” and warned against shining the light in the eyes. The Federal Aviation Administration received 13,304 reports of laser strikes from pilots last year, marking a 41% increase over the 9,457 reported during 2022 and setting a record for the growing hazard. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Torres faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Washington State Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl, Aiding and Abetting Armed Robbery of a Minor

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington State man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing fentanyl and aiding and abetting the armed robbery of a 14-year-old. Levi Joseph Blomdahl, 28, of Vancouver, Washington, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in 2021, as a part of an ongoing investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into Portland area fentanyl trafficking, Blomdahl was identified as a Pacific Northwest fentanyl dealer. In September 2021, Blomdahl was the victim of a drug-related robbery and shooting on Hayden Island in Portland during which he exchanged gunfire with the robber and sustained gunshot wounds. The robber, Anthony Pastorino, 44, also of Vancouver, fled the scene before police arrived and Blomdahl was taken to a local hospital to receive medical treatment. Further investigation revealed that beginning in January 2021, Blomdahl made multiple trips from Portland to Phoenix, Arizona, to purchase fentanyl he would return to the Pacific Northwest for redistribution and sale. On November 18, 2021, HSI special agents executed a federal search warrant at Blomdahl’s Vancouver residence where they located and seized approximately 600 grams of fentanyl, two firearms, ammunition, and smaller amounts of other controlled substances. While investigating Blomdahl’s drug trafficking, HSI learned that he had also aided and abetted the armed robbery of a 14-year-old boy in September 2021, in Vancouver, five days before Blomdahl himself was the victim of an armed robbery. It was revealed that Blomdahl was in close contact with another individual who, while pretending to be a police officer, stole a motorcycle offered for sale online by the 14-year-old. During the robbery, Blomdahl sent messages to the robber, including one encouraging him to place the boy under “arrest.” Blomdahl further contacted the victim’s mother, posing as the victim, to try and gain access to the boy’s online sales account. On March 10, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Blomdahl with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On September 14, 2023, Blomdahl pleaded guilty to a two-count superseding criminal information charging him with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting motor vehicle theft. On May 3, 2023, Pastorino was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for his role in the armed robbery of Blomdahl. This case was investigated by HSI, the Portland Police Bureau, and Vancouver Police Department. It was prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Former Town Clerk and Town Council Member Indicted for Stealing More Than $195,000 from Town of Cusick

body_text: Spokane, Washington – On March 19, 2024, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Luke Michael Servas, age 38, with 25 counts of Wire Fraud, 26 counts of Bank Fraud and 25 counts of Aggravated Identity Theft. According to court documents, Servas embezzled more than $195,000 while employed as the Town Clerk for the town of Cusick, Washington between October 2022 and March 2023. During that time period, Servas was also an elected member of the town council. Like many cities and towns, Cusick residents elect a town council, which selects a town clerk. The clerk has responsibility to keep accurate records of city council financial accounts, and acted as custodian for Cusick’s operating bank account used to receive and safeguard public funds and to make public expenditures on behalf of the town. Cusick’s account also had two credit cards issued to make purchases on behalf of the town: one issued to Cusick’s elected mayor, and one issued to Servas as town clerk. Both credit cards were only for authorized public purchases and expenses, and were only to be used by the specific official to whom they were issued. The Indictment alleges that Servas fraudulently and without authority used the mayor’s town credit card, as well as his own town credit card, to embezzle and transfer more than $190,000 in public town funds from Cusick’s bank account to PayPal accounts owned and controlled by Servas and his spouse, and to a cryptocurrency account owned and controlled by Servas. According to the Indictment, in March of 2023, other town officials expressed concern that funds were missing from the town’s account. The Indictment alleges that Servas then contacted the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office to report that between $150,000 and $200,000 had been stolen from the Town of Cusick’s operating bank account, using the mayor’s credit card account to which Servas stated only the mayor had access. The Indictment further alleges that, after making this report, Servas wrote a fraudulent $4,961 check from Cusick’s account to himself, forged the mayor’s signature as well as that of another town official, and cashed the check on or about March 20, 2023. “An elected public official, entrusted with the funds to keep communities safe and strong, has a moral duty and legal responsibility to protect that money”, stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “My office is committed to stopping all fraudsters, especially those who abuse their positions of trust.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Agency, with investigative and logistical support from the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Auditor’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Man Admits Smuggling Seven Unauthorized Immigrants Through Sewer Pipes between Mexico and the U.S.

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 21, 2024 SAN DIEGO –Kevin Noe Campos Villa of Tijuana pleaded guilty in federal court today to human smuggling charges, admitting he guided seven unauthorized immigrants through sewer pipes during heavy rains. Several had to be rescued from the Tijuana River by San Diego lifeguards. Campos is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez. Campos was arrested on January 22, 2024, after U.S. Border Patrol agents observed Campos directing the individuals from Mexico into the United States through the pipes about two miles west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry during heavy rains. When confronted by Border Patrol agents, Campos and three of the immigrants he was guiding ran to avoid apprehension. While attempting to escape, they fell into the Tijuana River and had to be rescued by San Diego lifeguards. According to court records, two of the unauthorized immigrants who were rescued stated that they feared for their lives when crossing the river because they did not know how to swim. One stated that he was swept away by the river’s current and was able to grab and hold onto a tree branch until his rescue. Sewer tubes between the United States and Mexico have grates to prevent individuals from illegally entering the United States. During heavy rain, the grates are opened to let water flow through the sewer tubes without damaging the grates. Due to heavy rain that was occurring in the area at the time, the grates were open and Campos used the opportunity to smuggle the unauthorized immigrants into the United States. Court documents established Campos agreed to guide the group in the January event, and in exchange he would have his own smuggling fee reduced to $6,000. Campos also admitted that he has been working for smugglers by building ladders to smuggle people across the U.S.-Mexico border fence. “This case is yet another example of transnational smuggling organizations placing profits over safety,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Thankfully, due to law enforcement intervention and the assistance of local lifeguards, all lives were spared.” “This is an important reminder that safety is of little concern to transnational criminal organizations,” said Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel. “U.S. Border Patrol agents will continue to target human smugglers and deliver consequences to those who violate the laws of our nation.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Adeline Schulberg. DEFENDANT Case Number 24CR0290-LL Kevin Noe Campos Villa Age: 20 Tijuana, Mexico SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 8, United States Code, §1324(a)(1)(A)(i) – Bringing in Illegal Aliens at a Place other than a Designated Port of Entry Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison; $250,000 fine AGENCY United States Border Patrol San Diego Lifeguards


title: Tompkins County Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Coerce a Child to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Conduct and Possessing a Loaded Handgun as a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Joel Cook, 49, of Ithaca, New York, was sentenced yesterday to serve 151 months in prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, and a concurrent 151 months for possessing a loaded handgun as a prohibited person by virtue of a prior felony conviction. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. In his previous plea of guilty, Cook admitted that in March of 2023 he sent sexually explicit text messages to a 14-year-old child in an attempt to entice and coerce her into engaging in sexual conduct with him. The child did not respond to Cook’s messages. Instead, her family reported Cook to police, after which the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation assumed the child’s identity. Thereafter, for nearly a month Cook engaged in sexually explicit messaging with someone whom he thought was the child, explaining what type of sexual conduct they could engage in with one another, and asking her to send sexually explicit images to him. Cook was arrested on April 8, 2023, after arriving at a location where he had arranged to meet her. Additional investigation led to the discovery of a loaded Hi Point, .380 caliber pistol hidden inside a hat in a dresser drawer in Cook’s bedroom. Cook was prohibited from possessing the firearm as a result of a 2022 Chemung County Court conviction for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree. In addition to serving 151 months in prison, Hon. Anne M. Nardacci sentenced Cook to 15 years of supervised release upon his release from imprisonment, and he will be required to register as a sex offender. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher as a part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Medical Sales Rep and Former Pain Clinic Owner Sentenced in Related Multi-Million-Dollar Health Care Fraud Cases

body_text: ANNISTON, Ala. – A Gadsden medical sales representative and a Rainbow City pain clinic owner were sentenced today for their roles in health care fraud conspiracies that cost insurers millions of dollars. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Special Agent in Charge Tamela Miles of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Atlanta Region made the announcement. U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced James Ewing Ray , 53, of Gadsden, to 40 months for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Ray was ordered to forfeit more than $850,000 and to pay restitution to victims of more than $5.3 million. According to Ray’s plea agreement, Ray was a sales representative who marketed to doctors’ offices various health care products and services, including topical prescription creams from specialty pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME), and electro-diagnostic testing. Ray was paid fees for the prescriptions, DME, and tests he generated from doctors. From at least 2012 through 2018, Ray conspired to pay and receive kickbacks to induce medical providers to issue medically unnecessary prescriptions and order medically unnecessary goods and services, which were then billed to Medicare and other health insurers. Among those services was nerve conduction testing provided by a Huntsville-based electro-diagnostic testing company called QBR or Diagnostic Referral Community. Ray received per-patient kickbacks from QBR for inducing medical providers to order tests from QBR. Medical providers received kickbacks from QBR too, disguised as hourly payments for the ordering physician’s time and staff’s time but in reality payments for every patient who got a test. Judge Coogler sentenced David Lyle Shehi , 43, of Rainbow City, to 28 months for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Shehi was also ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution to his victims. According to Shehi’s plea agreement, Shehi owned Etowah Pain, a pain clinic in Rainbow City, and was paid kickbacks in exchange for his practice’s ordering nerve conduction tests from QBR that would be billed to Medicare and other health insurance programs. Shehi also caused his practice to routinely bill health insurance programs for patient office visits using the code that would generate the highest reimbursement—even though that code was not appropriate and Shehi was warned that billing in this way was not allowed. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys J.B. Ward and Don Long are prosecuting it. See related press here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/pain-clinic-owners-sentenced-unlawfully-distributing-opioids-and-multimillion-dollar https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/etowah-pain-clinic-owner-pleads-guilty-multi-million-dollar-kickback-and-health-care https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/multiple-defendants-sentenced-major-compounding-pharmacy-fraud-conspiracy https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/new-hope-man-sentenced-his-role-multi-million-dollar-kickback-and-health-care-fraud .


title: California man sentenced to federal prison for defrauding local business out of $10 million

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 51 months in prison for embezzling more than $10.2 million from his employer and violating orders of the Court in a related civil lawsuit against him. Brinson Caleb Silver, 43, of Culver City, California, used his position as a high-level executive to create a scheme involving shell companies, inflated contracts and a stolen identity. Silver pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count each of wire fraud and contempt of court. As part of his sentence, Silver is ordered to pay more than $10.2 million in restitution. According to court documents, Silver was the Chief Marketing Officer of Root, Inc., an online car insurance company based in Columbus. From November 2021 through November 2022, Silver entered into contracts with four vendors for marketing services. Silver directed the vendors to send a portion of their contract proceeds to bank accounts in the names of businesses that Silver owned and controlled. Those diverted payments totaled more than $10.2 million. Silver used the millions he embezzled to buy a $1.4 million dollar yacht, a Mercedes-Benz G550 for nearly $165,000, an amphibious plane, luxury watches and other items. As a result of his fraud scheme, in February 2023, Root sued Silver. As the civil case progressed, Silver violated multiple court orders. For example, he flouted an order entered by the Court in his civil suit that limited him to financial transactions no greater than $5,000. In addition, Silver failed to appear in court for a hearing related to his civil suit and instead spent lavishly while traveling the globe. His expenditures in February and March 2023 violated the Court’s orders and include $20,000 on plastic surgery, nearly $25,000 at Indonesian businesses (including $8,000 at a luxury resort in Bali) and in withdrawals made in Indonesia, and more than $88,000 through PayPal to individuals. Silver also withheld from the Court information about a $1.8 million house he owned in California. Before the civil or criminal cases were filed, Silver also made two phone calls to an “international relocation” company and asked for citizenship within a country that would not extradite him to the United States, and a foreign bank account that the United States could not freeze. Silver was charged criminally and arrested in June 2023. A grand jury indicted him in October 2023, and, in November 2023, a superseding information was filed to which he pleaded guilty. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Cheryl Mimura, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Lexington Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man Marcus Perry Green, 35, was sentenced on Thursday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 12 years in prison, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to his plea agreement, on July 19, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Green. During the stop, a K9 unit alerted to the odor of controlled substances; and upon searching the vehicle, officers found approximately 252 grams of fentanyl and $17,100 in cash. When arrested, Green had a pistol, with a full magazine. Green admitted he had previously been convicted of a serious drug felony and he was not permitted to possess a firearm. Under federal law, Green must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, ATF, FBI, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 9 Years’ Imprisonment for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Charge

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Luis Salazar-Cabrera, 40, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced March 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Salazar-Cabrera to 108 months’ imprisonment. After Salazar-Cabrera’s release from prison, he will be deported to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen. In April of 2022, codefendant Martin Caballero-Bringas asked a third party to front him cash to pay for a delivery of meth to Omaha. Homeland Security Investigations Omaha provided the third party with $3,000 who gave the money to Salazar-Cabrera who then wired the money to three separate individuals as directed by Caballero-Bringas. In early May of 2022, Caballero-Bringas coordinated the shipment of meth and fentanyl from southern California through Wichita, Kansas, to Omaha. Caballero-Bringas asked the third party to coordinate with a transportation company to coordinate the pick-up of the meth and fentanyl in Los Angeles, California, and transport it to Wichita, Kansas, where Caballero-Bringas had arranged for Salazar-Cabrera to receive the drugs and bring them to Omaha. However, the vehicle transporting the drug load was seized by Homeland Security Investigations in California and found containing 35 kilograms of meth and 6 kilograms of fentanyl. In October of 2022, Salazar-Cabrera was traffic stopped in Lancaster County, Nebraska, while transporting 6 kilograms of fentanyl from Omaha to Grand Island. Recorded calls show that Salazar-Cabrera was transporting the fentanyl at the request of codefendant Caballero-Bringas . Caballero-Bringas has plead guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced May 1, 2024. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession of Stolen Mail and Identification Documents

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Maximino Vallecillo, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 21, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession of stolen mail and possession with intent to use or transfer five or more identification documents. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Vallecillo to 15 months’ imprisonment for each offense, to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Vallecillo’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Vallecillo must also pay $32,972.71 in restitution. Starting in about November 2022, residents west of Omaha reported a rash of thefts from their mailboxes, followed by fraudulent accounts being set up or attempted to be set up in their names. During traffic stops and residence searches in January to March 2023, stolen mail, credit and debit cards, identification documents, altered checks and other ID-theft related items were found in the possession of Vallecillo and his co-defendant, whose case remains pending. Video from area merchants showed the co-defendant, sometimes accompanied by Vallecillo, conducting transactions with debit or credit cards stolen from mailbox theft victims. Investigators identified approximately $68,428 worth of altered checks and attempted transactions that resulted in actual loss of approximately $32,972.71. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office and United States Postal Inspection Service.


title: PRC Citizen Sentenced for Conspiring to Transport Illegal Aliens to Guam

component: USAO - Guam & Northern Mariana Islands

body_text: Saipan – Shawn Anderson, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announces that on March 15, 2024, Kun Gao, age 43, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was sentenced in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands for Conspiring to Transport Illegal Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C, §§ 1324 (a)(1)(A)(ii) and (v)(I). The Court ordered 30 days in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee. Gao was also ordered to promptly return to the PRC after serving his sentence. In July 2023, Gao and nine other PRC nationals conspired with four Saipan residents to transport them from Saipan to Guam using a small, motorized boat. Most of the PRC nationals had no lawful status to be in the CNMI, and none of them were authorized to go to Guam. Their boat ran out of fuel near the island of Rota, which required a dangerous sea rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam. At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona agreed with the government’s argument that this type of crime needs additional deterrence. The term of imprisonment imposed was therefore longer than those for past cases. “Unlawful travel by foreign nationals from the CNMI to Guam is a recurring problem,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “It is an abuse of CNMI parole provisions within our federal immigration system. It also endangers the lives of those involved, in addition to government personnel who must frequently conduct rescues in adverse weather. Our sentencing recommendations will continue to emphasize deterrence and public safety.” "We are committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring the integrity of our borders. Today's sentencing sends a clear message that individuals who conspire to circumvent immigration laws will be held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Tobon. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from United States Coast Guard Sector Guam. Assistant United States Attorney Eric S. O’Malley from the District of the Northern Mariana Islands prosecuted the case.


title: Collin County man sentenced for bankruptcy-related fraud

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A McKinney man has been sentenced for bankruptcy-related fraud in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Jacobie Travinski Johnson, 53, was convicted of concealing assets in a pending bankruptcy proceeding and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on March 19, 2024. According to information presented in court, Johnson filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Texas. In order to take advantage of the relief offered through the bankruptcy process, Johnson was required to truthfully disclose his assets, including his accounts at any financial institution, to the bankruptcy court, the trustee, and his creditors. Instead, Johnson concealed multiple accounts that he owned or controlled. Johnson also concealed hundreds of thousands of dollars, which were proceeds from fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans, that he deposited into the concealed accounts. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean J. Taylor. ###


title: Toledo Area Man Sentenced to 94 Months in Prison for Covid Fraud

body_text: CLEVELAND – Terrence L. Pounds, 47, of Holland, Ohio was sentenced to 94 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela Barker after earlier pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He was also ordered to pay $4,239,940.43 to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and serve 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents, from March 2020 through December 2020, Pounds and his co-defendants devised a scheme to obtain SBA-financed loans from the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under false pretenses. Pounds, who was the leader of the conspiracy, arranged for others to provide him with their personal identifying information, which he then used to apply for EIDL loans in their names. While Pounds listed those individuals as the business owner or applicant in most applications, he repeatedly made the same false statements in numerous applications submitted both for himself and for others. He claimed, for example, that each applicant operated a non-profit organization that was a “Faith-Based Organization” or a “Church” with, among other traits, $1,000,000 in revenue and 15 employees. Based on this false information, the SBA approved many of these loan applications. Pounds often received a share of the loan proceeds as payment for obtaining the loan. Pounds used some of the money he made from this scheme—from both loans he received directly and payments received from others—to purchase a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, a 2021 Kia Telluride, a 2020 Hyundai Elantra and a 2020 BMW X4. Investigators seized those vehicles, and Pounds agreed to forfeit them. Pounds submitted dozens of fraudulent EIDL loan applications collectively seeking more than $9.5 million in EIDL funds, with each application generally seeking approximately $150,000. The SBA approved and paid approximately $3.7 million in EIDL loans based on those applications. Pounds and his co-conspirators also submitted numerous fraudulent PPP loan applications, many of which were approved, raising the total of funds obtained by fraud to more than $4.2 million. This investigation was conducted by the Cleveland FBI – Canton Resident Agency and the IRS – Criminal Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Morrison and Edward Brydle. The public is encouraged to submit any allegations of COVID-19 fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form .


title: Ashville Resident Sentenced to More Than 36 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Materials Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Ashville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to a total of 440 months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, on his convictions for production and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States Senior District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Michael Joseph Sollenberger, 41, on March 19, 2024. According to information presented to the Court, from February 2018 to February 2019, and from January 2019 to January 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Sollenberger produced images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, in and around June 2020, Sollenberger possessed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Sollenberger. This case was brought as a 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Erie Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison on Conviction for Sexual Exploitation of Children

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on March 19, 2024, to seven years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $18,000 on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Darren Steven George Akers, 48. According to information presented to the Court, on or about March 9, 2023, Akers received and attempted to receive images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Akers also possessed and accessed with intent to view child sexual abuse material from in and around May 2022 to in and around March 2023. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Akers. 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 (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Fort Lauderdale Man Pleads Guilty To $36.2 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Omar Solari (35, Fort Lauderdale) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud in a $36.2 million scheme in which pharmacy owners paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketers and telemedicine providers to secure orders for medically unnecessary prescriptions that were billed to Medicare. Solari faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Solari and his co-conspirators owned and operated pharmacies that participated in the Medicare program. From approximately September 2018 through November 2021, Solari and his co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketing companies in exchange for recruiting Medicare beneficiaries to accept prescriptions for various medications – mainly topical creams – which the beneficiaries usually did not want or need. Solari also owned and operated a telemarketing company, through which he received kickbacks from the pharmacies in exchange for beneficiary leads he provided. Solari and his co-conspirators also paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies that employed or contracted with physicians who signed the prescriptions. The physicians had no physician-patient relationship with the beneficiaries and typically signed the prescriptions after a cursory telephone conversation with the beneficiary or with no contact at all. After obtaining Medicare beneficiary information and the signed prescriptions, Solari and his co-conspirators submitted claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary medications, sometimes through multiple pharmacies they owned and controlled in a practice known as “recycling,” and were reimbursed more than $36.2 million by Medicare Part D. Solari has agreed to forfeit $6,341,240.58, which constitute the proceeds he obtained as a result of the conspiracy. He further agreed to forfeit four pieces of real property, two jet skis, and numerous watches and pieces of jewelry as substitute assets. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian and Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Department of Justice – Criminal Division, Fraud Section. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.


title: Former Franklin Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - On March 19, 2024, a former resident of Franklin, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of receipt and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Aaron Ray McClelland, 29, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in and around October 2020 and July 2021, McClelland received images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Court was also advised that the parties agreed as part of the plea agreement that the appropriate sentence in this case is a seven-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police and Indiana County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of McClelland. 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 (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Individual Sentenced to 20 Years and Three Months in Prison for a Series of Hobbs Act Robberies and Firearms Violations

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Río Grande man was sentenced to 20 years and three months in prison for four counts of Hobbs Act violations and one count of firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. According to court documents, Miguel Cancel-Marrero, 62, committed a series of robberies while brandishing, carrying and using a firearm, in the presence of employees against their will, by means of threatened force, violence and fear of injury. The defendant admitted to the following robberies: On January 14, 2021, the defendant took United States currency from Auto Zone in Trujillo Alto, PR. During this robbery, the defendant aimed the firearm at customers and employees and pointed the firearm at the head of an employee. Cancel-Marrero also admitted that he discharged the firearm while committing the robbery, shooting himself in the right leg and subsequently bleeding inside the Auto Zone. On December 2, 2020, the defendant took U.S. currency from Advanced Auto Parts in Río Grande, P.R. On December 4, 2020, the defendant took U.S. currency from Advanced Auto Parts in Trujillo Alto, P.R. On December 16, 2020, the defendant took U.S. currency from Auto Zone in Guaynabo, P.R. On March 14, 2024, the Honorable Silvia Carreño-Coll, United States District Court Judge, sentenced Cancel-Marrero to 108 months on the four counts of Hobbs Act violations concurrent to one another and consecutive to 120 months on the 924 (c) discharge where the defendant shot himself in the leg for a total of 228 months imprisonment (19 years). The Court also sentenced the defendant to 15 months on the revocation of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Field Office made the announcement. The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis A. Valentin from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit prosecuted the case. ###


title: St. Petersburg Man Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison For  Distributing Fentanyl Resulting In Death

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Kavon Jackasal (35, St. Petersburg) to 40 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and a concurrent 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A jury found Jackasal guilty on December 11, 2023. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jackasal sold fentanyl and other drugs to users in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. On May 25, 2021, Jackasal sold fentanyl to a woman who overdosed and died. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to the victim’s residence and investigated the death. They located a small amount of fentanyl in the victim’s bedroom. They reviewed the victim’s message history and determined that Jackasal was likely the person who had delivered the fentanyl to the victim. A detective texted Jackasal from the victim’s phone and asked for the “same from yesterday.” After responding to the message and agreeing to another delivery, Jackasal arrived at the residence. Detectives arrested Jackasal and found a plastic bag containing fentanyl in his car. Jackasal has previously been convicted of selling controlled substances and sentenced to prison. He was arrested for possession with intent to sell or deliver fentanyl on March 31, 2021, but was released on bond the next day. While that case was pending trial in state court, Jackasal continued to sell fentanyl, ultimately resulting in the overdose death of the victim. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Samantha Newman.


title: St. Augustine Convicted Child Sex Offender Pleads Guilty To Producing A Video Of Sexually Abusing A Minor

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christopher Lee Smith (42, St. Augustine) has pleaded guilty to using a child to produce a video of Smith as he sexually abused the child. Smith faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 25, up to 50 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith was arrested on September 2, 2021, and has been detained since that time. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Smith is a registered child sex offender, having been convicted of traveling to meet a child to commit a sex offense on January 10, 2012. According to court documents, on June 28, 2021, Smith engaged in online conversation using a social media application (app) with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as the parent of a minor child. Smith advised the undercover agent that he (Smith) wanted to have sex with the “child” and discussed in detail the sexual acts that he wished to perform on the child. On August 30, 2021, Smith and the undercover agent engaged in another online conversation on the app during which Smith advised he had previously sexually abused a particular child, and he (Smith) sent a video to the undercover agent that depicted this child being sexually abused by an adult male. Through further investigation, FBI agents were able to identify both Smith and the child. On September 2, 2021, FBI agents arrested Smith and seized his cellphone. A search of the phone revealed that Smith had been engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with this same child for several months. On July 31, 2021, Smith drove to meet the child at a retail store in St. Johns County and took the child back to his residence. While at the residence, Smith used the child to produce a video showing Smith sexually abusing the child. Later, Smith sent several clips of this sexual abuse video to the child by text message. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another 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.justice.gov/psc.


title: Fort Myers Man Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison For  Trafficking Methamphetamine

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jonathan Garduno (33, Fort Myers) to 14 years in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garduno pleaded guilty on September 14, 2023. According to court documents, on December 10, 2021, Garduno distributed approximately 109 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for a cash payment. The transaction occurred at Garduno’s residence. On or about January 11, 2022, Garduno arranged for the shipment of a package containing methamphetamine to a residence in Lee County. Investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were able to locate the package within the mail stream, discovering it contained methamphetamine. Subsequent testing of the substance by a DEA forensic chemist determined that it was approximately 1,695.2 grams of actual methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.


title: Repeat Felon on Community Corrections Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Federal Prison for Selling Firearms Via Facebook

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

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Deshawn Washington, 22, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal possession of firearms by a felon. According to court documents, on June 6, 2023, detectives with the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF) conducted a search of Deshawn Washington’s residence on the far East side of Indianapolis in relation to the illegal sale of firearms. At the time, Washington was on Marion County Community Corrections and GPS monitoring for a 2022 conviction for carrying a handgun without a license. Washington had been released from the Indiana Department of Correction custody on May 12, 2023, following felony convictions for possession of a machine gun and dealing in marijuana. Detectives previously found Facebook messages in which Washington, under the alias “Dondre Willis,” arranged to sell an AR-style pistol and provided a photograph of the firearm. Washington was selling the firearms out of his registered community corrections address. Officers arrested Washington at his home just 25 days after his release from jail and located a Glock 43, 9mm semiautomatic handgun in his front right pocket. The firearm had a live 9mm cartridge in the chamber and 6 additional live 9mm cartridges in the magazine. In the living room, officers located a 5.56 AR-variant pistol with a high-capacity magazine and a live .223 round in the chamber, as well as 24 additional rounds in the magazine. This firearm appeared identical to the firearm Washington was offering to sell on Facebook. At the time of his arrest, Washington had been previously convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a machinegun and two counts of carrying a handgun without a license. These felony convictions prohibit Washington from ever again legally possessing a firearm. “Again and again, this felon has been convicted for crimes involving illegal firearms possession. Nevertheless, he continued to illegally possess and even traffic in guns,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Armed felons and illegal gun trafficking fuel the gun violence that kills and injures far to many in our communities. Our partnership with the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force and ATF is designed to identify and track the most dangerous repeat offenders and get them off the street before they can put more deadly weapons in the hands of individuals banned from having them.” “The continued illegal possession of firearms clearly shows the defendant’s disregard for the law and public safety,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “Even after being convicted of firearms crimes and serving prison time, he is back out in the community possessing and attempting to sell firearms. This is exactly the kind of case that ATF and the ICGTF investigate, and we will continue to work to remove the trigger pullers and those supplying them from the street.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Indiana Crime Guns Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Washington be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: USTP Protects Vulnerable Consumer Debtors by Obtaining Injunctions and Monetary Relief Against Two Bankruptcy Petition Preparers

component: U.S. Trustee Program

body_text: Two bankruptcy petition preparers that lacked legal credentials yet provided legal advice and disregarded disclosure requirements were barred from providing bankruptcy-related services, thanks to enforcement actions by the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP). On January 18, the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland entered an order permanently enjoining CA Enterprises, doing business as Premier Services and Premier Legal Services, from operating in the district. The order resolved a complaint filed by the U.S. Trustee’s office in Greenbelt, Maryland, and required Premier to refund $2,000 to the debtor in the case. And on January 26, the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia permanently enjoined Malynda Perez-Combs from operating in that jurisdiction. Perez-Combs – who did not defend against a complaint filed by the U.S. Trustee’s office in Norfolk, Virginia – was also fined $15,000, ordered to return $300 in fees and pay $2,000 in statutory damages to the debtor. “Unscrupulous bankruptcy petition preparers prey on vulnerable debtors,” said Director Tara Twomey of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees. “To protect consumer debtors, the Program stands firm in its commitment to keep fraudsters and scammers out of the bankruptcy system.” The Bankruptcy Code strictly regulates the services of bankruptcy petition preparers, commonly known as BPPs. BPPs are not attorneys, cannot give legal advice or practice law and generally are limited to typing information provided by debtors into bankruptcy forms for the debtors to file. The Code requires BPPs to disclose information about their fees and their services to the debtors and to the bankruptcy court. In the Maryland case, the debtor retained Premier and provided financial documents, believing the company would help her apply for a loan modification or other loan workout to stop a foreclosure on her home. Instead of working with the debtor’s mortgage lender, Premier emailed the debtor a completed chapter 13 bankruptcy petition and Social Security verification form and instructed her to file them with the bankruptcy court. The debtor in the Virginia case hired Perez-Combs to prepare her bankruptcy documents. Perez-Combs recommended filing a case under chapter 7 and repeatedly provided other impermissible legal advice and engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. For example, Perez-Combs determined how the debtor’s assets and liabilities should be characterized on the bankruptcy schedules and selected exemptions that were legally inapplicable. Perez-Combs, who has repeatedly engaged in similar conduct in other cases in other jurisdictions, did not respond to or otherwise defend against the U.S. Trustee’s complaint. The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the Program at www.justice.gov/ust .