title: Southern District of Iowa United States Attorney’s Office Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – Richard D. Westphal, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, joined national, state, and local leaders today in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increases understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk. Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, United States Attorney Westphal emphasized the importance of awareness and education. “Today, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, our office reminds seniors and caregivers to be vigilant to detect and report fraud schemes that target the elderly and other vulnerable adults to law enforcement immediately. Elder financial fraud causes devastating losses to its victims. With the cooperation of our federal, state, and local partners, we will continue to hold perpetrators of elder financial exploitation accountable.” Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse. The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams. Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability or their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud. To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely report suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before the can claim their prizes. To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page . The Southern District of Iowa United States Attorney’s Office continues to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes. On June 10, 2024, William Jack Berg pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering and agreed to the forfeiture of diamond jewelry purchased with proceeds of his scheme to defraud. Berg sold life insurance, annuities, and similar products to individuals in Central Iowa and the St. Louis area. From at least January 2019, and continuing to May 2023, Berg encouraged victims, many of whom were elderly, to take money out of the victims’ pre-existing investments or financial accounts and provide the monies to Berg for investment. Victims provided Berg with over $1.5 million that Berg did not invest for the benefit of the victims, rather he used the funds for unauthorized purposes. Berg is scheduled to be sentenced on October 11, 2024. He faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. On June 12, 2024, Zachary James Flaherty was sentenced to 19 years in prison for wire fraud and was ordered to pay more than $2.4 million in restitution. Flaherty used his position as an insurance agent and annuity salesperson to defraud elderly individuals out of their retirement savings and other monies in excess of $3 million. His victims ranged in age from their early sixties to their nineties. According to case documents, Flaherty befriended elderly individuals throughout the Midwest, gained their trust, and either fraudulently obtained access to victims’ funds and transferred money to his own bank accounts, or he invested the victims’ money in annuities which were inappropriate for his victims’ financial situations – fraudulently obtaining large commissions in the process. Flaherty used the proceeds of his fraudulent scheme to acquire various assets, including a boat and automobiles. To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.


title: San Antonio Woman Who Acted as Legal Advocate to Smuggle Migrants Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in federal court to 168 months in prison for one count of wire fraud. According to court documents, Kimberly Cruz, 35, orchestrated a scheme in which she misrepresented herself as a legal advocate in order to smuggle migrants into the United States. Between April and October 2019, Cruz convinced multiple migrants and their families that she was an attorney, proceeding to collect identity documents such as birth certificates, voter identifications, passport card, and more from the migrants. In return for the services Cruz promised, migrants deposited a total of $275,911 into her personal accounts. Using the packets of documents that the migrants had provided her, Cruz misrepresented herself to officers at the Eagle Pass Point of Entry, indicating that the migrants required humanitarian paroles and were permitted to enter the U.S. for 24 to 48 hours for the purpose of attending United States Customs and Immigration Services appointments. Cruz would then transport the migrants to San Antonio, where she would deliver them to family members or drop them off at the airport or a bus station. Cruz was arrested Oct. 29, 2019 and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud Oct. 25, 2021. In addition to the imprisonment, Chief Judge Alia Moses ordered Cruz to pay $9,900 in restitution and a forfeiture of more than $271,000. “This defendant falsely represented herself in order to take advantage of our country’s immigration procedures while putting at risk the lives of more than 95 migrants,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I am grateful for the diligent efforts of Homeland Security Investigations in uncovering Cruz’s extensive criminal conduct, and I assure you that my office stands ready to work with all our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who attempt to circumvent the law.” “The message is clear — have no doubt. Individuals who impersonate a legal advocate to exploit others for their own personal gain, will be held accountable for their crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for HSI San Antonio. “HSI is committed to bringing to justice human smugglers that prey on the vulnerable with no regard for the well-being of the people they smuggle.” HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case. ###


title: Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 8 Years on Federal Drug and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A Tarboro man was sentenced to 96 months in prison for armed drug trafficking. On March 5, 2024, Drako Butler, age 35, pled guilty to the charges. “Narcotics, guns, and money are a recipe for disaster,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “This Tarboro drug trafficker was heavily armed, stocked with narcotics, and flush with cash when officers searched his property. Searches turned up eleven guns, including assault rifles and a fifty-round drum magazine, alongside all the hallmarks of a committed drug trafficker – digital scales, money counters, and a hoard of narcotics. Drug traffickers should take note - our partnerships in Nash and Edgecombe Counties have never been stronger and federal crimes mean federal time.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, Butler became the subject of an investigation after Nash County Sheriff’s Office Deputies stopped his vehicle on May 31, 2023, and found cocaine, marijuana, marijuana edibles (THC), and a 9mm semi-automatic firearm loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition. Following that stop, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Nash and Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Tarboro and Rocky Mount Police Department (RMPD) executed a search warrant on Butler’s residence on June 6, 2023. Inside, they found cocaine, methamphetamine, psilocin, marijuana; more than $26,000 in cash; six firearms (four AR-style rifles, a shotgun, and a pistol), an undetermined number of orange-colored pills, six digital scales, a money counter, six glass pipes, and counterfeit currency. Butler admitted to dealing marijuana after his arrest on June 6, 2023, but was released on bond. On November 29, 2023, law enforcement officers searched Butler’s new residence while executing a federal arrest warrant for the drugs and guns found during the June search. Officers found more than 15 pounds of marijuana, along with cocaine and five more firearms (a 5.56 caliber rifle, a .22 long rifle caliber rifle, a 10mm handgun, a 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number, and a 50-round drum loaded magazine, and a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine), assorted ammunition, six $100 bills of counterfeit currency, digital scales, a money counter, and glass pipes. Butler again admitted to investigators that he sold marijuana. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The DEA, the Nash and Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Tarboro and Rocky Mount Police Departments investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-00063-BO-RN.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Late Friday, Joshua Gregg, 48 years old, of Roanoke, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Gregg was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $175,643.92 in restitution to the victim of the offense. According to documents in the case, from 2011 through 2020, Gregg committed a years-long fraud scheme against his former employer by claiming and receiving reimbursement for hundreds of thousands of dollars to which he was not entitled. Gregg traveled extensively as part of his job, and fraudulently submitted reimbursement requests exceeding the amount of the travel-related expenses for funds to which he was not entitled. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.


title: On Jan. 24, 2025, this case was dismissed with prejudice

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A Houston doctor has been indicted for obtaining protected individual health information for patients that were not under his care and without authorization, announced Alamdar S. Hamdani. The case against Ethan Haim, 34, Dallas, has now been unsealed, and he is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Yvonne Y. Ho in Houston at 2 p.m. The four-count indictment alleges Haim obtained personal information including patient names, treatment codes and the attending physician from Texas Children’s Hospital’s (TCH) electronic system without authorization. He allegedly obtained this information under false pretenses and with intent to cause malicious harm to TCH. According to the indictment, Haim was a resident at Baylor College of Medicine and had previous rotations at TCH as part of his residency. In April 2023, Haim allegedly requested to re-activate his login access at TCH to access pediatric patients not under his care. The indictment alleges he obtained unauthorized access to personal information of pediatric patients under false pretenses and later disclosed it to a media contact. If convicted, Haim faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine. FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S Attorney Tina Ansari is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Consulting Companies to Pay $11.3M for Failing to Comply with Cybersecurity Requirements in Federally Funded Contract

component: Civil Division

body_text: Guidehouse Inc., headquartered in McLean, Virginia, has paid $7,600,000 and Nan McKay and Associates (Nan McKay), headquartered in El Cajon, California, has paid $3,700,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by failing to meet cybersecurity requirements in contracts intended to ensure a secure environment for low-income New Yorkers to apply online for federal rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2021, Congress established the emergency rental assistance program (ERAP) to provide financial assistance to eligible low-income households to cover the costs of rent, rental arrears, utilities and other housing-related expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participating governments were required to establish programs to distribute the federal funding to eligible tenants and landlords. In New York, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) was the state agency responsible for administering New York’s ERAP. In May 2021, Guidehouse and OTDA entered a contract under which Guidehouse, as the prime contractor, assumed responsibility for the New York ERAP, including for the ERAP technology and services provided to New Yorkers. Nan McKay, in turn, served as Guidehouse’s subcontractor and was responsible for delivering and maintaining the ERAP technology product used in New York to fill out and submit online applications requesting rental assistance (ERAP Application). Guidehouse and Nan McKay shared responsibility for ensuring that the ERAP Application underwent cybersecurity testing in its pre-production environment before it was launched to the public. As part of the settlements announced today, Guidehouse and Nan McKay admitted that neither satisfied their obligation to complete the required pre-production cybersecurity testing. The state’s ERAP went live on June 1, 2021. Twelve hours later, OTDA shut down the ERAP website after determining that certain applicants’ personally identifiable information (PII) had been compromised and portions were available on the internet. Guidehouse and Nan McKay acknowledged that had either of them conducted the contractually-required cybersecurity testing, the conditions that resulted in the information security breach may have been detected and the incident prevented. In addition, as part of its settlement, Guidehouse admitted that for a short time period in 2021, it used a third-party data cloud software program to store personally identifiable information without first obtaining OTDA’s permission, in violation of its contract. “Federal funding frequently comes with cybersecurity obligations, and contractors and grantees must honor these commitments,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to pursue knowing violations of material cybersecurity requirements aimed at protecting sensitive personal information.” “Contractors who receive federal funding must take their cybersecurity obligations seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “We will continue to hold entities and individuals accountable when they knowingly fail to implement and follow cybersecurity requirements essential to protect sensitive information.” “These vendors failed to meet their data integrity obligations in a program on which so many eligible citizens depend for rental security, which jeopardized the effectiveness of a vital part of the government’s pandemic recovery effort,” said Acting Inspector General Richard K. Delmar of the Department of the Treasury. “Treasury OIG is grateful for DOJ’s support of its oversight work to accomplish this recovery.” “This settlement sends a strong message to New York State contractors that there will be consequences if they fail to safeguard the personal information entrusted to them or meet the terms of their contracts,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. “Rental assistance has been vital to our economic recovery, and the integrity of the program needs to be protected. I thank the United States Department of Justice, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York Freedman and the United States Department of Treasury Office of the Inspector General for their partnership in exposing this breach and holding these vendors accountable.” On Oct. 6, 2021, the Deputy Attorney General announced the department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative , which aims to hold accountable entities or individuals that put sensitive information at risk by knowingly providing deficient cybersecurity products or services, knowingly misrepresenting their cybersecurity practices or protocols or knowingly violating obligations to monitor and report cybersecurity incidents. Information on how to report cyber fraud can be found here . The United States’ investigation was prompted by a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that defendants submitted false claims for government funds, and to receive a share of any recovery. The settlement agreements in this case provide for the whistleblower, Elevation 33 LLC, an entity owned by a former Guidehouse employee, to receive a $1,949,250 share of the settlement amounts. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Elevation 33, LLC v. Guidehouse Inc. et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-206 (N.D.N.Y.) Trial Attorney J. Jennifer Koh of the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam J. Katz for the Northern District of New York handled this matter, with assistance from the Department of the Treasury OIG and the Office of the New York State Comptroller. NMA Settlement Guidehouse Settlement


title: Melbourne Man Sentenced To 12 Years For Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Lucious Denard Scott, Jr. (32, Melbourne) to 12 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Scott entered a guilty plea on November 9, 2023. According to court documents, a confidential source conducted four controlled purchases of drugs from Scott. In total, Scott distributed over 13 grams of fentanyl and approximately 1,428 grams of pure methamphetamine to the confidential source. A search warrant was then executed at Scott’s home where agents located fentanyl, a large quantity of methamphetamine, two loaded firearms, and additional ammunition in a shed behind the residence. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.


title: Osceola County Felon Pleads Guilty To Possessing Firearms And Ammunition

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Edward Charlesalton Chappell (41, Kissimmee) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Chappell faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2024. According to the plea agreement, on July 13, 2022, a state search warrant was executed on a hotel room occupied by Chappell after he sold fentanyl to an undercover agent. Inside the hotel room, agents located cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs as well as drug processing materials. Agents also located a Glock pistol, a Ruger pistol, and 9mm caliber ammunition. At the time Chappell possessed the firearms and ammunition, he had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including four convictions for delivery of cocaine and one conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver. As a multi-time convicted felon, Chappell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. As part of the plea agreement, Chappell agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition he unlawfully possessed. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. 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: Silver Spring Felon Sentenced To 37 Months For Illegal Possession Of Ammunition And Postal Service Keys

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – On June 12, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Andrew Steven Martin, age 30, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 37 months of federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of ammunition and unlawfully possessing U.S. Postal Service keys used to access U.S. Postal Service mail receptacles. The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Ajay Lall of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Mark P. Sroka of the Gaithersburg City Police Department. According to his guilty plea, on May 17, 2022, a Gaithersburg Police officer performed a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Martin. After approaching the vehicle, the officer detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Law enforcement recovered a bag containing marijuana in the center console, a half-smoked joint of marijuana, and two USPS “arrow” keys—one of which opened two collection boxes located outside the Reisterstown Post Office. During the search of the vehicle law enforcement also recovered from the back seat area a stack of credit cards which were not in Martin’s name; two identification cards, one of which bore a picture of Martin and a different name; and approximately 42 checks bearing the names of payors and payees who were not Martin. Law enforcement also located in the center framework near the floorboard additional checks in names other than Martin’s, at least five debit cards; a privately made 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with 10 9mm caliber ammunition cartridges; and an orange pill bottle containing 27 tablets found to contain heroin and fentanyl. In total, law enforcement located 47 personal checks and two cashier’s checks in the vehicle. The sum of the funds to be paid by the checks amounted to approximately $80,164.89. Martin was arrested on an open warrant. Martin knew that he had a previous felony conviction which prohibited him from possessing ammunition. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Gaithersburg City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gustavo Ruiz and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Consulting Companies to Pay $11.3 Million for Failing to Comply with Cybersecurity Requirements in Federally Funded Contract

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Guidehouse Inc., headquartered in McLean, Virginia, has paid $7,600,000, and Nan McKay and Associates (Nan McKay), headquartered in El Cajon, California, has paid $3,700,000, to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by failing to meet cybersecurity requirements in contracts intended to ensure a secure environment for low-income New Yorkers to apply online for federal rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division; Acting Inspector General Richard K. Delmar of the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General (Treasury OIG); and New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. In early 2021, Congress established the emergency rental assistance program (ERAP) to provide financial assistance to eligible low-income households to cover the costs of rent, rental arrears, utilities, and other housing-related expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participating governments were required to establish programs to distribute the federal funding to eligible tenants and landlords. In New York, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) was the state agency responsible for administering New York’s ERAP. In May 2021, Guidehouse and OTDA entered a contract under which Guidehouse, as the prime contractor, assumed responsibility for the New York ERAP, including for the ERAP technology and services provided to New Yorkers. Nan McKay, in turn, served as Guidehouse’s subcontractor and was responsible for delivering and maintaining the ERAP technology product used in New York to fill out and submit online applications requesting rental assistance (ERAP Application). Guidehouse and Nan McKay shared responsibility for ensuring that the ERAP Application underwent cybersecurity testing in its pre-production environment before it was launched to the public. As part of the settlements announced today, Guidehouse and Nan McKay admitted that neither satisfied their obligation to complete the required pre-production cybersecurity testing. The State’s ERAP went live on June 1, 2021. Twelve hours later, OTDA shut down the ERAP website after determining that certain applicants’ personally identifiable information (PII) had been compromised and portions were available on the internet. Guidehouse and Nan McKay acknowledged that had either of them conducted the contractually-required cybersecurity testing, the conditions that resulted in the Information Security Breach may have been detected and the incident prevented. In addition, as part of its settlement, Guidehouse admitted that for a short time period in 2021, it used a third-party data cloud software program to store personally identifiable information without first obtaining OTDA’s permission, in violation of its contract. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman stated: “Contractors who receive federal funding must take their cybersecurity obligations seriously. We will continue to hold entities and individuals accountable when they knowingly fail to implement and follow cybersecurity requirements essential to protect sensitive information.” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton stated: “Federal funding frequently comes with cybersecurity obligations, and contractors and grantees must honor these commitments. The Department of Justice will continue to pursue knowing violations of material cybersecurity requirements aimed at protecting sensitive personal information.” Acting Inspector General Richard K. Delmar stated: “These vendors failed to meet their data integrity obligations in a program on which so many eligible citizens depend for rental security, which jeopardized the effectiveness of a vital part of the government’s pandemic recovery effort. Treasury OIG is grateful for DOJ’s support of its oversight work to accomplish this recovery.” New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli stated: “This settlement sends a strong message to New York State contractors that there will be consequences if they fail to safeguard the personal information entrusted to them or meet the terms of their contracts. Rental assistance has been vital to our economic recovery and the integrity of the program needs to be protected. I thank the United States Department of Justice, United States Attorney Freedman, and the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General for their partnership in exposing this breach and holding these vendors accountable.” On October 6, 2021, the Deputy Attorney General announced the Department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative , which aims to hold accountable entities or individuals that put sensitive information at risk by knowingly providing deficient cybersecurity products or services, knowingly misrepresenting their cybersecurity practices or protocols, or knowingly violating obligations to monitor and report cybersecurity incidents. Information on how to report cyber fraud can be found here . The United States’ investigation was prompted by a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that defendants submitted false claims for government funds, and to receive a share of any recovery. The settlement agreements in this case provide for the whistleblower, Elevation 33, LLC, an entity owned by a former Guidehouse employee, to receive a $1,949,250 share of the settlement amounts. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Elevation 33, LLC v. Guidehouse Inc. et al. , Case No. 1:22-cv-206 (N.D.N.Y.). The investigation was a result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York; the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; Treasury OIG; and the Office of the New York State Comptroller. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Katz and Trial Attorney J. Jennifer Koh.


title: Lamor Whitehead, Brooklyn Church Leader, Sentenced To Nine Years In Prison For Fraud, Extortion, And False Statements

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LAMOR WHITEHEAD was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield to nine years in prison for wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion, and making false statements to federal law enforcement agents. WHITEHEAD was previously convicted on all charges following a two-week trial. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Lamor Whitehead is a con man who stole millions of dollars in a string of financial frauds and even stole from one of his own parishioners. He lied to federal agents, and again to the Court at his trial. Today’s sentence puts an end to Whitehead’s various schemes and reflects this Office’s commitment to bring accountability to those who abuse their positions of trust.” According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial: WHITEHEAD, who leads a church in Brooklyn, New York, stole from his own parishioners, sought to defraud and extort a businessman, and committed loan fraud. First, WHITEHEAD induced one of his parishioners to invest approximately $90,000 of her retirement savings with him by promising to use the money to help her buy a home. He then spent the money on luxury goods and other personal expenses and, when she demanded to be paid back, he continued to lie to avoid returning the money. Second, WHITEHEAD extorted a businessman for $5,000, then attempted to convince the same businessman to lend him $500,000 and give him a stake in certain real estate transactions in return for favorable actions from the Mayor of New York City, even though WHITEHEAD knew he could not obtain the favors he promised. Third, WHITEHEAD submitted a fraudulent application for a $250,000 business loan, including doctored bank statements that falsely claimed WHITEHEAD had millions of dollars in the bank and hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly revenue. He submitted similar fraudulent applications to various other financial institutions, stealing millions of dollars in the process. Finally, when speaking with FBI agents who were executing a search warrant outside WHITEHEAD’s mansion in New Jersey, WHITEHEAD falsely claimed that he had no cellphones other than the phone he was carrying when, in fact, WHITEHEAD had and regularly used a second cellphone, which was inside his house at the time. * * * In addition to the prison term, WHITEHEAD, 45, of Paramus, New Jersey, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $85,000 in restitution and forfeit $95,000. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Jane Kim, and Derek Wikstrom are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Employee of Tolland Strip Club Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM MAYO, 41, of Manchester, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to an offense related to the operation of the Electric Blue strip club in Tolland. According to court documents and statements made in court, the Electric Blue strip club in Tolland employed dancers who performed nude dances and lap dances for customers. Mayo conspired with others to facilitate prostitution at the club. Mayo was employed at the club as a bouncer and was primarily responsible for hiring dancers, many of whom were not legally authorized to live or work in the United States. The Electric Blue had a semi-private “lap dance room” and “VIP rooms” where dancers regularly performed commercial sex acts for customers. As payment for commercial sex acts, customers would typically pay the club an entry fee for use of the lap dance room or one of the VIP rooms and then pay an additional fee directly to the dancer. In addition, the club collected cash through cover charges paid at the door and fees paid by dancers to perform at the club. It is alleged that millions of dollars in business receipts collected in cash were not reported to the IRS. Mayo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use an interstate facility to promote or facilitate prostitution, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. Mayo was arrested on May 15, 2024. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing. This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection – Liquor Control Division, and the Massachusetts State Police, with the assistance of the Willimantic Police Department and Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Robert S. Dearington. If any employee/dancer at the Electric Blue has been a victim of the unlawful acts described in this case, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Advocate at usact.vns@usdoj.gov or 203-696-3039. A Spanish version of the press release issued when this case was originally charged is available here , and a Portuguese version is available here .


title: St. Michael, ND, Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Discharges of Firearms in a Crime of Violence, and Brandishing of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that on June 17, 2024, Nathaniel Patrick Azure, age 21 of St. Michael, ND, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, and was sentenced to a total of 32 years in federal prison for his role in a non-fatal shooting in Fort Totten, ND, on January 6, 2021; an assault while brandishing a firearm in St. Michael, ND, on May 21, 2022; and a second non-fatal shooting in St. Michael, ND, on May 22, 2022. Azure was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for three counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, running concurrently; 10 years for each of the two counts of Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, running consecutively to each other and the other counts; and 7 years for one count of Brandishing of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, running consecutively to the other accounts. Azure will be on five years of supervised release following his term of federal imprisonment and must pay $600.00 in special assessments, as well as $104.795.28 in restitution. Azure is the last of four federal defendants to be sentenced in relation to these crimes. Michael Al-Jerome Denne, the 25-year-old brother of Azure, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the January 6, 2021, shooting and has been sentenced. Dantae Jerome Whitetail, age 21 of Minnewaukan, ND, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the May 21, 2022, assault while brandishing a firearm, and has been sentenced. Skyla Kay Cavanaugh, age 23 of St. Michael, ND, previously pleaded guilty to her role in the May 22, 2022, shooting and has been sentenced. “This is a firm and fair sentence that will benefit public safety on Spirit Lake,” Schneider said. “Defendants who use firearms to commit violence in tribal communities can count on becoming federal defendants in the District of North Dakota. Our office is committed to working with our tribal, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prosecute and deter violent crime in Indian country.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Benson County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl, District of North Dakota. Previous press releases for this case can be seen HERE and HERE : ######


title: Owner of ‘Agriculture’ Business Charged With Defrauding SBA of $150,000 in COVID-Relief Funds

body_text: WASHINGTON – Lori Isabell Morgan, 35, of Greenbelt, Maryland, was arrested on June 12 on an indictment charging her with defrauding the U.S. Government of nearly $150,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, which were meant to provide relief to businesses suffering economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment, which charges six counts of wire fraud, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the U.S. Small Business Administration - Office of the Inspector General. Morgan made her initial court appearance on June 12 before the Honorable Zia M. Faruqui in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. According to court documents, Morgan allegedly submitted an EIDL application to the Small Business Administration (SBA), in which she claimed to own 100% of an “agriculture” business that was based out of her Washington D.C. apartment. Morgan claimed to employ 10 people and to have generated $7.5 million in gross revenues in 2019. There allegedly was no such business. On July 8, 2020, the SBA deposited $149,900 in Morgan’s bank account. Morgan allegedly used the money to pay off her debts, and pay for auto repair, restaurant tabs, shopping purchases, and trips to Atlantic City and Las Vegas. By December 31, 2020, Morgan’s account balance was down to $829. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief that had been provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of billions in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). An Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) is a Small Business Administration administered loan designed to assist small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury as a result of a declared disaster. An EIDL helped businesses meet necessary financial obligations that could have been met had the disaster not occurred. It provided relief from economic injury that the disaster caused and permitted businesses to maintain a reasonable working capital position during the period that the disaster affected. The investigation into this matter was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Macey. A criminal indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 24cr232


title: Cherry Creek Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Cherry Creek, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on June 10, 2024. Dana James Marshall, age 38, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Marshall was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2023. He pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024. On April 15, 2022, Marshall invited his 18-year-old niece to his bedroom. She accepted his invitation and disrobed at his behest, but clearly told Marshall she did not want him to sexually touch her. Marshall nonetheless seized her by the ribs and groped her private body parts. This incident occurred in the Cherry Creek Community, which lies within the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Marshall was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Washington Man Sentenced for Marijuana Trafficking

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced an Olympia, Washington, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 10, 2024. Lawrence Swan, age 63, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Swan was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in January of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 10, 2024. This conviction stems from a conspiracy to purchase marijuana in Washington and transport it across the country to be sold in several other states, including South Dakota, that occurred between January 1, 2020, and December 13, 2021. During this time frame Swan made five different trips across the country distributing marijuana. On December 13, 2021, Swan was stopped outside of McLaughlin, South Dakota, and found to have over 80 pounds of marijuana, methamphetamine, and a large amount of cash in his possession. Swan admitted to distributing over 280 pounds of marijuana during the course of the conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Corson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case. Swan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Bradenton Man Sentenced To Additional Prison Term For Possessing Firearm During Police Chase

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Dovantate Wright (26, Bradenton) to two years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Wright entered a guilty plea on March 8, 2024. The federal sentence was imposed consecutively to a separate sentence of five and six months imposed in Manatee County. According to court documents, on September 2, 2022, Wright was the front seat passenger of a vehicle driving in the wrong direction on a one-way road in Sarasota, Florida. Officers from the Sarasota Police Department stopped the vehicle, and Wright fled on foot into an auto parts store. Inside the store, Wright ran behind the counter into the back of the store where he stumbled into a product bin as he attempted to pull from his waistband a fully loaded Smith and Wesson model 40C .40 caliber pistol with one round in the chamber. During an interview with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Wright admitted to possessing the firearm and to being a convicted felon. Wright previously served three years in Florida State Prison for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and grand theft of a motor vehicle. As a convicted felon, Wright is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.


title: Sarasota Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Alfred Clayton Rosier, Jr. (30, Sarasota) to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Rosier entered a guilty plea on January 18, 2024. According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sarasota Police Department (SPD), and Sarasota County Sherriff’s Office (SCSO) began investigating Rosier in mid-2021. On September 22, 2022, a FedEx representative contacted law enforcement about a parcel suspected of containing narcotics in their Manatee County facility. A FedEx employee had opened the box and observed black vacuum-sealed bags commonly used to ship and package narcotics. A deputy from the Manatee County Sherriff’s Office (MCSO) arrived at the FedEx facility, retrieved the suspect parcel, transported it to MCSO, and conducted a canine sniff test. The dog alerted to the package. The package was addressed to a person at an address on McCloud Circle in Sarasota. After procuring a search warrant for the package from a Sarasota County judge, the deputy opened the package and discovered two wrapped packages that contained eight pounds each of a crystal substance, which tested positive for methamphetamine. DEA agents then conducted a controlled delivery of the suspected methamphetamine. Later that day, at approximately 7:00 p.m., a detective with SCSO, acting in an undercover capacity, delivered the package to the address on McCloud Circle. Air surveillance observed Rosier outside the home next to a white van, where he retrieved a large box from inside the van. As the SCSO SWAT team approached Rosier, he threw the box back inside the van and jumped into the driver’s seat of a blue sedan parked next to the van. Rosier was found sitting on a portion of the label from the delivered package. A small backpack was located in the sedan as well. The backpack contained a loaded Draco pistol with a 30-round magazine, prescription medication with Rosier’s name, cellphone receipts, and another FedEx shipping label for a package sent to California. Upon searching the van and the box that Rosier had thrown inside, agents located approximately 22 pounds of marijuana and 647 grams of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the DEA, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Manatee County Sherriff’s Office. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.


title: Former Portsmouth Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Portsmouth man pleaded guilty today in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Joshua Linane, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for October 10, 2024. On October 14, 2022, Linane sold a Ruger Speed-Six .357 Magnum revolver to a confidential source. At the time, Linane was a convicted felon. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives provided substantial assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Justice Department Secures Agreements with Texas Counties to Ensure Election Website Accessibility for People with Disabilities

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas secured settlement agreements with Colorado County , Runnels County , Smith County and Upton County to resolve the department’s findings that the counties violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by maintaining election websites that discriminate against individuals with vision or manual disabilities. “Voting in the 21st century requires that officials make their websites accessible to people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Discriminatory barriers on election websites can prevent people with disabilities from exercising their right to vote. These agreements should send a message to state and local officials across the country about the importance of ensuring that their election websites are accessible for voters with disabilities so that they can participate equally in our democratic process.” The election websites for these four Texas counties provide essential information about how to vote, such as registration requirements, identification requirements and voting information for people with disabilities. The websites also link to other critical information, including details about early voting and voting on election day. Under the settlement agreements, the counties agreed to make all future and existing online election content accessible to people with disabilities. The counties also agreed to hire an independent auditor to evaluate the accessibility of their election websites’ content, adopt new policies and training for relevant personnel, provide notice to visitors and users of the websites to solicit comments and requests about any accessibility barriers and designate an employee to coordinate its efforts. These four investigations are part of the department’s ADA Voting Initiative, which safeguards the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. To read more about the ADA and how it applies to voting, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/voting/ . These settlement agreements also are part of the Civil Rights Division’s Tech Equity Initiative to combat disability discrimination that occurs through technology such as websites and mobile apps.


title: El Departamento de Justicia llega a acuerdos con condados tejanos para asegurar la accesibilidad de los sitios web electorales para las personas con discapacidades

body_text: El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que la División de Derechos Civiles y las Fiscalías Federales de los distritos del Este, Norte, Sur, y Oeste de Texas han llegado a acuerdos conciliatorios con los Condados de Colorado , Runnels , Smith y Upton para resolver los hallazgos del departamento que los condados infringieron al Título II de la Ley para Estadounidenses con Discapacidades de 1990 (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés), al mantener sitios web electorales que discriminan contra individuos con discapacidades manuales o visuales. “La votación en el siglo XXI requiere que los oficiales hagan sus sitios web accesibles para las personas con discapacidades,” comentó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Las barreras discriminatorias en los sitios web electorales pueden prevenir que las personas con discapacidades ejerzan su derecho al voto. Estos acuerdos conciliatorios deben enviar un mensaje a los oficiales estatales y locales de todo el país sobre la importancia de asegurar que sus sitios web electorales son accesibles para los votantes con discapacidades para que puedan participar de manera igualitaria en nuestro proceso democrático.” Los sitios web electorales de estos cuatro condados tejanos brindan información importante sobre cómo votar, por ejemplo, cuáles son los requisitos para el registro y la identificación del votante, así como, cuál es la información que necesitan las personas con discapacidades para votar. Los sitios web también contienen enlaces a información crítica, incluidos detalles sobre votación temprana y la votación el día de las elecciones. Bajo los acuerdos conciliatorios, los condados accedieron hacer accesible a las personas con discapacidades todo contenido de web existente y futuro. Los condados también accedieron contratar a un auditor independiente para evaluar la accesibilidad del contenido electoral de los sitios web, adoptar nuevas políticas y entrenamiento para los empleados relevantes, advertir noticia a los visitantes y usuarios de los sitios web para solicitar comentarios y solicitudes sobre cualquier barrera de accesibilidad, y designar a un empleado para coordinar sus esfuerzos. Estas cuatro investigaciones son parte de la Iniciativa de Votación ADA, la cual se enfoca en proteger los derechos de voto de los individuos con discapacidades. Para conocer más sobre el ADA y cómo esta se aplica a la votación usted puede visitar el sitio web a www.ada.gov/topics/voting/ . Estos acuerdos conciliatorios también son parte de la Iniciativa de Equidad Tecnología de la División de Derechos Civiles para combatir discriminación de discapacidad que ocurre a través de la tecnología, tal como los sitios de web y aplicaciones móviles.


title: Road Rage Shooter Sentenced to More Than 32 Years in Prison

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kenneth Miles Davis, Jr., 45, of Maryland, was sentenced today to 32 years and six months for multiple charges arising from the May 19, 2021 road rage shooting directed at a woman and her two children, ages 11 and 5, as well as a bystander, in Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The defendant was found guilty of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, following a three-week jury trial in January in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:00 pm on May 19, 2021, the defendant was driving his Maserati GranTurismo in heavy rush-hour traffic at the intersection of Kenilworth Avenue NE and Eastern Avenue NE when he suddenly got out of his car with a handgun. Davis fired seven times into the car in front of him, which was occupied by a woman and her two children, then turned and fired six more shots at bystanders. The woman suffered a gunshot wound to her upper arm and the 5-year-old child was cut by broken automobile glass. Fortunately, the 11-year-old child and the bystanders were not injured. Metropolitan Police Department investigators uncovered video evidence that was disseminated to local news outlets, the broadcast of which generated a tip that led to the identification of Davis as the owner of the Maserati, and ultimately, as the shooter. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Antoinette Sakamsa and Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Renee Prather; and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Bartz and Gregory Evans, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Bridgeport Man Admits Trafficking Guns from Georgia to Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYREE THOMAS, 39, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to an offense relating to his illegal trafficking of firearms from Georgia to Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, Thomas’ criminal history includes felony convictions and he is prohibited from purchasing firearms. Between approximately August 2021 and March 2022, Thomas traveled to Georgia multiple times where, using a straw purchaser, he acquired at least 20 firearms. He then transported the firearms to Connecticut where he sold or transferred them to felons and others who were not licensed to possess them. Several of the firearms that Thomas acquired in Georgia have been recovered by law enforcement in Connecticut, including two that were recovered in connection with homicides. Thomas pleaded guilty to crossing state lines with the intent to engage in the unlawful dealing of firearms, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A sentencing date is now scheduled. Thomas was arrested on September 6, 2023. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Clark and Rahul Kale. through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/PSN .


title: Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to $25 Million Tax Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Martinez, 39, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to submit $25 million in fraudulent individual federal income tax returns, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, from November 2019 through June 2023, Martinez was one of the leaders of a scheme to file hundreds of fraudulent tax returns that claimed millions of dollars in refunds. Martinez and others caused false wage and withholding information for individuals that supposedly worked at fake businesses to be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. Federal agents determined that the individuals did not work at the businesses, the businesses were fake because the businesses never actually paid any withholdings to the IRS, and the purported owners were unaware of the businesses. Martinez and others then submitted fraudulent tax returns that were in the names of the individuals who supposedly worked at the fake businesses and claimed substantial refunds from the IRS. As a result of the scheme, the IRS paid out $2.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds. When federal agents arrested Martinez and searched his three homes, he was found with another $750,000 in fraudulent tax refund checks, identification cards for more than 200 individuals, and multiple firearms and ammunition. This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Henry Carbajal III are prosecuting the case. “Mr. Martinez orchestrated an elaborate scheme to steal approximately $25 million by filing hundreds of fraudulent federal income tax returns using fake businesses with false refund claims all while attempting to challenge the integrity of the U.S. tax system,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. “His plea reinforces that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and investigative staff are up to that challenge and committed to following the money and directing criminals to justice.” Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23, 2024. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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. Martinez’s co-defendant in the case, Victor Cruz, who is a tax preparer in Bakersfield, is pending trial. Cruz is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: New Hanover County Social Worker Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Defraud Medicaid

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Felicia Moore Jones, 52, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud North Carolina Medicaid of more than $400,000. Jones was also ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution. “This defendant used her government position to steal from a government program intended to help the needy,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Now, she will be forced to repay what she took and spend the next 14 months behind bars.” Jones was a social worker in New Hanover County who conspired with a licensed mental health counselor, Lakia Washington, to defraud North Carolina Medicaid (“Medicaid”). Jones used her government employment to obtain personally identifying information (PII) of New Hanover County residents enrolled in Medicaid, including their Medicaid ID numbers. In exchange for an agreed-upon fee per beneficiary, Jones then provided the PII to Washington, knowing it would be used to generate fraudulent claims for services never rendered. Investigators have attributed over $400,000 of Washington’s fraudulent Medicaid billing to the beneficiary PII Jones provided to Washington. Washington pled guilty late last year and is awaiting sentencing. “When people defraud the Medicaid program, they are defrauding North Carolina’s taxpayers,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I will continue to do everything I can to protect North Carolinians’ investment and hold perpetrators accountable.” “HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, is committed to holding individuals responsible for failing to safeguard confidential patient information,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Ms. Jones was a social worker who violated the trust of her duties by accessing the personal and health data of Medicaid recipients and using the confidential information for personal gain.” The Center for Medicaid Services, within the federal Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for overseeing the Medicaid program in North Carolina, which has been administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services since 1978. Medicaid providers are assigned a National Provider Identifier, which they use to submit claims for reimbursement for services rendered to Medicaid beneficiaries. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle announced the sentence. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, led the investigation with the assistance North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00377-BO. ###


title: Armenian National Pleads Guilty to Assaulting an Officer at a Kern County Immigration Detention Facility

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Arsen Tonoyan, 46, formerly residing in Los Angeles, pleaded guilty today to assault on a federal officer or employee that inflicted bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Tonoyan was a detainee at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Golden State Annex detention facility in Kern County. On March 7, 2022, Tonoyan walked up to a detention officer and hit him multiple times causing the officer to fall to the ground. As a result of the attack, the officer suffered bodily injuries, including a concussion, cuts and swelling on his face, and shoulder pain. The officer sought medical attention for his injuries. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case. Tonoyan is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Sept. 16, 2024. Tonoyan faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.


title: Former Financial TV News Analyst-Turned-Fugitive Arrested on Federal Indictment Charging Him with Defrauding Investors

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former San Gabriel Valley resident who was a frequent guest on financial television news programs then became a fugitive from justice after being accused of defrauding investors is expected to appear today in federal court after being arrested over the weekend. James Arthur McDonald Jr., 52, formerly of Arcadia, was arrested Saturday at a residence in Port Orchard, Washington, and is expected to make his initial appearance today in United States District Court in Tacoma, Washington. He will arrive in Los Angeles in the coming weeks to face federal charges in this district. McDonald had been considered a fugitive since at least November 2021, when he failed to appear before the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to testify after allegations arose that he had defrauded investors. Prior to fleeing, McDonald also appeared to have terminated his previous phone and email accounts and told one person that he planned to “vanish,” according to court documents. Since then, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles in January 2023 returned a seven-count indictment against McDonald. He is charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of wire fraud, three counts of investment adviser fraud, and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity. According to the indictment, McDonald was the CEO and chief investment officer of two companies: Hercules Investments LLC, based in downtown Los Angeles, and Index Strategy Advisors Inc. (ISA), based in Redondo Beach. He frequently appeared as an analyst on the CNBC financial television news network. In late 2020, McDonald lost tens of millions of dollars of Hercules client money after adopting a risky short position that effectively bet against the health of the United States economy in the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election. McDonald projected that the COVID-19 pandemic and the election would result in major selloffs that would cause the stock market to drop. When the market decline didn’t occur, Hercules clients lost between $30 million and $40 million. By December 2020, Hercules clients were complaining to company employees about the losses in their accounts. Since McDonald’s compensation for his investment advisory services primarily was based on a percentage of assets under his management – typically 2% of a client’s total assets held by Hercules – the massive losses to Hercules clients significantly decreased the fees McDonald was entitled to collect. In early 2021, McDonald solicited millions of dollars' worth of funds from investors in the form of a purported capital raise for Hercules but allegedly misrepresented how the funds would be used and failed to disclose the massive losses Hercules previously sustained. McDonald – an avid football enthusiast – stated that he planned to launch a mutual fund under the ticker symbol “NFLHX.” The losses to Hercules clients and the potential for litigation related to those losses jeopardized the success of that fund because any litigation would have had to be publicly disclosed. As part of the capital raise, McDonald obtained $675,000 in investment funds from one victim group on March 9, 2021. He allegedly misappropriated those funds in various ways, including spending roughly $174,610 of them at a Porsche dealership. Approximately $109,512 was transferred to the landlord of a home McDonald was renting in Arcadia; and approximately $6,800 was spent on a website that sells designer menswear, according to court documents. McDonald allegedly also falsely represented to clients that ISA, his other firm, was a registered investment adviser, even though he had withdrawn ISA as a state-registered investment adviser firm in May 2019. He also allegedly sent ISA clients false account statements, including for one client who invested approximately $351,000, later needed the money to make a down payment on a home, was informed by McDonald that much of the money had been lost, and never got his full investment back. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of all charges, McDonald would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each securities fraud and wire fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison on the monetary transactions derived from unlawful activity count, and up to five years in federal prison on the investment adviser fraud count. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. In September 2022, the SEC filed a civil complaint charging McDonald and Hercules with violations of federal securities law. On April 21, United States District Judge Percy Anderson found McDonald liable for a total of approximately $3,810,346, which represented his net profits gained because of the alleged conduct. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Schwab of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force is prosecuting this case.


title: Buffalo man going back to prison on drug and gun charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Victor Marshall, 51, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, was sentenced to serve 156 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pierre Richard Antoine, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2014, Marshall was sentenced to serve 130 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. As a condition of supervised release, Marshall was ordered not to commit another federal, state, or local crime. In March 2022, Marshall was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug and gun charges, and subsequently admitted that he committed the conduct alleged in the indictment, violating his supervised release. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. # # # #


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Upton County to Make Election Website Accessible to People with Disabilities

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas announced today that the United States has reached a settlement agreement with Upton County to resolve findings that the county violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by maintaining an election website that is not accessible to individuals with vision or manual disabilities. The county’s election website provides essential information about how to vote, such as registration requirements, identification requirements, and voting information for people with disabilities. The website also links to other critical information, including details about voting early and on election day. “The right to vote is a foundation of our democracy and must not be diminished or restricted,” said Esparza. “Election websites provide crucial voting information and should be accessible to voters with disabilities.” Under the settlement agreement, Upton County agreed to make all future and existing online election content accessible to people with disabilities. The county also agreed to hire an independent auditor to evaluate the accessibility of content on its election website, solicit comments and requests from visitors and users of its website about any accessibility barriers, designate an employee to coordinate its accessibility efforts, revise its accessibility procedures, and train relevant personnel. This agreement is part of the Department of Justice’s ADA Voting Initiative, which safeguards the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. To read more about the ADA and how it applies to voting, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/voting/ . This settlement agreement is also part of the Department of Justice’s Tech Equity Initiative to combat disability discrimination that occurs through technology such as websites and mobile apps. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane Noble represented the government on behalf of the Western District of Texas during the resolution process, in coordination with partners in the Civil Rights Division and other U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Texas. For more information about the ADA, visit www.ada.gov , or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Fresno Man Sentenced for Attempted Coercion of a Minor and Actual Coercion of a Different Minor

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Christopher Contreras, 30, of Fresno was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 15 years and nine months in prison for attempted coercion of a minor and enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The sentence includes 20 years of supervised release during which time Contreras’s access to minors, computers, and the internet will be restricted. Contreras was also ordered to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, Contreras used the messaging applications Skout and Snapchat as well as text messages, to engage in sexually explicit communications for approximately one week with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old female. He then traveled to a location in Fresno on July 31, 2020, to meet the purported minor for sexual activity. He was actually communicating with undercover law enforcement investigators. They arrested Contreras and booked him into the Fresno County Jail where he was released on bail. On Oct. 13, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to a call about a missing juvenile. An investigation confirmed that Contreras picked the juvenile up at a location in Fresno after making arrangements through messages on the Meet Me application. Contreras was arrested for numerous felony violations of California law and booked again at the Fresno County Jail. He was later charged federally in this case and has been in federal custody since June 10, 2021. This case was the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: United States Files Complaint Against Adobe and Two Adobe Executives for Alleged Violations of Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act

body_text: The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), today announced a civil enforcement action against Adobe Inc. and two Adobe executives, Maninder Sawhney and David Wadhwani, for alleged violations of the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). The lawsuit alleges that the defendants imposed a hidden “Early Termination Fee” on millions of online subscribers and that Adobe forced subscribers to navigate a complex and challenging cancellation process designed to deter them from cancelling subscriptions they no longer wanted. Adobe Inc. is a software company that offers online subscriptions to design and productivity software applications via its website, Adobe.com. David Wadhwani is Adobe’s President of Digital Media Business, and Maninder Sawhney is Adobe’s Vice President of Digital Go to Market & Sales. According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the defendants have systematically violated ROSCA by using fine print and inconspicuous hyperlinks to hide important information about Adobe’s subscription plans, including about a hefty Early Termination Fee that customers may be charged when they cancel their subscriptions. The complaint alleges that for years, Adobe has profited from this hidden fee, misleading consumers about the true costs of a subscription and ambushing them with the fee when they try to cancel, wielding the fee as a powerful retention tool. The complaint alleges that Adobe has further violated ROSCA by failing to provide consumers with a simple mechanism to cancel their recurring, online subscriptions. Instead, Adobe allegedly protects its subscription revenues by thwarting subscribers’ attempts to cancel, subjecting them to a convoluted and inefficient cancellation process filled with unnecessary steps, delays, unsolicited offers and warnings. The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of consumer redress and monetary civil penalties from the defendants, as well as a permanent injunction to prohibit them from engaging in future violations. “The Justice Department is committed to stopping companies and their executives from preying on consumers who sign up for online subscriptions by hiding key terms and making cancellation an obstacle course,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to enforce ROSCA against those who engage in such misconduct. No company, whether it is a small business or a member of the Fortune 500 like Adobe, is above the law.” “Companies that sell goods and services on the internet have a responsibility to clearly and prominently disclose material information to consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California. “It is essential that companies meet that responsibility to ensure a healthy and fair marketplace for all participants. Those that fail to do so, and instead take advantage of consumers’ confusion and vulnerability for their own profit, will be held accountable.” “Adobe trapped customers into year-long subscriptions through hidden early termination fees and numerous cancellation hurdles,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Americans are tired of companies hiding the ball during subscription signup and then putting up roadblocks when they try to cancel. The FTC will continue working to protect Americans from these illegal business practices.” Trial Attorneys Francisco L. Unger, Amber M. Charles, Zachary L. Cowan and Wesline N. Manuelpillai of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant Director Zachary A. Dietert are handling the case, with assistance by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. DeVito for the Northern District of California, in coordination with staff at the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . For more information about the FTC, visit www.FTC.gov . A complaint is merely a set of allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government would need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence. Complaint


title: Kidnapper of New Hampshire Mother and Child Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on June 17, 2024, defendant Everett A. Simpson, 46, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 300 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Simpson previously was convicted by a jury on April 18, 2023, of two counts of kidnapping and two counts of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle after a 6-day trial. According to court documents and testimony, on January 4, 2019, Simpson absconded from the Valley Vista treatment facility in Bradford, Vermont—where he was required to be as a condition of his release from custody for pending charges in the State of Vermont—after being at the facility for less than one day. Then, in the early morning hours of January 5, he stole a commercial van from the driveway of a residence in Newbury, Vermont and drove into New Hampshire. He deserted the van in a parking garage in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire later that morning and then walked to the Mall of New Hampshire. There, in the parking lot, Simpson forced his way into a young woman’s car, shoving her out of the driver’s seat and into the front passenger seat before driving away with her and her four-year-old child in the car. Simpson held the woman and her child against their will, driving from New Hampshire into Vermont, where Simpson attempted to locate his estranged wife. After abandoning the effort to find his wife, Simpson continued the kidnapping and sexually assaulted the woman in her car and at a hotel in White River Junction. Simpson then released her and her child but fled the area in the woman’s stolen car. Simpson was eventually arrested after two high-speed pursuits in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, during the second of which he was driving a third vehicle he had stolen. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest stated, “The defendant’s crimes were extraordinarily serious – both in their violent and random nature. An across-the-board guilty verdict in April and today’s sentencing closes a dark period in two victims’ lives and hopefully allows their healing process to continue and provides a sense of security to them and others, knowing that the community will be protected from this defendant for many years to come.” United States Attorney Kerest also commended the investigative agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Vermont, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire; the Vermont State Police; the Hartford (Vermont) Police Department; the Manchester (New Hampshire) Police Department, and the Upper Darby Police Department in Pennsylvania, all of whose efforts contributed to bringing Simpson to justice. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Lasher and Paul Van de Graaf represented the United States in the prosecution of Simpson. Simpson represented himself at trial and sentencing, with Steven Barth of the Office of the Federal Public Defender serving as stand-by counsel.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Federal Prison for Threatening Violence Against Los Angeles-Area Congresswoman

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Texas man was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for making a series of threatening telephone calls to the district office of U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, an elected official representing California’s 43rd Congressional District, which comprises of parts of Los Angeles, including South Los Angeles, as well as parts of the South Bay. Brian Michael Gaherty, 61, of Houston, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also fined Gaherty $10,000. Judge Klausner found that Gaherty targeted Waters because of her race and applied a hate-crime enhancement to Gaherty’s sentence. Gaherty pleaded guilty on January 29 to one count of threatening a United States official. “Threats to harm or kill elected officials are anathema to our nation’s values and must not – and will not – be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office and the entire Department of Justice will continue to combat threats against public officials and other attempts to chill democracy.” Gaherty admitted in his plea agreement to threatening to assault and murder Waters on four separate occasions in August and November of 2022. Gaherty made these threats with the intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with Waters while she was engaged in the performance of her official duties. Specifically, Gaherty left four voicemails at Waters’ district office in Los Angeles County, each of which contained a violent threat, profanity, and racist and misogynistic language. In August 2022, Gaherty threatened to “put a cap” between the congresswoman’s eyes,” “cut [her] throat,” “stomp” her. He further warned that she “better move” because he and his “boys in the area” had a “contract” on her life. Authorities contacted Gaherty and warned him to disengage in October 2022, but a few weeks later, he persisted with his violent threats. In November 2022, Gaherty left Waters two additional voicemails, informing Waters that she “done [expletive] up” by reporting his threats to law enforcement, and stated, “This ain’t no threat. It’s a …promise.” He also threatened to meet Waters “on the street” and “get in [her] face,” and again told her that he and his “crowd” had a contract to “take [her]… out.” Finally, he warned, “You better watch your back.” The United States Capitol Police investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section prosecuted this case.


title: New York Woman Admits to Counterfeit Purchases in Wetzel County

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Tanisha Bynoe, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, has admitted to uttering counterfeit obligations. According to court documents, Bynoe was passing counterfeit bills at businesses in Wetzel County. Bynoe faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: LOUISVILLE, KY – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, joined national, state, local, and Tribal leaders on Saturday, June 15, 2024, in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increases understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk. Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be physical, sexual, psychological, or financial. One in ten people over the age of 60 has experienced some form of elder abuse, with cases still widely underreported. An estimated $28.3 billion is lost to elder fraud scams each year. Nationally, the Department of Justice brought nearly 300 criminal and civil actions against more than 650 defendants in the last year, who collectively stole more than $1.5 billion from over 2.4 million victims. In Kentucky, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 908 complaints in 2023 involving individuals over 60, reporting a loss of $12,769,949. This age group lost more to financial scams than all other age groups combined. Information and vigilance remain key elements to preventing elder abuse and fraud against seniors. Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett emphasized the importance of public awareness. “Our office is committed to prosecuting these cases across our District, but we need your help to prevent abuse and financial exploitation before it occurs. Listen to older adults and their caregivers to understand their challenges and provide support. Check-in on vulnerable adults who may have few friends and family members. Look for unexplained injuries and increased isolation. Share tips with seniors to help them recognize fraud, avoid phishing scams, and stay safe online. Watch for unusual financial transactions, such as unexplained withdrawals, purchases of gold bars or cryptocurrency, or uncharacteristic efforts to wire large amounts of money. Most importantly, report concerns or suspected abuse to local adult protective services, long-term care ombudsman, or law enforcement. By shining a light on elder abuse, we can work together towards a community where all members, regardless of age, are valued and protected.” The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat financial exploitation. The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams. Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud. To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes. To report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation in Kentucky, call the Kentucky Child/Adult Abuse Hotline at 1-877-597-2331, or report online using the Cabinet for Health and Family Services Kentucky Child/Adult Protective Services Reporting System (for non-emergency reports). To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311, and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov . To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page . ###