title: U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs announces Operation Purple Ribbon targeting  domestic violence offenders in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: PLANO, Texas – Bringing an end to domestic violence is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Justice. Domestic violence is a pervasive problem in Texas, where, in 2023, 205 Texans were killed by their intimate partners across 64 counties. The Eastern District of Texas is proud to announce the unveiling of Operation Purple Ribbon—an initiative specifically targeting domestic violence abusers for federal prosecution, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. It can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, sex, or gender identity. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. Domestic violence occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships and can happen to intimate partners who are married, living together, dating, or share a child. In an effort to prevent more domestic violence related homicides from occurring in the Eastern District of Texas, the strategy behind Operation Purple Ribbon is clear—to bring together and unite federal, state, and local resources for the sole purpose of holding domestic abusers accountable. The initiative prioritizes prosecutions of federal firearms offenses (and other criminal offenses) that arise in domestic violence settings. Operation Purple Ribbon is intended to be a force multiplier to the work already being by our state and local law enforcement partners, who do the heavy lifting in seeking to hold domestic abusers accountable. Most federal domestic violence crimes fall into two categories: Offenses under the Gun Control Act, which prevents prohibited persons—including convicted felons, individuals previously convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, and individuals subject to certain protective orders—from possessing firearms, or from lying to firearms dealers about their status; and Crimes under the Violence Against Women Act, which prohibits interstate stalking, cyberstalking, and using interstate commerce to commit domestic violence or violate protective orders. Although Operation Purple Ribbon was formally announced last week, the Eastern District of Texas has been doing impactful work in this space for over a year and has prosecuted more than 20 domestic abusers who unlawfully possessed firearms. One of those cases was John Richard Burch, Jr., an individual with a history of domestic violence, sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations. Another case was Jorge Luis Castelan, Jr ., sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for a firearms violation arising from a domestic disturbance. “In the Eastern District of Texas, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to hold domestic abusers accountable, particularly when that abuser is in possession of a firearm, as it is our goal to promote peace and safety in the home,” said U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs. “We have no higher priority than keeping our communities and families safe. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe environment and without fear from those within their homes.”


title: Macy Man Sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Abuse with Children

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jason Walker, age 54, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 15, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for aggravated sexual abuse with children in Indian Country. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Walker to 360 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Walker’s release from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release. In February 2024, a minor victim disclosed to a trusted adult that Walker had inappropriately touched the minor victim on multiple occasions. Following a forensic interview during which the minor victim disclosed the extensive nature of Walker’s sexual abuse, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began an investigation into Walker’s conduct which resulted in Walker admitting to sexually abusing the minor victim on more than 50 occasions over the course of a roughly two-year period. Before pronouncing Walker’s 30-year sentence, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Rossiter described Walker’s criminal conduct, saying, “I think the word ‘horrific’ is appropriate, and perhaps not even enough here.” This case was prosecuted in federal court because the offense was a felony and occurred on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation in Nebraska. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Thurston County man caught twice with drugs and firearms sentenced to 7 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 53-year-old resident of Rochester, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 7 years in prison for two federal felonies related to his armed drug trafficking activity, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Waylan Graves was arrested twice in a four-month period in 2023, each time with distribution amounts of dangerous drugs and loaded firearms. On June 1, 2023, Graves was arrested by officers with the Thurston County Narcotics Enforcement Team. Law enforcement served a judicially authorized search warrant on Graves’ home and car. In the home they found fentanyl pills, two firearms (one of them loaded) and nearly $5,000 in cash. In Graves’ car they found a third loaded firearm as well as fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. In the car was more than $10,000 in cash. Graves was charged with drug and gun crimes in Thurston County Superior Court. He was released on bail. Less than four months later he was arrested a second time for drug trafficking. On September 20, 2023, Graves was arrested with fentanyl pills, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine in his car. A loaded semi-automatic pistol was in the void under the center console. Investigations also seized a scale and more than $3,000 cash – proceeds from Graves’ drug dealing. Graves was indicted federally in October 2023 for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Graves pleaded guilty to these crimes in July 2024. Prosecutors asked for a seven-year sentence, noting the harm fentanyl in particular has been causing in our community writing, “The drugs that Mr. Graves was distributing have been causing irreparable harm to the community. As the Court is well aware, the influx of fentanyl has left a wake of destruction in the community. In King County alone, there have been 839 overdose deaths as of November 6, 2024, with 624 of those deaths involving fentanyl.” The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Puyallup Police Department, Thurston County Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey S. Conzatti and Stephen Hobbs.


title: U.S. Attorney Obtains Consent Decree Against Liberty Central School District For Violations Of The Uniformed Services Employment And Reemployment Rights Act

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the United States obtained a consent decree against LIBERTY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (“LIBERTY”) in a lawsuit for violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (“USERRA”) filed on behalf of teacher and U.S. Army National Guard member John Chewens. The consent decree enjoins LIBERTY from future violations of USERRA and requires it to pay Chewens $10,000 in damages, including the $5,992.04 in pay that Chewens did not receive because of LIBERTY’s violations. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Our courageous soldiers, who often leave behind their families and loved ones to serve this country, should not return from their military deployments only to find that they have fallen behind in their civilian jobs. This Office is dedicated to ensuring that service members like Captain John Chewens receive all the protections that USERRA guarantees, and we will hold employers responsible when they refuse to honor those guarantees.” As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court: LIBERTY pays teachers according to a salary schedule by which a teacher’s base annual salary is determined by the teacher’s step. Teachers typically progress one step per school year, which results in an increase in the teacher’s compensation. Chewens began teaching at LIBERTY in the 2016–17 school year, and he was paid at step 1. At the start of the 2017–18 year, he progressed to step 2. Subsequently, he was ordered to report for active duty starting in March 2018, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As a result of his deployment, he did not return to teaching until April 2019. When Chewens returned to teaching, LIBERTY denied him the step increase that he would have otherwise received but for his absence during his deployment. As a result, his annual base salary for the 2018–19 school year and subsequent school years was less than it would have been but for his military service. USERRA guarantees that service members whose employment is interrupted by more than 90 days of military service are, upon their return to the employer, paid at the same rate that they would have earned absent their military service. The Consent Decree enjoins LIBERTY from violating any provisions of USERRA (including the provisions that prohibit retaliation); requires LIBERTY to compensate Chewens for lost wages and other damages; and requires LIBERTY to incorporate the following statement into its Board of Education policy and to communicate it to members of its executive and administrative staff: The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (“USERRA”) prohibits employers from discriminating against military service members in employment and hiring. USERRA also guarantees that service members whose employment is interrupted by more than 90 days of military service are, upon their return to the employer, paid at the same rate that they would have earned absent their military service. Even if an employee would not otherwise be eligible to advance a step in the salary schedule because of an absence, the employee must receive a step increase if the employee’s absence is due to his or her military service. * * * This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Osmond is in charge of the case.


title: Maryland Man Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Joshua Hockenberry, age 32, of Maryland, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of attempted production of child pornography, interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual contact, transportation of a minor, obstruction of justice, and retaliation against a witness. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that from March 2024 and continuing to at least July 2024, Hockenberry carried on a sexual relationship with a minor victim in which he transported the minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The indictment also alleges that Hockenberry attempted to have the minor produce child pornography, persuaded the minor to delete evidence, and threatened the minor after she provided incriminating evidence to law enforcement. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life in prison, up to life on supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Fulton County Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael B. Golden, age 35, of Fulton County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Golden possessed with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of a substance and mixture containing methamphetamine on December 20, 2023 and January 27, 2024. The indictment further alleges Golden possessed three semi-automatic pistols in furtherance of the drug trafficking and possessed those firearms after he was convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Dukes 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is a life term of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Manhattan Franciscan Friar Pleads Guilty To Fraud Related To Fake Medical Charity In Beirut, Lebanon

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that PAWEL BIELECKI, a/k/a “Paul HRH Saxe-Coburg-Gotha,” a Manhattan-based Franciscan friar, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti to one count of wire fraud for perpetrating a multi-year scheme to obtain donations for a fake medical charity in Beirut, Lebanon. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This case serves as a stark reminder that fraudsters can exploit even the most noble causes for personal gain. Pawel Bielecki’s deceptive actions not only robbed individuals of their hard-earned money but also undermined the spirit of generosity that drives charitable giving. This Office is committed to holding accountable those who take advantage of well-meaning donors and will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of charitable organizations in our communities.” According to the allegations contained in the Information, plea agreement, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings: BIELECKI is a friar in the Capuchin Order, a Catholic order of priests and brothers, who is based out of a friary in New York City. BIELECKI engaged in a fraudulent scheme related to fake medical clinics he claimed to operate in Lebanon. Through appearances and advertisements on radio programs and online podcasts, as well as various other media, including campaigns on various crowdfunding websites, BIELECKI fraudulently obtained more than $560,000 in donations from victims by claiming, among other misrepresentations, to run medical clinics in Beirut, Lebanon, when in fact BIELECKI was keeping victims’ donations for his personal use. If you believe you are a victim of fraud perpetrated by BIELECKI, please contact Special Agent Sean Smyth, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (914) 993‑1900 or by following the instructions available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/report-crime. * * * BIELECKI, 48, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Division. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levander and Ryan W. Allison are in charge of the prosecution.


title: U.S. Government Employee Charged with Two Counts of Unlawfully Transmitting National Defense Information

body_text: A U.S. government employee working overseas was charged with unlawfully transmitting two highly sensitive classified documents last month. According to court documents, Asif William Rahman, 34, held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance as part of his role working for the U.S. government. According to an indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia on Nov. 7, Rahman, on or about Oct. 17, retained without authorization two documents classified at the Top Secret/SCI level, which contained information relating to national defense, and transmitted those documents to a person not entitled to receive them. Rahman made his initial appearance in federal court in Guam on Nov. 14. The court ordered Rahman’s continued detention and removal from the District of Guam for further court hearings in the Eastern District of Virginia. The FBI is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted Dark Web Drug Dealer Sentenced to 360 Months’ Imprisonment

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Oluwole Adegboruwa, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada, the main defendant and mastermind in a multi-million dollar dark web drug trafficking operation was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment. He was also ordered supervised release for life and the forfeiture of over $20 million, which is among the largest forfeitures holding a defendant financially accountable for his crimes in the history of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parish, comes after a jury found Adegboruwa and his co-defendant Enrique Isong, 49, of Los Angeles, California, guilty in May 2024 of multiple federal crimes, including conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and money laundering (see prior press release here ). On October 23, 2024, Isong was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. According to court documents, evidence presented at trial, and statements made at Adegboruwa’s sentencing hearing, from October 2016 through May 2019, Adegboruwa, sold more than 300,000 oxycodone pills on dark web marketplaces to customers throughout the United States. The jury found that Adegboruwa organized and supervised a continuing criminal enterprise that earned approximately $9,112,471 in drug proceeds. The jury found that Adegboruwa was unquestionably in charge of the illicit narcotics operation. Each member of his enterprise served in different capacities. Some were tasked with locating and procuring pharmacy grade pills that were then re-sold through various dark web marketplaces. Others were involved in packaging the pills and/or shipping them to customers. At trial, Adegboruwa admitted that he controlled sales on the dark web markets and the monetary accounts, including the cryptocurrency accounts through which the enterprise received the bulk of its profits. Adegboruwa also admitted he was the one who decided to start his online dark web drug sales operation. “Protecting the community from illicit drugs and dismantling drug trafficking operations is a priority for my office and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “We will continue to prosecute and seek justice for these crimes.” “This case further demonstrates that true anonymity on the dark web is a myth,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Services State Phoenix Division Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson. “U.S. Postal Inspectors remain steadfast in their commitment to dismantling drug trafficking operations, ensuring the safety of USPS customers and employees alike.” “Adegboruwa's criminal drug enterprise was complex, sophisticated, and generated millions of dollars in profits concealed in cryptocurrency transactions. This sentencing is a stark reminder that the DEA is relentless in the pursuit of justice, and that drug traffickers cannot hide their illicit activities even in the secretive expanses of the dark web,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “Money laundering continues to be a top investigative priority for IRS-CI,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick for IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office. “The forfeiture amount in this case alone highlights the magnitude of the investigation conducted by IRS-CI special agents, its impact on our community, and IRS-CI’s relentless commitment to uncovering illegal schemes by following the money.” The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). Assistant United States Attorneys Thaddeus J. May, Jennifer E. Gully, and Stewart M. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf .


title: Rockland County Man Convicted At Trial Of Hobbs Act Robbery And Firearms Charge

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the conviction in White Plains federal court of THIERRY ANTOINE for robbing the residence of a marijuana dealer in Chestnut Ridge, New York, on December 16, 2019, and for using, carrying, or possessing a firearm in connection with that robbery. The jury convicted ANTOINE yesterday following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “A unanimous jury has found that Thierry Antoine engaged in a violent gunpoint robbery, which included the beating of an innocent victim. Thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, Antoine is now held accountable for his conduct.” As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial: On or about December 16, 2019, ANTOINE and five others agreed to rob, and did rob, the residence of a known marijuana dealer in Chestnut Ridge, New York. Later that same day, ANTOINE and the others drove to the residence, bringing weapons including a mini-bat, a knife, and a firearm. Upon arrival at the residence, ANTOINE and the others encountered a young man who was at the residence to meet a friend. ANTOINE and the others beat the young man, including shoving the firearm in his mouth with such force that it broke one of his teeth, and tied him up as they broke into the residence and stole cash, marijuana, and high-end clothes and shoes. * * * ANTOINE, 34, of Spring Valley, New York, was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of use, carrying, and possession of a firearm, in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. ANTOINE is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Román on April 4, 2025. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin L. Levander, Margaret N. Vasu, and Margery B. Feinzig, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Shannon Becker.


title: Ten Defendants Charged In Interstate Auto Theft Conspiracy

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an indictment was returned by a federal grand jury charging ten individuals from several states with an auto theft conspiracy and multiple counts of transporting stolen motor vehicles interstate. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges that from in or about October 2023 through in or about September 2024, ten defendants—hailing from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland—conspired with each other and others to transport stolen motor vehicles interstate and to receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of stolen motor vehicles that had been transported interstate. The alleged coconspirators include: Nigel Criss, age 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Ian Quintana Torres, age 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Shamar Morris, age 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jumaane Wright, age 28, of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; Raymond Steward, age 24, of Camden County, New Jersey; Rafael Otero Nieves, age 40, of Baltimore County, Maryland; Jose Otero Nieves, age 41, of Baltimore County, Maryland; Jesus Terrero, age 32, of Baltimore County, Maryland; Tyler Hoagland, age 27, of Howard County, Maryland; and Robert Jones, age 25, of Prince George’s County, Maryland. The indictment alleges that the coconspirators traveled to car dealerships with key programmers to steal several vehicles at a time. It is further alleged that an object of the conspiracy was to take the stolen vehicles—typically high-end, “muscle” type cars—across state lines to “car meetups” and “street takeovers,” at which individuals would take over a parking lot, intersection, road, or portion of a highway. According to the indictment, the vehicles were shown off in person at the meetups and on social media and driven in a reckless and dangerous manner, such as spinning and “burning out” the vehicles. Several vehicles across multiple states are alleged to have been stolen by the coconspirators. For example, it is alleged that on or about October 3, 2023, seven of the ten coconspirators traveled to a car dealership in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, to steal two 2017 Cadillac CTS-V’s, a 2016 Cadillac CTS-V, two 2019 Cadillac CTS-V’s, a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro, a 2019 Chevrolet Camaro, and a 2019 Chevrolet Corvette. The charges stem from an investigation conducted by Pennsylvania State Police’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Central and Eastern Auto Theft Task Forces, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Moreno is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the indictment is five years of imprisonment for the conspiracy charge and ten years for each count of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, in addition to a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Brazilian Resident Pleads Guilty for Role in Fraudulent Tax Refund Scheme

component: Tax Division

body_text: A South Carolina man currently residing in Brazil pleaded guilty earlier this week in federal court in San Francisco to conspiracy to submit a false claim. According to court documents and statements made in court, Robert Xan Paul, 45, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, conspired with others to defraud the United States by preparing and submitting to the IRS a fraudulent income tax return that claimed a nearly $600,000 refund, which the IRS paid. Paul was a client of O.I.D. Process, a business owned by his co-conspirators that helped others prepare and file individual federal income tax returns that claimed fictitious Original Issue Discount interest income and federal tax withholdings, resulting in fraudulent claims for tax refunds. To support his refund claim, Paul created fraudulent IRS forms from financial institutions where he had accounts. Those forms falsely indicated that the financial institutions had withheld federal income tax on his behalf. In total, Paul caused a tax loss to the IRS of $595,110. Paul pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to submit false claims. He is set to be sentenced on Jan. 21, 2025. Paul faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised of release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins for the Northern District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorney J. Parker Gochenour of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Pitman for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.


title: Court Sentences Texas Man to 172 Months Imprisonment in Interstate Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On November 13, 2024, United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Grande sentenced Christopher Perales to 172 months imprisonment for his role in a multi-defendant interstate drug trafficking conspiracy. Documents filed with the court established that Christopher Perales, operating from the state of Texas, would regularly supply David Eric Crumpton in Mobile, Alabama, with pound quantities of methamphetamine starting in approximately 2019. During the conspiracy Perales and Crumpton opened a joint checking account at a bank in Texas in order for Crumpton to be able to pay Perales for the methamphetamine. From July 27, 2020, through December 7, 2020, Crumpton made deposits of $125,000 into the joint account for the methamphetamine he purchased from Perales. Perales hired the co-defendant, Daniel Castillo-Garcia, to serve as a drug courier/driver who would transport the methamphetamine from Texas to Lafayette, Louisiana for Perales. Once in Lafayette, Castillo-Garcia would meet the co-defendant David Willis Hale, who had been hired by Crumpton and Heather Boone, to transport the methamphetamine back to Mobile for them. There were multiple seizure of pound quantities of methamphetamine in Alabama and Mississippi from the various co-conspirators during the investigation. Co-conspirators, Julia Alesia Roberts, Crumpton, Castillo-Garcia and Hale have all pled guilty and were previously sentenced by the court. Boone is pending sentencing. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mobile Police Department, Narcotics Unit, the Harrison and Hancock County, Mississippi, Sherriff’s Offices and the Galveston County Texas Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George F. May.


title: Waverly, Iowa, Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for  Production and Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Jared Russell Rigdon, 38, from Waverly, Iowa, was sentenced November 13, 2024, to 30 years in federal prison. On March 29, 2024, Rigdon pled guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography. Evidence in the case showed that between January 2022, and March 22, 2023, Rigdon downloaded and distributed files of child pornography using BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer network, as well as Kik. Rigdon admitted that he used a video chat application and a screen-recording application to record dozens of clearly prepubescent children from around the world, whom Rigdon would solicit to engage in sexual and lascivious acts. Forensic review of his electronic devices discovered over 120,000 images of child sexual abuse materials. The videos and images discovered involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct and included prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers. Rigdon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Rigdon was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Rigdon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Urbandale Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-02068. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Carjacking of Valet Driver in Southeast

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Raymond Davese, 38, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Davese has been in custody since his arrest on June 7, 2024. His guilty plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 8-year prison sentence, to be followed by three years’ supervised release. Davese entered his guilty plea on November 13, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Heidi M. Pasichow. Judge Pasichow scheduled sentencing for February 21, 2025. During the plea hearing, Davese admitted that he carjacked a valet driver on June 7, 2024. The victim had just parked a client’s SUV in the parking garage at 221 Tingey Street Southeast when Davese attacked her from behind, put her in a headlock, and deployed a taser into her neck. After Davese brought the victim to the ground, he took the keys from her and drove away in the SUV. Davese crashed the SUV a short distance later and was apprehended on the scene by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Parron.


title: Shooting Investigation Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for 15 Years for Illegal Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – RONALD LADALE ATCHISON , JR. , 37, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison—the statutory maximum—for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On March 5, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Atchison with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to public record, on January 29, 2024, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a reported shooting in the northeast Metro. At the scene, officers found a wrecked vehicle and two victims, one of whom had been shot in the neck. The victims told authorities they had been chased by a dark colored SUV, and the driver had fired multiple gunshots at them, some at point-blank range after the victims crashed their vehicle. The victim with the gunshot wound was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries. That evening, law enforcement located the suspect SUV and took the driver, Atchison, into custody. Inside the SUV, officers found a handgun, marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl pills. On May 29, 2024, Atchison pleaded guilty, and admitted he unlawfully possessed a firearm despite his criminal record. At the sentencing hearing on November 13, 2024, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Atchison to serve 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted Atchison’s lack of respect for the law, the need to protect the public, and his long criminal history. Public record reflects that Atchison has a lengthy criminal history, with convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include: domestic abuse by strangulation in case number CF-2019-2373; driving while under the influence in case number CF-2019-2273; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia in case number CF-2012-7555; illegal possession of a firearm and concealing stolen property in case number CF-2012-2671; and possession of marijuana in case number CF-2009-4362. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis prosecuted the case. This case is also part of “Operation Shots Fired.” Operation Shots Fired targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Former Florissant Police Officer Accused of Searching 20 Women’s Phones

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former Florissant, Missouri police officer was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday and accused of unlawfully searching 20 women’s cell phones to find nude pictures. The grand jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis indicted Julian Alcala, 29, with one count of destroying records in a federal investigation and 20 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. The indictment accuses Alcala of searching the cell phones of the 20 women between Feb. 6, 2024, and May 18, 2024. Alcala took possession of their cell phones under the auspices of confirming their insurance coverage or vehicle registration, searched the phones for nude pictures and then took photos of the pictures with his personal cell phone, the indictment alleges. The indictment also says Alcala found a video on one victim’s phone and texted that video to his phone before attempting to delete evidence of the text. Alcala is the second former law enforcement officer to be indicted on similar charges this week. David McKnight, 39, was indicted Tuesday by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau with one count of destroying records in a federal investigation and nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. The indictment accuses McKnight of searching the cell phones of nine women between Sept. 1, 2023, and August 19, 2024. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. “If you feel uncomfortable about your encounter with law enforcement, please don’t hesitate to go to that department after the fact to report what happened,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley T. Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “If you feel your civil rights have been violated, contact the FBI. Investigating criminal conduct by a law enforcement officer is among our top priorities." Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or via tips.fbi.gov . The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.


title: Portfolio Manager of "A.I." Investment Fund Arrested for Stealing Fund Assets

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Kanen Flowers with securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. He was arrested this morning in Tucson, Arizona and will be removed to the Eastern District of New York, at which time he will be arraigned on the indictment. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges. “Flowers is charged with shamelessly lying to investors to get their money and capitalizing on disruptions in the cryptocurrency market to hide the fact that he had pilfered investor funds for his own benefit,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Be it through crypto or traditional banking, my Office is committed to rooting out fraud and protecting our investing public.” “As alleged, Kanen Flowers masqueraded the true composition of his fund to deceive and steal from his investors before diverting the misappropriated assets for personal use. The alleged scheme Flowers engaged in manipulated the good faith placed upon him to selfishly pocket substantial amounts of investments. The FBI will continue to dismantle all fraudulent conspiracies to ensure invested monies are duly managed,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. As alleged in the indictment, from 2020 to 2023, Flowers was the Portfolio Manager of an “A.I.” fund that used “proprietary algorithms to actively trade long and short positions” (the “Fund”). He lied to investors and potential investors about the size of the Fund—claiming it was worth billions of dollars when it never had more than approximately $3.5 million in assets under management. He lied to investors and potential investors about the Fund’s diversification efforts—claiming it was trading in equal parts futures, equities and cryptocurrency, when just months after its formation it was trading more than 50% cryptocurrency and, later, entirely cryptocurrency. And he lied to investors about his alleged inability to liquidate the Fund when it ultimately shuttered—claiming cryptocurrency lenders and exchanges were capping withdrawals or had even confiscated Fund assets, when in fact Flowers had largely emptied the Fund’s accounts at those cryptocurrency lenders and exchanges months prior. As further alleged in the indictment, Flowers stole Fund assets. Among other things, in October 2021, he used $70,000 worth of cryptocurrency from a Fund account to pay off a personal loan. Between December 2021 and January 2022, he transferred more than $200,000 worth of the Fund’s cryptocurrency to himself. And in January 2022, he caused the Fund to purchase a non-fungible token or NFT for over $100,000, which he then kept. In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) . As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, as charged here. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of securities fraud and wire fraud, Flowers faces a 20-year statutory maximum sentence. If convicted of money laundering, Flowers faces a 10-year statutory maximum sentence. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Tara McGrath is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett. The Defendant : KANEN FLOWERS Age: 54 Atlanta, Georgia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-458 2024.11.12_-_indictment_flowers_as_filed.pdf


title: Colorado Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Crimes Against Children

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – A Colorado man was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for his distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and involvement with a dark-web website dedicated to CSAM. According to court documents, while still on parole for a 2013 Colorado conviction for sexual exploitation of a child, registered sex offender Christopher Carl Meier, 41, of Denver, became a member of a dark-web website dedicated to CSAM depicting boys and the discussion of the sexual abuse of minor boys. On July 9, Meier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute CSAM and five counts of distribution of CSAM. Meier was a member of the website for more than 18 months and made more than 600 posts on the website. On this website, Meier advertised and distributed images and videos depicting minor boys engaged in sexual conduct. He made statements on the website admitting that he produced this material by tricking the boys into thinking that they were interacting online with a girl their own age, and by enticing them to disrobe and engage in sex acts on webcam. The FBI is aware of at least 65 victims of Meier’s conduct. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Kirsch for the District of Colorado; Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Denver Field Office investigated the case. Acting Deputy Chief Kyle Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Indiana Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine, Fentanyl, and Crack Cocaine Violations

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Indiana, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Barry Baker, 45, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment before Senior United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson on November 13, 2024. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around December 2021 to in and around March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Baker conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of crack cocaine. Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Baker. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Final defendant in Augusta-area meth-trafficking operation found guilty in jury trial

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

body_text: AUGUSTA, GA: The tenth defendant charged in an Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy has been found guilty at trial, representing the final defendant in the case with all others currently serving prison terms. Donnie Skillman , 47, of Augusta, faces up to life in federal prison after his conviction on methamphetamine-trafficking and firearms possession charges, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “All 10 defendants in this drug-trafficking network are now being held accountable for distributing dangerous, addictive drugs in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We applaud the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners in identifying and eliminating this threat to the safety of our neighborhoods.” After a two-day trial in U.S. District Court, the jury found Skillman guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number. Skillman was one of 10 defendants charged in USA v. Walters et al., an indictment unsealed in December 2023 identifying a major methamphetamine trafficking operation distributing drugs throughout the Augusta area. The other nine defendants are serving federal prison sentences after pleading guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy charges, including: Edward Jake Walters , a/k/a “State Farm,” a/k/a “Jake from State Farm,” 30, of Grovetown, Ga., sentenced to 87 months in prison and fined $1,500; Phillip Smith , 50, of Augusta, sentenced to 156 months in prison and fined $1,500; Dustin Bayles , 36, of Thomson, Ga., sentenced to 135 months in prison and fined $1,500; Glen Taylor , 43, of Beech Island, S.C., sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,500; Linda Campbell , 54, of Augusta, sentenced to 68 months in prison and fined $1,000; Joshua Wasden , 36, of Thomson, Ga., sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $2,000; Brian Hilliard , 41, of Augusta, sentenced to 108 months in prison and fined $2,500; Gary Holcomb , 61, of Martinez, Ga., sentenced to 188 months in prison and fined $2,000; and, Destiny Poole, 24, of Grovetown, Ga., sentenced to 87 months in prison and fined $1,500. Smith, Hilliard and Holcomb also pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing for Skillman upon completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. “Guns, drugs, and violence are unfortunately all too common tools of the drug dealers operating in our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Division. “This verdict demonstrates DEA’s emphatic commitment to dismantling these dangerous drug trafficking organizations.” “Our priority is to ensure that individuals who endanger public safety through drug trafficking and illegal gun possession are brought to justice,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. “This successful prosecution is a testament to the hard work and collaboration of all agencies involved in this investigation.” “The conviction in this extensive methamphetamine trafficking operation underscores our commitment to dismantling dangerous criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “This case is a testament to the tireless efforts and the unwavering resolve of our law enforcement partners to hold criminals accountable and protect our neighborhoods from the devastating impact of illegal drugs.” The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office; the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office; the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office; and the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office; and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Kelsey L. Scanlon.


title: Illegally Armed Anderson Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Gun Crimes

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Kennley Johnson, 43, of Anderson, has been sentenced to 250 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to three counts of methamphetamine distribution and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, on three separate occasions in March and April of 2024, Johnson was observed selling a total of 131.8 grams of methamphetamine, a Colt pistol, and a Manuel Escodin revolver to a person in Anderson. Officers conducted a court-authorized search of Johnson’s Anderson residence and found over 380 grams of additional methamphetamine, ammunition, and a loaded 9mm handgun. Johnson was arrested during the search and officers found $5,857 in cash in his pocket. Johnson is a career criminal—since turning eighteen he has been convicted of five prior drug-related offenses and one for failing to return to lawful detention after absconding from work release. At the time of his arrest, Johnson was still on probation. As a convicted felon, Johnson is permanently prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. “Illegally armed drug dealers do tremendous harm to communities in every part of our state,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Numerous prior convictions and prison terms were not enough to convince this career criminal to change his ways. Thanks to the efforts of the Anderson Police Department, the ATF, and our federal prosecutor, the community will now be protected from his crimes as he serves a significant term in federal prison.” “There is no place in our society for those who use firearms for violent, criminal purposes and spread drugs through our community,” said Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels to bring those individuals to justice.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Anderson Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Gibson, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Eight Plead Guilty, Admit Nationwide Rental Car Theft Scheme

body_text: ST. LOUIS – The eighth and final defendant in a nationwide scheme that stole at least 19 rental cars worth about $1.1 million pleaded guilty Wednesday. James E. McGhaney, 35, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. The scheme’s organizer, Tyrell A. Oliver, 40, pleaded guilty October 23 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Oliver, of Atlanta, Georgia, admitted organizing a scheme in which the conspirators reserved high-end rental vehicles, typically SUVs, using stolen credit card information and stolen identities. In addition to stealing vehicles for Oliver, McGhaney recruited and supervised some of the other participants in the scheme, his plea agreement says. The conspirators stole rental cars across the United States, including in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Often, McGhaney and other conspirators flew together in a group from New York to these locations, on airline tickets purchased by Oliver and McGhaney, and stole multiple vehicles in a single trip, their plea agreements say. Oliver then paid McGhaney and the group of thieves for stealing the rental cars. In all, Oliver and his co-conspirators used the stolen identities of at least 23 victims to steal 19 rental vehicles worth about $1.1 million, Oliver’s plea agreement says. Steven B. Matthews, 40, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. New York residents Shawnta B. Fonseca, 34, Reginald M. Glenn, 36, Marlique J. McGhaney, 34, and Daquasia M. Robinson, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Rashad Holder, 35, of New York, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. McGhaney is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 19, 2025. Oliver is to be sentenced Feb. 6, 2025. The others will be sentenced between Dec. 10, 2024 and early February. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Greenbrier Man Sentenced to 19 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Social Security Administration

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that Roy David Lykins, 56, of Greenbrier, who fraudulently collected more than $249,000 from the Social Security Administration (SSA), was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. Lykins was also sentenced to two years of supervised release. Lykins began receiving Title II Disability Insurance benefits beginning in October 2001. Sometime in February 2005, pursuant to a medical review with the SSA, Lykins claimed in official documents that he could only walk 35 to 50 feet. He also claimed that he could not take care of his own personal hygiene and that he could not understand or follow instructions. From 2002 through 2005, Lykins continued to receive Title II Disability Insurance benefits. Pursuant to notices issued by the SSA, Lykins is required to promptly report any work, earnings, or changes in his condition. The investigation into Lykins revealed that from 2005 through 2018, Lykins worked as a salaried farmhand in Red Oak, Arkansas. During this time, Lykins received Title II Disability Insurance benefits and did not report his employment to SSA. Lykins concealed his earnings by convincing his employer to issue his paychecks in his wife’s name and Social Security number. During the period 2005 through 2022, Lykins never reported any work, earnings, or changes in his condition as is required by the SSA. If Lykins would have reported his earnings as a farmhand in 2005, his benefits would have been terminated. Because Lykins did not report his earnings, the resulting loss suffered by the SSA is approximately $249,166.10. Additionally, Lykins received Medicare benefits through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that he was not entitled. The amount of loss to HHS is approximately $56,227.40. “This defendant knowingly concealed his earnings and was untruthful about the status of his disability, resulting in the receipt of a significant amount of undeserved money and benefits,” Ross said. “Please let this be a warning to those who seek to engage in similar conduct: our office will hold you accountable and seek significant penalties.” “Roy Lykins feigned a disability and provided a false Social Security Number to fraudulently obtain benefits from SSA for more than a decade. By working as a farmhand and concealing his work and earnings under his wife’s Social Security number, he deceived SSA that he was entitled Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits, causing SSA to improperly pay him more than $249,000. This 19-month federal prison sentence now holds him accountable for his criminal acts,” said Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Acting Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I commend the work of our investigators, and our Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit for their diligent efforts in working to protect taxpayers and SSA benefits. I also thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this case and bringing forth justice.” Lykins was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 3, 2023. He was charged with one count of theft of government property and one count of making a false statement. On January 24, 2024, Lykins pleaded guilty to theft of government property in exchange for dismissal of the remaining charge. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Criminal Complaint Against Burtonsville Woman in Connection With Fentanyl Overdose Death

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: First-grade teacher allegedly sold drugs on school property during work hours. Greenbelt , Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has filed a criminal complaint against Sarah Katherine Magid, 34, of Burtonsville, Maryland. Magid is charged with distributing fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury and the death of a victim. The criminal complaint was unsealed on November 13, 2024, as Magid appeared in the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms. Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the charge with Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department. After the death of the victim in March 2024, law enforcement discovered text messages between the victim and Magid pertaining to the distribution of fentanyl. Specifically, a forensic analysis of the victim’s cell phone revealed a text conversation and subsequent meeting between Magid and the victim. The messages uncovered a drug transaction involving pills that had been pressed to appear like oxycodone hydrochloride 30 mg pills but actually contained fentanyl. After the meeting and transaction, the victim was found deceased. The Washington, D.C., Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the victim’s cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. Additionally, in July 2024, a complainant reported to law enforcement that Magid, a Montgomery County first-grade schoolteacher, exited her classroom to sell drugs to people outside of the school. Law enforcement subsequently identified text messages from Magid’s phone indicating that she dealt drugs during work hours. If convicted, Magid faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years imprisonment up to a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by a criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and/or until proven guilty at later criminal proceedings. The law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation are all partners in the recently announced Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force (“MFOTFF”). Led and coordinated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the DEA’s Washington Division, the task force is focused on raising awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, as well as creating connections between local, state, and federal authorities to increase prosecutions of overdose-death cases in Maryland. A Public Service Announcement created for MFFOTF is available online. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the DEA and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Metropolitan Police Department and the Montgomery County State's Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright who are prosecuting this federal 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: Justice Department Finds Conditions at Fulton County Jail in Georgia Violate the Constitution and Federal Law

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department announced today its findings that conditions of confinement at the Fulton County Jail (the Jail) in Georgia violate the 8th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The department’s report details its findings from a comprehensive investigation of the Jail, funded and operated by Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation included the Main Jail in Atlanta and three annex facilities: the Marietta Annex in Atlanta, the North Annex in Alpharetta, and the South Annex in Union City. The Jail currently houses around 2,000 people and in recent years has surpassed 3,000 people. “Lashawn Thompson’s horrific death was symptomatic of a pattern of dangerous and dehumanizing conditions in the Fulton County Jail,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department’s report concluded that Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office allowed unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the Jail. As a result, people incarcerated in the Fulton County Jail suffered harms from pest infestation and malnourishment and were put at substantial risk of serious harm from violence by other incarcerated people — including homicides, stabbings and sexual abuse. The unconstitutional and unlawful conditions at the Fulton County Jail have persisted for far too long, and we are committed to working with Fulton County and the Fulton County Sherrif’s office to remedy them.” “We cannot turn a blind eye to the inhumane, violent, and hazardous conditions that people are subjected to inside the Fulton County Jail," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Detention in the Fulton County Jail has amounted to a death sentence for dozens of people who have been murdered or who died as a result of the atrocious conditions inside the facility. It’s not just adults but also children who are subjected to conditions and treatment that violate the constitution and defy federal law. Many people held in jails in our country have not been convicted — they are awaiting hearings, trial dates or are serving short sentences for misdemeanors. At the end of the day, people do not abandon their civil and constitutional rights at the jailhouse door. Jails and prisons across the country must protect people from the kind of gross violations and unconstitutional conditions that we have uncovered here. We hope our findings report sounds an alarm that will prompt Fulton County officials to work with the Justice Department to implement the reforms necessary to ensure constitutional conditions going forward.” “In Fulton County, people in custody awaiting formal charges or trials frequently must protect themselves from brutal physical attacks, endure frequent excessive force, manage their wellbeing with inadequate food and unsanitary living conditions, and hope they can find access to a strained medical and mental health care program. This is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “Our Constitution requires humane conditions while incarcerated that, at a minimum, ensure people in custody are safe. The findings regarding the Fulton County Jail reveal grave and diffuse failures to safeguard the men and women housed in its facilities, including a disturbing frequency of deaths among incarcerated people. We expect Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to share our sense of urgency about the seriousness of the violations described in this report and to work cooperatively with our office and the Justice Department to remedy these systemic deficiencies in the Jail.” Following an extensive investigation, the department concludes that Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office routinely violate the rights of people incarcerated at the Jail. Specifically, the department found that the Jail: Fails to protect people from the substantial risk of serious harm from violence by other incarcerated people, including homicides, stabbings, and sexual abuse. Houses incarcerated people in unconstitutional living conditions that are unsanitary and dangerous. Fails to provide adequate medical and mental health services to incarcerated people. Uses solitary confinement in discriminatory and unconstitutional ways that exposes incarcerated people, including 17-year-old children and those with mental health disabilities, to substantial harm. Fails to provide special education services to 17-year-old boys and girls who are entitled to those services while they are incarcerated at the Jail. The unlawful and dangerous practices identified in the report are long-standing and have contributed to multiple deaths and other serious harm. From 2022 to the present, six incarcerated people have died in violence at the Jail. In 2023, there were more than 300 stabbings in the Jail which involved uncontrolled contraband and makeshift weapons. There have been four deaths from suicide in the past four years, including as recently as April. The Justice Department conducted its investigation of the Fulton County Jail under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 34 U.S.C. § 12601, which prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. These statutes authorize the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct. The department provided Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office with written notice of the supporting facts for its conclusions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the alleged violations. The County will work with the Justice Department toward a cooperative resolution. The findings announced today are the result of the Justice Department’s civil investigation and are separate from any criminal cases brought by the Justice Department. The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia investigated the case. The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee , California , South Carolina , and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky . The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons , Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities , and the Georgia Department of Corrections . The division is also litigating the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men . For more information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section . You can also report civil rights violations to the section by completing the complaint form available at civilrights.justice.gov/ . To provide information related to the department’s investigation of the Fulton County Jail, please call 1-888-473-4092 or email the department at FultonCountyJail@usdoj.gov .


title: Former Church Records And Finance Manager Sentenced To Federal Prison For Embezzling Over $875,000

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Heather Darrey (45, Tampa) to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $875,323.19, the proceeds of her criminal scheme. Darrey pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024. According to court documents, Darrey worked as the Records and Finance Manager at Church #1. Darrey abused her position of trust by engaging in a scheme in which she created false and fraudulent bank checks drawn against Church #1’s business bank account and made them payable to her own account, as well as to her mortgage company, creditors, and others. Darrey also input false and fraudulent data into Church #1’s accounting software system to conceal her theft. The investigation revealed that Darrey stole $875,323.19, which she largely spent on mortgage payments, car and boat loans, and credit card bills for clothing, restaurants, vacations, and concert tickets. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo, Suzanne Nebesky, and Jordan Howard.


title: Beretta Bandit Serial Robber Sentenced

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Richard Allen Randolph (44, Youngstown, OH) to 106 years and 6 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robberies, attempted robbery, brandishing a firearm, and discharging a firearm during the commission of the robberies. The court also ordered Randolph to forfeit a Beretta Pico pistol used during the commission of the offenses. Randolph was found guilty by a federal jury on April 19, 2024. According to evidence at trial, between January 27 and February 26, 2020, Randolph robbed four commercial businesses in Tampa wearing a hooded sweatshirt and facial covering. During each of the robberies, Randolph brandished and threatened the victims with a Beretta Pico pistol and removed cash from the registers. During the attempted robbery on February 26, 2020, Randolph again concealed his identity, entered the store, and threatened the clerk with the firearm. However, the victim’s boyfriend, who was outside the store waiting to take her home, confronted Randolph. Randolph then discharged the pistol twice in the parking lot of the business as the victims fled. Law enforcement recovered the bullet casing from the parking lot and the case remained active and under investigation under the name “Beretta Bandit” as no subject was identified. In July 2021, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of an individual who was found to have a Beretta Pico pistol in his car. The individual did not match the description of the robber and told law enforcement that he had purchased the pistol from Randolph, who was a former co-worker. Forensic examiners from the ATF laboratory later determined that the Beretta pistol was the firearm involved in the last robbery committed by Randolph. During trial, the victims testified about their terror during the robberies committed by Randolph. However, they could not identify Randolph because he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a mask. The evidence at trial focused on the recovered Beretta Pico pistol, the testimony of the co-worker, the forensic analyses from the ATF laboratory in Atlanta, and other location data analyses by the FBI. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman and Brooke Padgett. This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.


component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Colorado man was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for his distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and involvement with a dark-web website dedicated to CSAM. According to court documents, while still on parole for a 2013 Colorado conviction for sexual exploitation of a child, registered sex offender Christopher Carl Meier, 41, of Denver, became a member of a dark-web website dedicated to CSAM depicting boys and the discussion of the sexual abuse of minor boys. On July 9, Meier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute CSAM and five counts of distribution of CSAM. Meier was a member of the website for more than 18 months and made more than 600 posts on the website. On this website, Meier advertised and distributed images and videos depicting minor boys engaged in sexual conduct. He made statements on the website admitting that he produced this material by tricking the boys into thinking that they were interacting online with a girl their own age and enticing them to disrobe and engage in sex acts on webcam. The FBI is aware of at least 65 victims of Meier’s conduct. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Kirsch for the District of Colorado; Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Denver Field Office investigated the case. Acting Deputy Chief Kyle Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JARREN LEE (“LEE”) , age 36, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on November 12, 2024, by United States District Judge Darrel J. Papillion, for violating the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court records, LEE was arrested by the New Orleans Police Department after being observed driving a stolen vehicle. When police searched the vehicle, they found two firearms, a Century Arms Inc. Model TP9, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun and a Taurus Model Millennium G2, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, both equipped with high-capacity magazines, and one of which was stolen. LEE had several prior felony convictions, including multiple convictions for drug possession. Judge Papillion sentenced LEE to 57 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.


title: Indian Trail Man On Supervised Release For Federal Conviction Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud For COVID-19 Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Roger Trent Melchor, 56, of Indian Trail, N.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining $32,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to plea documents and the court hearing, between July 2020 to May 2021, Melchor used false information to apply for loans and receive funds from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). To obtain the loans, Melchor submitted applications on behalf of himself and his company, “RSTR Sanitizing,” that contained false information about Melchor and his business’s gross income and gross revenue. Melchor also submitted a fabricated tax return in support of the PPP loan application and falsely stated in the loan application that he had not “commenced any form of parole or probation” within the last five years. Based on the fraudulent applications, Melchor received approximately $32,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Court records show that Melchor was prosecuted in the Middle District of North Carolina for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. As a result of that conviction, Melchor served a term of imprisonment and was on federal supervised release when he engaged in the PPP and EIDL fraud scheme. Melchor is currently released on bond. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine Melchor’s sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date for Melchor has not been set. The Small Business Administration’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Grand Forks County Assistant State’s Attorney sworn in as special federal prosecutor under Violence Against Women Act

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Appointment comes in the wake of U.S. Justice Department designation of Grand Forks as a jurisdiction of focus under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act, prioritizing firearms prosecutions of domestic violence offenders Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider and Grand Forks County State’s Attorney Haley Wamstad today announced that Assistant State’s Attorney Rachel Egstad has been sworn in as a Special Assistant United States Attorney under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As a VAWA SAUSA, Egstad will focus on reducing intimate partner firearm violence in the Grand Forks area by bringing prosecutions in federal district court under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) while continuing to work full-time as a state prosecutor. “We are grateful to the Grand Forks County State’s Attorney’s Office for their partnership and commitment to working across jurisdictional lines to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and hold offenders accountable,” Schneider said. “Having an experienced state prosecutor on the ground in Grand Forks working with law enforcement and community partners to develop cases and target dangerous individuals for federal prosecution will protect families and help keep the community safe.” “Our office appreciates the opportunity to utilize and leverage federal resources in seeking justice for victims of intimate partner violence in our jurisdiction,” said Wamstad . “This multi-agency collaboration will be beneficial in identifying, investigating, and holding accountable the most lethal offenders of intimate partner gun violence in our communities.” "We are committed to tackling the dangerous intersection of domestic violence and illegal firearms possession in partnership with our local, state, and federal counterparts," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the St. Paul Field Division. "As the primary federal agency responsible for investigating firearms crimes, ATF's expertise is vital in ensuring that violent offenders are barred from possessing weapons and that victims of domestic violence are safeguarded. We are also pleased to welcome Assistant State’s Attorney Rachel Egstad as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to strengthen this important effort." “We’re thrilled to partner with the US Attorney’s Office and Ms. Egstad, an experienced prosecutor, on this new appointment,” said Coiya Tompkins Inman , president/CEO of the Community Violence Intervention Center. “It provides powerful tools for our legal and law enforcement partners and enhances safety for survivors whose intimate partners may possess firearms illegally. We’re so fortunate to have strong, long-standing partnerships like this that make our holistic approach to ending interpersonal violence possible.” Egstad’s appointment as VAWA SAUSA follows the United States Department of Justice’s recent designation of Grand Forks as a jurisdiction of focus to address intimate partner firearm violence pursuant to Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. Grand Forks was one of 78 communities nationwide to receive the designation. The Justice Department, through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions, is partnering with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. Following Grand Forks’ designation, the USAO, ATF, Grand Forks County State’s Attorney’s Office, Grand Forks Police Department, Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office, and Community Violence Intervention Center met to discuss implementation of this initiative. Egstad will work closely with those entities to guide investigations and ultimately bring prosecutions against domestic violence offenders who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms. ######


title: The United States Attorney’s Office Finds Conditions at Fulton County Jail in Georgia Violate the Constitution and Federal Law

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced its findings concluding that Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office routinely violate the constitutional and statutory rights of persons incarcerated at the Fulton County Jail and fail to adequately protect incarcerated persons from substantial risk of serious harm. “In Fulton County, people in custody awaiting formal charges or trials frequently must protect themselves from brutal physical attacks, endure frequent excessive force, manage their wellbeing with inadequate food and unsanitary living conditions, and hope they can find access to a strained medical and mental health care program. This is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our Constitution requires humane conditions while incarcerated that, at a minimum, ensure people in custody are safe. The findings regarding the Fulton County Jail reveal grave and diffuse failures to safeguard the men and women housed in its facilities, including a disturbing frequency of deaths among incarcerated people. We expect Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to share our sense of urgency about the seriousness of the violations described in this report and to work cooperatively with our Office and the Department of Justice to remedy these systemic deficiencies in the Jail.” “Lashawn Thompson’s horrific death was symptomatic of a pattern of dangerous and dehumanizing conditions in the Fulton County Jail,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department’s report concluded that Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office allowed unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the Jail. As a result, people incarcerated in the Fulton County Jail suffered harms from pest infestation and malnourishment and were put at substantial risk of serious harm from violence by other incarcerated people — including homicides, stabbings and sexual abuse. The unconstitutional and unlawful conditions at the Fulton County Jail have persisted for far too long, and we are committed to working with Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s office to remedy them.” “We cannot turn a blind eye to the inhumane, violent, and hazardous conditions that people are subjected to inside the Fulton County Jail," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Detention in the Fulton County Jail has amounted to a death sentence for dozens of people who have been murdered or who died as a result of the atrocious conditions inside the facility. It’s not just adults but also children who are subjected to conditions and treatment that violate the constitution and defy federal law. Many people held in jails in our country have not been convicted — they are awaiting hearings, trial dates or are serving short sentences for misdemeanors. At the end of the day, people do not abandon their civil and constitutional rights at the jailhouse door. Jails and prisons across the country must protect people from the kind of gross violations and unconstitutional conditions that we have uncovered here. We hope our findings report sounds an alarm that will prompt Fulton County officials to work with the Justice Department to implement the reforms necessary to ensure constitutional conditions going forward.” The 97-page report details its findings from a comprehensive investigation of the Jail, which is funded and operated by Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation included the Main Jail, also known as “Rice Street,” in Atlanta and three annex facilities: the Marietta Annex in Atlanta, the North Annex in Alpharetta, and the South Annex in Union City. The Jail currently houses around 2,000 people and in recent years the population has surpassed 3,000 people. The report concludes that the conditions of confinement at the Jail do not meet basic constitutional standards. The noted deficiencies include the following: Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office fail to protect people from the substantial risk of serious harm from violence by other incarcerated people, including homicides, stabbings, and sexual abuse. Officers use excessive force against incarcerated people. The Jail houses incarcerated people in constitutionally inadequate living conditions that are unsanitary and dangerous. The Jail fails to provide adequate medical and mental health services. The Jail’s restrictive housing practices expose people, including 17-year-old children, to substantial harm, discriminate against people with mental health disabilities, and fail to provide incarcerated people due process of law. The Jail fails to provide special education services to 17-year-old boys and girls who are entitled to those services while they are incarcerated at the facility. The unlawful and dangerous practices identified in the report are long-standing and have contributed to multiple deaths and other serious harm: From 2022 to the present, six incarcerated people have died in violence at the Jail. In 2023, more than 300 stabbings occurred in the Jail which involved contraband and makeshift weapons. Four deaths from suicide happened at the Jail in the past four years, including as recently as April of this year. The United States conducted its investigation under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Americans with Disabilities Act, and 34 U.S.C. § 12601, which prohibit law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. These statutes authorize the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct. Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office have been provided written notice of the supporting facts for the conclusions in the report and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the alleged violations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia joined together with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section to conduct the investigation. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Johnson, Aileen Bell Hughes, and Rebeca Ojeda of the Northern District of Georgia. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. To provide information related to the investigation of the Fulton County Jail, please call 1-888-473-4092 or email the Department of Justice at FultonCountyJail@usdoj.gov . Attachment - Fulton County Jail Findings Report: fulton_county_jail_findings_report.pdf