title: Two Navajo Men Charged with Carjacking Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Brian Levi and Daryl Levi were arraigned on an indictment charging them with carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury. Brian, 37, of Shiprock, and his brother, Daryl, 40, of Shiprock, enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, will both remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. A federal grand jury indicted the Levi brothers on Nov. 23, 2022. According to the indictment and other court records, on May 17, 2020, the victim, John Doe, was parked in his car at the Gulf Gas Station in Shiprock when Brian and Daryl attacked Doe through the car window and removed him from the car before one of them got into the driver’s seat and drove away. Doe suffered serious bodily injury including a stab wound. An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, both brothers face up to 25 years in prison. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander F. Flores is prosecuting the case. # # # 23-145


title: Hebbronville man sentenced for trying to smuggle cocaine past checkpoint

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 64-year-old man has been ordered to prison for possession with intent to distribute approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Ascencion Garza Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 10. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Garza to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard considered additional argument and discussion regarding Garza’s multiple prior federal drug‑trafficking convictions. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the quantity of drugs involved and that Garza had not been deterred from committing the instant offense by prior sentences. On Sept. 7, 2022, Garza drove his truck into the primary inspection lane of a Border patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. There, authorities searched his vehicle and discovered 15 bricks of cocaine in concealed compartments within the rear quarter-panels. The drugs weighed approximately 16 kilograms and have an estimated street value of more than $1.1 million. Garza will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.


title: Watertown Man Sentenced to 14 Months for Unlawfully Possessing Sawed-Off Shotgun

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Rafael Rondon, age 25, of Watertown, New York, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Rondon admitted to possessing an unregistered Iver Johnson’s Arms & Cycle Works 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun. The shotgun, which had a barrel length of less than 18 inches and an overall length of less than 26 inches, was not registered to the defendant in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law. Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also sentenced Rondon to a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after his imprisonment, and ordered forfeiture of the sawed-off shotgun. Rondon also pled guilty on December 5, 2022, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, to obstruction of an official proceeding, a felony, for his activities inside the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 . Sentencing in that case is scheduled for September 12, 2023 in Washington, D.C., at which time he faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The Northern District of New York case was investigated by the FBI Albany Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Green and Richard Southwick prosecuted the case.


title: Loudonville Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jesus Baez, age 32, of Loudonville, New York, was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for his role in a Capital Region cocaine distribution conspiracy. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Postal Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward made the announcement. Baez previously pled guilty before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As part of his plea, Baez admitted that between June 2021 and December 2021, in Albany and Rensselaer Counties, he and three others engaged in a conspiracy to ship cocaine from Puerto Rico and distribute it in the Capital Region. The cocaine was shipped via U.S. mail in one-kilogram bricks, and transported to a stash house maintained by Baez on Fifth Avenue in Troy, where it was processed for distribution, along with other drugs. Judge Sharpe also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release, to begin once Baez is released from prison. Baez’s three co-defendants have also pled guilty for their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. They are: Jan Lopez-Colon, age 28, of Troy; Ilvin Batista-Figueroa, 31, of Albany; and Sam Calderon, 20, of Troy. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Capital Region Task Force, led by the USPIS and including the Albany Police Department, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Schenectady Police Department, as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.


title: Ulster County Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Pornography Possession

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shawn Wetzel, age 39, of Highland, New York, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Wetzel previously pled guilty before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. Wetzel admitted that he had previously pled guilty in Georgia to receipt of child pornography and was sentenced to 67 months of incarceration, to be followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. In September 2021, approximately 16 months after his release from prison, and while he was under supervised release, Probation officers conducted an inspection of Wetzel’s residence in Ulster County. In the course of that inspection, Wetzel was found to be in possession of approximately 10 child pornography image files and one child pornography video, depicting children as young as 7 years old. After Wetzel is released from prison, he will be required to serve a 30-year term of post-release supervision. This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department and New York State Police. Former Assistant United States Attorney Rachel L. Williams and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Bullitt County Man Arrested and Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY –A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued today charging a Bullitt County man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Colonel Marcus Laytham, Chief of the Mt. Washington Police Department, made the announcement. According to the complaint, James Nott, 40, of Mt. Washington, Kentucky, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On July 11, 2023, Nott possessed an AK-47 rifle, a .38 special, Charter Arms, revolver, and ammunition. Nott was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On November 11, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Nott was convicted of possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of marijuana. The felon in possession of a firearm offense charged in today’s complaint, arose from a federal search warrant executed at Nott’s residence today, in connection with a search for firearms and trafficked human remains. Nott made his initial appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Nott remains in federal custody and is scheduled for a detention hearing on July 12, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. If convicted, Nott faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The FBI and the Mt. Washington Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Tieke and Stephanie Zimdahl are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Romanian National Pleads Guilty to $5 Million Covid Relief Fraud

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 11, 2023 SAN DIEGO – Constantin Sandu of Romania pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he masterminded a scheme to steal more than $5 million in California unemployment insurance benefits intended to help workers impacted by the pandemic. According to his plea agreement, Sandu conspired with an uncharged co-conspirator identified as “D.C.” plus 213 unnamed Romanian co-conspirators across California and in Romania to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in California unemployment insurance benefits by fabricating documents, creating fictitious accounts and businesses, and filing bogus claims with California’s Economic Development Department, which administers the state’s unemployment benefits. Sandu wired $16,000 of proceeds from the fraud to Romania to renovate his house. In a forfeiture addendum, Sandu agreed to forfeit $214,950 of proceeds that he personally received from the offenses. “This defendant has admitted to presiding over a vast network of people who exploited a program that was meant to help Californians during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The scheme alleged in this case diverted millions of dollars from those who truly needed it. We will continue to zealously prosecute perpetrators of COVID relief fraud.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case. “I am extremely proud that San Diego’s law enforcement partners were able to successfully apprehend Sandu,” said FBI San Diego Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Stacey Moy. “Unfortunately, this was an elaborate scheme that involved many alleged fraudsters. We will continue to tirelessly work to bring all those involved to justice.” “Millions of dollars of unemployment benefits and pandemic-related aid were fraudulently obtained by individuals who falsified information and redirected the funds for their own personal gain,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office. “Constantin Sandu is now being held accountable for this $5 million scheme. IRS-CI will not tolerate criminal networks that prey on vulnerable communities and exploit resources meant for those in need. IRS-CI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners locally and internationally to locate and hold criminal organizations accountable for their crimes.” The plea agreement said that beginning in July 2020 and continuing until late summer of 2022, Sandu and hundreds of unnamed co-conspirators, including the one identified as D.C., learned and developed a process to receive the most benefits possible by using fraudulent identifications, falsified utility bills, falsified earnings statements, falsified W2s, fraudulent health insurance cards and non-existent companies. Additionally, Sandu learned to “backdate” or modify the EDD applications with an earlier unemployment start date to generate even bigger pay days. Co-conspirators across California would share information, knowledge and resources with Sandu, for Sandu to file claims for regular unemployment insurance and expanded pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from California EDD. Co-conspirators communicated with Sandu via Facebook or other electronic means or met with him in person to provide their Personal Identifying Information, known as PII. According to the California Franchise Tax Board, none of the companies named in the various W2s submitted for conspirators’ EDD applications was real. According to Blue Cross Blue Shield, none of the member identification numbers submitted for conspirators’ EDD applications was real. In total, Sandu conspired with D.C. and unnamed co-conspirators to fraudulently obtain no less than $5,207,687 in California unemployment insurance benefits. Sandu is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16, 2023, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Larry Burns. DEFENDANT Case Number: 23-cr-00386-LAB Constantin Sandu, aka Bobi Sandu, aka Ionut Mihai Age: 33 Transient, Romanian SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 18, U.S.C. § 1349 and 1343 - Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, a fine of $1 million or both; Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2)(A) — Laundering Monetary Instruments Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved in the transportation, transmission, or transfer, whichever is greater; Title 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(a)(1)(C) and 982(a)(1), and Title 28, U.S.C. § 2461(c) - Criminal Forfeitures INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Police Department Economic Crimes Unit Internal Revenue Service California Employment Development Department Investigative Division Homeland Security Investigations Department of Labor Office of Investigator General


title: Local Doctor and Son Sentenced for Illegally Accumulating and Selling Scarce N95 Respirator Masks

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 11, 2023 SAN DIEGO – University City Dermatologist Mona Zohdi Mofid was sentenced in federal court today to two years’ probation after pleading guilty in April to misdemeanor hoarding of N95 respirator masks that had been designated scarce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her son, Adam Zohdi Mofid, who previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor accumulation of N95 respirator masks to sell for price-gouging prices was also sentenced to two years’ probation, including 60 days of home confinement. Additionally, Adam Mofid was fined $1.2 million dollars, and Dr. Mona Mofid was fined $100,000. Both were ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. Throughout 2020 and into early 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the demand for N95 respirator masks to explode far beyond their supply. In response, on March 25, 2020, N95 respirator masks and other personal protective equipment items were designated as scarce pursuant to the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), which authorizes the president to do so during times of national emergency. This triggered the DPA’s criminal anti-hoarding and anti-price-gouging provisions found at Sections 4512-4513 of Title 50 of the United States Code. According to Dr. Mona Mofid’s plea agreement, from May 2020 to January 2021, she willfully purchased over 375,000 N95 respirator masks from medical supply companies despite knowing that doing so was unlawful at the time. Adam Mofid admitted in his plea agreement that during the same time period his company, Clinical Supplies USA, generated approximately $15,760,000 of gross income, mostly through the sale of N95 masks that were sold for, on average, 300 percent to 400 percent of their purchase price. For instance, on June 10, 2020, Clinical Supplies USA sold an individual 20 3M Model 8200 N95 masks for $16.99 per mask and 20 3M Model 8210Plus N95 masks for $17.99 per mask. Adam Mofid further admitted that he knew such sales in excess of prevailing market prices were illegal during that period of time. “While many in our community, especially healthcare providers, responded valiantly to COVID-19, some people took advantage of the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman. “These defendants are paying the price for selling medical supplies at inflated prices during a national crisis.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and the FBI for their excellent work on this case “As the severity of the pandemic became apparent in our community and so many others, Mona and Adam Mofid sought to take advantage of the world-wide crisis, and gain an unfair advantage, by stockpiling these vital products and selling them for price-gouging prices to facilitate their greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “In particular, Dr. Mofid’s hoarding of such sought-after medical products transgressed her oath as a physician to do no harm. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold price gaugers accountable and bring them to justice.” DEFENDANTS Case Number 23cr530-DDL Mona Zohdi Mofid Age: 51 La Jolla, CA Case Number 23cr550-DDL Adam Zohdi Mofid Age: 21 St. Louis, MO SUMMARY OF CHARGES Defense Production Act – Title 50, U.S.C., Sections 4512-4513 Maximum penalty: One year in prison and fine of greatest of $100,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigations *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Child at Gunpoint in 2005

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Marquette E. Johnson, 42, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today to first degree sexual abuse while armed and first degree child sexual abuse while armed, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to the government’s evidence, on or about November 28, 2005, at approximately 8:30 a.m., within the District of Columbia, Johnson abducted a 12-year-old female child, at gunpoint, as she walked to school. He drove up to the victim, pointed a semiautomatic pistol or imitation pistol at her, and told her to get in the minivan or he would kill her. Once the child complied, the defendant drove her to an alley behind the 1300 block of Morris Road, SE, where he forced her to get in the back seat and sexually assaulted her. When the defendant finished raping her, he drove the victim back to the location where he had picked her up and told her something to the effect of, “See, I told you, you wouldn’t miss school.” The child promptly reported what had occurred to a teacher and an MPD officer stationed at the school. DNA obtained from the physical evidence in the investigation matched the DNA profile of the defendant, who is a convicted offender. Additional DNA testing determined it was at least 87 quadrillion times more likely if the evidence originated from the defendant and the victim, than if from the victim and an unknown, unrelated individual. The defendant was a stranger to the victim and her family. The Honorable Judge Maribeth Raffinan scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 29, 2023. Under the plea agreement, if accepted by the Court, Johnson faces a sentence of 23-27 years in prison, followed by at least five years of supervised release. He will also have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. This case was investigated by detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit and Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit, Youth Investigations Division, and detectives and officers from the Seventh District. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Zubrensky and Robert Platt, with support from Paralegal Specialist Cynthia Muhammad and Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins. This case was brought as part of the Cold Case Initiative launched in February 2018, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, to reinvestigate previously unsolved cases of sexual assault as well as sexual assault-related homicides. The U.S. Attorney’s Office works on this initiative in partnership with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and local law enforcement partners in the DMV area to achieve its mission.


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of All Charges for Repeated Acts of Sexual Abuse of a Child

body_text: WASHINGTON – Charles Johnson, 29, of Washington, D.C., was convicted today of multiple counts of first degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, multiple counts of first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, second degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, attempted first degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, and assault. The verdict, announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), follows a 5-day trial in Superior Court in the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 6, 2023. According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, on multiple occasions between November 2019 and September 2021, Johnson sexually abused a child who was nine and ten years old at the time of the assaults. Johnson subjected the child to sexual acts and repeatedly forced her to perform sexual acts on him. Johnson, who is an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, resided in the home with the victim and took advantage of occasions when he was left in a position of supervision and care over her. Johnson faces the potential of life imprisonment without the opportunity of release. If he were to be released, Johnson would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Jones and Reshawn Johnson, Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, Victim/Witness Coordinators Donna Proctor, Nikiya Burnette, Katina Adams-Washington, and Tonya Jones, and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling and Charlie Bruce. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison  For Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in NW D.C.

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Isaiah Anderson, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a violent drug trafficking organization, involving 16 other defendants, whose members are charged in a drug distribution conspiracy involving fentanyl, cocaine base, other illegal drugs, illegal firearms. Anderson pleaded guilty, on November 29, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl; using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense; and possession of contraband in prison. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Emily Odom, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge SAC Craig Kailimai, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to court documents, in the Spring of 2020, MPD, FBI, ATF, and DEA began conducting an investigation into a drug trafficking operation, centered around a multi-unit apartment building, located in the Shaw neighborhood of Northwest, Washington, D.C. The investigation revealed that between May 2020 and late-September 2020, at 1319 5th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. members of the conspiracy, including the defendant, distributed narcotics on a near daily basis, primarily in the foyer outside of certain apartments, as well as in the courtyard adjacent to the building’s front entrance. During the conspiracy, the defendant sold Fentanyl for approximately $80/gram and had numerous repeat customers. It is estimated the group distributed multiple kilograms of Fentanyl in the relevant time period. “This case is another example of the multi-agency efforts underway to rid our district of dangerous drug trafficking crews and the violence they bring,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The strategy works. In the six months after these arrests, no violent crimes were reported in the territory the defendants previously occupied, and calls for sounds of gunshots dramatically decreased (by 94%). Nearly two years later, calls for the sounds of gunshots were still down 57%. We are going to prioritize these kinds of investigations, so those thinking of joining similar crews should think hard about whether they want to sacrifice their freedom.” “The success of Operation Lincoln Westmoreland was a result of strong collaboration between the FBI and our federal and local partners,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Odom. “Together we arrested over a dozen subjects; recovered numerous weapons, including seven ghost guns; and seized fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and promethazine, leaving Shaw safer for everyone who lives and works in the neighborhood.” On August 5, 2020, Anderson and another co-conspirator purchased a 2017 Infiniti Q60 for $32,690 in cash. Anderson provided the car dealership with trash bags full of small denomination bills for the purchase. On August 12, 2020, Anderson was driving that car with co-conspirator Michael Robinson in the vehicle. The Infiniti was involved in a traffic crash with an MPD vehicle. Anderson fled the scene but was apprehended a short time later. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a Glock 30, Gen4 .45 caliber firearm, loaded with 11 rounds in the magazine and 1 round in the chamber; a digital scale; approximately 100 empty Ziplock bags; $3,567.99 in U.S. Currency; and suspected cocaine base, Fentanyl, and marijuana. Anderson admitted that he possessed the narcotics on August 12, 2020, with the intent to redistribute them to others as part of the conspiracy. He also admitted that his role in the conspiracy included the distribution and the possession with the intent to distribute at least 400 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl. On or about August 25, 2021, the Defendant, while an inmate being held without bond in this case in the custody of the United States Marshal at the Central Detention Facility (CDF) located at 1901 D Street, S.E., Washington, D.C., possessed on his person a five-inch piece of metal sharpened to a point on one end and wrapped in cloth on the other end that was designed or intended to be used as a weapon. In September 2021, while also incarcerated in this case in the custody of the United States Marshal at the CDF, the Defendant possessed an operating cellular telephone to access, and communicate through, Instagram, a social media platform. Other members of the conspiracy who have pleaded guilty to drug and/or gun offenses and have been sentenced include: NAME SENTENCE Isaiah Anderson 120 months in prison; 36 months SR Tyree Marshall 84 months in prison; 36 months SR Daeshawn Brown 51 months in prison; 36 months SR Taquan Canarte 53 months in prison; 36 months SR Shahn Giles 60 months in prison; 36 months SR Xavier Harris 110 months in prison; 60 months SR Jovanta Little 42 months in prison; 36 months SR Mikeal Matthews 94 months in prison; 60 months SR Kevon Maynor 63 months in prison; 48 months SR Michael Robinson 96 months in prison; 36 months SR Jaden Smith 46 months in prison; 36 months SR Takisha Ganeous 96 months in prison; 48 months SR Maurice Glasgow Pleaded guilty; Awaiting sentencing In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Linden, Special Agent in Charge Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge Forget, and Interim Chief Benedict, commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department, the agents from FBI and DEA, and the agents and DNA lab personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney George Eliopoulos and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Fletcher, with the office’s Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Intimate Partner Violence and Obstructing Justice

body_text: WASHINGTON – Brandon Brown, 33, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to a 10-year prison term for strangling his ex-girlfriend and then trying to dissuade her from participating in the pending criminal investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Brown pleaded guilty, on March 3, 2023, to one count of aggravated assault, and one count of obstructing justice. According to the government’s evidence, on April 19, 2022, Brown and his on-again, off-again intimate partner got into an argument about whether they had been cheating on each other. During the argument, the defendant strangled his partner with sufficient force that she “blacked out.” Brown’s actions caused the defendant to lose her vision and become unconscious, creating a grave risk of death. A week later, despite being held in custody, Brown contacted his partner from the D.C. Jail to try and persuade her not to come to court or participate in the criminal investigation. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins, Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Fogle and Garcia Clarke, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Joseph and Robert Platt, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Lee, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Columbus Armed Robber Sentenced to 21+ Years for Violent Crime Spree

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus man who committed seven violent armed robberies with his stepbrother in 2021, holdingstore employees at gunpointand firing shots at people, was sentenced to serve 259 months in prison today. Janerio Jones, 27, was sentenced to serve 259 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release today by U.S. District Judge Clay Land after he pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on Dec. 20, 2022. Co-defendant Quentin Anderson, 29, of Columbus, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 14. Anderson previously pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit an offense on Feb. 24. There is no parole in the federal system. “Janerio Jones and Quentin Anderson embarked on a violent robbery spree that caused mayhem in the Columbus community and inflicted lasting harm on their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will do everything in our power to hold dangerous offenders accountable and support local, state and federal law enforcement in their efforts to curb violent crime.” “No one should ever be terrorized physically or emotionally, like the victims in these violent armed robberies were,” said Rich Bilson, Special Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Columbus office. “Thanks to the assistance from our local law enforcement partners, Jones and Anderson will spend a long time behind bars where they won’t be able to wreak havoc on any more innocent civilians." “In the span of a few days, the defendants charted a path of violent armed robberies at multiple businesses across Columbus,” said Columbus Police Department Deputy Chief Lance Deaton. “Thanks to the collaborative effort with our state and federal partners, these individuals were arrested before they could terrorize another business and its employees. These sentencings send a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated in our community.” According to court documents, Jones and Anderson together robbed seven businesses in Columbus between Jan. 18, 2021, and Feb. 22, 2021. On the afternoon of Jan. 18, the defendants robbed both the Little Caesars on Buena Vista Road and the Dollar General on Crystal Drive within an hour and a half of each other. At Little Caesars, the entire cash register was removed from the store and the store employees took cover at the back of the store once they realized the robbers had a gun. At Dollar General, the robbers attempted to take the cash register, failed and fled on foot. Four days later, on Jan. 22, the defendants held up the Forrest Road Package on Forrest Road. One of the robbers pointed a gun in the face of a store employee while the other attempted to rob an employee at the back of the store. The cash register tray was taken. The following day, on Jan. 23, the owner of Jerry’s Food Mart on St. Mary’s Road was robbed at gunpoint by Jones and Anderson. The robbers took the owner’s wallet, store merchandise and cash. On Jan. 27, the owner of the Super C Food Mart on Decatur Street was robbed at gunpoint. The owner refused to give the robbers cash, and Jones fired a round at the cashier, which struck the protective glass barrier. As they exited the building, Jones fired another round at the owner which penetrated the glass barrier, narrowly missing him. The store owner fired his own gun at the assailants. On the evening of Feb. 4, the defendants and another individual robbed the Quality Inn on Macon Road. Jones pointed his handgun at the property owner’s head and stole money out of the hotel safe; the men fled on foot. On Feb. 22 at approximately 8:53 p.m., the defendants robbed the Marco’s Pizza on University Avenue. Jones fired his gun into the air when they entered the restaurant and demanded money. The robbers fled with stolen cash. Several Marco’s Pizza employees quit their jobs after the violent incident. Anderson was taken into custody on April 14, 2021, at a residence in Stockbridge, Georgia. Jones was taken into custody on Aug. 11, 2021, at a motel in Forest Park, Georgia. The case was investigated by FBI and the Columbus Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Licking County man sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually exploiting minor boys he met through church youth group

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Licking County man was sentenced in federal court here today to 25 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors and soliciting child pornography from dozens of other minor boys through the mobile application Snapchat. Matthew I Reif, 27, of Newark, Ohio, victimized at least 52 minor boys, some of whom he had access to through his role in a local youth church group. The exploitation of these minor males took place both in the community and online between October 2020 and July 2022. “Reif exploited his victims’ vulnerabilities through their religion, their financial limitations and their youth for his own perverted fantasies,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “For the well-being of those children whom he has already harmed, and to prevent the mental, psychological or physical damage to any additional children, Reif must be kept away from society for a significant period of time.” According to court documents, Reif offered gifts and money to minor boys and, in exchange, requested the minors engage in sex acts with him or for him. Reif used text messaging and Snapchat to communicate with his victims, some of whom he only had access to online and had not met in person. The defendant would pose as a female named “Nicole” via Snapchat to obtain child sexual abuse material from the minor males. Twelve of the identified victims in this case indicated they sent photos or videos to Reif on Snapchat when they were between 14 and 17 years old, believing Reif to be a female. The defendant also contacted minor males he knew from the community, posing as himself and garnering their trust through his position in a Heath, Ohio, church. Reif would then screen record any pornographic content he received from the minors via Snapchat. In addition, Reif was trusted with some of the victims on overnight stays, during which he surreptitiously recorded the victims with a hidden camera that he placed in different bathrooms. Reif saved the images and videos he created and obtained and then organized the content by the name of the male minor depicted. Reif pleaded guilty in December 2022 to sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Causing Two Deaths During DUI Hit-and-Run in Indian Country

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, ANTONIO MARQUES MITCHELL , 25, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On December 20, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Mitchell with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The indictment alleges that Mitchell caused the death of two people while in the commission of multiple misdemeanor offenses—including, fleeing the scene of an accident and driving under the influence. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Mitchell was driving westbound on NW 16th St in Newcastle, Oklahoma, on December 30, 2021, when he collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Highway 76 and NW 16th St. The affidavit alleges that a witness told a 911 operator that Mitchell was smoking marijuana and that other witnesses also told police that Mitchell fled the scene of the collision after being asked for proof of insurance. Minutes after leaving the scene of the first collision, the affidavit alleges Mitchell swerved into oncoming traffic and again collided with a second car while Mitchell was driving approximately 80 mph eastbound on Highway 37 in a 55-mph zone. It is alleged that the driver of the second car died at the scene, as did Mitchell’s own passenger. A sample of Mitchell’s blood tested positive for a combination of alcohol, amphetamine, and marijuana. At a hearing before United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot yesterday, Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter, as charged in the indictment. As part of his plea, Mitchell admitted that he was driving approximately 77 mph in a 55 mph zone eastbound when his car collided with another car in the westbound lane, causing the death of his passenger and the driver of the other car. Mitchell further admitted that it was foreseeable that his conduct was a threat to the lives of others. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in approximately 90 days. At sentencing, Mitchell faces up to eight years in federal prison for each count and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. This case is in federal court because Mitchell is a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the alleged crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office Safe Trails Task Force, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Newcastle Police Department, the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation, and the McClain County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison B. Christian and Mark R. Stoneman are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for more information.


title: Shannon Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Armed Bank Robbery

body_text: Verona, MS – A Shannon, Mississippi man was sentenced yesterday to 63 months in prison for the armed bank robbery of the Renasant Bank located in Verona, Mississippi. According to court documents, Antonia Cannon, 57, entered the Renasant Bank in Verona on December 30, 2022, wearing a hoodie and a “Covid” mask, approached the teller, and demanded money while brandishing what appeared to be a black firearm. The teller provided Cannon $4,700 from the teller drawer and Cannon fled from the bank with the money. Cannon was later apprehended by law enforcement officers on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The $4,700 taken by Cannon was recovered in his automobile still wrapped in the bank’s money wrappers with the teller’s initials on them. The gun used by Cannon during the robbery was later determined to be a black Daisy .177 caliber BB gun modeled after a Beretta M9. Cannon has a lengthy criminal history of committing armed robberies that spans decades from the Mississippi Delta to North Mississippi. Cannon also has a previous armed bank robbery conviction in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi from 1998 for which he served 70 months. U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigations, along with the Verona Police Department, Tupelo Police Department, and the United States National Park Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Feleica Wilson prosecuted the case.


title: Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on June 22, 2022, law enforcement officers observed a firearm in plain view during a routine traffic stop on Lyndale Avenue North at Lowry Avenue. Law enforcement subsequently recovered another firearm, cocaine, and fentanyl pills from the vehicle. John Lee Jones, 39, a passenger in the vehicle, admitted to officers that the drugs and weapons were his and that he acquired them during a “lick” a few days prior. Jones was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Joan N. Ericksen. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Violent Offender Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha H. Bates prosecuted the case.


title: Man to Appear Today in Federal Court After Being Arrested for Trafficking 25 Pounds of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – Narquin Antonio Sanchez-Unbes, 23, will appear before Magistrate Judge Andrea K. Johnstone for an initial appearance in federal court today at 4:00pm for trafficking approximately 25 pounds of alleged crystal methamphetamine to New Hampshire from Massachusetts, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. According to the charging documents, Sanchez-Unbes delivered 25 pounds of crystal methamphetamine to law enforcement on Monday, July 10, 2023 in Rochester. Sanchez-Unbes took an Uber from Massachusetts to traffic the package containing 25 pounds of alleged crystal methamphetamine in exchange for $58,000 in U.S. currency, of which $3000 was a delivery fee. Sanchez was charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charging statute has a penalty of not more than 20 years of imprisonment. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Lee County Felon Pleads Guilty To Unlawfully Possessing Loaded Firearm On Campus Of Local School

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Wyatt Olen Henderson (64, Cape Coral) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Henderson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, on May 12, 2023, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office encountered Henderson on the campus of a Lee County school openly carrying a loaded firearm holstered to his hip. Henderson, a convicted felon who had previously served time in federal prison, was an employee of the school at the time. As a convicted felon, Henderson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Anthon, Iowa Man to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy Convictions

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Brett Sauser, 38, from Anthon, Iowa, was sentenced on June 29, 2023, in federal court in Sioux City to 126 months’ imprisonment. Sauser pled guilty on February 10, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within a protected location. Sauser resided within 1000 feet of Memorial Park and Anthon Elementary School in Anthon, Iowa and obtained his drugs from the Dark Web. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2019 through August 2022, Sauser participated in a conspiracy involving the distribution of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine as well as possession of more than 20 grams each of fentanyl; ketamine; and MDMA. Sauser obtained the controlled substances through the Dark Web and would receive the drugs through the U.S. Postal Service. In August of 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sauser’s residence after Sauser accepted covert delivery of a package containing a quarter-pound of methamphetamine. The evidence seized included 3 separate baggies of methamphetamine, approximately 3.5 grams each, plus small amounts of MDMA, heroin, ketamine, LSD, marijuana, three bags of mushroom roots (for manufacture of psilocybin mushrooms) and various drug use and distribution paraphernalia. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sauser was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment and must serve an 8-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sauser remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 22-4065. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Wewoka Resident Sentenced For Sexually Abusing A Child In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eduardo Chapa, age 35, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 75 months imprisonment for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. The charges arose from investigations by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On April 4, 2022, Chapa pleaded guilty to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. At the plea hearing, Chapa admitted to sexually abusing a minor under the age of 16 between 2018 and 2019. The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee. Chapa will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.


title: Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty To Distribution Of Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Damian Michael Murguia, age 20, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Distribution of Fentanyl. The superseding indictment alleged that on October 20, 2022, Murguia distributed fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. According to investigators, Murguia sold counterfeit Roxicodone (M30) tablets containing fentanyl to an undercover DEA special agent in McAlester, Oklahoma. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Murguia will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary W. Parsons represented the United States.


title: Former Hells Angels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Member Sentenced to 80 Months in Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Guam & Northern Mariana Islands

body_text: Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Nicholas Alexander Aguon, age 34, from Stockton, California, was sentenced to 80 months imprisonment by the District Court of Guam. Aguon was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered five years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits. Aguon traveled to Guam from Stockton, California, in 2017. He began distributing methamphetamine from two Tumon hotel rooms to numerous persons. The investigation also revealed that Aguon received large sums of money in his personal accounts and returned the proceeds back to his California supplier using money remitter services. The drug transactions were facilitated using cell phones and Facebook messenger. Aguon sold over a pound of methamphetamine before the distribution was detected by law enforcement. “The sentence in this case sends a message of deterrence to those seeking to distribute drugs in Guam,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Combatting drug crime remains an important priority for our law enforcement partners. I applaud their efforts.” “HSI is committed to investigating drug traffickers who trade in methamphetamine,” said John F. Tobon, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Honolulu. “Criminals like Aguon who distribute this poison will be investigated and prosecuted to stop the flow of dangerous drug into our communities.” This investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.


title: Tampa Cocaine Dealer Sentenced To Over 7 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Rafael Jose Gonzalez Alomar (39, Tampa) to seven years and three months in federal prison for possessing over 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Gonzalez Alomar had pleaded guilty on March 28, 2023. According to court documents, in February 2022, officers conducted a series of controlled purchases of cocaine from Gonzalez Alomar at his Tampa home. On March 14, 2022, officers executed a search warrant at Gonzalez Alomar’s home and seized more than two kilograms of cocaine, two firearms, and $93,842 in cash. Alomar Gonzalez admitted that the items belonged to him. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Sarasota Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty To Failing To Provide Information To The IRS

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Karl Knocker has pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to provide information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as required by law relating to his income tax liability. Knocker faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement and information presented at the plea hearing, Knocker owned and managed a restaurant in Sarasota. Beginning at least as early as August 2013, Knocker and his partner and co-owner of the restaurant, Madeline Nikolson, instituted a scheme to defraud the IRS by removing the records of daily cash sales from point-of-sale registers at the restaurant, leaving the record to consist only of credit card sales. The owners kept the true record of their sales and income secret and did not disclose it to the IRS, as required by the Internal Revenue Code and regulations. The two restaurant owners provided this falsified record of sales income to tax preparers who prepared both their personal income tax returns and their corporate tax returns for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018. As a result, they falsified and removed any reference to approximately $726,105 in sales income from their corporate and personal tax returns for those tax years, resulting in over $100,000 of taxes due and owing on those sums of unreported income. Nikolson previously pleaded guilty for her role in this case. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 1, 2023. This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.


title: Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Jeremy P. Devaisher, 42, of Brighton, IL, was sentenced to 130 months in prison for methamphetamine-related charges on Thursday, July 6, 2023. He was fined $200 and must also pay $100 in special assessments. Following his release from federal prison, Devaisher must complete five years of supervised release. Devaisher was arrested in Alton in January of 2022, while he was still on mandatory supervised release from the Illinois Department of Corrections for Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon. Officers from the Alton Police Department were conducting a traffic stop of a vehicle that Devaisher was a passenger in when the vehicle suddenly pulled into a residential driveway. Devaisher exited the vehicle, refused the officer’s commands to stop and stay with the vehicle, and then attempted to enter the residence, which did not belong to him. Once Devaisher entered the house he was tased, arrested, and discovered to be in possession of a large amount of crystal methamphetamine and packaging materials for drug distribution. A federal grand jury indicted Devaisher on March 22, 2022, with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and he pled guilty on March 20, 2023. “Methamphetamine is dangerously addictive, it ruins lives, and it harms communities across southern Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “We work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that repeat offenders face heightened penalties for choosing crime over peaceful rehabilitation.” “I am incredibly proud of the Alton Police Officers who helped put a stop to Devaisher’s distribution of methamphetamine,” said Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford. “This case truly highlights the excellent working relationship that the Alton Police Department shares with our federal law enforcement partners, including the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” The Alton Police Department conducted the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted forensic chemistry testing, and Assistant United States Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case.


title: Cape Coral Man Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison For  Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Covington has sentenced William Douglas Collinsworth (54, Cape Coral) to 14 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Collinsworth to serve a lifetime of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and forfeit his cellphone which was used in the commission of the offense. Collinsworth had pleaded guilty on March 8, 2023. According to court documents, Collinsworth spoke with an undercover agent believing he was going to meet a purported 10-year-old to engage in sexual activity. Collinsworth engaged the undercover agent in conversation for approximately two months, discussing various sex acts, before traveling to meet the purported minor, where he was arrested by agents. Collinsworth came prepared to engage in sex acts with the purported 10-year-old, bringing a unicorn backpack, penis pump, lubrication, and condoms. This case was investigated by the FBI, the Tampa Police Department, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa Spergel. It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Justice Department Statement on the European Union’s Adoption of Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework to Restore Trust and Stability to Transatlantic Data Flows, Reflecting the Strength of EU-U.S. Relationship

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Note : To obtain a copy of the AG designation and memo click Attorney General Designation Pursuant to Section 3(f) of Executive Order 14086 of the EU/EEA and Supporting Memorandum for the Attorney General’s designation of the EU/EEA . Other related information is available at www.justice.gov/opcl/executive-order-14086 . Following the European Commission’s adoption of its adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework , the Justice Department made the following statement: The Justice Department welcomes the European Commission’s adoption on July 10 of an adequacy decision for the United States as part of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, to which President Biden and European Commission President von der Leyen agreed in March 2022. The adequacy decision provides a basis in the law of the European Union for transfers of personal data from EU countries to the United States for commercial purposes. This flow of data underpins the $7 trillion-dollar U.S.-EU economic relationship and provides vital benefits to citizens and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, enabling businesses of all sizes to compete in each other’s markets. The Commission’s adoption of the adequacy decision also brings into effect the Attorney General’s designation of the EU and the three additional countries making up the European Economic Area (EEA) as “qualifying states” for purposes of implementing the redress mechanism established in Executive Order 14086. A country or a regional economic integration organization may be designated a “qualifying state” by the Attorney General if he determines, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Director of National Intelligence, that it meets the requirements set forth in the executive order. That determination was made on June 30 for the EU/EEA, contingent upon the Commission’s adoption of an adequacy decision. The Attorney General’s designation and the supporting memorandum for the designation are available at www.justice.gov/opcl/executive-order-14086 . As a result of the designation and the adoption of the adequacy decision, EU/EEA individuals may now submit complaints to obtain redress for alleged violations of law in connection with U.S. signals intelligence activities affecting their personal data transferred to the United States. The Justice Department looks forward to working with our partners at the European Commission, together with representatives of European data protection authorities, on continuing implementation of these data privacy safeguards.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for an Interstate Domestic Violence Offense

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Omaha man was sentenced on Thursday, July 6, 2023, for interstate domestic violence – causing travel of a victim. Ruben Toledo, Jr., 28, was sentenced to 60 months in prison following his guilty plea. According to court documents, on October 23, 2021, Toledo assaulted his then girlfriend at a bar in downtown Omaha then forced her into his car and drove from Omaha, Nebraska to Council Bluffs, Iowa and continued the assault. After his prison sentence, Toledo must serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. When he committed this crime, Toledo was on supervised release for a 2015 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. The Court also revoked Toledo’s supervised release and sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutively to the 60-month sentence. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, the Omaha Police Department, the Glenwood Police Department, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), or the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence at 1-800-770-1650. Additional resources for victims and survivors of domestic violence can be found on the Resources page of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at https://ncadv.org/resources .


title: Nebraska Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Nebraska man was sentenced on Thursday, July 6, 2023, to 180 months in federal prison for charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, carrying a firearm during and relation to a drug trafficking crime, prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on August 6, 2021, a Council Bluffs Police officer found Kyle G. Ashmore, 37, in a car in a motel parking lot around 3:30am. The officer saw a baggie of marijuana in plain view. During the search of the vehicle, the officer found a loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun, a box of ammunition, LSD, fentanyl, cocaine, buprenorphine, psilocyn, and drug paraphernalia. Following a two-day trial in November 2022, a jury found Ashmore guilty of the drug charges. Following a two-day trial in February 2023, a jury found Ashmore guilty of the gun charges. Ashmore must serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Department of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.


title: Red Oak Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution Offenses

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA -- A Red Oak man was sentenced on July 6, 2023 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Donald Eugene Reed, 45, was sentenced to 212 months in prison following his plea of guilty to both counts. Reed must serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE) completed several controlled buys from Reed in September 2022, purchasing methamphetamine and marijuana. The United States Postal Inspectors intercepted a package addressed to Reed’s home in Red Oak, containing four pounds of methamphetamine. DNE also learned that approximately 15 other similar packages had been previously delivered to Reed. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.


title: North Vernon Man Charged with Engaging in an Unlicensed Firearms Dealing Business After Selling More than 500 Guns for Over $350,000

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging David Joseph Mull, 51, of North Vernon, Indiana, on one count of unlicensed firearm dealing. As alleged in the indictment, Mull is responsible for selling more than 500 firearms in exchange for over $350,000 to Individual A, and 90 firearms in exchange for $56,850 to Individual B. The firearms were allegedly purchased by Mull from gun shows and sold to other individuals. Mull was allegedly aware that the firearms he sold would be transported to Mexico. On May 25, 2016, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued Mull with a cease-and-desist letter advising him that it was unlawful to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license. During a firearms sale on March 9, 2023, Individual B asked Mull why he did not have a brick-and-mortar business, to which Mull replied, “Like a store? I don't want nobody to know. I’m probably like you, I don't want nobody to know about it. Hopefully we can continue to do a bunch of business; I’ll keep on getting stuff.” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement. “Firearms trafficking investigations are a priority of the Department of Justice, because we know that illegal gun sales fuel violence in our communities and around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “We will continue to work with the ATF, IRS, DEA, and all our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute illegal gun trafficking.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. If convicted, Mull faces up to five years in federal prison. The government also seeks to forfeit over 1,000 firearms seized from Mull as property involved in the charged offense. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kelsey L. Massa and Michelle P. Brady, who are prosecuting this case. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Dominican Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Manny Bautista-Arias, 31, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, Bautista-Arias was deported from the United States in September 2017. It is alleged that sometime after his removal, Bautista-Arias unlawfully returned to the United States and was removed again in November 2018. Sometime after his removal, it is alleged that Bautista-Arias unlawfully reentered the United States for a second time. On June 10, 2023, Bautista-Arias was arrested by immigration authorities in Quincy. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Levy’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: KC Chiefs ‘Superfan’ Charged with Bank Theft

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kansas, man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic,” who has been a fugitive from justice for the past four months, has been charged in federal court with bank theft for one of a string of robberies he is suspected of committing. Xaviar Michael Babudar, 28, was charged with one count of bank theft and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on May 24, 2023. The federal criminal complaint was unsealed and made public today following Babudar’s arrest in Lincoln, California, on Friday, July 7. Babudar will have his initial court appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, Calif. This case will be presented to a federal grand jury to determine whether to return an indictment on these or any additional charges. Babudar enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic. He was charged in Tulsa County, Okla., with the robbery of the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar was released on bond in February 2023, and in late March 2023 removed his ankle monitor and fled prosecution. Investigators recently located Babudar near Sacramento and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest on this complaint. According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Babudar traveled throughout the Midwest to perpetrate a string of robberies at various banks and credit unions. He allegedly laundered the robbery proceeds through area casinos and bank accounts. Following Babudar’s arrest in Oklahoma last December, FBI investigators began reviewing bank records, casino transaction records, and sensitive financial reporting to determine the breadth and scope of additional potential criminal activities. Babudar purchased and redeemed more than $1 million in chips from various casinos in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois between April and December 2022, the affidavit says. Investigators also reviewed unsolved bank robberies throughout the Midwest during that time frame. Babudar’s cell phone was placed in the same cities and locations for these previously unsolved bank robberies and attempted robberies, the affidavit says. In addition to the bank theft with which Babudar is charged in this complaint and the bank robbery charged in Oklahoma, the affidavit specifically refers to four bank robberies in Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee and Oklahoma, and to the attempted robberies of two credit unions in Minnesota. The complaint charges Babudar with stealing $70,000 from Great Western Bank in Clive, Iowa, on March 2, 2022, then transporting the stolen money across state lines from Iowa to Missouri. According to the affidavit, he entered the bank wearing a ski mask and handed a teller a note demanding money and indicating he had a firearm. The teller handed Babudar $70,000; law enforcement officers later found $1,460 in $20 bills in the nearby woods along with a glove worn by Babudar during the bank robbery. Over the next six weeks, Babudar deposited the same approximate amount of money that was stolen from Great Western Bank into his money market savings account, the affidavit says, and engaged in multiple casino chip purchases and redemptions at the Argosy Casino in Riverside, Mo. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI. The Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted in the arrest. Court Filed Complaint & Affidavit


title: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Missouri Tax Return Preparer

component: Tax Division

body_text: The United States filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Missouri seeking to bar a St. Louis-based tax preparer from assisting in preparing federal income tax returns for others. The government’s complaint alleges that, since at least 2017, Diane Shontae Williams, both individually and through her business, Dreams & Memories Professional Planning Services, prepared tax returns for customers that falsely decrease the amount of tax that customers owe or falsely increase her customers’ refunds. According to the complaint, Williams concocted fictitious businesses; falsified expenses to reduce both real and fictitious self‑employment income; claimed bogus residential energy credits; fabricated household employee income to claim higher tax credits for customers; and invented false itemized deductions, including unreimbursed business expenses and charitable donations. The complaint further alleges that Williams does not identify herself as a paid preparer on her customers’ returns, which adds to the government’s difficulty in identifying and detecting her illicit tax preparation activities. The IRS specifically cautions taxpayers to avoid “ghost” preparers , who will prepare a tax return but refuse to sign or include their IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) as required by law. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS offers tips on how to accurately file returns and how to choose a tax return preparer , as well as steps taxpayers can take to get a jumpstart on filing . Taxpayers seeking assistance can access the IRS’s free directory of federal tax preparers . The IRS also has programs offering free basic return preparation for qualifying seniors and individuals with low to moderate income. In addition, IRS Free File , a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $73,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.


title: Springfield Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Armed Robbery

body_text: BOSTON – A Springfield man has been sentenced in connection with an armed robbery of a convenience store and firearms charges. Emilio Rivera, 34, was sentenced on July 6, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2019, Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of using a firearm in relation to crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On Nov. 14, 2019, Rivera and, allegedly, co-defendant Alfredo Aldeco robbed a clerk in a West Springfield convenience store at gunpoint. When law enforcement later executed a search warrant on Rivera’s home, they found the firearm used in the robbery along with another firearm and ammunition, owned by Rivera. At the time, Rivera was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction. Aldeco has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the West Springfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee, Northampton and Springfield Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Levy’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Two Men Convicted of Using Credit and Debit Card Skimmers at Gas Stations to Steal Nearly $200,000 in Fresno and Southern California

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Akop Dongelyan, 47, of Glendale, and Artak Vardanyan, 40, of Burbank, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit credit and debit card fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court records, in November 2015, Dongelyan and Vardanyan went on a crime spree in Fresno and Southern California where they stole multiple victims’ credit and debit card information through skimmers placed at gas stations. They then used that information to make counterfeit credit and debit cards and fraudulently withdraw $198,000 from the victims’ accounts. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case. Dongelyan is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6, 2023, and Vardanyan is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba. They each face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Defendant Charged With Theft Of Cryptocurrency And NFTs Through Spoofing Of OpenSea Marketplace

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christie M. Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a four-count Indictment charging SOUFIANE OULAHYANE, a/k/a “Soufiane Oulahya,” for a scheme to impersonate the OpenSea marketplace in order to obtain unauthorized access to cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”). In September 2021, OULAHYANE stole approximately $450,000 worth of cryptocurrency and NFTs from a victim in Manhattan. OULAHYANE is currently in custody in Morocco for domestic Moroccan charges. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Soufiane Oulahyane used a common cybercrime technique to steal victim cryptocurrency and NFTs. ‘Spoofing’ is one of the oldest tricks in the criminal playbook. Oulahyane adapted this old tool for use in a new and developing arena – the crypto space. The charges unsealed today should serve as a reminder that digital assets, such as cryptocurrency and NFTs, are not immune from cyber fraudsters and that my Office is committed to prosecuting these fraudsters both here and abroad.” FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said: “Oulahyane is alleged to have operated a spoof website to gain unauthorized access to victims’ cryptocurrency wallets to steal their cryptocurrency and NFTs. The FBI is committed to holding all individuals who conduct malicious cyberattacks against U.S. interests accountable in the United States criminal justice system - no matter where in the world they are located.” As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] In or about September 2021, SOUFIANE OULAHYANE, a/k/a “Soufiane Oulahya,” engaged in a scheme to “spoof” the login page to the OpenSea marketplace, the first and largest NFT marketplace. Through paid advertisements on a popular search engine, OULAHYANE caused his spoofed version of OpenSea to appear first in search results for “opensea.” The spoofed website was purposefully designed to look like the legitimate OpenSea login page in order to trick unsuspecting victims into thinking they were interfacing with the real OpenSea marketplace. However, when victims entered their login credentials or other private information on the spoofed site, their credentials were automatically sent to an email account controlled by OULAHYANE. On or about September 26, 2021, a Manhattan-based victim (“Victim-1”) used a popular search engine to search for “opensea.” That search yielded a link that, unbeknownst to Victim-1, connected to OULAHYANE’s spoofed version of the OpenSea login page. Believing that the spoofed website was the legitimate OpenSea website, Victim-1 entered the seed phrase to their cryptocurrency wallet. By doing this, Victim-1 unwittingly transferred their seed phrase to OULAHYANE, giving access to Victim-1’s cryptocurrency wallet. Almost immediately, OULAHYANE used Victim-1’s seed phrase to obtain unauthorized access to Victim-1’s cryptocurrency wallet. OULAHYANE then transferred the cryptocurrency from Victim-1’s wallet to another cryptocurrency wallet outside of Victim-1’s control. In addition, OULAHYANE sold approximately 39 of Victim-1’s NFTs on the OpenSea marketplace and transferred the fraudulent cryptocurrency proceeds to a wallet outside of Victim-1’s control. For example: OULAHYANE sold an NFT from the “Bored Ape Yacht Club” series, depicted below, which Victim-1 had purchased for approximately 49 ETH. OULAHYANE sold an NFT from the “Meebit” series, depicted below, which Victim-1 had purchased for approximately 9.88 ETH. OULAHYANE sold an NFT from the “Bored Ape Kennel Club” series, depicted below, which Victim-1 had purchased for six ETH. OULAHYANE sold an NFT from the “CryptoDad” series, depicted below, which Victim-1 had purchased for 1.789 ETH. In total, OULAHYANE stole cryptocurrency and NFTs from Victim-1 that Victim-1 had paid approximately $448,923 to obtain. * * * OULAHYANE, 25, of Morocco, is charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; the use of an unauthorized access device, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; affecting transactions with an access device to receive something of value that is equal to or greater than $1,000, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison. The maximum and mandatory potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. U.S. v. Oulahyane Indictment


title: Houston Woman Charged with  Cares Act Fraud and Theft of Government Funds

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TEMIKA SANTEMORE, age 43, currently a resident of Houston, Texas, was charged July 7, 2023 in a two-count bill of information with making false statements and theft of government funds related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding. The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses. In addition, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program was a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) program that provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. The CARES Act provided funding for EIDL loans for business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast to the PPP, EIDL loan amounts were determined based on the recipient businesses’ historical revenue and disbursed directly to the recipient by the SBA. According to the charging documents, SANTEMORE made false statements to the SBA to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief loans funded by the federal government, including PPP funds. As a result, SANTEMORE received approximately $13,540 in such pandemic-related relief loans. SANTEMORE also applied for an EIDL from the SBA in July of 2021 and illegally received $5,000 for a dormant business that she owned. SANTEMORE faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the false statements count. She faces up to ten years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, and up to three years of supervised release for the theft count. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count due after conviction. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations, the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Rockport Business Owner Charged with Filing False Tax Returns

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a local landscaping company was charged today and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a multi-year scheme to underreport income on his tax returns. Steven O’Brien, 70, of Rockport, was charged with five counts of filing false tax returns. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, O’Brien, the owner of Steve’s Landscaping, Inc., cashed customer checks instead of depositing customer payments into his business bank accounts. It is alleged that O’Brien then did not report his income from the cashed checks on his corporate tax filings and personal tax returns for tax years 2016 through 2021, resulting in an income tax loss of more than $368,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Levy’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Danville, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking with Multiple Firearms

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, James G. Phillips, 34, of the 900 block of North Hazel Street, was sentenced on July 7, 2023, to 200 months of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a felon. At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the government presented evidence that law enforcement executed a traffic stop of a car in Danville, and, during the stop, agents discovered a backpack belonging to Phillips, a passenger, that contained nearly 4.5 pounds of high purity methamphetamine, two handguns, and several thousand dollars in United States currency. At the time, Phillips was on mandatory supervised release in connection with a state conviction for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, and he also had three prior convictions for controlled substance offenses. Also at the hearing, Judge Bruce stated that Phillips’s behavior was something he would expect to see from a younger man. Explaining why 200 months of imprisonment was a just sentence, Judge Bruce told Phillips, “You need to stop and figure out where your life is going.” Phillips had previously pleaded guilty to the aforementioned charges. The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine included at least ten years to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and a maximum life term of supervised release. The penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon in Phillips’s case were up to ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Finally, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime required a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. The Danville Police Department and the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution in collaboration with the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office.