title: Chicopee Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Robbing and Assaulting a Confidential Informant

body_text: BOSTON – A Chicopee man was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2024 in federal court in Springfield for robbing and assaulting a confidential informant using a firearm. Hector Laureano, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 147 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In July 2024, Laureano pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting with a dangerous weapon a person assisting an officer or employee of the United States in performance of official duties; one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and one count of robbery of money of the United States. Laureano was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. On May 4, 2023, Laureano intentionally assaulted a confidential informant performing official duties. Laureano allegedly used of a Cobra Model .380 caliber pistol to rob a confidential informant of $1,400 belonging to the United States. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Pasco County Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Distribute Steroids And Possession Of An Unregistered Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Mitchell Bunkowske (32, Land O Lakes) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and possession of an unregistered firearm. Bunkowske faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, between January 2019 and June 2021, Bunkowske was a source of supply who sold quantities of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance, to customers across the United States. He used the United States Postal Service to mail vials containing different types of steroids to customers, including testosterone propionate and drostanolone propionate. Bunkowske also sold anabolic steroids to middlemen who, in turn, supplied them to other customers, including members of the United States Navy. When federal agents executed a search warrant at Bunkowske’s home in June 2021, they found a large quantity of steroids in a variety of different forms. Bunkowske later admitted that he distributed steroids, that he did not have a medical license to do so, and that he was not a medical provider. In addition to seizing the controlled substances, federal agents also recovered from Bunkowske’s home an FN Herstal PS90 5.7x28 caliber rifle with a magazine containing 50 rounds of ammunition. The barrel of the rifle had been replaced with a shortened barrel such that the rifle’s overall length was about 20 inches, including a barrel length of about 12 inches. Under federal law, the nature and measurements of that rifle necessitate registration with the National Firearms Registration and This case was investigated by the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.


title: Beckley Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mark William Bailey, 51, of Beckley, was sentenced on Friday, October 25, 2024, to five years of federal probation, including one year on home detention, and ordered to pay $451,237.51 in restitution for theft of government monies. Bailey admitted to stealing approximately $451,237.51 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Bailey has fully paid the restitution and an additional $451,237.98 as a civil penalty to settle False Claims Act allegations. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 10, 2020, Bailey was the sole owner and president of RMR Delivery Service Inc. when he obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for $150,000. The EIDL program was created by the CARES Act for eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds can only be used on certain permissible business expenses, which can include payment of fixed business debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other business-related expenses that could have been paid had the COVID-19 disaster not occurred. Bailey sought two modifications of his EIDL, increasing the loan amount first to $500,000 and then to $2 million. To obtain each modification, Bailey certified that RMR Delivery Service Inc. would use all loan proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic. Bailey admitted that he fraudulently used approximately $403,768.04 of the EIDL proceeds for his own personal benefit from about March 1, 2022 through about October 20, 2022. Among other personal uses, Bailey purchased a garage and a personal vehicle with the EIDL proceeds. In or around April 2020, Bailey also applied for and received a $110,032 loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Also created by the CARES Act for qualifying small businesses, PPP loans were for job retention and certain other business expenses. Bailey admitted that he misappropriated $47,469.47 of the PPP loan to pay his personal mortgage on or about June 4, 2020. “Mr. Bailey was required to pay not only full restitution but also an equally substantial civil penalty, which represents another tool to bring to justice those who stole COVID-19 relief funds during a national emergency,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The outcome in this case sends a message to others throughout West Virginia and the United States who are or were engaged in pandemic relief fraud schemes that the consequences for such conduct are serious.” Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU). NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-131. ###


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ampless Ray Lilly, 52, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to receiving child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about February 20, 2023, through on or about April 23, 2024, Lilly knowingly received approximately 2,900 images and 1,100 videos containing child pornography on his mobile phone while accessing the internet from his Huntington residence. Lilly admitted that the child pornography he downloaded includes depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and depictions of minor children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. Lilly further admitted that he distributed images and videos containing child pornography through the internet. Lilly is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Lilly must also register as a sex offender. During the time period of this offense, Lilly began serving a five-year term of probation imposed on November 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on August 14, 2023. A petition to revoke that probation has been filed and is currently pending. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-169. ###


title: Arson and Cell Phone Threats Land Del City Man in Federal Prison for 10 Years

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – ALLEN JAMES BULLOCK , 43, of Del City, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for interstate transmission of threatening communications and arson, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On March 19, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment against Bullock, charging him with interstate transmission of threatening communications and arson. On May 21, 2024, a federal jury found Bullock guilty on both counts. Evidence presented at trial indicated that in the early morning hours of November 14, 2023, the Del City Fire Department extinguished a fire at a nearby apartment complex. The fire was contained to the entrance of the apartment and did not spread further. The tenant of the apartment was not home at the time and told authorities he believed Bullock may have started the fire. The victim worked with Bullock’s wife and claimed that just hours before the fire, Bullock called and threatened the victim several times because the victim gifted a shirt to Bullock’s wife. Cell phone records show that Bullock did call the victim multiple times the night of the fire, and an analysis of surveillance footage shows Bullock arriving at the victim’s apartment complex shortly before the fire was set. Surveillance footage also shows that Bullock visited a nearby gas station to purchase $.50 of gasoline minutes before the fire, and expert testimony at trial confirmed that debris samples from the fire tested positive for the presence of gasoline. At the sentencing hearing on October 24, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Bullock to serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the serious nature of these offenses, including issuing threatening communications and setting an apartment unit on fire. It further noted that both offenses involved victims and that the fire could have involved additional victims, which include other residents of the apartment complex, had the Del City Fire Department not intervened in a timely manner. The Court also noted that Bullock has some significant criminal history, including violent offenses. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Del City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stan J. West and Matt Dillon prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Oklahoma City Woman Charged with Forging Signature of Federal Judge in order to Purchase a Vehicle

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal Indictment has been unsealed, charging AMANDA CHRISTINE DAILEY, 36, of Oklahoma City, with forging a signature of a federal judge and making a false statement to a credit union, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On October 1, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Dailey. According to the Indictment, in August 2022, Dailey filed a petition for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. A year later, in August 2023, Dailey purchased a vehicle from a car dealership, which she financed in part with a loan from a federal credit union. The Indictment alleges that, in order to be approved for financing, Dailey presented a false order which purported to show the discharge of her Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings. In reality, Dailey had not been granted a discharge, and the false order she presented included the forged signature of Judge Sarah A. Hall, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma. Dailey was arraigned on October 22, 2024, and pleaded not guilty. She was released on bond with conditions. If found guilty, Dailey faces up to 35 years in federal prison, and fines totaling up to $1,250,000.00. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry is prosecuting the case. The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: United States Obtains $400,000 Judgement against Oklahoma Physician for Issuing Invalid Prescription for Schedule II Controlled Substances

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A judgment for $400,000 has been entered against CHRISTOPHER BRADSHAW , D.O. (“Dr. Bradshaw”) in a civil lawsuit for issuing invalid prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances in violation of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (“Act”) and its regulations, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. During the relevant time, Dr. Bradshaw was licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners to practice medicine in the State of Oklahoma. Dr. Bradshaw also was a DEA registrant having a registered address in Oklahoma City, OK. Schedule II controlled substances are those with a high potential for abuse that may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence and that have a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. The Schedule II substances at issue in this lawsuit were Adderall® (amphetamine mixed salts), Vyvanse® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate), and Norco® (hydrocodone, bitartrate, and acetaminophen). To be valid under the Act, a prescription for Schedule II controlled substances must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his or her professional practice. In the State of Oklahoma: Osteopathic physicians cannot sign blank prescription forms; Osteopathic physicians may not dispense, prescribe, administer, or otherwise distribute any drug, controlled substance, or other treatment without sufficient examination or the establishment of a physician/patient relationship; and Osteopathic physicians may not issue a prescription for a controlled substance without documentation, diagnosis, and physical exam. From March 29, 2019, to May 4, 2020, Dr. Bradshaw issued sixteen prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances without documentation, physical exam, or the establishment of a physician-patient relationship with the recipients. This unprofessional conduct was outside the course of usual professional practice and violated federal and Oklahoma law. On October 17, 2024, United States District Judge Jodi W. Dishman entered a default judgment in favor of the United States and directed Dr. Bradshaw to pay civil penalties in the amount of $400,000, which represents a $25,000 penalty for each of the sixteen violations of the Act. In determining the appropriate penalty amount, the Court considered a number of factors, including the egregiousness of Dr. Bradshaw’s conduct, the risks associated with Schedule II controlled substances, the potential for public harm, and the need for meaningful deterrence against future infractions. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Johnson and Ronald R. Gallegos prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Serve Five Additional Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Federal Correctional Officer with Urine

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – DEMETRI GOLDSMITH , 26, of Washington D.C., has been sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for assaulting a federal officer with urine, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On March 1, 2022, a federal grand jury charged Goldsmith with assaulting a federal officer with physical contact. According to public record, on December 24, 2021, Goldsmith was an inmate at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, when he filled a plastic bag with urine and wedged it into the doorframe of his prison cell. Goldsmith called a correctional officer over to his cell door, and then while speaking to the officer, Goldsmith compressed the bag, spraying urine on the officer’s face and body. Goldsmith pleaded guilty on May 14, 2024, and admitted he assaulted the officer who was in performance of his duties. At the sentencing hearing on October 24, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Goldsmith to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The court ordered this sentence to run consecutive to his current sentencing, for which Goldsmith is serving a 220-month sentence in prison for Assaulting a Federal Officer with Bodily Injury from the Western District of Louisiana. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the disgusting and demeaning nature of the crime, and that Goldsmith had thrown bodily fluids on officers repeatedly throughout his incarceration. This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service and the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nichols and Cedric Bond prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Nehmiah Allen-Griggs, also known as “Newski,” 23, of Dallas, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Allen-Griggs admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2023, Allen-Griggs distributed approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in a Huntington parking lot in exchange for $2,000. On November 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Highlawn Avenue residence in Huntington and seized quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a Landor Arms Canyon Arms 12-gauge shotgun, a Walther P22 .22-caliber pistol equipped with a silencer, a Kel-Teck .22-caliber pistol, and various rounds of ammunition. Allen-Griggs admitted that he and others used the residence to store and distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Allen-Griggs is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Allen-Griggs is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Allen-Griggs is also among 22 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180. ###


title: Agriculture Product Producer Sentenced for Violating Federal Hazardous Waste Law

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: WASHINGTON — AMVAC Chemical Corporation was sentenced today to three years of probation time and a $400,000 fine for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal hazardous waste law. According to court documents, AMVAC is a California corporation formed in 1945, which manufactures and distributes fungicide, defoliant, insecticide, herbicide, molluscicide, fumigant and pesticide products. AMVAC owned and operated a facility in Axis, Alabama, where it made pesticides to distribute and sell in the United States and other countries. In 2006, AMVAC purchased the Thimet pesticide product line from another company. The active ingredient in Thimet was Phorate. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified waste Phorate to be an acute hazardous waste under the RCRA. AMVAC sold and shipped Thimet in reusable containers that it would ship back to its production facility in Axis. The reusable containers would contain small quantities of Thimet. In 2015, AMVAC arranged for the return from Australia of 1,080 reusable containers that had been used for Thimet and contained Thimet residue with Phorate, which the EPA had not authorized to be reformulated into a pesticide. AMVAC directed its transporter to complete an import declaration form called “Notice of Arrival Pesticides and Devices,” for these containers. AMVAC stated the Thimet from Australia was “not registered” with EPA and described disposal as the purpose for the importation into the United States from Australia. The containers with waste Thimet arrived at the Port of Savannah in Georgia and were picked up by a transporter hired by AMVAC to move them to a warehouse in Saraland, Alabama, used by AMVAC. AMVAC did not notify its transporter that the containers held hazardous waste nor did AMVAC cause a hazardous waste manifest to be created for the transportation of the waste Thimet, in violation of RCRA. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama and Acting Special Agent in Charge Leslie Carrol of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division made the announcement. EPA investigated the case. Senior Counsel Kris Dighe of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crime Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Anderson for the Southern District of Alabama prosecuted the case.


title: Fort Myers Career Criminal Sentenced To 15 Years For Unlawfully Possessing Loaded Firearm

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced JD Irons, Jr. (37, Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Irons entered a guilty plea on July 24, 2024. According to court records, on December 8, 2023, Irons fled from officers with the Fort Myers Police Department who were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Irons was the front-seat passenger. Irons was subsequently found hiding in a nearby apartment. Concealed in the glovebox of the vehicle, officers found a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm handgun. Irons was later forensically linked to the firearm. As a convicted felon, Irons is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. As a result of his lengthy criminal record, which includes multiple prison sentences for drug crimes involving cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Irons qualified for enhanced sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was 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: Meth trafficking in Helena sends two men to federal prison

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

body_text: HELENA — A federal judge recently sentenced two Montana men to prison for trafficking about a pound of methamphetamine in the community, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris sentenced defendant Jordan Jawan Gonzales, 33, of Helena, on Oct. 16 to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gonzales pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute meth. The judge also sentenced defendant, Troy Duane Hemen, 36, of Butte and Bozeman, on Oct. 15 to four years and eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Hemen pleaded guilty in May to possession with intent to distribute meth. In court documents, the government alleged that in January 2023, Gonzales and Hemen conspired to have approximately one pound of meth delivered to Gonzales in Helena. Both men were on state supervision for felony drug possession convictions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Helena Police Department and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA Announce Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge, Jarod Forget, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, announced that their agencies have formed the Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force (“MFFOTF”). The alarming rate of overdoses in Maryland has continued, resulting in more than 2,000 deaths from July 2023 through June 2024 – more than 1,600 were fentanyl related. “This problem demands a reinvigorated, unified response throughout Maryland,” said Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “Devastated communities and families are urging us to do more, especially more education and intervention to prevent the needless loss of life.” According to the DEA, fentanyl has reached every corner of Maryland. It is cheaper and more readily available than ever before. The Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force is a joint local, state, and federal task force consisting of sworn law-enforcement members from agencies throughout Maryland. Led and coordinated by DEA’s Washington Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, task force participants remain with their departments conducting their normal duties and will serve on the task force as a collateral duty when needed. The goal of task force is to raise awareness and increase the number of prosecutable overdose-death cases through proper evidence collection and preservation, while also conducting community outreach to educate vulnerable communities throughout Maryland. “The threat to our national security posed by illicit drugs extends beyond traditional challenges and directly impacts public health and safety. Every day, the DEA — alongside its local, state, and federal partners — works to preserve the safety and health of our citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Forget. “As you can see, we recognize that it is essential to direct our resources to the most affected communities. This initiative is a clear example of our collective response to disrupt and dismantle criminal drug trafficking networks, both domestic and abroad, and provide training, operational resources, and engage directly with the communities to talk about drug prevention, fentanyl, and how only ‘One Pill Can Kill’.” As of October 2024, MFFOTF is comprised of 17 state, local, and federal law-enforcement offices: Anne Arundel County Police Department Baltimore Police Department Baltimore County Police Department Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Cecil County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Administration Frederick City Police Department Hagerstown Police Department Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Montgomery County Police Department Ocean City Police Department Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland Washington County Sheriff’s Department Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program As part of this work, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA created the following: a Public Service Announcement , a training for first-responding law enforcement arriving to an overdose crime scene, and a training for community education and outreach. As part of community outreach efforts, members of the task force have already delivered presentations on the dangers of fentanyl to more than 200 senior citizens across the state, including in Salisbury, Elkton, Hagerstown, Denton, and Prince Frederick. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Peoria Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison For Multi-Year Fraud Scheme

component: Department of Justice

body_text: PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Chad Duane Campen, 35, was sentenced on October 24, 2024, to 135 months (11.3 years) following his convictions for bank fraud (one count), wire fraud (three counts), illegal monetary transaction (one count), bankruptcy fraud (one count), and false statements under oath (one count). At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Campen successfully swindled dozens of individuals and financial institutions between 2013 and 2021. During the course of the sentencing, the court heard from several of Campen’s victims who described themselves as “survivors” of Campen’s crimes. Campen pretended to be engaged in various business ventures ranging from farming to the construction of a solar farm. Via this elaborate scheme, Campen obtained loans from multiple banks using each fraudulent loan to not only enrich himself but also to pay off his previous victim. By the time his scheme collapsed, the government showed that Campen had obtained more than $17 million from these banks, of which almost $5 million was still outstanding. Campen, however, did not limit himself to stealing from banks, he also defrauded individuals. Witnesses, victim letters, and other evidence demonstrated how Campen would pretend to befriend people over the course of years and be welcomed into their families and homes only to steal from them. Campen caused a family farm to have its equipment repossessed after he claimed their equipment as his to secure one of his fraudulent loans. In another instance, Campen offered to assist an elderly man, gained access to his home, and stole more than $50,000 from him. And Campen convinced a family to invest in a purported farming opportunity. The family took out a loan using their own farm as collateral. When Campen’s fraud scheme collapsed, the family not only lost the money they had given Campen, but their farm—which had been in their family for more than 100 years—had to be sold. Another victim of Campen’s fraud was the Village of Bartonville, Illinois. Campen with co-conspirator Richard Weiss, convinced the Village to extend loans and additional funds to tear down the old Bowen Building in Bartonville. Campen lied to the Village and made promises that he could recoup the Village’s loan and investments through the sale of materials from the building. Campen secured these funds by falsely claiming that he already had buyers lined up for the stone for the building. As a result of Campen’s fraud, the Village lost the equivalent of half of all its property tax revenue for an entire year. Campen’s co-conspirator in certain acts connected with that fraud, the owner of the Bowen building, Richard Weiss, 62, of Pekin, Illinois, was charged in a separate case in February 2024 with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, related to his and Campen’s receipt of funds from the Village. He pleaded guilty to both counts in February and was sentenced the same day as Campen to 15 months of imprisonment. Weiss’s sentence took into account his unique personal characteristics and significantly smaller role in the offense. In imposing the sentence, Judge Shadid noted that Weiss himself was a victim of Campen’s fraud. As Campen’s scheme began to unravel, he tried to use the mechanisms of bankruptcy court to delay his creditors and prevent discovery of his fraud. Campen committed additional fraud in the bankruptcy court by filing counterfeit documents and making false statements in his pleadings and under oath. Campen’s fraud was quickly detected by the professionals with the Office of the United States Trustee for Region 10, who added to the growing investigation of Campen by providing a criminal referral to the United States Attorney’s Office. A seventeen-count indictment was filed January 19, 2022, and Campen was arrested and detained five days later. Although he has filed several motions and appeals requesting bond, he has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. Campen entered into a written plea agreement in March 2024, pleading guilty to seven of the seventeen counts. The statutory penalties for the charges are: Charge Imprisonment Time Supervised Release Bank Fraud (Ct. 5) Not more than 30 years 5 years Wire Fraud (Cts. 6, 12, 13) Not more than 20 years 3 years Illegal Monetary Transaction (Ct. 14) Not more than 10 years 3 years Bankruptcy Fraud (Ct. 16) Not more than 5 years 3 years False Statements Under Oath (Ct. 17) Not more than 5 years 3 years During his term of supervised release, Campen is to refrain from engaging in any occupation, business or profession related to the banking industry, including, but not limited to, employment by a bank or any other financial institution. “The defendant’s repeated acts of fraud caused great damage not only to financial institutions, but also to members of our community, including but not limited to the Village of Bartonville and its taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Our office is committed to protecting individuals and banks from predatory acts like those of the defendant and will vigorously pursue such cases. We are grateful to our federal law enforcement partners, the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Office of the United States Trustee for Region 10.” “Today’s sentence will go a long way in protecting the integrity of the bankruptcy system,” said Nancy J. Gargula, United States Trustee for Indiana and the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois (Region 10). “We are grateful to U.S. Attorney Harris and our law enforcement partners for their commitment to protect the interests of creditors and the public.” “Driven by an unquenchable thirst for ill-gotten gains, Chad Campen embarked on an eight-year fraud spree which led to devastating results for those who put their trust in him,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This sentence sends a clear message about the consequences of greed and demonstrates the resolve of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to follow the money trail and ensure justice.” “Over several years, Chad Campen defrauded dozens of victims, creating severe economic distress for families and straining resources for institutions that fell victim to his fraud scheme,” said Marta C. Grijalva, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “This sentencing reflects the consequences of actions that caused significant financial pain to not only institutions and communities, but also individual families. That is why IRS Criminal Investigation and its fellow law enforcement partners remain committed to safeguarding the financial security of our communities and holding accountable those who exploit the system for personal gain.” The case investigation was conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. The bankruptcy fraud charge was referred for criminal prosecution by the Office of the United States Trustee for Region 10, Nancy J. Gargula. The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. Region 10 is headquartered in Indianapolis, with additional offices in South Bend, Indiana, and Peoria, Illinois. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.


title: Justice Department Secures Agreement with Township of New Hartford to Ensure Polling Place Access to Voters with Disabilities

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – The United States has reached a settlement agreement with the Township of New Hartford to ensure that the Township provides accessible polling places to voters with disabilities. The agreement resolves the United States’ investigation into New Hartford Town Hall’s compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and requires state and local governments to ensure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Investigators from the Department of Justice surveyed the New Hartford Town Hall and observed physical barriers, including a steep ramp without handrails at the entrance, that make the Town Hall inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. Under the settlement agreement, the Township is required to make necessary accessibility modifications, including certain modifications no later than October 31, 2024. These modifications include accessible parking areas and a ramp that provides an accessible route to the entrance of the building. More information about voting and elections is available on the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint . Assistant U.S. Attorney Adine S. Momoh for the District of Minnesota handled the matter. The settlement agreement can be accessed at: New Hartford Township Settlement Agreement .


title: Terrebonne Parish Man Guilty of Methamphetamine Conspiracy and Distribution

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PERCY HOWARD (“HOWARD”) , age 32, a resident of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, pled guilty before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on October 24, 2024, to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges. More particularly, according to court documents, HOWARD pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectible amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846. HOWARD also pled guilty to possession, with the intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. Lastly, HOWARD pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). As to each drug charge, HOWARD faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to a maximum of life in prison, up to a $10,000,000.00 fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. As to the firearms charge, HOWARD faces up to15 years in prison, up to $250,000.00 in fines, not more than three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. His sentencing is set for February 25, 2025. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Houma Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the Terrebonne and Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Offices. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit.


title: U.S. Navy Reserve Officer Sentenced for Bribery Scheme Involving Department of State’s Approval Process for Special Immigrant Visas

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A U.S. Navy Reserve Commander from Florida was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his role in a years-long bribery scheme involving Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan nationals. According to court documents and evidence submitted at trial, Jeromy Pittmann, 53, of Pensacola, accepted bribe payments from Afghan nationals in exchange for drafting, submitting, and verifying fraudulent letters of recommendation for Afghan nationals who applied for SIVs with the U.S. Department of State. Since 2009, Congress has authorized the State Department to offer a limited number of SIVs to enter the United States for Afghan nationals who were employed as translators for U.S. military personnel. Pittmann signed over 20 letters in which he fraudulently represented that he personally knew and had supervised the Afghan national visa applicants while they worked as translators in support of the U.S. military and NATO; that the applicants’ lives were in jeopardy because the Taliban considered them to be traitors; and that, based on his personal knowledge of the applicants, he believed they did not pose any threat to the national security of the United States. In truth, Pittmann did not know the applicants and had no basis for recommending them for SIVs. In exchange for the fraudulent letters, Pittmann received several thousands of dollars in bribes. To avoid detection, Pittmann received the bribe money through an intermediary and created false invoices purporting to show that Pittmann was receiving the money for legitimate work unrelated to his military service. On July 12, Pittmann was convicted by a jury in the District of New Hampshire after a four-day trial of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, making a materially false writing, and conspiring to commit money laundering. “By protecting Afghan nationals who risk their personal safety to help the U.S. government, the SIV program is essential for the security of U.S. military and diplomatic personnel in Afghanistan,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Jeromy Pittmann, however, used his position of authority over the program to benefit foreign nationals who paid him bribes, falsely asserting that they had served the United States. Today’s sentence demonstrates that the Justice Department has zero tolerance for those who place their self-interest ahead of our national security.” “This case shows how someone betrayed his sacred oath of office to commit crimes for personal gain, with no regard for how his actions could threaten U.S. homeland security and harm Afghans, who risked their lives to help the United States,” said Inspector General John F. Sopko of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). “It also shows how a U.S. Government investigation — from initial tip to prosecution to conviction — can hold individuals accountable for their crimes. I’m proud of SIGAR special agents and our investigative partners who brought Pittmann to justice, and I hope their hard work will deter others from pursuing similar acts.” “Pittmann’s participation in this bribery scheme not only jeopardized the integrity of the SIV program, which protects our allies, but also introduced significant security risks to our nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners will continue to hold accountable those who exploit government processes for personal gain, ensuring that the safety of the public and our warfighters is preserved.” “Pittmann deliberately chose self-enrichment over service when he violated federal law in his lengthy bribery scheme. He also compromised the integrity of the Afghan SIV system which is intended for those who faithfully performed activities while working for, or on behalf of, the U.S. government in Afghanistan,” said Inspector General Robert P. Storch of the Department of Defense. “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), in collaboration with its law enforcement partners, is resolved to help bring to justice those who abuse their public office for personal gain.” “The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is firmly committed to protecting the integrity of all U.S. visas and travel documents,” said Deputy Assistant Director Greg Batman of DSS. “This case is the result of a strong partnership among federal law enforcement agencies and DSS’ global network of special agents working together to stop visa and passport crimes, and to stop criminals from earning illegal income by exploiting U.S. visas, passports, and foreign nationals.” SIGAR, NCIS, DCIS, and DSS investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Theodore M. Kneller of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.


title: Monmouth County Doctor Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Harboring Undocumented Workers From India

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, doctor was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for harboring two undocumented women from India and failing to pay taxes on their wages, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Harsha Sahni, 68, of Tinton Falls, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to an information charging her with one count of conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens and one count of filing a false tax return. Judge Castner imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From 2013 through August 2021, Sahni conspired with others to conceal and harbor two foreign nationals from India, who Sahni recruited to work for Sahni and her family in their homes in New Jersey. Sahni harbored the victims for her and her conspirators’ financial gain and paid the victims’ families in India in exchange for their labor. Sahni caused the victims to believe that they would be arrested and deported if they interacted with law enforcement. Sahni instructed the victims to tell other people that they were related to Sahni, and Sahni used fake names and addresses in furtherance of the conspiracy. From 2013 to 2019, Sahni also failed to pay certain taxes notwithstanding that the victims were Sahni’s household employees. In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Sahni to two years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $728,327. The defendant must also pay up to $200,000 for specific medical bills. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso; and special agents of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Keith J. Byrne, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.


title: United States Attorney's Office Announces District Election Officer

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—United States Attorney Natalie Wight announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ethan Knight will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Ethan Knight, Cyber and National Security Unit Chief, has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Oregon, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “The Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process,” said Natalie Wight, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. The Justice Department has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation on Election Day, threats of violence directed at election officials and workers, and election fraud. The department will address these violations wherever they occur. The department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911. The FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. To report allegations, contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or www.tips.fbi.gov . Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931. If you have questions about the Justice Department’s Election Day Program in Oregon or need assistance directing election-related complaints to the proper authorities, District Election Officer Knight can be reached by calling (503) 727-1000. Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: L.A.-Based Federal Prosecutors to Monitor Seven California Counties During November 5 General Election Period

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Martin Estrada announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Anna P. Boylan will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5 general election. Rybarczyk has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Central District of California, which is comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office will be vigilant in upholding the ability of each citizen to vote freely and fairly – without interference or discrimination. Likewise, election officials and staff must be able to work in safety. We will continue our tireless efforts to safeguard our nation’s elections.” The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. In the months leading up to the election, the United States Attorney’s Office has been leading a working group that includes county voting officials and law enforcement leaders to coordinate our protective efforts and ensure a swift and effective response to any election-related security issues and threats. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). To respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, DEO Rybarczyk and AUSA Boylan will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (310) 477-6565. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov or by phone at (800) 253-3931. Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.


title: Jennifer LaBonte Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Employer

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Jennifer LaBonte, 45, of Essex Junction, Vermont pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Rutland to a charge of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Mary K. Lanthier released LaBonte on conditions pending sentencing, which is scheduled for March 4, 2025. On October 2, 2024, the United States Attorney filed an information charging LaBonte with a single count of wire fraud. That is the charge to which she pleaded guilty. According to the information, between 2001 and January 2024, LaBonte was employed by automobile dealerships located in Burlington. From about 2012 until her termination, LaBonte served as office manager for the dealerships, a position that gave her oversight over all accounting matters. LaBonte had check-signing authority. The information charges that, beginning no later than 2013, LaBonte began embezzling from the dealerships. For the most part, LaBonte stole cash receipts that had been paid by dealership customers, but she also issued checks to herself for non-business-related purposes. LaBonte tried to cover up her thefts by manipulating and falsifying entries about individual transactions in the dealerships’ computerized accounting systems. An officer at the dealerships uncovered the fraud in January 2024, and LaBonte was immediately fired. The total loss resulting from her embezzlement is about $191,000. In court, the parties announced that LaBonte has provided the dealerships with a check that repaid them in full for the stolen funds. LaBonte faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. LaBonte is represented by Brooks McArthur, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.


title: Mexican National Indicted For Illegal Use of Social Security Number to Obtain Louisiana Driver’s License

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSE GUADALUPE MUNOZ-PEREZ (“MUNOZ”) , age 46, a native of Mexico, was indicted on October 24, 2024 for illegally using a social security number to obtain a Louisiana driver’s license, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B). MUNOZ faces up to five (5) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Court Sentences Fentanyl Trafficker to 37 Months Imprisonment

body_text: MOBILE, AL – On October 22, 2024, United States District Court Judge William H. Steele sentenced Victoria Wyman to 37 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Documents filed with the court established that beginning in or around July 2023 and continuing to or about December 8, 2023, Victoria Wyman conspired with others to distribute fentanyl pills throughout the Mobile area. Wyman was indicted for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge William H. Steele sentenced Wyman to 37 months in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Harrison County Man Sentenced for Firearms Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brock Corel Pearson, 42, of Meadowbrook, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 115 months in prison for the possession of a short-barreled shotgun. According to court documents, officers stopped Pearson’s vehicle in Harrison County, conducted a search, and found a backpack with an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. Pearson is prohibited from having firearms because of prior drug convictions in West Virginia and Mississippi. Pearson will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Beaumont felon guilty of federal firearms violation

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Brian Keith Murphy, 32, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on October 28, 2024. According to information presented in court, on August 11, 2024, law enforcement officers received a call of shots fired near a gas station on Concord Avenue in Beaumont. As officers were being dispatched to the scene, the Beaumont Police Department was able to view a live stream of the shooting through their “Real-Time-Crime Center.” Officers monitoring the live stream were able to witness the shooter fire multiple shots near vehicles and individuals in the parking lot. Through coordination with officers monitoring the live stream and officers on scene, law enforcement was able to identify the vehicle the shooter had fled in. The vehicle was stopped, and Murphy was identified as the shooter. Two firearms were recovered from the vehicle Murphy was fleeing in, one of which was the firearm Murphy used in the shooting. Murphy was on federal supervised release at the time for a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Possessing a firearm by previously convicted felons is prohibited under federal law. Murphy was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 4, 2024. Murphy faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James. ###


title: Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy Sentenced in Connection with Plot to Destroy Energy Facilities

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The fifth of five defendants charged with targeting an energy facility was sentenced today. Jordan Duncan, 29, of Bailey, North Carolina was sentenced today to seven years in prison for manufacturing a short barrel rifle in violation of the National Firearms Act. Joseph Maurino, 25, of Manalapan, New Jersey, was sentenced on Oct. 25. Paul James Kryscuk, 38, of Boise, Idaho, Liam Collins, 25, of Johnston, Rhode Island, and Justin Wade Hermanson, 25, of Swansboro, North Carolina, were sentenced in July. Duncan, Collins, and Hermanson are former Marines who were previously assigned to Camp Lejeune. “We have now brought to justice all five of the defendants involved in a self-described ‘modern day SS,’ who conspired, prepared, and trained to attack America’s power grid in the name of violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is aggressively investigating, disrupting, and prosecuting these kinds of hate-fueled plots that seek to sow violence and chaos and endanger our national security.” “This NCIS-led investigation has been crucial in dismantling a domestic terrorist cell intent on targeting innocent people and destroying critical infrastructure,” said NCIS Director Omar Lopez. “The tireless efforts of NCIS, our dedicated law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that those who conspire to undermine our national security are thoroughly investigated and held accountable.” “There is no place for hate in America,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security is proud to support the whole-of-government, and in fact whole-of-society, effort to disrupt acts of hate-fueled violence and bring the perpetrators to justice. Every single day, Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations bring tremendous dedication, bravery, and skill to this vital mission, and our whole country is safer for their service — because whenever one community is targeted by an act of hate, we are all the victims.” “Today’s sentencing is the final step in holding accountable five men who were planning to attack an energy facility and were inspired by racially motivated violent extremism,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “If the defendants had been able to carry out an attack it could have caused suffering to thousands of American citizens. The FBI is committed to detecting and stopping such acts and will continue to work with prosecutors to see justice is served in such cases.” “Driven by a white supremacist ideology, these defendants set out to terrorize the nation by targeting America’s power grid, aiming to create chaos, instill fear, and put countless innocent lives at risk,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The sentences handed down reflect not only the depravity of their intentions but also ATF’s steadfast commitment—alongside our law enforcement partners—to protect our nation from extremist threats and violent attacks, regardless of the motives behind them.” “HSI, along with its law enforcement partners, keep the safety and security of the American public at the forefront of our actions,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations. “This case sends a clear message to those who wrongfully believe they can plot in the shadows undetected; they will be caught and there will be consequences.” “Attacks on our critical infrastructure pose a threat to all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley Jr. for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “We will relentlessly pursue anyone who seeks to destabilize our national security and institutions through hate-fueled violence.” Kryscuk was sentenced to six years and six months in prison for conspiracy to destroy an energy facility. Collins was sentenced to 10 years in prison for aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of unregistered firearms. Hermanson and Maurino were each sentenced to one year and nine months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture firearms and ship interstate. Previously filed charges alleged that Collins and Kryscuk were members of and made multiple posts on the “Iron March” forum, a gathering point for young neo-Nazis to organize and recruit for extremist organizations, until the forum was closed in late 2017. Collins and Kryscuk met through the forum and expanded their group using an encrypted messaging application as an alternate means of communication outside of the forum. Collins and Kryscuk recruited additional members, including Duncan, Hermanson, and Maurino. According to court documents and other information presented in court, the group researched, discussed, and reviewed at length a previous attack on the power grid by an unknown group who used assault-style rifles in an attempt to explode a power substation. Between 2017 and 2020, Kryscuk manufactured firearms while Collins stole military gear, including magazines for assault-style rifles, and had them delivered to the other defendants. During that time, Duncan, gathered a library of information, some military-owned, regarding firearms, explosives, and nerve toxins and shared that information with Kryscuk and Collins. Members of the group went on to conduct training, including a live-fire training in the desert near Boise. From video footage recorded by the members during the training, Kryscuk, Duncan, and others produced a montage video of their training. In the video, the participants are seen firing short barrel rifles and other assault-type rifles, and the end of the propaganda video shows the four participants outfitted in AtomWaffen masks giving the “Heil Hitler” sign, beneath the image of a black sun, a Nazi symbol. The last frame bears the phrase, “Come home white man.” In October 2020, during his arrest, a handwritten list of approximately one dozen intersections and places in Idaho and surrounding states was discovered in Kryscuk’s possession, including intersections and/or places containing a transformer, substation, or other component of the power grid for the northwest United States. Prior to their arrests, Collins and Duncan had relocated to Idaho from North Carolina and Texas, respectively, to be near Kryscuk. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Kocher and Gabriel Diaz for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Idaho, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, and District of Rhode Island.


title: District Election Officers In Nationwide Federal Election Day Program

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland –Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Bijon A. Mostoufi and Joseph Wenner will lead the efforts of his Office that support the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024 general election. AUSAs Mostoufi and Wenner have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the District of Maryland, and in that capacity, they are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints involving voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, all in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. The Department of Justice plays an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud, wherever they may occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations. Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they must be able to vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). U.S. Attorney Barron stated: “Voting is a hallmark of our democracy and an essential right in our State and in this country. My Office is committed to protecting that right and to pursue and prosecute those who discourage or interfere with the exercise of it. I am proud to lead the District of Maryland’s efforts to support the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program.” In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Mostoufi and Wenner will be on duty in Maryland while the polls are open. AUSAs Mostoufi and Wenner can be reached at 301-344-4433. Any allegation of election fraud or voting rights violations will be reviewed in consultation with state and federal authorities where appropriate, and we will pursue any case that warrants prosecution.” In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 410-265-8080. Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ . Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election fraud, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. The department encourages anyone with information regarding concerns in these subject areas to contact the appropriate authorities. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Indictment Charges Waterbury Men with Drug and Gun Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an eight-count indictment charging ROBERT HARRISON , also known as “Firm” and “Lox,” 38; RICHARD McDANIEL , also known as “Shay,” 44; KEVIN GOOCH , also known as “GWOP,” 41; and ROBERT LAVERTUE , 56; all of Waterbury, with narcotics and firearm offenses. The indictment was returned on October 2, 2024. Harrison and Gooch, who have been detained since they were arrested on related state charges on June 20, 2024, appeared today in Hartford federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. McDaniel and Lavertue were federally arrested and arraigned earlier this month and are released on bond. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on June 20, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department executed multiple federal search warrants for locations connected to a drug trafficking organization headed by Harrison. A search of Harrison’s residence on Frost Road, his auto repair business on Todd Hollow Road in Waterbury, where Lavertue also resided, and a recording studio he operated on Woodtick Road in Waterbury, revealed distribution quantities of cocaine and narcotic pills, four loaded handguns, gun magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, and approximately $18,208 in cash. A search of McDaniel’s residence on Lone Oak Avenue revealed approximately 700 grams of cocaine, approximately 300 grams of fentanyl, drug processing and packaging materials, a money counter, and approximately $2,450 in cash. Searches of Gooch’s residence on Atwood Avenue, his vehicle, and a residence on Monroe Avenue he used as a stash location revealed more than 100 grams of cocaine, a drug press, a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number, and approximately $1,141 in cash. The indictment charges each defendant with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of these charges, based on the type and quantities of controlled substances attributed to each defendant, McDaniel faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and Harrison, Gooch, and Lavertue face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. In addition, Harrison is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years. U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth.


title: Navy Chief Petty Officer pleads guilty to stealing military equipment

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy pled guilty today to theft of government property after stealing military equipment he later sold online. According to court documents, Shawn Claude Crowell, 40, was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic at Naval Station Norfolk from December 2022 to September 2024. Crowell had access to and was responsible for the inspection and inventorying of the military equipment belonging to the Command. From at least January through June 2023, Crowell stole numerous government items, including seven sets of Night Vision Goggles (NVGs, or NODs), two Matbock Tarsier Eclipse lenses, and eight NVG battery packs. The value of the items stolen by Crowell was at least $164,646. Between February and May 2023, Crowell used online advertisements to sell five sets of the stolen NVGs to third-party purchasers for $19,947. On March 8, 2023, Crowell listed for sale the two Matbock Tarsier Eclipse lenses, which are regulated by the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Crowell sold the stolen lenses for $300. On April 1, 2023, Crowell sold the eight NVG battery packs for $500. On May 10, 2023, investigators with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) interviewed Crowell and searched his vehicle. NCIS recovered one of the stolen sets of NVGs from the vehicle. Crowell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2025, and faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-113.


title: New Haven Man Guilty of Possessing Loaded Gun While Released on Bond in another Federal Case

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found ANTRUM COSTON, 42, of New Haven, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and with committing the offense while released on bond in another case. The trial before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill began on October 24 and the jury returned the verdicts this afternoon. On September 18, 2023, Judge Underhill sentenced Coston to 37 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for pandemic relief fraud, money laundering, and drug offenses. Judge Underhill ordered Coston, who was released on bond, to surrender for service of his sentence on November 29, 2023. According to the evidence presented during the trial, on October 25, 2023, New Haven Police arrested Coston after they found him in possession of a loaded Taurus G3 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. Coston’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including two federal convictions for firearm offenses. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Coston faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and a consecutive sentence of up to 10 years for possessing the firearm while on federal release. Coston has been detained since his arrest. This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Gentile and Sean P. Mahard. This case is part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Federal Judge Finds Milwaukee Man Guilty of Sex Trafficking and Arson

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced that on October 28, 2024, United States District Court Judge Lynn Adelman found Bobby McNeil (age 45) guilty of all five counts with which he was charged, which were Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Arson in Furtherance of a Federal Felony; Arson of a Building/Rental Property; Interstate Transportation for the Purpose of Prostitution; and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. Judge Adelman announced the verdict after a two-day bench trial that concluded on October 16, 2024. The evidence presented at trial established that between 2021 and 2022, McNeil used force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion to compel an adult female victim to engage in commercial sex acts on the south side of Milwaukee. He also induced the victim to travel from Florida back to Wisconsin to engage in further commercial sex acts. McNeil also committed a retaliatory act of arson by throwing a Molotov cocktail into the home of another adult who attempted to help the female victim get away from McNeil. In rendering his verdict, Judge Adelman pointed to numerous text messages, Facebook messages, and recorded messages the defendant made and sent that corroborated the trafficking victim’s testimony and reflected the defendant’s intentions and violence. McNeil’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 4, 2025, before Judge Adelman. McNeil faces a maximum life term of imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of 25 years of imprisonment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Milwaukee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Abbey M. Marzick and Porchia S. Lewand prosecuted the case. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter Receives ‘Honest Abe Integrity in Government Award’

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney, Vanessa Waldref announced Assistant United Attorney (AUSA) Dan Fruchter received the 2024 “Honest Abe Integrity in Government” award from the Taxpayers Against Fraud Coalition . This award recognizes dedication to public service and a commitment to False Claims Act enforcement and the whistleblowers who make these cases possible. When announcing the award, the TAF Coalition called AUSA Fruchter, “a master tradesman of False Claims Act enforcement.” Taxpayers Against Fraud Coalition AUSA Fruchter is the Chief of the Fraud & White-Collar Crime Unit for the Eastern District of Washington. Throughout his career, he has led the prosecution of hundreds of fraud cases, spanning a wide range of subjects including procurement fraud, health care fraud, and pandemic relief fraud. AUSA Fruchter is a life-long public servant and passionate advocate for whistleblowers. Under his leadership, the Eastern District of Washington has expanded its health care fraud practice, focusing its efforts on patient safety and justice. Last year, as part of a $29 Million settlement with Lincare Holding, Inc to address claims that Lincare submitted to Medicare and Medicare Advantage, in what is believed to be a first-of-a-kind False Claims Act settlement, Lincare also agreed to identify and repay Medicare beneficiaries who were overcharged co-pays. Pursuant to this provision, as of September 2024, Lincare has refunded payments to 4,917 patients for a total of $976,137. AUSA Fruchter also spearheaded the Eastern District of Washington’s innovative and nationally-recognized COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force, which was launched in Spring 2022. The Strike Force brings together 15 federal agencies with a team of prosecutors to quickly respond to investigative leads. Since it was launched, the Strike Force has charged 35 defendants, secured 20 criminal convictions, 4 civil settlements, and recovered more than $30 million in settlements, seizures, and restitution judgments. One qui tam filed by a whistleblower tenant resulted in a settlement of over $300,000 with All Star Property Management to resolve claims that they falsely and fraudulently claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent assistance intended to benefit struggling renters during the COVD-19 pandemic. The legal aid organization that brought the case, Northwest Justice Project, produced a short video about the case featuring the whistleblower and AUSA Fruchter. “No matter the shape or scope of the scheme, Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter is tireless in his pursuit to fight for the underdog and hold fraudsters accountable,” stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. “AUSA Fruchter has cemented the Eastern District of Washington as a district of choice for whistleblowers and relator’s counsel due to his strategic and tenacious approach to fighting fraud and white-collar crime. This award is a well-deserved honor.”


title: Title 16 Defendant Sentenced to 12 Years for August 2023 Spree That Included Armed Robbery and Carjacking

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Montello Washington, 18, of Washington D.C., was sentenced to 144 months in prison for an August 2023 carjacking and an armed robbery in Northwest Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On October 25, 2024, Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe sentenced Washington to the 12 year prison term and also ordered three years of supervised release. Washington, who was 17 years old at the time of the offenses and who had been charged as an adult under Title 16, pleaded guilty on August 16, 2024, to one count of carjacking, one count armed robbery, and two counts possession of a firearm during a crime of violence before Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz. According to the proffer of facts during the plea hearing, Washington admitted that, at around 1:00 a.m., on August 16, 2023, he and another unidentified male accomplice approached the victim, who was returning home from his work shift, at the 5400 block of 9 th Street NW. Washington brandished a firearm with a laser sight and demanded the victim’s phone, wallet, and keys. The victim complied, and Washington and his accomplice returned to their vehicle and fled the location. Soon after, at approximately 2:00 a.m., on August 16, 2023, Washington and an accomplice carjacked another victim. The victim was exiting his vehicle at the 1300 block of Missouri Avenue NW, when Washington and his accomplice surrounded the victim’s vehicle. Washington held the victim at gunpoint and demanded the victim’s car keys and phone. Washington drove off in the victim’s vehicle while his accomplice drove off in the vehicle that he and Washington arrived in. Washington was ultimately apprehended in the afternoon of August 16, 2023, after MPD Falcon pursued him while he was fleeing from police officers in a stolen vehicle and after a subsequent foot pursuit. During that vehicle pursuit, a firearm with a laser sight was tossed from the fleeing vehicle and recovered by officers. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Sabena Auyeung and Stephanie Dinan, who prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican National Guilty of  Illegal Re-Entry by a Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – MAURILIO JASTINTO-JUAREZ (“ JASTINTO-JUAREZ”) , age 50, a citizen and national of Mexico, pled guilty on October 24, 2024 to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announcedU.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. His sentencing is set for January 21, 2025. According to court documents, JASTINO-JUAREZ , illegally reentered the United States after being previously removed on December 16, 2022. JASTINTO-JUAREZ was discovered in the United States when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) systems alerted to his fingerprints following his arrest by the Louisiana State Police for Driving While Intoxicated in Houma, La. on March 17, 2024. JASTINTO-JUAREZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Louisiana State Police, and the Terrebonne Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.