title: Justice Department Secures $1.37 Million Settlement for Pollution Cleanup Costs at Former A.A. Oil Site in Indianapolis

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, and Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) at the U.S. Department of Justice, announced today that the Justice Department has entered a consent decree granting the United States money for environmental clean-up costs, along with declaratory relief for costs associated with possible future remediation, relating to the A.A. Oil Site, located at 2340 S Tibbs Avenue, on the Southwest side of Indianapolis. From the 1950s to the late 1980s, A.A. Oil Co., Inc., a division of Cam-Or, Inc., operated the Site as a waste oil collection, storage, and transfer facility. The waste oil was collected from garages, gas stations, oil change facilities, automobile dealers, and trucking companies, and was stored at the Site and then shipped to the Cam-Or facility in Westville, Indiana. In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a site cleanup to remove the hazardous substances and contaminated surface soil and analyze any imminent or substantial endangerment to the public health or the environment. On February 13, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ENRD sued the defendant companies pursuant to Section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), a federal environmental remediation program that authorizes the United States to recover costs incurred in response to the release and threatened release of hazardous substances. The complaint alleged that the site was contaminated by oil and other hazardous materials over past decades and, as a result, is contaminated with trichloroethylene, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, and xylenes, among others) in soil, groundwater, and storage tanks. As part of the resolution, the defendants, Arconic Corporation, Navistar Inc., and Ford Motor Company, agreed to pay the federal government a total of $1.37 million dollars without admission of liability. The complaint alleged that the defendant companies (in the case of Arconic and Navistar, through their predecessor corporations) transported hazardous materials to the Site, thus rendering them liable for these clean-up costs. “All residents of the Southern District of Indiana deserve a safe, healthy, and pollution-free community,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “The Department of Justice is committed to aggressively pursuing environmental enforcement and to holding polluters accountable.” U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Taylor Kirklin, the Office’s Environmental Justice Coordinator, Samantha M. Ricci, Trial Attorney with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, for their work on this case. Members of the public who have concerns about environmental matters, including matters involving environmental justice issues, in the Southern District of Indiana can report them to the U.S. Attorney’s office via email to USAINS-Environmental@usdoj.gov . ###


title: Two Violent Carjackings in Chicago Lead to 18-Year Federal Prison Sentence

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

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than 18 years in federal prison for violently carjacking two vehicles in Chicago. KASHIF DUKES, 29, of Chicago, took the vehicles at gunpoint in 2017 and 2018. In the first carjacking, Dukes took a Mercedes-Benz sedan in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood on Sept. 10, 2017. Dukes pressed a gun to the driver’s chest and said words to the effect of, “get the [expletive] out the car or I’m going to shoot the [expletive] out of you.” Dukes then took the driver’s cellphones, cash, and wallet and sped off in the Mercedes. The second carjacking occurred on July 21, 2018, in the Little Italy neighborhood on Chicago’s Near West Side when Dukes and accomplices took a Chevy Equinox from a woman and her two children and granddaughter. The family was dropping off food at a friend’s house for a barbecue that evening. The carjackers brandished firearms and shouted at the women to “get the [expletive] out of the car” and to “get the baby and get the [expletive] out.” Dukes pleaded guilty to the first carjacking and was convicted by a jury in 2021 of the second carjacking. The jury also convicted Dukes of federal firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Tuesday imposed a sentence of 18 years and three months in federal prison. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. “Defendant traumatized the victims and placed them in fear of their lives,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The community as a whole – victims, witnesses, society, and perpetrators – needs to know that the federal system takes the crime of carjacking seriously and will justly punish those who choose to spend their time terrorizing others.”


title: MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to 2017 Quadruple Murder in Central Islip

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, in federal court in Central Islip, Edwin Rodriguez, also known as “Manicomio” (Rodriguez), a member of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the “MS-13,” pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with his participation in the April 11, 2017 murders of Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez, Jorge Tigre, and Jefferson Villalobos. After committing the murders, Rodriguez was a fugitive from justice before he was arrested in El Salvador and extradited to the United States in 2022. The guilty plea proceeding was held before United States Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco, sitting by designation. When sentenced, Rodriguez faces up to life in prison. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Robert E. Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea. Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to all the members of the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in San Salvador for their outstanding collaboration in investigating, locating and apprehending this fugitive. Mr. Peace also thanked the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) for their assistance in this case. According to court filings and statements made during today’s guilty plea proceeding, Rodriguez was a member of the Normandie Locos Salvatruchas (Normandie) clique of the MS-13. In order to maintain and increase his membership and status in the gang, in early 2017, he conspired with other MS-13 members and associates to orchestrate and execute the murders of perceived rival gang members who had disrespected the MS-13 in their social media postings. On the evening of April 11, 2017, five young men, including the four murder victims, were lured to a wooded park in Central Islip by MS-13 associates, under the guise of smoking marijuana. There, Rodriguez and nearly a dozen other MS-13 members and associates, armed with machetes, knives, an axe, and wooden clubs, surrounded the victims under the cover of darkness, and attacked them. One of the intended victims was able to escape. However, Llivicura, Lopez, Tigre and Villalobos were captured and then brutally hacked, stabbed and bludgeoned to death. The victims’ bodies were discovered the following evening. More than a dozen MS-13 members and associates have been charged in connection with the April 11, 2017 murders. Rodriguez, who was three months’ shy of his eighteenth birthday at the time of these murders, was originally charged in a sealed Juvenile Information filed on March 16, 2018. He remained a fugitive from justice until August 28, 2019, when he was arrested in El Salvador, pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice. The United States formally requested his extradition on September 3, 2019. Rodriguez was detained pending his extradition to the United States, which was formally authorized by the Supreme Court of Justice of El Salvador on July 7, 2022. He was extradited to the United States, and made his first appearance in-district on August 10, 2022. In connection with his guilty plea today, Rodriguez also agreed to be transferred to adult status for purposes of prosecution. Today’s guilty plea is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 70 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci, and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Rodriguez. The Defendant : EDWIN RODRIGUEZ (also known as “Manicomio”) Age: 24 El Salvador; and formerly of Central Islip, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-135 (JFB)


title: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Surge of Resources to Fight Violent Crime in Three Additional Cities

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that the Justice Department is adding three new cities to its Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), building on the successful model launched in Houston, Texas, in September 2022, and expanded to Memphis, Tennessee, in November 2023. The VCI surges law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups that are threatening the safety and security of communities in cities across the nation. As the Attorney General noted in his remarks this morning in Chicago, today’s announcement comes as the Justice Department is working to replicate the successes that communities across the country have seen in driving down the violent crime that spiked during the pandemic. That includes cities like Detroit, where 2023 marked the fewest homicides in 57 years; Baltimore, where there was a 20% reduction in homicides in 2023 and a 7% reduction in non-fatal shootings; New Orleans, where 2023 marked a 25% decline in homicides; Philadelphia, where there was a 20% reduction in homicides in 2023; and Chicago, where homicides decreased by 13% in 2023. “The Justice Department will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community is safe from violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The FBI reports that last year we saw a significant decrease in overall violent crime across the country compared to the previous year—including an over 13% decline in homicides. That is the largest one-year decline in homicides in 50 years. The Justice Department is not easing up on our efforts to reduce violent crime. In fact, today, we are doubling down. In Houston and Memphis, we launched a Violent Crime Initiative that brought prosecutors from the Department’s Criminal Division to work closely with prosecutors already on the ground to target those responsible for the greatest violence. Today, we are launching the next phase of our Violent Crime Initiative in St. Louis, Missouri; Jackson, Mississippi; and Hartford, Connecticut.” “No matter where violent crime occurs, it leaves a devastating impact on victims and communities,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, as part of the Violent Crime Initiative, is renewing our focus on violent crime in three additional cities and surging tools and resources to make our streets safer. Every day, our field offices work to tear down violent criminals and gangs and this initiative will only serve to magnify their successes.” “Violent crime demands our urgent attention,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through our Violent Crime Initiative, the Criminal Division works in partnership with local U.S. Attorneys and federal and state law enforcement to use data to focus on the worst of the worst violent offenders, to engage with the communities in which we work, and to make our neighborhoods safer. As our work in Houston and Memphis has shown, together we can make a difference.” To focus the Justice Department’s resources on communities most in need, the Criminal Division has identified St. Louis, Missouri; Jackson, Mississippi; and Hartford, Connecticut, as the next VCI cities. The VCI utilizes prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section—the nation’s foremost experts in racketeering prosecutions—to work alongside prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, as well as dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Through the VCI, the Criminal Division also works with community leaders in each city to best understand citizens’ concerns and to work to support them. Since the start of Houston VCI, Houston saw reductions of 9% in violent crime and 20% in homicides. In Memphis, when compared to 2023, official counts of murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults have decreased since the VCI has been operational. “We have long had a focus in the Eastern District of Missouri on violent crime and complex criminal conspiracies, and the addition of two experienced prosecutors will allow us to expand that,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “We look forward to working with them to make the St. Louis region safer.” “As a resident of Jackson, I know it is a great place to live and work, but it also suffers from violent crime that is largely driven by a small number of violent individuals and gangs,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “I am excited to have experts from the Justice Department join with federal, state, and local law enforcement here in Jackson to help us investigate and prosecute these sources of violent crime.” “This office and our federal law enforcement partners have a long and successful history of working with the Hartford Police Department and our state counterparts to make our capital city safer,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “We welcome these additional Justice Department resources, which supplement our efforts to focus on the groups and individuals in Hartford that are chiefly responsible for Hartford’s gun violence and prosecute offenders to the full extent of federal law.” “With crime rates down in so many places in 2023, now is not the time to back off. Now is the time to double and triple down on strategies that have been shown to work,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “ATF’s expertise in Crime Gun Intelligence allows our agents—and our law enforcement partners—to follow the crime gun. This leads to more impactful arrests both of those who are actually doing the shooting and those unlawfully supplying the shooters with their guns. By combining this intelligence and data with traditional techniques, ATF produces evidence-driven cases on the most dangerous offenders. We are proud to work with all our partners on this important initiative in cities around the country.” “Drug-related crimes and violence continue to have a significant impact on our communities and demand a new approach,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Two years ago, DEA implemented Operation Overdrive, a data-driven, intelligence led approach to identifying and dismantling criminal drug networks doing the most harm in communities, including in St. Louis, Missouri; Hartford, Connecticut; and Jackson, Mississippi. This approach allows us to map the threats and shift our resources so that our drug enforcement efforts will have the greatest impact in our communities. Expanding the Violent Crime Initiative further extends our potential to successfully investigate and prosecute criminals by harnessing the full potential of state, local, and federal partnerships.”


title: City of Jackson to Receive Additional Assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice to Improve Investigations of Violent Crimes Committed with Firearms

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – The City of Jackson, Mississippi will receive additional federal assistance to investigate violent crimes committed with firearms. Specifically, this month the DOJ’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans Field will be deploying a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) mobile unit to Jackson that will assist law enforcement agencies in Jackson and throughout the Southern District of Mississippi with investigating crimes committed with firearms. Members of the media were invited to observe a demonstration of the mobile unit in Jackson today. Additionally, DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded a $675,000 grant to Jackson in 2022 as part of ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative. This grant, which will be spent over several years, is being used to improve Jackson’s access to NIBIN to investigate the use of firearms in multiple shootings and provide other tools to improve investigations of violent crimes committed with firearms. NIBIN is a database of bullet casings recovered from crime scenes across the United States. Used casings have distinctive markings from the gun they were fired from, similar to a fingerprint. Investigators can check the database to see if the casings recovered from a crime scene were fired from a gun that may have been used in another crime. Through the database, one weapon could theoretically be linked to crimes across several cities and states. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. ATF maintains and operates NIBIN’s infrastructure at no charge to law enforcement partners. More information about ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers can be found here: https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-crime-gun-intelligence-centers-cgic . U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Special Agent in Charge Joshua E. Jackson of the ATF, Chief Joseph Wade of the Jackson Police Department, and Chief Bo Luckey of the Capitol Police made the announcement.


title: Bronx Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Minor

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Bronx, N.Y. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, as well as traveling with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with the minor victim. Markell Greene, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 24 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In October 2023, Greene pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct. “It is hard to find the words to capture how horrific and reprehensible Mr. Greene’s conduct was here. Through social media he targeted a 12-year-old girl and then he proceeded to entice her to send him sexually explicit photos and videos. And as if that was not bad enough, he then travelled from New York to rape this child while he was recording his deviant behavior on Snapchat. It does not get much more despicable and depraved than that. Thanks to the bravery of this victim, Mr. Greene will be behind bars for many years and not able to terrorize other young girls,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Markell Greene is a monster, and no sentence will ever wipe away the untold heartache, pain, anxiety, and fear that he inflicted upon this young child and her family,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “That said, today’s sentence does remove a dangerous predator from our community for a significant amount of time, and highlights the FBI’s ongoing commitment to ensure that sexual predators are held accountable for their crimes. Our Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force will continue to do what it can to prevent children from being sexually abused and exploited.” Greene persuaded, enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Additionally, on or about Feb. 14, 2022, Greene traveled in interstate commerce with a motivating purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with the minor victim. In late 2021, Greene sent an unsolicited Snapchat message to the then-12-year-old minor victim, who believed Greene to be approximately 16 years old. Over the course of several months, Greene manipulated the minor victim into sending sexually explicit photos and videos of herself at his request. Greene also directed the minor victim to brag about her age during the sexually explicit videos. In February 2022, Greene persuaded the minor victim to meet him in-person at a parking lot in Arlington. On Feb. 14, 2022, Greene arrived to the agreed upon meet up in an SUV, picked up the minor victim and parked the car in an adjacent parking lot. There, Greene raped the minor victim and forced her to engage in oral, vaginal and anal sex, which he recorded on Snapchat. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington, Mass. and New York City Police Departments; the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Dauphin County Man Charged With Stealing 13 Firearms From Licensed Firearms Dealer

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Edwin Rojas Cordova, age 20, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of stealing firearms from a licensed dealer. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on December 27, 2022, Cordova stole 13 firearms from a licensed firearm dealer located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph J. Terz is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Strangulation and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - A Superior Court jury issued the District of Columbia’s first strangulation trial conviction finding Jeffrey Strange, 29, of Washington, D.C., guilty of the offense and other charges related to a domestic dispute. The incident took place inside an apartment building in Southeast Washington on Labor Day weekend of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On March 29, 2024, a jury found Strange guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon (a “ghost gun”), and destruction of property. Superior Court Judge Jason Park will schedule a sentencing hearing at a later date. Strange faces a mandatory minimum of three years for unlawfully possessing the firearm with a maximum sentence of 15, and up to five years in prison for strangulation. The sentence will be determined by the court after considering all factors. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11 p.m. on Sep. 3, 2023, Strange began incessantly calling the victim, his former girlfriend, to determine her whereabouts. On Sep. 4, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Strange met the victim outside of their shared residence and began arguing with her until both entered the elevator of their apartment building, where an altercation ensued. The victim was able to get out of the elevator and into the lobby of the building. Strange followed her, continued to strike her, breaking her glasses, and strangling her by putting his hand on her throat and squeezing. The attack left visible injuries to the victim’s lip and face. The defendant fled the scene after a bystander security guard intervened and the victim called 911. Less than an hour later, he returned to the victim’s residence, assaulted her again, and attempted to discard a firearm in her bedroom closet. Police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department returned to the scene and recovered the firearm. Strange was placed under arrest and has been held in custody since. The security guard provided surveillance video, that captured a portion of the assault including Strange strangling the victim. The government’s evidence also included DNA evidence linking Strange to the recovered firearm. This trial marks the first jury trial for felony strangulation since the D.C. Council passed the “Prioritizing Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2023,” designating strangulation as a felony offense.* This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monisha Rao and Richard Kelley, of the Domestic Violence Unit. *Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.” * Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.”


title: Eighteen Members and Associates of Clarksville Mongols Motorcycle Gang Sentenced

body_text: NASHVILLE – James Hines, 47, one of eighteen members and associates of the Clarksville chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Club who were federally prosecuted for RICO conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and other crimes, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison today, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. All of the defendants’ crimes stemmed from their involvement with the Clarksville Mongols. Hines was the last remaining defendant to be sentenced. “Today’s sentence concludes a multi-year, coordinated effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement, our office, and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division to address some of the worst organized criminal activity we have seen in Middle Tennessee,” said Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “As a result of that outstanding work, our communities are safer and multiple violent criminals are being held to account for their actions. I am grateful for the efforts of everyone involved in this remarkable investigation and prosecution.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Clarksville Mongols were a violent motorcycle gang affiliated with the Mongols Motorcycle Club, an international organization that identifies as an "outlaw" motorcycle gang, meaning its members define themselves as within the "1%" of motorcycle clubs who do not adhere to the law or the rights of others. Sayings like, "Respect Few, Fear None" and "Live Mongol Die Mongol" represent their cut-throat attitude and they identify themselves with vests, patches, tattoos, and insignia identifying their connection to the Mongols. In early 2015, some of the defendants sought to transition from another motorcycle club and establish the Clarksville Mongols because, at the time, the Mongols did not occupy or claim any territory in Tennessee. As a show of loyalty and to gain favor with the Mongols, those individuals committed a drive-by shooting and burned down the Sin City Motorcycle Club's clubhouses in Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee. These initial violent acts were designed to curry favor with the Mongols and paved the way for the Clarksville Mongols to obtain a firm foothold in Tennessee. One of the earliest and most violent acts committed by the Clarksville Mongols occurred on May 22, 2015, with the kidnapping and murder of Victim 1, a young mother. The Clarksville Mongols believed Victim 1 had stolen narcotics, money, and firearms, had knowledge about the theft of such items, and had been speaking negatively to others about the Clarksville Mongols. On the day of her murder, the Clarksville Mongols kidnapped Victim 1 at gunpoint then drove her to an area behind a secluded cemetery where they shot her numerous times and killed her. Victim 1’s body was recovered almost 15 months after she was murdered. These acts marked the beginning of the Clarksville Mongols -- an enterprise that engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity from 2015 through 2018. During that time, in order to enrich the Mongols and to maintain control of the Mongols' new territory in Tennessee, the Clarksville Mongols engaged in a pattern of violent criminal activity, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assaults, narcotics trafficking, robbery, extortion, money laundering, witness tampering, and various firearms offenses. In an effort to establish themselves as the area’s dominant motorcycle club, members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols also participated in large-scale drug-trafficking and money-laundering activities with the help of Mongols members from California who supplied the Clarksville Mongols with more than 50 pounds of almost 100% pure methamphetamine worth approximately $1 million for distribution in and around Tennessee and Kentucky. The Clarksville Mongols' violent conduct culminated in the kidnapping and murder of Victim 2, a former Clarksville Mongol. During the early morning hours of November 19, 2017, they kidnapped Victim 2 and took him to another member's house where they held Victim 2 hostage, used zip ties to restrain him, and viciously beat, tortured, and interrogated him for hours, causing him to suffer 3 fractured vertebrae in his neck, five fractured ribs, blunt force trauma to his head, and a broken eye socket. One member told another that they beat Victim 2 so bad that his flesh was falling off his face. They ultimately murdered Victim 2 by driving a 10-inch tent stake through his head. They buried Victim 2's body in a secluded field behind an abandoned residence. Victim 2's body was recovered almost a year later. The sentences are as follows: James Wesley Frazier, age 36, was sentenced to Life plus 30 years in federal prison; Aelix Santiago, age 35, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison; Kyle Heade, age 37, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison; Joel Aldridge, age 43, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison; James Hines, age 47, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison; Michael Forrester, Jr., age 35, was sentenced to 17 ½ years in federal prison; Jamie Hern, age 44, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison; Robert Humiston, age 31, was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison; Michael Myers, age 40, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison; Michael Levi West, age 41, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison; Adrianna Miles, age 28, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison; Derek Leighton Stanley, age 49, was sentenced to 18 ½ years in federal prison; William Boylston, age 33, was sentenced to Life plus 7 years in federal prison; Jason Meyerholz, age 49, was sentenced to Life plus 7 years in federal prison; Christopher Michael Wilson, age 41, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison; Jessie Marie Decker, age 38, was sentenced to time served; Janie Lee, age 28, was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in federal prison; and Christian Dykes, age 35, was sentenced to time served. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Clarksville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Kentucky State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Risinger and Chris Suedekum for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis with the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Carjacker Sent to Prison for 10 Years

body_text: WASHINGTON – Basil Thomas, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a carjacking and robbery that he committed in Northeast Washington D.C. last year, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. On September 6, 2023, Thomas pleaded guilty in Superior Court to carjacking, robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. On March 25, 2024, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian sentenced the defendant to 84 months in prison for carjacking, consecutive to 36 months in prison for robbery; with concurrent sentences of 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and 36 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, pursuant to the parties’ plea agreement According to the government’s evidence, with which the defendant agreed at his plea hearing, on March 3, 2023, at approximately 5:35 p.m., the defendant approached his first victim, put a gun to his neck, and demanded his car keys. The victim reluctantly handed Thomas the keys to his Lexus SUV. Thomas drove that Lexus a short distance away before parking it so he could attempt a second armed carjacking. At approximately, 5:45 p.m., Thomas approached a Toyota SUV that was parked and running in a parking lot near where Thomas parked the Lexus. The second victim was sitting in the passenger seat of his Toyota when Thomas pointed a gun at him through the driver’s side window. Thomas then got in the Toyota, put the gun against the second victim’s head and demanded he get out. When the victim refused, a struggle ensued over the gun and Thomas was shot in the leg. Thomas fled after being shot, but police were able to identify him and link him to both offenses after he went to a nearby hospital for treatment for his wound. Although the first victim could not identify his assailant, the second victim was able to positively identify him. Police also located the first victim’s Lexus near the second carjacking location. And after the second victim reported the attempted carjacking, police recovered Thomas’s gun and surveillance footage that showed his attempt to carjack the second victim. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Kubo and Alec Levy.


title: Three defendants sentenced in fraudulent nursing diploma scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On April 2, three defendants were sentenced to federal prison after having previously been found guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges following a three-week jury trial in Fort Lauderdale in relation to a fraudulent nursing diploma scheme. U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal sentenced Gail Russ, registrar of the Palm Beach School of Nursing in Lake Worth, Florida, to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of $861,672. Judge Singhal sentenced Cassandre Jean, owner and operator of Success Nursing Review in Brooklyn, New York, to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a $20,000 fine and ordered forfeiture of $4,698,828. The court ordered Russ and Jean to be remanded to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to begin serving their sentences. Judge Singhal sentenced Vilaire Duroseau, owner and operator of the Center for Advance Training and Studies in West Orange, New Jersey, to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of $1,381,913.40. The court ordered Duroseau to surrender in Newark, New Jersey on April 5. These defendants were charged along with 11 co-defendants for their involvement in a scheme to sell fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts obtained from two private nursing schools that at one time were approved by the State of Florida to issue diplomas and transcripts to individuals seeking licenses and jobs as registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). The bogus diplomas and transcripts qualified purchasers to sit for the national nursing board exam and, after passing it, to obtain licenses and jobs in various states as RNs and LPN/VNs. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas by Palm Beach School of Nursing and Quisqueya School of Nursing LLC in Palm Beach County, Florida. These schools are now closed due to the excessive failure rates of its students taking the state nursing board exam. Those nursing applicants who passed the national nursing board exam used the fraudulent diplomas to obtain RN or LPN/VN licenses and nursing jobs with unwitting health care providers throughout the United States. An additional 11 defendants entered pleas of guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in Case No. 23-60007-Cr-Singhal. In total, 27 defendants were charged and convicted in 2023 for their participation in this nursing diploma fraud scheme, known as Operation Nightingale, that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Stephen Mahmood of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Region announced the sentences. FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated these cases. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General; and Florida Attorney General-Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Mid-Atlantic Field Office provided valuable assistance. Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Clark and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Juenger prosecuted these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff handled asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60007. ###


title: Rhode Island Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Fentanyl Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Providence, Rhode Island man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Yeury Garcia-Rodriguez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 25 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On May 9, 2023, Garcia-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Between May 2021 and June 2022, Garcia-Rodriguez distributed fentanyl on at least four occasions to a government cooperating source on behalf of his co-defendant and co-conspirator Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara. In addition to delivering fentanyl for Ortiz-Alcantara, on two occasions, the defendant separately sold fentanyl to the cooperating source. The defendant told the cooperating source that he cooked, pressed, packaged and delivered fentanyl for Ortiz-Alcantara. Approximately 36 grams of fentanyl was seized from the defendant’s residence on July 19, 2022. Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sheriff’s Office; and Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon with two prior federal drug distribution convictions pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking and faces up to 40 years in prison for his crime. Antonio Whitehead, 36, of Macon, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on April 3. Whitehead faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. The sentencing and revocation hearing is June 5. The defendant is not eligible for parole. “Fentanyl kills, pure and simple. Those who choose to traffic this deadly drug into our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office will do everything we can to support our law enforcement partners’ efforts to rid our communities of fentanyl and make them safer for everyone.” “Despite previous convictions, Whitehead continued to plague our communities with fentanyl, fueling the deadliest drug epidemic our country has ever seen,” said Robert Gibbs, Senior Supervisor Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of these drug trafficking operations from our streets.” According to court documents, Whitehead was under supervised release for two prior federal drug distribution convictions in the Southern District of West Virginia when the car he was traveling in was stopped for multiple violations on Georgia Highway 401 by a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducting traffic enforcement on Feb. 20, 2023. The officer smelled drugs and the driver had a suspended license. In addition, both the driver and Whitehead, who was a passenger, made inconsistent statements. As backup arrived, and a probable search was being conducted on the vehicle, Whitehead ran to the driver’s seat and attempted to drive away. An officer shot out the rear tires of the vehicle to prevent a high-speed chase and the defendant was arrested. Inside the vehicle, officers located a suitcase which contained plastic bags filled with 207 grams of fentanyl, 554 grams of methamphetamine and 101 grams of cocaine. Whitehead also had several bags of marijuana and a bag of fentanyl on him. Whitehead told officers the driver had nothing to do with the found drugs. The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office and the FBI. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels.


title: D.C. Woman Arrested on Carjacking Charge

body_text: WASHINGTON – Auzsa Beatty, 28, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with a carjacking that occurred on the evening of March 11, 2024, in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. Beatty made her initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond, on March 21, 2024, where Judge Raymond found probable cause that Beatty committed the offense of carjacking and ordered that Beatty be held without bond pending trial. The United States is still investigating Beatty’s armed accomplice. According to court documents, Beatty was a passenger in a car driven by her male accomplice. After her accomplice ran a stop sign and struck the victim’s vehicle, Beatty got out of the car. When the victim got out of his car, Beatty’s accomplice displayed a firearm, causing the victim to retreat from his door. Beatty then got in the driver’s seat of the victim’s vehicle and drove off. Police later recovered the car parked near Beatty’s home. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to Life for Repeatedly Raping a Girl Under His Care

body_text: WASHINGTON – Charles Clark, 67, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced today to life in prison for sexually abusing a young girl entrusted to his care. The sentence, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Clark pleaded guilty on October 11, 2022, to a federal count of coercion and enticement of a minor. In addition to the life prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Clark to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. In a related case, on March 30, 2023, Clark pled guilty Charles County, Maryland, to one count of sexual abuse a minor/continuing conduct, and one count of sexual abuse of a minor. On December 7, 2023, the defendant was sentenced in Charles County, Maryland, to a term of 45 years in prison. According to court documents, in June of 2017, Clark targeted a child under the age of 17 beginning in June 2017, subjecting the girl to repeated rape and sexual abuse for five years. Despite being a “father-figure” to this girl, and despite having helped raise the victim from early childhood, Clark sexually abused the girl between 170 and 200 times. The sexual abuse occurred both at the victim’s residence as well as Clark’s residence in Maryland. While the abuse was ongoing, the Clark and the girl would communicate via Instagram direct messaging and the internet. Starting in 2020, the defendant ordered the girl to send sexually explicit images of herself to him, which she did on at least two occasions. Eventually, the girl disclosed the ongoing abuse to her mother, who immediately reported to law enforcement. Law enforcement, with the girl’s permission, then took over her Instagram account and began messaging with Clark. Clark openly acknowledged that he and the girl had been together for five years and that she “gave [him] the most precious thing a woman can give a man.” When asked what that was, Clark responded that the girl gave him her “virginity.” When asked if he was happy he was her “first” at the age of 13, Clark said, “Hell yeah….” Clark was arrested on April 2, 2021. He has been in custody since. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janani Iyengar, Jocelyn Bond and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Buckner. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Bellingham, Washington man sentenced to eight years in prison for dealing fentanyl while carrying firearms

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 42-year-old Bellingham, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to eight years in prison for drug distribution and illegal firearms possession announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Adam Wisniewski is the fifth and final defendant to be sentenced in a case involving fentanyl distribution in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Wisniewski pleaded guilty in February 2024 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and two counts of illegally possessing firearms. At today’s sentencing hearing Judge Lauren King noted Wisniewski’s criminal history saying, his life “had been somewhat of a revolving door of offenses and imprisonment.” Judge King recommended the Bureau of Prisons residential drug treatment program for Wisniewski to treat his addiction. In April 2022, investigators initially saw drug ring leader Enoc Martinez Lopez, aka “Victor,” 28, of Marysville, Washington, meeting with Wisniewski, at the Silver Reef Casino in Whatcom County. Wisniewski was later arrested with more than 1,000 fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder and a firearm. Wisniewski was arrested a second time in June 2022 with two firearms and more fentanyl pills. In the course of the investigation law enforcement seized: 11.5 kilos of fentanyl pills, 2.8 kilos of fentanyl powder, 5.7 kilos of cocaine, 1.6 kilos of heroin and 8.7 kilos of crystal meth, more than $186,000 in cash and nine firearms. In asking for an eight-year prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs wrote to the court, “Of particular concern is Wisniewski’s possession of firearms. After being caught by law enforcement with a gun, Wisniewski rearmed himself and – two months later – was in possession of two more firearms. As the Probation Officer notes, the combination of drugs and guns is especially deadly and Wisniewski’s persistence in possessing firearms is extremely concerning.” The leader of the drug ring, Enoc Martinez Lopez, was sentenced to eight years in prison; Casey Landis, 41, of Bellingham, a drug distributor, was sentenced to seven years in prison. Drug distributor Jesse Witteveen was sentenced to six years in prison; drug trafficking associate Anthony Gunderson was sentenced to 41 months in prison. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bellingham Resident Office (DEA), working with the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, the CBP Air & Marine Operations, the Lummi Police Department, the Everson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.


title: Ohio Businessowner Pleads Guilty to Tax Offense Related to Illegal Gambling Businesses

component: Tax Division

body_text: An Ohio woman pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the IRS related to her operation of an illegal gambling business. According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2014 through 2018, Stephanie Condric managed, and later co-owned, Gametastic, an illegal gambling business located in Canton, Ohio. Condric and her co-conspirators did not report to the IRS the cash wages paid to Gametastic’s employees, which caused the business to underpay its employment taxes. In addition, she filed false personal tax returns that concealed a portion of the income she received from Gametastic. Sentencing for Condric is scheduled for a later date. Condric faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, Ohio Casino Control Commission and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.


component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that the Justice Department is adding three new cities to its Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), building on the successful model launched in Houston, Texas, in September 2022, and expanded to Memphis, Tennessee, in November 2023. The VCI surges law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups that are threatening the safety and security of communities in cities across the nation. As the Attorney General noted in his remarks this morning in Chicago, today’s announcement comes as the Justice Department is working to replicate the successes that communities across the country have seen in driving down the violent crime that spiked during the pandemic. That includes cities like Detroit, where 2023 marked the fewest homicides in 57 years; Baltimore, where there was a 20% reduction in homicides in 2023 and a 7% reduction in non-fatal shootings; New Orleans, where 2023 marked a 25% decline in homicides; Philadelphia, where there was a 20% reduction in homicides in 2023; and Chicago, where homicides decreased by 13% in 2023. “The Justice Department will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community is safe from violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The FBI reports that last year we saw a significant decrease in overall violent crime across the country compared to the previous year—including an over 13% decline in homicides. That is the largest one-year decline in homicides in 50 years. The Justice Department is not easing up on our efforts to reduce violent crime. In fact, today, we are doubling down. In Houston and Memphis, we launched a Violent Crime Initiative that brought prosecutors from the Department’s Criminal Division to work closely with prosecutors already on the ground to target those responsible for the greatest violence. Today, we are launching the next phase of our Violent Crime Initiative in St. Louis, Missouri; Jackson, Mississippi; and Hartford, Connecticut.” “No matter where violent crime occurs, it leaves a devastating impact on victims and communities,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, as part of the Violent Crime Initiative, is renewing our focus on violent crime in three additional cities and surging tools and resources to make our streets safer. Every day, our field offices work to tear down violent criminals and gangs and this initiative will only serve to magnify their successes.” “Violent crime demands our urgent attention,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through our Violent Crime Initiative, the Criminal Division works in partnership with local U.S. Attorneys and federal and state law enforcement to use data to focus on the worst of the worst violent offenders, to engage with the communities in which we work, and to make our neighborhoods safer. As our work in Houston and Memphis has shown, together we can make a difference.” To focus the Justice Department’s resources on communities most in need, the Criminal Division has identified St. Louis, Missouri; Jackson, Mississippi; and Hartford, Connecticut, as the next VCI cities. The VCI utilizes prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section—the nation’s foremost experts in racketeering prosecutions—to work alongside prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, as well as dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Through the VCI, the Criminal Division also works with community leaders in each city to best understand citizens’ concerns and to work to support them. Since the start of Houston VCI, Houston saw reductions of 9% in violent crime and 20% in homicides. In Memphis, when compared to 2023, official counts of murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults have decreased since the VCI has been operational. “We have long had a focus in the Eastern District of Missouri on violent crime and complex criminal conspiracies, and the addition of two experienced prosecutors will allow us to expand that,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “We look forward to working with them to make the St. Louis region safer.” “As a resident of Jackson, I know it is a great place to live and work, but it also suffers from violent crime that is largely driven by a small number of violent individuals and gangs,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “I am excited to have experts from the Justice Department join with federal, state, and local law enforcement here in Jackson to help us investigate and prosecute these sources of violent crime.” “This office and our federal law enforcement partners have a long and successful history of working with the Hartford Police Department and our state counterparts to make our capital city safer,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “We welcome these additional Justice Department resources, which supplement our efforts to focus on the groups and individuals in Hartford that are chiefly responsible for Hartford’s gun violence and prosecute offenders to the full extent of federal law.” “With crime rates down in so many places in 2023, now is not the time to back off. Now is the time to double and triple down on strategies that have been shown to work,” said ATF Director Steven Dettelbach. “ATF’s expertise in Crime Gun Intelligence allows our agents—and our law enforcement partners—to follow the crime gun. This leads to more impactful arrests both of those who are actually doing the shooting and those unlawfully supplying the shooters with their guns. By combining this intelligence and data with traditional techniques, ATF produces evidence-driven cases on the most dangerous offenders. We are proud to work with all our partners on this important initiative in cities around the country.” “Drug-related crimes and violence continue to have a significant impact on our communities and demand a new approach,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Two years ago, DEA implemented Operation Overdrive, a data-driven, intelligence led approach to identifying and dismantling criminal drug networks doing the most harm in communities, including in St. Louis, Missouri; Hartford, Connecticut; and Jackson, Mississippi. This approach allows us to map the threats and shift our resources so that our drug enforcement efforts will have the greatest impact in our communities. Expanding the Violent Crime Initiative further extends our potential to successfully investigate and prosecute criminals by harnessing the full potential of state, local, and federal partnerships.”


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison  for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Jackson, Mississippi – A Jackson man was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Teson Kuran Daniel, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Jackson. According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Teson Kuran Daniel. Inside the residence, agents found methamphetamine, cocaine, and two scales. Prior to the execution of the search warrant, Daniel sold methamphetamine and cocaine to a confidential informant on two occasions. Daniel pled guilty on December 14, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and the Byram Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.


title: Oxford Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Oxford man was sentenced on March 27, 2024, to 17 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Corey Lester Schlemme, 48, set up multiple Facebook accounts under various names to send and receive child pornography. After receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children a subsequent search of Schlemme’s Oxford residence confirmed that he was sending and receiving child pornography. Review of seized evidence also determined that Schlemme represented himself as a minor female in fraudulent Facebook accounts to persuade a minor victim to produce and send him child pornography. Over the course of nine months, Schlemme exchanged thousands of messages with the minor and solicited numerous videos and images of the minor engaged in sexually explicit acts. At the time of this investigation, Schlemme was a coach for the Clear Creek Amana School District. After completing his term of imprisonment, Schlemme will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Schlemme was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $5,000.00. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Johnson County Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team, with assistance from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Investment Adviser Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Defrauding Investors of Over $1.2 Million

body_text: BOSTON – An investment adviser from Massachusetts was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors out of more than half a million dollars. Jose Rocha, 38, of Bridgewater, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. The Court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $774,737. In September 2023, Rocha pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, Rocha solicited investments from individuals in Massachusetts. Rocha portrayed himself as a successful investor in publicly traded securities – including stocks and stock options – and promised to manage investor funds in exchange for a share of the returns. In total, Rocha obtained over $1.2 million in investment funds from his victims. Thereafter, Rocha used a portion of those funds to pay purported investment returns to other investors and misappropriated funds for himself, including to pay for vacations and gambling at casinos. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Rocha in August 2023 alleging violations of the securities laws. In conjunction with the guilty plea in this case, Rocha entered into a Consent Judgment with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Alabama Man Arrested on Federal Dog Fighting and Firearms Charges

body_text: A federal grand jury indicted an Alabama man on charges of illegally possessing dogs for fighting purposes and illegally possessing three firearms subsequent to a felony conviction. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama unsealed the indictment in conjunction with the arrest today of Carlton Lenard Adams, 51, of Bessemer and Adger. According to court documents filed in this case, Adams maintained a stock of 78 fighting dogs at three properties – two in Bessemer and one in Adger – and all were rescued by federal authorities. Agents also recovered tools and supplies used in the training and keeping of dogs used for fighting. This included modified treadmills to hold dogs in place for dog fight conditioning, injectable veterinary steroids, suture materials and syringes, skin staplers, a homemade breeding stand used to immobilize female dogs who are too aggressive to mate naturally and a break stick device used to break the bite hold of a dog during specified intervals in a dog fight. The defendant was further found to possess two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun known colloquially as a “Street Sweeper.” The latter is considered as not just a firearm but a “destructive device” under federal law. The dogs were rescued and cared for by a program administered by the U.S. Marshals Service. Following a separate, successful civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendant, but could instead be rehabilitated and evaluated for possible adoption. If convicted, Adams faces a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each firearms charge. He also faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count of animal fighting charges. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight animals and to possess, train, transport, deliver, receive, buy or sell animals intended for use in an animal fighting venture. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama made the announcement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, FBI and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Rummage for the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Shutt for the Northern District of Alabama handled the civil forfeiture case, which ensured that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendant. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Helena felon admits illegal possession of loaded AR-15 rifle in vehicle on state capitol grounds

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A felon who was on listed as an absconder on a state of Montana webpage admitted today to illegally possessing a firearm after law enforcement found a loaded AR-15 style rifle in his vehicle on state capitol grounds, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Joshua Nzeyimana, 23, of Helena, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Nzeyimana faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for Aug. 1 and continued Nzeyimana’s detention pending further proceedings. The government alleged that on Dec. 3, 2023, Nzeyimana, a convicted felon on state supervision, possessed a loaded AR-15 style rifle in his vehicle on the state capitol grounds in Helena. The rifle was found during a probation search of his vehicle. Nzeyimana was listed as an absconder in Montana Conweb. Nzeyimana admitted during an interview to possessing the rifle and had previously shot one round in open field near a park. Nzeyimana knew he could not legally possess the rifle, so he used another person to purchase it. Nzeyimana was convicted in state district court of felony criminal endangerment and felony assault with a weapon and was prohibited from possessing firearms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Probation and Parole 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. XXX


title: Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Heroin/Fentanyl Mix

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on April 2, 2024, to 84 months of imprisonment, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Randy Cross, 40. According to information presented to the Court, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers seized 33 bricks, 11 bundles, and three plastic storage bags containing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, as well as $11,260, from Cross’s residence in March 2021. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cross.


title: Alabama Man Arrested on Federal Dog Fighting and Firearms Charges; Seventy-Eight Dogs Rescued and “Destructive Device” Recovered

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury indicted an Alabama man on charges of illegally possessing dogs for fighting purposes and illegally possessing three firearms subsequent to a felony conviction. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama unsealed the indictment in conjunction with the arrest today of Carlton Lenard Adams, 51, of Bessemer and Adger. According to court documents filed in this case, Adams maintained a stock of 78 fighting dogs at three properties – two in Bessemer and one in Adger – and all were rescued by federal authorities. Agents also recovered tools and supplies used in the training and keeping of dogs used for fighting. This included modified treadmills to hold dogs in place for dog fight conditioning, injectable veterinary steroids, suture materials and syringes, skin staplers, a homemade breeding stand used to immobilize female dogs who are too aggressive to mate naturally and a break stick device used to break the bite hold of a dog during specified intervals in a dog fight. The defendant was further found to possess two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun known colloquially as a “Street Sweeper.” The latter is considered as not just a firearm but a “destructive device” under federal law. The dogs were rescued and cared for by a program administered by the U.S. Marshals Service. Following a separate, successful civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendant, but could instead be rehabilitated and evaluated for possible adoption. If convicted, Adams faces penalties up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each firearms charge and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count of animal fighting charges. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight animals and to possess, train, transport, deliver, receive, buy or sell animals intended for use in an animal fighting venture. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona of the Northern District of Alabama made the announcement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, FBI and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency are investigating the case. Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Rummage for the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Shutt for the Northern District of Alabama handled the civil forfeiture case, which ensured that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendant. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Leader of Nationwide Methamphetamine Ring Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Firearm and Money Laundering Charges

body_text: BOSTON – The leader of a nationwide drug trafficking ring pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston yesterday. Throughout the investigation over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled. Reshat Alkayisi, 62, a Turkish national residing in Covington, R.I., pleaded guilty to three counts of a second superseding indictment, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; money laundering conspiracy; and two counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2024. Alkayisi was arrested in July 2021 and indicted, along with eight others, on drug trafficking and gun charges. Alkayisi was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment that added two defendants, as well as money laundering charges against Alkayisi and others. In approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. In late 2020, Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Between October 2020 and April 2021, 12 controlled purchases of methamphetamine were made from the drug trafficking organization—two of which were directly from Alkayisi and one that was negotiated with Alkayisi and allegedly delivered by Brian Keleman. On June 1, 2021, four packages were seized containing a total of approximately 100 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine from Keleman that he allegedly picked up on behalf of Alkayisi from a UPS store in Rhode Island. On June 25, 2021, another package was seized, destined for Alkayisi that contained approximately 30 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine. In total, approximately 160 pounds of methamphetamine was seized throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and package seizures. During a search of Alkayisi’s residence in Rhode Island, an AK-47 assault rifle, a Glock handgun with no serial number, over 4,200 rounds ammunition, and over $23,000 cash was also seized. Additionally, numerous electronics, including a computer that contained a ledger documenting Alkayisi’s methamphetamine sales for January through June of 2021 was seized. Based on the ledger, as well as the seizures, Alkayisi was responsible for over 660 pounds of methamphetamine over the course of six months. Alkayisi is the seventh defendant to plead guilty. All remaining defendants are scheduled to plead guilty. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking provides for a mandatory sentence of five years in prison from and after any sentence imposed for the underlying drug trafficking offense, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering conspiracy and money laundering provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter, Katherine Ferguson and James Arnold of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Quincy Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty today to committing a hate crime. John Sullivan, 78, pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for June 26, 2024. Sullivan was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023. On Dec. 2, 2022, Sullivan encountered a Vietnamese family he had never met before outside a post office in Quincy. Sullivan yelled to the family, which included three children under the age of 12, to “go back to China,” and threatened to kill them. He then drove his car into one of the family members, causing the victim to land on the hood of the moving car and remain there while the car moved approximately 200 feet. After Sullivan stopped the car and the victim slid off, Sullivan again drove his car forward, hitting the victim a second time causing the victim to fall into a construction ditch and suffer injury. “The actions of John Sullivan are appalling and a sad reflection of intolerance and hate that is far too prevalent in our society. Sullivan violently assaulted an individual in front of children because of his race and national origin,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This behavior will never be tolerated and we will continue to aggressively prosecute hate crimes.” “This defendant’s hate-filled attack not only seriously injured the victim, but also traumatized three children in his family, solely because they were Asian American,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No person in this country should have to fear for their own or their family’s safety because of who they are or where they are from. The Justice Department is determined to stem the rising tide of hate crimes and will vigorously prosecute those who commit them.” “John Sullivan’s hateful and violent conduct, motivated by racial intolerance, was intended to physically harm the victim in this case, and instill fear within the Asian community in Quincy,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners simply won’t tolerate crimes spurred by hate. While we all have the right to believe whatever we want, when those views lead to violence, that’s a different and dangerous story. We urge anyone who is a victim or witness to a hate crime, to report it to us at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov .” The charge provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, AAG Clarke and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Tara Allison of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Grand Jury Returns Two Indictments Involving Firearms

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned two firearms-related indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Middleton Woman Charged with Straw Purchasing a Firearm for Felon Shawna Tantillo, 34, Middleton, Wisconsin, is charged with straw purchasing a firearm for a felon, conspiring to violate the law prohibiting felons from possessing firearms, and lying on a firearms purchase form. The indictment alleges that on November 28, 2023, a person identified as Person 1 asked Tantillo to purchase a firearm. Despite knowing that Person 1 was a felon, Tantillo agreed to purchase the firearm for Person 1. Tantillo purchased a .380 handgun from a Cross Plains, Wisconsin, gun store on December 7, 2023. The indictment further alleges that at the time of the purchase, Tantillo falsely declared on the purchase form that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm. Tantillo picked up the firearm from the gun store on December 8, 2023, and then gave it to Person 1, who in return gave Tantillo the purchase price plus $150. If convicted, the conspiracy and false statement charges each carry maximum penalties of 5 years in prison. The straw purchase charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. “Stopping straw buyers and preventing illegal firearms trafficking is our first line of defense against gun violence,” U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea said in announcing the charges. “It is illegal to purchase a firearm posing as the real buyer for someone else. If a friend or relative asks you to lie to a firearms retailer to try to buy a gun for them, don’t do it.” O’Shea said. The charges against Tantillo were the result of an investigation conducted by the Middleton and Fitchburg Police Departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case. Beloit Man Charged with Drug and Gun Crimes Denzen J. Jones, 41, Beloit, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine and fentanyl, possessing cocaine for distribution, and maintaining a drug trafficking place. He is also charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and possessing a loaded firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that Jones committed all these acts between May 27, 2022 and August 23, 2022. If convicted Jones faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each of the drug-related charges. If convicted of the felon in possession charge, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge of possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense carries a mandatory minimum penalty five years in prison to be served consecutively to any other prison term, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charges against Jones are the result of an investigation by the Beloit Police Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution. Both cases have been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Concealing Stolen USPS Arrow Key

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A Fort Worth man pleaded guilty Wednesday to concealing a stolen U.S. Postal Service “Arrow Key,” announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Willis Bender, 18, was charged via criminal complaint in October 2023 and pleaded guilty Wednesday to receipt or concealment of stolen property of the United States. In plea papers, Mr. Bender admitted he received and concealed a stolen “ Arrow Key ,” a master key used by the U.S. Postal Service to gather mail deposited in blue collection boxes. The key – prized by mail thieves – had been stolen from a letter carrier in Everman, Texas on Sept. 20, 2023. The carrier reported that she was robbed at gunpoint by a black man who demanded she hand over her “mailbox key.” In interviews with law enforcement, Mr. Bender gave various accounts of his involvement in the robbery. At first, he claimed he knew nothing about the incident; then he claimed that a man named showed up at his front door, threatened his family, and forced Mr. Bender to accompany him to the robbery. In a subsequent interview, Mr. Bender claimed a man threatened him with a gun and forced him to sit in the back seat of his car during the robbery. In yet another interview, he said a man committed the robbery while he and another individual waited outside in the vehicle. In his final interview with law enforcement, Mr. Bender claimed that when police arrived in the area, he looked outside and saw the stolen arrow key sitting outside his door. Not wanting to get in trouble for robbery, he took the key and hid it behind the air duct grill in his bedroom alongside his gun, he claimed. Mr. Bender now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Everman Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas is prosecuting the case.


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime Against Asian American Man

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to one federal hate crime count. According to court documents, John Sullivan pleaded guilty to willfully causing bodily injury to victim G.N. through the use of a dangerous weapon (a vehicle) because of G.N.’s actual and perceived race and national origin. “This defendant’s hate-filled attack not only seriously injured the victim, but also traumatized three children in his family, solely because they were Asian American,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No person in this country should have to fear for their own or their family’s safety because of who they are or where they are from. The Justice Department is determined to stem the rising tide of hate crimes and will vigorously prosecute those who commit them.” “The actions of John Sullivan are appalling and a sad reflection of intolerance and hate that is far too prevalent in our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “Sullivan violently assaulted an individual in front of children because of his race and national origin. This behavior will never be tolerated and we will continue to aggressively prosecute hate crimes.” “John Sullivan’s hateful and violent conduct, motivated by racial intolerance, was intended to physically harm the victim in this case and instill fear within the Asian community in Quincy,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. “The FBI and our partners simply won’t tolerate crimes spurred by hate. While we all have the right to believe whatever we want, when those views lead to violence, that’s a different and dangerous story. We urge anyone who is a victim or witness to a hate crime, to report it to us at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.” According to the plea agreement, Sullivan encountered G.N., who is Vietnamese, and his family, who are also Asian American, outside a post office. Sullivan had never met the victim or the victim’s family before. In front of the family’s three children under the age of 12, Sullivan yelled that the family should “go back to China,” threatened to kill them and drove his car into G.N., causing G.N. to land on the hood of the moving car and remain there while the car moved approximately 200 feet. Eventually Sullivan stopped the car, causing G.N. to fall into a construction ditch and suffer bodily injury and pain. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 26. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey Cummings for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.