title: Two MS-13 Gang Members Sentenced for Murder Conspiracy

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Two La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang members were sentenced for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering in connection with their participation in the Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (WLS) clique of the MS-13 gang. Endy Arturo Gaitan Campos, aka Clandestino, 30, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison, and Jorge Isaac Argueta Chica, aka Timido and Enano, 23, of Gaithersburg, was sentenced last week to six years in prison. According to court documents, MS-13 is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region, and are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rivals. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership. On Aug. 8, 2020, Campos and other WLS members, including WLS leader Brayan Alexander Torres and Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, agreed to murder Victim-4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and with whom Sanchez had a financial dispute. Campos told another MS-13 member that he would have to help commit the murder. Campos then drove Torres, Sanchez, and other WLS members to a wooded area nearby and dropped them off. Sanchez was armed with a revolver, and Torres gave a second revolver to the MS-13 member Campos had told to help in the murder, instructing that person to shoot first when Victim-4 arrived. When Victim-4 arrived, Sanchez and the other MS-13 member each fired multiple shots at Victim-4. Sanchez then pistol-whipped and stabbed Victim-4, and Torres also stabbed Victim-4. After Torres and other WLS members dragged Victim-4’s body to a stream and left it there, Campos drove the MS-13 members back to Torres’s house, where other gang members, including Argueta Chica and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, were waiting. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence on the body and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim-4’s murder, Torres called other WLS members and ordered them to bring shovels to bury Victim-4’s body. WLS members loaded shovels into Campos’s car, and Campos drove them, including Argueta Chica and Rivas Rodriguez, to the wooded area. WLS members then dug a hole and buried Victim-4’s body. Law enforcement later recovered the body with a bullet wound to the head. Argueta Chica also participated in the collection of extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury by members of WLS. Torres and Sanchez were each sentenced to 28 years in prison, and Rivas Rodriguez was sentenced 16 years in prison for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department made the announcement. The FBI, HSI, and Prince George’s County Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Montgomery County Police Department. Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Case on Right to Travel to Access Legal Abortions

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in two consolidated lawsuits seeking to protect the right to interstate travel, including the right to travel to another state to obtain an abortion that is legal in the destination state. The statement of interest explains that the Constitution protects the right to travel across state lines and engage in conduct that is lawful where it is performed and that states cannot prevent third parties from assisting others in exercising that right. The statement argues that the Alabama Attorney General’s threatened prosecutions of individuals for providing assistance to people seeking lawful out-of-state abortions are therefore unconstitutional. The cases are Yellowhammer Fund v. Marshall and West Alabama Women’s Center, et al., v. Marshall . “As I said the day Dobbs was decided, bedrock constitutional principles dictate that women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This filing demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to defending the constitutional right to travel and to protecting reproductive freedom under federal law.” “The Reproductive Rights Task Force has been scrutinizing state laws and enforcement actions that threaten to infringe on federal protections of reproductive rights, including illegal attempts to prevent interstate travel,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Today’s filing is just one part of the Justice Department’s ongoing work to use all available tools to safeguard reproductive freedoms protected by the Constitution and federal law.” “Alabama may not infringe the constitutional right to travel in order to meet its policy goals,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Civil Division will continue to assert the interests of the United States.” The Department’s statement of interest explains that the right to travel from one state to another is firmly embedded in the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence and the Constitution. It notes that Justice Kavanaugh — one of the five justices who formed the majority in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — has explained that the question of whether a State may “bar a resident of that State from traveling to another State to obtain an abortion” is “not especially difficult” — “the answer is no based on the constitutional right to interstate travel.” The Department’s filing also explains that the Supreme Court has held that states may not prevent third parties from assisting others in exercising their right to travel. Further, the statement of interest explains that because of these precedents, the Alabama Attorney General may not criminalize third-party assistance for interstate travel, particularly where the sole purpose of those prosecutions is to impede individuals’ exercise of their constitutional rights. The plaintiffs in these cases are organizations and individuals within Alabama seeking to facilitate individuals’ access to legal, out-of-state abortions. They brought suit in response to the Alabama Attorney General’s argument that he may criminally prosecute individuals within Alabama who assist others in obtaining legal, out-of-state abortions. Specifically, the Alabama Attorney General contends that providing assistance within Alabama to someone seeking an out-of-state abortion constitutes a criminal conspiracy, regardless of whether the abortion is legal in the state where it is performed, as long as the abortion would be illegal if performed within Alabama. Plaintiffs have challenged the Alabama Attorney General’s threatened conspiracy prosecutions on a variety of grounds, including as being inconsistent with the Constitution’s right to travel. Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs overturning Roe v. Wade , the Justice Department has worked with commitment and urgency to defend the reproductive freedoms that are protected by federal law. The Reproductive Rights Task Force, led by Associate Attorney General Gupta, consists of senior officials and dedicated staff from across a dozen Department components who are working daily to address complex and widespread threats to reproductive health in the wake of Dobbs . Since the Task Force was formed , one of its core responsibilities has been to assess state and local legislation and enforcement actions that threaten to impair women’s right to seek reproductive care in states where it is legal and to coordinate appropriate federal government responses to those actions, including proactive and defensive legal action where appropriate. Additional information on the work of the Task Force can be found at www.justice.gov/reproductive-rights . Statement of Interest


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Chicago-Area Tax Fraud Scheme

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Texas man, formerly of Chicago, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for mail fraud arising out of a scheme to fraudulently obtain tax refunds from the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately June 2010 through January 2014, Lamar “Cory” Thompson obtained the Social Security numbers of individuals in the Chicago area and persuaded them to get fingerprinted under the false pretense that they would be working for him as tax return preparers. Thompson used this personal information without the knowledge of these individuals to unlawfully obtain Electronic Filing Identification Numbers, Preparer Tax Identification Numbers and Employer Identification Numbers from the IRS for the purpose of filing fraudulent tax returns. Thompson knew the personal information would be used to prepare and file false tax returns claiming refunds in the names of other individuals and cause the IRS to issue fraudulent tax refunds. In furtherance of this scheme, Thompson caused bank accounts to be opened in the names of others and used these accounts to deposit and withdraw the fraudulently-obtained tax refunds. In total, Thompson attempted to obtain approximately $1,549,342 in fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah for the Northern District of Illinois ordered Thompson to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the United States in the amount of $908,727. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Mahana Weidler and Boris Bourget of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Weapons Violations

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that today, PERCY SMITH , age 45, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier to 63 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to three counts of a seven-count superseding indictment. The superseding indictment charged SMITH in Counts 1 and 2 with possessing a firearm, on both, June 19 and June 30, 2021, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, on June 19, 2021, NOPD responded to a call of a domestic abuse battery and saw SMITH with a duffle bag containing a firearm. On June 30, 2021, SMITH was arrested pursuant to a warrant for domestic abuse battery and aggravated assault. During his arrest, officers saw SMITH drop a firearm. SMITH is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing these weapons. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit .


title: Muskogee Resident Sentenced For Murder, Robbery, And Federal Firearms Offense

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kevin Marvell Jackson, age 22, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to two life terms in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country and one count of Murder in Perpetration of Robbery in Indian Country relating to a 2020 murder in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Jackson was also sentenced to 180 months imprisonment on one count of Robbery in Indian Country and 180 months imprisonment on one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The terms of imprisonment will be served concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department. On March 3, 2022, a federal jury found Jackson guilty at trial on all counts of a four-count Superseding Indictment. During the trial, the United States presented evidence that in the early morning hours of October 19, 2020, Jackson attempted to rob two persons, believing they had a large amount of casino winnings. After forcing the victims into a nearby residence at gunpoint, Jackson discovered they had no cash or winnings, and instead attempted to force them to an ATM to withdraw funds. In the process, one victim escaped, and Jackson shot the remaining victim before fleeing the scene of the crime. EMS responders transported the gunshot victim to St. Francis Hospital in Muskogee, where he was pronounced dead. Jackson was later apprehended in the Oklahoma City area by an FBI-led manhunt. The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The FBI focuses its investigative resources on offenders who pose the greatest safety risk to the public,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “Mr. Jackson proved he has no regard for the law or for human life when he brutally murdered one innocent victim and traumatized another. I’m proud of the collective efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to ensure this extremely dangerous individual will spend the rest of his life behind bars.” “Mr. Jackson's cold-blooded crimes are deserving of the life sentence handed down by the Court,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “There can be no room in society for such callous acts, and this office will prosecute anyone who commits such crimes to the fullest extent of the law.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Jackson will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States at sentencing.


title: Maryland MS-13 Gang Members Sentenced to Federal Prison for a Murder Conspiracy

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Endy Arturo Gaitan Campos, a/k/a “Clandestino,” age 30, of Hyattsville, Maryland, yesterday to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, related to his participation in the Weedams Locos Salvatrucha (“WLS”) clique of the MS-13 gang, which operated primarily in Adelphi, Maryland. Last week, Judge Xinis sentenced co-defendant Jorge Isaac Argueta Chica, a/k/a “Timido” and “Enano,” age 23, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, also a member of the WLS clique, to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on the same charge. The sentences were announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department. According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13,” is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in Maryland and throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region, and are required to commit acts of violence, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rivals. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. MS-13 members earn promotions and improved standing within the gang for participating in attacks on rival gang members, often at the direction of MS-13 leadership. On August 8, 2020, Campos, and other WLS members, including WLS leader Brayan Torres and Franklyn Sanchez, were gathered at a park in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where they agreed to murder Victim 4, who was suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and to whom Sanchez owed a debt. Campos told another MS-13 member that he would have to help commit the murder. Campos then drove Torres, Sanchez and other WLS members to a wooded area nearby and dropped them off. Sanchez was armed with a revolver and Torres handed a second revolver to the other MS-13 member, instructing that person to shoot first when Victim 4 arrived. When Victim 4 arrived, Sanchez and the other MS-13 member each fired multiple shots at Victim 4, who fell to the ground. Sanchez then pistol-whipped and stabbed Victim 4 and Torres also stabbed Victim 4. Torres and other WLS members dragged Victim 4’s body to a stream and left it there. One of the MS-13 members at the scene of the murder placed the two guns used to shoot Victim 4 and several other items into a dark bag and Campos drove the MS-13 member back to Torres’s house where other gang members, including Argueta Chica, were waiting. As he was leaving the woods, Sanchez noticed he was bleeding and was concerned that his DNA may have been left on the body. To prevent the discovery of DNA or other evidence and to hinder the investigation and prosecution of Victim 4’s murder, Torres called other WLS members, including co-defendant Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, and ordered them to bring shovels to dig a hole and bury Victim 4’s body. Campos backed his car into the driveway of Torres’s house and parked in front of the garage. WLS members loaded shovels into Campos’s car and Campos drove Rivas Rodriguez and other WLS members to the wooded area. WLS members, including Argueta Chica then dug a hole and buried Victim 4’s body. Law enforcement later recovered the body with a bullet wound to the head. Argueta Chica also participated in the collection of extortion payments, or “rents,” from at least two extortion victims on behalf of WLS, knowing that the victims making extortion payments did so under the threat of death or bodily injury by members of WLS. Co-defendants Brayan Alexander Torres, a/k/a “Spooky,” age 29, and Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Delinquente,” age 26, both of Adelphi, Maryland, were each sentenced to 28 years in federal prison and Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, a/k/a “Terrible,” age 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland was sentenced 16 years in federal prison for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy. Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. United States Attorney Barron and Acting Assistant Attorney General Argentieri commended the FBI, HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Montgomery County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo and Trial Attorney Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn . # # #


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Connected to Fentanyl Distribution Ring

body_text: Collin Edwards, 29, of Largo, Maryland, pleaded guilty for his role in a fentanyl distribution ring and a separate charge of identity theft in a scheme involving false unemployment insurance claims that illegally netted more than $250,000, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region, Troy W. Springer, of the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. Edwards, also known as “Chills,” pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to a felony charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 or more grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. In today’s plea agreement, Edwards admitted that he was accountable for producing at least 1.2 kilograms of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Edwards also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Edwards faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 5, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta. Edwards also has agreed to forfeit $100,000. According to court documents, in August 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking group running a fentanyl pill pressing operation in and around Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Law enforcement learned that the group was in possession of at least three pill presses and used them to press fentanyl into counterfeit prescription pills. The group then distributed the pills throughout Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Edwards and six others were identified as participants in the drug trafficking operation. As part of the conspiracy, Edwards distributed the counterfeit pills in a coordinated manner with co-conspirators, including to other co-conspirators and to other distributors and/or users. On Mar. 29, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at an apartment in Southeast Washington, D.C., a stash house used by the conspiracy to run the pill press operation. During the search on the 1300 block of 4 th Street, law enforcement seized baggies of pills and loose powder, together amounting to more than 516 pills and more than 76 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. During the search of the apartment, authorities seized Edwards’ cellphone. A review of its contents revealed evidence of a conspiracy to defraud multiple states of unemployment insurance. Edwards admitted that he and other co-conspirators illegally netted at least $250,000 through the scheme. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General.. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section, prosecuted the case. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Wasserman and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marnee Rand.


title: Great Falls man fined $70,000 for scheme to defraud Medicaid

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted to lying about his income to receive more than $75,000 in Medicaid health care benefits was fined $70,000 and sentenced to three years of probation today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Dustin Tempel, 39, pleaded guilty in June to health care fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court also ordered $75,493 restitution. In court documents, the government alleged that during an investigation of Temple’s mother, Lynn Temple, for fraudulently inflating construction costs while building a home for a client in Great Falls, investigators learned that Tempel had underreported his income by more than $300,000 during a five-year period. During the period of underreporting, Temple applied for Medicaid, again underrepresenting his actual income. As a result, Temple received $75,493 from Medicaid that he was not entitled to receive from 2017 to 2020. Medicaid is a federal health care benefit program that provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women and elderly adults with disabilities. Lynn Temple, who was the finance manager for William Tempel Construction, was sentenced in April 2022 to 14 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $415,221 restitution for conviction on wire fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Former Malibu Resident Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Conning Investors with Bogus Promises of Discounted Alibaba IPO Shares

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Malibu resident was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for defrauding several individuals out of more than $3 million with bogus claims that he had access to stock shares of Alibaba prior to its initial public offering. Frank Harold Rosenthal, 48, formerly of Malibu but most recently of New York City, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also ordered him to pay $1,182,500 in restitution. While imposing sentence at today’s hearing, Judge Aenlle-Rocha called Rosenthal an “incorrigible, serial liar.” Rosenthal pleaded guilty on June 30 to two counts of wire fraud. He has been in federal custody since that day. From November 2013 to April 2015, Rosenthal falsely claimed to have inside connections at Goldman Sachs that would provide him with special access to purchase shares of Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce company, at a discount before its initial public offering. Rosenthal used a middleman to carry out his scheme, lying to the middleman and pressuring him to solicit funds from his relatives and acquaintances for the purportedly lucrative investment opportunity. To lend legitimacy to his fraudulent scheme, Rosenthal negotiated and drafted loan agreements and promissory notes with the victims that promised the victims significant returns on their loans and investments. After obtaining their money, Rosenthal lulled his victims by, among other things, falsely stating that the Alibaba shares he supposedly would purchase with their money were locked up and could not be immediately sold. Instead of using victims’ funds to purchase shares of Alibaba, Rosenthal used the money to support his lavish lifestyle, which included the $16,000 monthly rent of a Malibu home. To avoid detection and forestall threatened legal action by the victims, Rosenthal used some of the funds received from early victims to pay off later ones in a Ponzi-style arrangement. Rosenthal “carefully crafted a ruse to steal money” using “clever inducements” that made it difficult for victims to discover the fraud and insulated [Rosenthal from] having to regularly deal with his victims by abusing the reputation of good character and business judgment of the victims’ trusted friend and relative” to perpetrate the fraud, prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Rosenthal] enhanced the attractiveness of his scheme by making up friends in high places, complete with fake emails, to create the further appearance of exclusivity and success.” IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven M. Arkow and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section and Trial Attorney Sara E. Henderson of U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division prosecuted this case.


title: Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to New York and Connecticut

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa O. Monaco traveled to New York and Connecticut this week to discuss the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to protect the American people from emerging threats to our national security and public safety. Deputy AG Monaco joined the annual IBM Security Summit in New York City for a moderated discussion on how private industry and the government can best collaborate to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence, while also mitigating the risks posed by its potential abuse. The Deputy AG stressed that the risks and rewards posed by artificial intelligence are some of the “most important issues we face in law enforcement, national security, and in the protection of our privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.” To ensure the Justice Department has a strategic plan to leverage the positive uses of AI, while staying alert to its risks, the Deputy AG announced the launch of an Emerging Technology Board to advise Department leadership on the ethical and lawful use of AI across the organization. As she explained, the board will promote use of AI in a manner that is “ethical and responsible and will advance information sharing across the Department regarding emerging technology-related best practices and use cases.” The Deputy AG also visited Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, for a series of engagements with faculty and students to explain how the Justice Department executes its mission to uphold the rule of law in an evolving threat landscape. She urged the students to consider careers in public service and specifically at the Justice Department so that they could create and implement the next generation of policy to protect our national security while safeguarding civil rights and civil liberties. On her trip, the Deputy AG joined U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York for a roundtable discussion with local Jewish leaders in Brooklyn. Deputy AG Monaco emphasized that the Justice Department’s top priority is keeping the American people safe; that the Department remains vigilant in addressing a heightened level of threats against Americans based on their religion, race, color, ethnicity, or national origin; and that the Department will use every available tool at its disposal to combat hate. The Deputy AG also visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, where she met with U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, her leadership team, and the dedicated prosecutors and professional staff of the office, as well as local and federal law enforcement leaders from Connecticut. She thanked them for their dedication to public safety and emphasized the vital importance of strong partnerships in the fight against violent crime, especially when it comes to combating the trafficking of fentanyl and firearms. In recognition that the burdens of fighting violent crime too often fall disproportionately on our state and local partners, the Deputy AG underscored that the Justice Department awarded more than $4 million in grant funding to Connecticut law enforcement agencies and stakeholders last week. This funding will enable state and local agencies to hire new law enforcement officers, strengthen school-safety measures, and continue to advance community policing across Connecticut. To learn more about a career at the Justice Department, visit: www.justice.gov/careers . Deputy Attorney General Monaco in conversation at the IBM Security Conference Deputy Attorney General Monaco in conversation at Yale Law School Deputy Attorney General Monaco and U.S. Attorney Avery with the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut


title: COCAINE TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO 70 MONTHS INCARCERATION

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Leandro De Los Santos, 33, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced by Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 70 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 630 kilograms of cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, on September 11, 2022, while on routine patrol south of the Dominican Republic, United States Coast Guard Cutter U.S.S. Billings intercepted a go-fast vessel navigating on a northerly course approximately 80 nautical miles south of Bani, Dominican Republic. The vessel had no flag flown, no registration numbers and no name painted on its hull. The Dominican Republic Navy later confirmed that the vessel was not registered with their country, and it was therefore treated as a vessel without nationality thereby subjecting it to the jurisdiction of the United States. Onboard the vessel, the U.S.S. Billings boarding team detained De Los Santos and Victor Reyes-Martinez and recovered 630 kilograms of cocaine. On March 30, 2023, Reyes-Martinez pleaded guilty on March 30, 2023, and was sentenced to 57 months incarceration. This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations and Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO 46 MONTHS INCARCERATION

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Keyran Coto Lopez, 28, of Costa Rica, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma Lewis to 46 months of incarceration following his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute marijuana onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. According to court documents, on November 7, 2022, while on patrol in international waters in the Eastern Pacific, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Campbell intercepted a go-fast vessel operating approximately 65 nautical miles South of Boca Chica, Panama, with no physical flag flown and no registration documents. Coast Guard officials also observed contraband on the deck of the go-fast vessel and three individuals later identified as Lopez, Alonso Hernandez-Hernandez and Luis Orellana-Orellana onboard. All three occupants claimed to be nationals of Costa Rica and claimed Colombian nationality for the go-fast vessel. The Colombian government neither confirmed nor denied nationality of the vessel thereby subjecting it to the jurisdiction of the United States. A search of the go-fast vessel resulted in the recovery of 4,104 pounds of marijuana. Hernandez-Hernandez and Orellana-Orellana also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: CHINESE NATIONALS GUILTY OF ILLEGALLY ENTERING THE UNITED STATES

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Chunmei Zhang, 55, of China, was found guilty of illegal entry into the United States following a trial before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller. According to evidence introduced at trial, on July 25, 2023, Zhang and her husband, Sheng Chen, 55, arrived at the Cyril E. King airport in St. Thomas and attempted to board a Delta flight to New York. Both were referred to Customs and Border Protection for inspection as neither had a United States passport or any other travel documents in their possession. When interviewed, Zhang and Chen stated that they arrived in St. Thomas on July 24, 2023, by boat from Suriname and admitted paying approximately $25,000.00 to their traffickers to transport them to St. Thomas. Both Zhang and Chen are Chinese nationals, and no record exists that either applied for, sought, or received prior permission to enter or reside in the United States. On their convictions, Zhang and Chen were sentenced by Magistrate Judge Miller to time served. These cases were investigated by Customs and Border Protection and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne.


title: ST. CROIX MAN SENTENCED TO 38 MONTHS ON FIREARM CONVICTION

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Princeton Jameson, 33, of St. Croix, was sentenced by Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 38 months incarceration after pleading guilty to possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, in October 2021, Customs and Border Patrol at the Henry Rohlsen Airport seized “Glock Chips” or “Glock Switches”, two pistols, pistol components, and ammunition that Jameson smuggled in his luggage when he traveled from the U.S. mainland to St. Croix. Glock Switches are devices used to convert Glock pistols from semiautomatic into fully automatic firing mode. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye.


title: Former President of Madison District Public Schools Board of Education Sentenced for Accepting Bribes from Local Contractor and Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Albert Morrison was sentenced today to 45 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to accepting bribes from a local contractor and tax evasion, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office, and John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General. Morrison, age 62, was sentenced after pleading guilty before the Honorable Laurie Michelson to Conspiracy to Commit Federal Program Bribery from 2014 through 2018 and Tax Evasion. Morrison was the elected President of the Madison District Public Schools Board of Education from 2012 through 2018. While Morrison was President, John David was one of the owners of a building maintenance and reconstruction company, Emergency Restoration that was awarded over $3.1 million maintenance and construction projects in the Madison District Public Schools. David, who was a long-time friend of Morrison, paid Morrison more than $561,000 in order to secure the work for the Madison District. Morrison spent the money from David on personal luxuries such as vacations in Florida and a boat slip. To keep the payments secret from the school board and the community, Morrison denied having any financial ties to David or Emergency Restoration when publicly confronted at a Madison District school board meeting. Morrison also failed to disclose to State of Michigan auditors the payments he received from David. Morrison did not declare to the IRS David’s payments as income in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, or 2018. By not declaring the payments to the IRS, Morrison avoided paying approximately $118,200 in taxes. “Today’s sentence underscores our continued insistence that our trusted public officials hold themselves to the highest standards of integrity and honesty. It sends a clear message that when public officials break that trust, they will be held accountable,” said United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “This sentence ensures that school officials will put the interests of our children first and that those who accept bribes and evade paying taxes will answer for their crimes.” “Today, Mr. Morrison is being held accountable for the crimes he committed as president of the Madison District Public School Board,” said Cheyvoryea, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “We thank the IRS and Department of Education – Office of Inspector General for working alongside the FBI to investigate these allegations and expose Mr. Morrison’s corruption.” “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that financial fraud by our public officials will not be tolerated, especially when it’s at the expense of the children in our communities,” said Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to work with our federal and local partners to safeguard the financial future of our communities and our nation’s tax system.” “Mr. Morrison abused his position of trust for personal gain, and with today’s action, will now be held accountable for cheating those he promised to serve – Madison’s school children and their families,” said John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Midwestern Regional Office. "The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own selfish purposes. Our nation’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.” The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Education. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen, Karen Reynolds, and Gjon Juncaj.


title: Rantoul Man Convicted of Possessing Child Pornography

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday morning against Edward C. Brown, 45, of 1300 block of Juniper Drive, Rantoul, Illinois, for possession of child pornography. Sentencing for Brown has been scheduled on March 8, 2024, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Brown, who was serving a term of supervised release for another child pornography offense, was found in possession of an unauthorized phone that had several child pornography images on it. The evidence showed the minors depicted in the images were under the age of 12 years. “Possession of child pornography is a crime that perpetually abuses the victim every time that it is possessed and viewed. We will continue to vigorously prosecute those individuals who victimize our children.” said United States Attorney Gregory Harris. “HSI and our law enforcement partners are watching closely for indicators of child exploitation throughout our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald of HSI Chicago. “Today’s guilty verdict is a result of those partnerships and the watchful eyes of all of the dedicated agents and officers involved in not only this but the defendants previous case.” “The FBI is committed to protecting the innocence of our children,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Together with our law enforcement partners we work tirelessly to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those intent on harming the most vulnerable members of our community.” Brown remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. At sentencing, Brown faces statutory penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment, a maximum life term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The case investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and Timothy Sullivan represented the government at trial. The case against Brown was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.


title: Des Moines Man Sentenced to 34 Years for Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, IA – On November 2, 2023, a Des Moines man was sentenced to 32 years in prison after pleading guilty to the crime of transportation of child pornography and two additional years for violating his term of federal supervised release. In 2022, Adam Christopher Evans, 39, amassed an extensive collection of child sexual abuse material. Over several months, Evans stockpiled over 500 images and 69 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including infants and toddlers. In 2021, Evans was convicted in federal court of failure to register as a sex offender. He was required to register as a sex offender because of a 2011 conviction for sexual exploitation of a minor under Iowa law. Evan’s supervised release was revoked, and he was sentenced to two years consecutive to his 32-year sentence. Following his prison term, Evans will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Probation Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Roan prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Jury Convicts Pinellas Man Of Trafficking Fentanyl

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Corey Gaddy (31, St. Petersburg) guilty of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances including fentanyl and two counts of distribution of fentanyl. Gaddy faces a maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 1, 2024. Gaddy was arrested on September 9, 2020, and has remained in custody. According to court records, testimony and evidence presented at trial, Gaddy was a supplier of opioids in Pinellas County since 2017. One of his dealers, Shawn Rodriguez, was at various times during the conspiracy a distributor of opioids in the Madeira Beach area. In February 2019, the Largo Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Gaddy where heroin was concealed on his person. On November 6, 2019, while on bond for that offense, Gaddy distributed fentanyl to Rodriguez who then supplied the same to K.E. In the early morning hours of November 7, 2019, K.E. died of fentanyl toxicity. Gaddy learned that K.E. had died but continued distributing opioids anyway. In April 2020, while still on bond for his pending state case, Gaddy distributed opioids to J.P. and another individual. Two days later, J.P. was found dead on a fishing boat. Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to his role in the case. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 7, 2024. This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Largo Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Lauren Stoia.


title: Natin Paul Now Facing Wire Fraud Charges in Superseding Indictment

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – Federal prosecutors presented a superseding indictment in Austin, charging Natin Paul, aka Nate Paul, 36, with four new counts related to wire fraud. According to court documents, Paul, allegedly conspired to obtain money from limited partners by falsely representing that he would isolate the partnership’s assets to be used exclusively for the benefit of the partnership. The superseding indictment alleges that Paul’s scheme allowed unrestricted use of limited partnership funds. Adding to the initial eight counts of false statements to lenders, Paul is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. The new charges carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison with fines of $250,000 per count. Each of the eight counts in Paul’s initial June 6 indictment carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison with a fine of $1 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI and State Securities Board are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Almonte, Alan Buie and Dan Guess are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Parsons to lead civil rights enforcement in Northern West Virginia

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: Pictured L-R: U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Parsons; U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, Northern District of West Virginia. WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - Wheeling native Jeffrey Parsons has been tabbed to lead civil rights enforcement efforts in Northern West Virginia. United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced today that Parsons has been hired to prosecute hate crimes, disability and housing rights violations, and the enforcement of laws that prohibit discrimination based upon race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. “Jeff is a tremendous addition to our team,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “He has a strong desire to serve the public, to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and to defend the rights of those in need.” Parsons comes to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the private sector, where he handled consumer protection, employment, and complex litigation matters. Prior to that, he served for thirteen years as the career law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge John Preston Bailey. He has served on the board of Appalachian Outreach, Inc., which aids poverty and disaster-stricken residents of West Virginia, and as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) for children in the legal system. Parsons received both his undergraduate and law degrees from West Virginia University.


title: Chatham County man indicted on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, including production of child pornography

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man has been indicted on multiple federal charges alleging sexual exploitation of children. Sheldon Jason Burch , 49, of Savannah, is being held in the Chatham County Detention Center after being arrested on a criminal complaint, and now has been indicted on three counts of Production of Child Pornography, and one count each of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the production charges carries a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to 30 years, while receipt carries a mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction of five years, up to 20, and the penalty upon conviction for possession of child pornography is up to 20 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system, and conviction on any of the charges could include substantial financial penalties and restitution, a requirement to register as a sex offender, and a period of supervised release following any prison term. Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. “Criminal allegations involving the sexual exploitation of children are horrific, particularly when they involve subjecting minor victims to portrayal in pornographic images,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The creation and continued viewing of those images is tremendously traumatizing to victims, and our office works diligently to protect them and hold their abusers accountable.” The indictment alleges that Burch, from on or about June 2006 through 2016, produced sexually explicit images of three minor victims, and up until June 2023 received and possessed additional images of child sexual exploitation. Investigators are seeking information on other unidentified potential victims found on images in electronic devices seized from Burch’s residence, located on Cowan Avenue in Savannah, and are asking anyone who might have had contact with Burch to call the FBI Savannah Resident Agency at 877-644-0277. Investigators believe that many of the explicit images of the child victims in this case were taken at Burch’s residence over a period of several years. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Chatham County Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard. Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/ .


title: Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Five people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns. “The continuing work toward making our community safer demands the removal of guns from the hands of individuals who illegally possess them,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “That especially includes holding accountable previously convicted felons found in possession of firearms.” In the past five years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system. Those indicted during the November term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include: Tacumsa Xcaiver Lovett , A/K/A “GB Poncho,” 24, of Grovetown, Ga., charged with Distribution of Fentanyl; Distribution of Marijuana and Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone; Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Fentanyl; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Zanuck Lorenzo Berry , 43, of Martinez, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Jeremy Studdard , 42, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Robert Antonio Green , 26, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and, Matthew Lacey , 29, of Savannah, charged with two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include: Lyondo Larell Ware , a/k/a “China,” 43, of Augusta, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Ware, a member of Augusta’s Loyalty Over Everything (L.O.E.) criminal street gang, was on felony probation when Richmond County deputies and Georgia Department of Community Supervision officers found a loaded pistol while searching his residence in September 2021. Arthur Singleton , 46, of Savannah, was sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Singleton in February 2023 while investigating a trespassing call at a Savannah residence and found a bag containing loaded high-capacity gun magazines in Singleton’s waistband. Tyrell Smith , 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to 68 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Smith, who had an active arrest warrant related to a March 2022 Savannah exchange of gunfire with a neighbor, ran from Savannah police who arrested him when they found him carrying a pistol. Johnny Harris, 23, of Savannah, was sentenced to 44 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He was arrested in October 2022 when Savannah police officers conducting surveillance near Frazier Homes determined Harris possessed an assault-style pistol while fleeing the area. Jonathan Bennett Capece II , 54, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Dublin police officers arrested Capece in April 2020 after finding drugs and two pistols in his vehicle during a traffic stop. DeShawn Tisdale , 24, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Tisdale’s vehicle while investigating a trespassing call at a Savannah residence in July 2021. Calvin Polite , 36, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Polite’s possession in September 2022 while investigating a report of shots fired in a Savannah neighborhood. Keith Ponsell, 34, of Jesup, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. A Georgia State Patrol trooper found an illegal “pen” gun in Ponsell’s pocket during a traffic stop in Jesup in June 2022. Akeem Ajmia Lanier , 34, of Metter, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Metter police officers found a pistol in Lanier’s vehicle during a May 2022 traffic stop. Daiyuonte Reed , 31, of Oak Bluffs, Mass., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Reed’s possession while investigating a disturbance at a Savannah restaurant in July 2021. Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Metter Police Department, and the Dublin Police Department. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473


title: Two KC Men Indicted for Cyberstalking That Resulted in Murder

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Mo., men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy that used a GPS tracking device to surveil their victim, who was shot to death in a grocery store parking lot. Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 35, and Michael Smith, also known as “Black Mike,” 37, were charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The superseding indictment replaces the original indictment and adds Lawhorn as a defendant. Co-defendant Dontay Campbell, 34, formerly of Kansas City, Mo., has pleaded guilty and therefore is not charged in this superseding indictment. The federal indictment alleges that Lawhorn, Smith and Campbell participated in the cyberstalking conspiracy, which resulted in the murder of Dontayus Wiles, from Feb. 22 to March 20, 2019. The indictment alleges that Lawhorn shot a firearm multiple times at Wiles and killed him. According to the indictment, conspirators placed a GPS tracking device on Wiles’s red Chevrolet Tahoe. On March 16, 2019, Lawhorn and Campbell surveilled Wiles as he drove to Happy Foods grocery store, located at 4019 E. 31st Street, Kansas City, Mo. When Wiles left the grocery store and walked back to the Tahoe, Lawhorn and Campbell pulled up next to the Tahoe in a Chrysler Sebring. Lawhorn allegedly exited the Sebring and shot at Wiles several times with a Sturm, Ruger & Co. .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. During the shooting spree, Campbell attempted unsuccessfully to remove the GPS tracker from Wiles’s vehicle. Lawhorn and Campbell then ran back to the Sebring, briefly drove around the parking lot, and parked again near Wiles’s Tahoe. Lawhorn allegedly again fired multiple shots into Wiles’s Tahoe while Campbell again tried unsuccessfully to retrieve the GPS tracker. Lawhorn and Campbell then sped out of the parking lot in the Sebring. According to the indictment, Lawhorn and Smith then dumped the Sebring. Smith and Campbell left the Kansas City metropolitan area and traveled to Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to the conspiracy, Lawhorn and Smith are charged with one count of cyberstalking resulting in death. Lawhorn is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Lawhorn has prior felony convictions for assault, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Lawhorn has also pleaded guilty to his role in an insurance fraud scheme and awaits sentencing. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and Nicholas Heberle. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.


title: DC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm in Relation  to Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ahmad Robertson, 32, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on November 7, 2023 to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Robertson entered the guilty plea in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols scheduled a sentencing hearing for February 16, 2024. Robertson has been in custody since June 1, 2023. According to court documents, on June 1, 2023, officers from the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF), HSI, MPD and other law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant on Robertson’s home and vehicle located in Washington, D.C. Law enforcement officers identified themselves and ordered the occupants to come out of the residence. After fifteen minutes, Robertson exited the premises and was taken into custody. Officers searched the defendant and discovered two baggies of white powder in his pants pockets, which was later determined to be cocaine. Officers then searched Robertson’s vehicle and discovered a digital scale and a privately manufactured AR-style pistol with no serial number, loaded with one 5.56 caliber rounds in the chamber and 28 such rounds in the magazine. The entire magazine of the pistol had a total capacity of 30 rounds. When officers searched Robertson’s home, they recovered two additional firearms, extended magazines, assorted rounds of ammunition of various calibers, drug paraphernalia including additional digital scales, a blender with fentanyl residue, and fentanyl. This case was investigated by HSI and MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Hart and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Leiter.


title: Neosho Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Kidnapping Conspiracy, Illegal Firearms

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Neosho, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, and in a separate and unrelated case for illegally possessing stolen firearms. Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Kidnapping, Torture, and Murder On April 27, 2023, Vaughan pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to commit kidnapping in July 2020. Five co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing in this case. Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 50, and Carla Jo Ward, 49, both of Joplin; James B. Gibson, 41, of Neosho; Amy Kay Thomas, 40, of Webb City, Mo.; and Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 51, of Greenwood, Mo., have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Vaughan admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Tilton offered Ward and Vaughan $5,000 each to locate and secure M.H. for him. Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Vaughan texted Tilton, stating “Call me quickly handing (M.H.) to you.” Vaughan and Tilton continued communicating throughout the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. Vaughan sent a text message to Tilton that read, “He’s got 2 guns.” A few hours later, Vaughan sent a text message to Tilton that read, “OK we’ve got both his guns put up,” and “Guns are secure I’m waiting for you.” Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, shot at, and burned with a blowtorch. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. Vaughan and others cleaned up the blood and damage created during the assault and shooting of M.H. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and transported it to Hurtt’s property. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended. Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number. Illegally Possessing Firearms On Feb. 24, 2021, Vaughan pleaded guilty to one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm and two counts of possessing a stolen firearm. Vaughan admitted that he was in possession of a DB9 9mm handgun, which was found in the glove box of his truck and had been reported stolen, on Jan. 4, 2019. Vaughan also admitted that he was in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun, which had been reported stolen, on March 12, 2019. The handgun was lying on the couch inside a travel trailer, which had been stolen two days earlier and was found on Vaughan’s property. Vaughan was inside the trailer, where officers also found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. They were investigated by the FBI, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Ozark Drug Enforcement Team, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Seeley Lake man sentenced to more than eight years in prison for receiving child pornography

body_text: MISSOULA — A Seeley Lake man who admitted to receiving child pornography after joining a Facebook group was sentenced on Nov. 7 to eight years and six months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. Charles Lief Isaacson, 62, pleaded guilty in June to receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that in September 2022, Isaacson began communicating on Facebook with a profile he believed belonged to a child under the age of 14. Those communications eventually resulted in Isaacson’s arrest on Oct. 25, 2022, after he arrived at a location in Missoula County to meet the child. An investigation determined that in December 2021, Isaacson joined a Facebook group, called “Sweet Kids,” and was able to receive videos and images of minors involved in sexually explicit conduct. Isaacson also solicited one of the group’s members to send him child pornography outside of the group chat in a manner that would help them avoid detection by law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. XXX


title: Former Indiana University Foundation Employee Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $326,000 in Donations

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Teresa Maners, 64, of Spencer, Indiana, has been sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents, Maners was employed with the Indiana University Foundation as a Depositor and Payroll Deduction Associate beginning in 1988. The Indiana University Foundation works to maximize financial support for Indiana University through private donations and on-campus fundraisers. Maners’ job duties included recording cash and checks received from donors and preparing them for deposit in the foundation’s bank account. During her employment, Maners stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the foundation by taking cash before recording it in the foundation’s accounting systems. To hide the stolen cash, Maners secretly withheld checks from the day’s deposits and substitute those checks in a subsequent day’s deposit to hide the missing cash. She also wrote checks to the foundation from her personal bank account to cover any difference between the substituted donor checks and the stolen cash. This type of fraud is sometimes referred to as a “lapping scheme.” As the only employee in charge of recording cash donations, Maners was able to alter the accounting paperwork to “balance” the books and keep the stolen cash donations for herself. Maners continued the fraud for nearly four years, and stole approximately $326,334 from the foundation. In 2019, the foundation conducted an external audit after discovering accounting irregularities, and confronted Maners who admitted to stealing the money. “For years, this defendant abused her position of trust to line her own pockets and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable donations from a foundation dedicated to advancing important educational programs in our state,” said U.S. Attorney, Zachary A. Myers. “Our office and the FBI are dedicated to identifying criminals who steal from and defraud our charities, businesses, and government organizations and holding them accountable. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that financial crimes cause serious harms and merit serious punishment.” “Charitable organizations like the Indiana University Foundation count on people in positions of trust to act in the interests of organization and its mission rather than taking advantage of their position for personal gain as the defendant did,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to identify and investigate those who choose to commit fraud and enrich themselves at the expense of others.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson ordered that Maners be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two years following her release from federal prison and pay $326,334.64 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin Houston, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Mississippi Return Preparers Found Guilty of Tax Fraud

body_text: A federal jury in Jackson, Mississippi, convicted Adam Earnest, Christopher Randell and James Klish yesterday of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Earnest and Randell were separately convicted of individual counts of preparing false tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Earnest, Randell and Klish worked at Sunbelt Tax Services, a return preparation business with a primary office located in Jackson,. Earnest, Randell and Klish conspired together and with others at Sunbelt Tax Services to fraudulently claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false education credits, itemized deductions and business profits or losses. Earnest and Klish also created at least four tax returns for some of their clients claiming false items. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2024. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and Earnest and Randell face a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each false return count on which they were found guilty. They also each face 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 made the announcement. IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Patrick Elwell, Zachary Cobb and Mary Frances Richardson of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Three Arrested for Operating High-End Brothel Network

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Three individuals have been arrested in connection with operating sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia. Commercial sex buyers allegedly included elected officials, high tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, attorneys, scientists and accountants, among others. The following defendants have been charged with conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity: Han Lee, a/k/a “Hana,” 41, of Cambridge, Mass.; James Lee, 68, of Torrance, Calif.; and Junmyung Lee, 30, of Dedham, Mass. Han Lee and Junmyung Lee were arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston later today. James Lee was arrested in the Central District of California and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, from at least July 2020, the defendants operated an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Mass., as well as in Fairfax and Tysons, Va. It is alleged that the defendants collectively established the infrastructure for brothels in multiple states which they used to persuade, induce and entice women – primarily Asian women – to travel to Massachusetts and Virginia to engage in prostitution. Specifically, the defendants allegedly rented high-end apartment complexes as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. The monthly rent for the brothel locations were as high as $3,664. It is further alleged that the defendants coordinated the women’s airline travel and transportation and permitted women to stay overnight in the brothel locations so they did not have to find lodging elsewhere, therefore enticing women to participate in their prostitution network. The defendants allegedly advertised their prostitution network primarily on two websites – bostontopten10.com and browneyesgirlsva.blog – which offered appointments with women in either greater Boston or eastern Virginia, respectively. Both websites purported to advertise nude Asian models for professional photography at upscale studios as a front for prostitution offered through appointments with women listed on their websites. The websites listed the height, weight and bust size of women available for appointments and depicted nude and/or semi-nude photographs of each. The women listed as available on the websites updated frequently, with updates to include “coming soon” or “open” to reflect an impending arrival of new women arriving in the area. Each website allegedly described a verification process that interested sex buyers undertook to be eligible for appointment bookings– including requiring clients complete a form providing their full names, email address, phone number, employer and reference if they had one. It is further alleged that the defendants maintained local brothel phone numbers which they used to communicate with verified customers and schedule appointments via text message. In these text message exchanges, the defendants allegedly sent customers a “menu” of available options at the brothel, including the women and sexual services available and the hourly rate. Additionally, the defendants allegedly texted customers directions to the brothel’s location – a high-end apartments – where they engaged in commercial sex with the women. According to the charging documents, the defendants charged sex buyers a premium price for appointments with the women advertised on their websites, which ranged from approximately $350 to upwards of $600 per hour depending on the services and were paid in cash. The defendants allegedly concealed the proceeds of the prostitution network through depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash proceeds into their personal bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers. Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at brothel locations in Massachusetts and Virginia. Over the course of the investigation, a wide array of buyers were identified, including, but not limited to, politicians, high tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors that possess security clearances, professors, lawyers, scientists and accountants. The investigation into the involvement of sex buyers is active and ongoing. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . The charge of conspiracy to coerce and entice to travel to engage in illegal sexual activity provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Central District of California; the Eastern District of Virginia; the U.S. Postal Service; and the Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ten Members and Associates of the Gambino Crime Family Arrested in Coordinated U.S.-Italian Takedown

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A 16-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging 10 defendants with racketeering conspiracy, extortion, witness retaliation, and union-related crimes committed in an attempt to dominate the New York carting and demolition industries. All ten defendants are in custody and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. In connection with the arrests, federal authorities executed search warrants, one of which resulted in the seizure of multiple firearms from an associate of the Gambino crime Family. In a coordinated operation, Italian law enforcement today arrested six organized crime members and associates who are charged with, among other crimes, mafia association and connected criminal offenses. One individual remains at large. The defendants are Joseph Lanni, also known as “Joe Brooklyn” and “Mommino,” an alleged captain in the Gambino organized crime family, Diego “Danny” Tantillo, Angelo Gradilone, also known as “Fifi,” and James LaForte, alleged Gambino soldiers, Vito Rappa, alleged U.S.-based Sicilian Mafia member and Gambino associate, Francesco Vicari, also known as “Uncle Ciccio,” alleged U.S.-based Sicilian Mafia associate and Gambino associate, and Salvatore DiLorenzo, Robert Brooke, Kyle Johnson, also known as “Twin,” and Vincent Minsquero, also known as “Vinny Slick,” alleged Gambino associates. 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), Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Elizabeth Crotty, Commissioner and Chair, New York City Business Integrity Commission (BIC), announced the charges. “As alleged, for years, the defendants committed violent extortions, assaults, arson, witness retaliation and other crimes in an attempt to dominate the New York carting and demolition industries,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “Today’s arrests reflect the commitment of this Office and our law enforcement partners, both here and abroad, to keep our communities safe by the complete dismantling of organized crime.” Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the New York Waterfront Commission, the Office’s law enforcement partners in Italy, including the Prosecutor of Palermo, the Polizia di Stato , the Servizio Centrale Operativo , and the Squadra Mobile of Palermo. “These defendants learned the hard way that the FBI is united with our law enforcement locally and internationally in our efforts to eradicate the insidious organized crime threat. Those arrested are alleged to have taken part in a racketeering conspiracy in an attempt to control the carting and demolition industries in the city. The FBI will continue to lead the fight against organized crime and ensure that individuals willing to cross the line face punishment in the criminal justice system” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. “Today’s arrests should serve as a warning to others who believe they can operate in plain sight with apparent impunity – the NYPD and our law enforcement partners exist to shatter that notion,” stated NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “And we will continue to take down members of traditional organized crime wherever they may operate.” “An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving labor unions and their affiliated employee benefit plans. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations,” said DOL-OIG Special Agent-in Charge Jonathan Mellone. “Investigating these matters is at the heart of BIC’s mission to ensure the industries under our regulation do not pose a risk to public safety. These arrests demonstrate that the influence of organized crime will never go unchecked,” stated BIC Commissioner and Chair Elizabeth Crotty. “BIC thanks the NYPD, FBI, EDNY, and our other agency partners for their collaboration and excellent work on this case.” As alleged in the government’s court filings and summarized below, members and associates of the Gambino crime family used violent extortions, fraud, theft and embezzlement schemes to infiltrate the carting and demolition industries to enrich themselves and the Gambino crime family, including by laundering criminal proceeds. For example, in the midst of a financial dispute between Tantillo and the owners of Demolition Company 1, Tantillo and Johnson coordinated a violent hammer assault on the dispatcher for Demolition Company 1, which left the dispatcher bleeding and seriously injured. Extortions Related to the Carting and Demolition Industries Tantillo, Rappa, Vicari and Johnson engaged in a violent extortion conspiracy relating to the demand and receipt of money from John Doe 1, who operated a carting business in the New York City area. The extortion scheme involved threatening John Doe 1 with a bat, setting fire to the steps to John Doe 1’s residence, attempting to damage John Doe 1’s carting trucks, and violently assaulting an associate of John Doe 1. In addition, Tantillo and Vicari were captured on judicially-authorized wiretaps discussing threats they made to John Doe 1 and John Doe 1’s father-in-law. On one call, Rappa stated that Vicari “acted like the ‘Last of the Samurai,” describing how Vicari picked up a knife and directed John Doe 1’s father-in-law to threaten to cut John Doe 1 in half in order to get John Doe 1 to make extortionate payments. After John Doe 1 ultimately made a payment of $4,000 to Vicari, Vicari and Rappa met and sent Tantillo a photo of Vicari raising a small champagne bottle, as in a toast. In addition, Tantillo, Brooke and Johnson engaged in two separate violent extortion schemes of Demolition Company 1 and its owners over purported debts owed to Tantillo and a company operated by Tantillo and Brooke. Brooke violently assaulted one of the owners on a street corner in midtown Manhattan. In another instance, as mentioned, Tantillo and Johnson coordinated a violent hammer assault on a dispatcher at Demolition Company 1, which left the dispatcher bleeding and seriously injured. Pictures of the victim dispatcher were then circulated to various people in the carting and demolition industries. Frauds and Union-Related Crimes in the Carting and Demolition Industries The defendants also committed a series of crimes to steal and embezzle from unions and employee benefit plans and rigged bids in the demolition and carting industries. As part of one such scheme, DiLorenzo provided Rappa with a “no-show” job at DiLorenzo’s demolition company so that Rappa could receive paychecks and union health benefits, among other benefits. Similarly, Tantillo arranged for Gradilone to receive a “no-show” job at a construction company with which Tantillo was associated, which enabled Gradilone to receive paychecks and union health benefits to which he was not entitled. Tantillo and Johnson also conspired to secure a “no-show” job for Johnson, so that Johnson could similarly receive union health benefits. Tantillo also embezzled from employee benefit plans by using laborers from a non-union company, Gane Services, Inc., to perform work for union companies operated by Tantillo, and failing to make contributions for such work as required by collective bargaining agreements. In addition, Tantillo, DiLorenzo and their co-conspirators conspired to rig bids for lucrative demolition contracts in New York City. Among other things, Tantillo and DiLorenzo coordinated that their companies exchange bidding information to secure a project on Fifth Avenue. Additional Charged Schemes The defendants also perpetrated a series of other crimes throughout the New York and New Jersey areas from 2017 through 2023. Their pattern of racketeering activity included additional extortions, retaliating against a federal witness, and money laundering, among other crimes, as detailed in court documents. For example, in September 2023, Lanni and Minsquero coordinated an assault on proprietors of a restaurant in New Jersey, including physically assaulting a woman at knifepoint. In addition, LaForte, having previously been convicted of a felony, illegally possessed a firearm in or about May 2023. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The defendants variously face maximum sentences between 20 and 180 years’ imprisonment. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Galeotti, Anna L. Karamigios, and Andrew M. Roddin are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Emme Moosher. The Defendants : JOSEPH LANNI (also known as “Joe Brooklyn” and “Mommino”) Age: 52 Staten Island, New York DIEGO TANTILLO (also known as “Danny” and “Daniel”) Age: 48 Freehold, New Jersey ROBERT BROOKE Age: 55 New York, New York SALVATORE DILORENZO Age: 66 Oceanside, New York ANGELO GRADILONE (also known as “Fifi”) Age: 57 Staten Island, New York KYLE JOHNSON (also known as “Twin”) Age: 46 Bronx, New York JAMES LAFORTE (also known as “Jimmy”) Age: 46 New York, New York VINCENT MINSQUERO (also known as “Vinny Slick”) Age: 36 Staten Island, New York VITO RAPPA (also known as “Vi”) Age: 46 East Brunswick, New Jersey FRANCESCO VICARI (also known as “Frank” and “Uncle Ciccio”) Age: 46 Elmont, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-443