WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice today filed a statement of interest in a Washington State federal court supporting the First Amendment religious freedom claims of a Pierce County church, explaining how a recent Supreme Court decision, South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom (May 29, 2020), supports the church’s claim. 

The statement of interest explains that Washington’s preferable treatment of secular gatherings such as restaurants, taverns, and outdoor protests compared to the restrictions imposed on indoor and outdoor religious services triggers heightened scrutiny under the Constitution.

The statement of interest is part of Attorney General William P. Barr's April 27, 2020 initiative directing Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Eric Dreiband, and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Matthew Schneider, to review state and local policies to ensure that civil liberties are protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The protections enshrined in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights are enduring, and we must be vigilant in making sure that governments do not unlawfully infringe upon the rights that they protect. First among these rights is the First Amendment’s guarantee that no government in this country may prohibit the free exercise of religion,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The Constitution’s protections are especially critical during times of crisis. The United States must remain committed at all times to the right of all people to worship and pray and follow the dictates of their conscience in a manner that respects others and the public health and safety. By doing so, our nation honors the legacy of countless patriots who worked, struggled, fought, suffered, and died to protect our freedom. The Department of Justice will continue its efforts to secure the Constitutional rights of all people in this nation.”

“The department will continue to be vigilant in protecting religious liberty when states and localities exceed constitutional limits,” said Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, who, with Assistant Attorney General Dreiband, is overseeing the Justice Department’s effort to monitor state and local polices relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At a time of uncertainty and anguish in our community, the ability to gather to express one’s faith and seek comfort is a fundamental right,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran for the Western District of Washington. “Just as we have seen peaceful protestors gathered together and exercising their First Amendment rights, so too must we protect the right of religious institutions such as churches, mosques and temples to gather together and express their faith.”

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling regarding California’s reopening plan in South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom (May 29, 2020).  By a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court declined to temporarily block California’s rules. In their opinions explaining the result, however, each Justice who wrote agreed that even during the COVID-19 pandemic the Constitution requires states to treat houses of worship equally with comparable secular businesses. Chief Justice Roberts concluded that, on the facts of the California case, California “exempts or treats more leniently only dissimilar activities, such as operating grocery stores, banks, and laundromats, in which people neither congregate in large groups nor remain in close proximity for extended periods.”  He also noted that the “precise question of when restrictions on particular social activities should be lifted during the pandemic is dynamic and fact-intensive matter subject to reasonable disagreement,” which, when within constitutional bounds is entrusted to the “politically accountable officials of the states.” Justices Kavanaugh, Thomas and Gorsuch would have “grant[ed] the Church’s requested [relief] because California’s latest safety guidelines discriminate against places of worship and in favor of comparable secular businesses.” 

In its statement of interest filed today in Haborview Fellowship v. Inslee, the United States explains that the State of Washington “exempts or treats more leniently” precisely the types of activities that Chief Justice Roberts said are appropriate comparators for religious gatherings—specifically, activities that involve people “congregat[ing] in large groups [ ]or remain[ing] in close proximity for extended period,” such as restaurants, taverns, and protests. Because those activities are permitted with social distancing and hygiene measures, the church must be treated the same unless the state can persuasively show that there are material differences between gathering for an extended period in a restaurant or tavern and a house of worship, or between an outdoor protest and an outdoor worship service.

Washington currently permits various restaurants and taverns to operate at 50% of capacity with no total cap on number of patrons, so long as they observe 6-foot social distancing and various hygiene measures.  Places of worship, however, are limited to a hard cap of 50 people or 25% of capacity, whichever is less. Outdoor worship services are limited to 100 people. As detailed in the statement of interest, Governor Inslee has placed no limit on total numbers for outdoor protests, only requesting that participants  “be safe for themselves and the people around them” by “wearing a mask and . . . distancing as much as you can.”

statement_of_interest.pdf

 











President Donald J. Trump participates in swearing-in of William P. Barr administered by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on February 14, 2019.  Attorney General Barr's wife, Christine, holds the Bible. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)

WASHINGTON – Today, William P. Barr was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the 85th Attorney General of the United States. Following the vote, President Donald J. Trump participated in the swearing-in of Mr. Barr during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House, where U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office. Mr. Barr’s wife, his three daughters and their spouses, and his grandchildren attended the ceremony. Mr. Barr joins John Crittenden (1841 and 1850-1853) as one of only two people in U.S. history to serve twice as Attorney General.

Mr. Barr is rejoining the Department of Justice where he previously served as the 77th Attorney General of the United States from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush. Mr. Barr also served as the Deputy Attorney General from 1990 to 1991 and as the Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Legal Counsel from 1989 to 1990. While serving at the Department, Mr. Barr helped create programs and strategies to reduce violent crime and was responsible for establishing new enforcement policies in a number of areas including financial institutions, civil rights, and antitrust merger guidelines. Mr. Barr also led the Department’s response to the Savings & Loan crisis; oversaw the investigation of the Pan Am 103 bombing; directed the successful response to the Talladega prison uprising and hostage taking; and coordinated counter-terrorism activities during the First Gulf War.

Most recently, Mr. Barr served as Of Counsel at Kirkland & Ellis. Before his work at Kirkland & Ellis, he served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for GTE Corporation from 1994 until 2000 and as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Verizon from 2000 to 2008.

Mr. Barr served as a law clerk under Judge Malcolm Wilkey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and from 1982 to 1983, served on the White House Domestic Policy Staff under President Ronald Reagan. He received his A.B. in government in 1971 and his M.A. in government and Chinese studies in 1973, both from Columbia University. From 1973 to 1977, Mr. Barr served in the Central Intelligence Agency before receiving his J.D. with highest honors from George Washington University Law School in 1977.

The Department of Justice welcomes back Attorney General Barr and looks forward to his leadership in upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of all Americans.

Federal authorities have arrested a father and son charged in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme which defrauded investors of over $800,000, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

A five-count federal grand jury indictment charges 76-year-old Earl Roberts, Sr., and 50-year-old Larry Roberts with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of mail fraud. 

According to court records, Earl Roberts, Sr., was the president and owner, and Larry Roberts was the Chief Operating Officer of FACTAC, Inc., a company engaged in the business of “factoring” invoices and receivables from other companies.  “Factoring” is a business process whereby a company purchases invoices and accounts receivable from other companies at a discount.  The purchasing company then makes a profit when the invoices and receivables are paid at full value at a later time.

The indictment alleges that the defendants ceased factoring operations in December 2016, but continued to solicit investor funds until February 2018.  Investors were told that their money would only be used to factor receivables when in fact the defendants used investor funds to pay withdrawals and interest payments to previous investors.  The defendants also transferred parts of the investor funds to other companies under their control and used the funds to pay for their own personal expenses, fraudulently enriching themselves.

Agents arrested the two San Antonio residents yesterday without incident.  Both have been released on bond.  Arraignment is scheduled for December 7, 2020 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Bemporad in San Antonio.  Upon conviction, each related charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.

The FBI is conducting this investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and William R. Harris are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

#####

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On November 24, 2020, Joseph Bryan Robertson, aka “Chief,” 52, of Elizabethton, Tennessee was sentenced to 324 months imprisonment by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. 

Robertson pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Robertson was sentenced to serve 324 months (27 years) in prison, followed by five years’ supervised release. 

A joint investigation of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), uncovered a large group of individuals, led by Robertson, who were obtaining large quantities of crystal methamphetamine from sources in Atlanta and Knoxville and distributing it in northeast Tennessee. Robertson ruled the group through fear and violence. Robertson directed multiple kidnappings and violent assaults of individuals that owed drug debts to the organization. Multiple individuals were held captive at gunpoint, tied up, kicked, and beaten with fists and clubs, resulting in serious injuries. 

Robertson was previously sentenced, in 2006, to serve a 78-month sentence in federal prison, also for the distribution of methamphetamine.       

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force was a result of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Gregory Bowman represented the United States.           

                                                                                     ###

 

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN —United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that a federal jury in Kalamazoo, Michigan returned guilty verdicts against four defendants following a nine-day trial: Ryan Rashad Brown, of Wyoming, Douglas Emmanuel Carey III, of Grand Rapids, Marvin Quantez Nix, of Grand Rapids, and Salena Kolarich, also known as Salena Sparr, of Columbus, Ohio. These four defendants are among 26 total defendants who have been convicted for their respective offenses and roles in furtherance of a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy spearheaded by co-defendant Howard Mayfield. Mayfield’s drug-trafficking organization distributed kilograms of cocaine in and around Grand Rapids between April 2017 and May 2018. Mayfield pleaded guilty to the cocaine-trafficking conspiracy on June 20, 2019 and is pending sentencing, currently scheduled for February 3, 2020.

Defendants Ryan Brown, Douglas Carey, and Marvin Nix are among numerous convicted co-defendants who obtained cocaine from Mayfield and re-distributed it to customers in its powder form or as crack cocaine. Defendant Salena Kolarich collected $50,000 cash in drug proceeds from Mayfield and delivered that money to Mayfield’s Houston-based cocaine supplier through wire transfers and by personally transporting approximately $30,000 on a commercial flight to Houston.

In announcing the convictions, U.S. Attorney Birge stated, "Cocaine is a powerful drug that continues to wreak havoc on individual users, their families, and their communities. Cocaine overdose death rates have risen significantly in recent years, particularly in the Midwest, and about 1 in 5 overdose deaths involves cocaine. Along with our law enforcement partners, we take cocaine offenses seriously and are invested in disrupting the channels drug-traffickers use to distribute illegal and dangerous drugs in the Western District of Michigan."

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Keith W. Martin said, "The conviction of Mayfield’s drug-trafficking organization sends a strong unified message that the distribution of cocaine, or any other illicit drug, will not be tolerated. The commitment and relentless efforts of the men and women of the DEA, along with our law enforcement partners, took a tremendous amount of cocaine off of the streets in the communities throughout southwest Michigan. Dismantling cocaine trafficking organizations, and preventing the devastation caused by them, is a top priority to law enforcement. We will tirelessly continue to identify, investigate, and disrupt those involved in such ruthless criminal activity and bring them to justice."

The Metropolitan Enforcement Team (MET) of the Michigan State Police began the investigation into Mayfield’s drug-trafficking organization in early 2017, in partnership with the DEA. The Kentwood Police Department provided key support throughout the case, including by using one of its detectives in an undercover capacity to purchase cocaine and heroin directly from Mayfield. Numerous other law enforcement agencies assisted with operations during the two-month period the DEA had a wiretap on Howard Mayfield’s phones, including the Arkansas State Police and the Vice Unit of the Grand Rapids Police Department.

"This case is an excellent example of the fantastic results that can be achieved when Federal, State, and Local law enforcement pool their resources and personnel to tackle the narcotics problems facing West Michigan. In this case a large Drug Trafficking Organization was effectively dismantled due to these cooperative efforts. The Metropolitan Enforcement Team welcomes any opportunity to leverage resources in the effort to combat dangerous drug dealers adversely affecting our communities," said D/Lt Nathan Grant, commander of MET.

Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts likewise is pleased with the collaborative efforts of all of the agencies involved in this case. "Illegal drug use is not only an issue for us in Kentwood, but for all communities across the country. Being a part of this joint effort to combat this problem has been very rewarding. The success of this case also speaks to the professionalism and ability of the men and women of the Kentwood Police Department," said Chief Roberts.

The Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, which employs the expertise of the DEA and numerous federal agencies to comprehensively target and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, supported this multi-agency investigation. During the arrests of the defendants and execution of associated search warrants in this case, federal and state investigators seized over 9 kilograms of cocaine and over $100,000 in drug proceeds.



Defendant





City





Conviction(s)





Sentencing





Howard Anthony Mayfield





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (5 kilograms or more) and Crack Cocaine





February 3, 2020

Statutory penalties:

10 years to life





Wilbert Gentry





Houston, TX





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (5 kilograms or more) and Crack Cocaine





November 18, 2019

Statutory penalties:

10 years to life





Craig Schenvinsky James





Muskegon





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (5 kilograms or more) and Crack Cocaine





November 18, 2019

Statutory penalties:

10 years to life





Quincy Delon Lofton





Detroit





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (5 kilograms or more) and Crack Cocaine





January 8, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

5 years to 40 years





Ryan Rashad Brown





Wyoming





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (500 grams or more) and Crack Cocaine

Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (500 grams or more)

Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





March 9, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

5 years to 40 years





Yvette Sheree Brown





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (500 grams or more) and Crack Cocaine





December 6, 2019

Statutory Penalties:

5 years to 40 years





Jennifer Tadeo





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (5 kilograms or more) and Crack Cocaine





84 months in prison





Donald Bernard Gardner





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine (28 grams or more)





January 21, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

10 years to life





Elsie Bridget Boston





Houston, TX





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (5 kilograms or more) and Crack Cocaine





December 10, 2019

Statutory Penalties:

10 years to life





Martin Luther Dukes





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine





63 months in prison





Douglas Emmanuel Carey III





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (2 counts)





March 9, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 20 years





Monica Laster





Grand Rapids





Unlawful use of Communication Facility to Facilitate Drug Felony





January 6, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 4 years





Nicole Lynn Starr





St. Johns, MI





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine





57 months in prison





Shamekia Liptrot





Grand Rapids





Unlawful use of Communication Facility to Facilitate Drug Felony





January 6, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 4 years





Carlus Bridgeforth





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (500 grams or more) and Crack Cocaine





46 months in prison





Martinellus Nix





Grand Rapids





Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





February 3, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 30 years





Demarcus Pinder





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine (28 grams or more)





144 months in prison





Trebarius McGee





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





January 27, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 30 years





Pedro Antonio Mateo





Grand Rapids





Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





54 months in prison





Marvin Quantez Nix





Grand Rapids





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





March 16, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 30 years





Stephawn McFadden





Grand Rapids





Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





November 18, 2019

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 30 years





Troy Jordai Lewis





Grand Rapids





Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





December 6, 2019

Statutory Penalties

0 years to 30 years





Jeffrey Allan Dean





Grand Rapids





Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





January 21, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 20 years





Jessica Warren née Gatica





Grand Rapids





Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine





February 10, 2010

Statutory Penalties:

0 years to 30 years





Taniedra Sade White





Houston, TX





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Crack Cocaine





33 months in prison





Salena Kolarich, also known as Salena Sparr





Columbus, OH





Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine (500 grams or more) and Crack Cocaine

Unlawful use of Communication Facility to Facilitate Drug Felony

Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering





March 16, 2020

Statutory Penalties:

5 years to 40 years



One additional defendant, Tamara Nelson, née Mingo, has been charged by Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, and the case remains pending. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the DEA, the Michigan State Police, the Metropolitan Enforcement Team, the Kentwood Police Department, and the Grand Rapids Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kate Zell and Daniel T. McGraw.

END

NEWARK, N.J. – Three men have been charged with various sex offenses after attempting to have sexual contact with individuals they believed to be children they met online, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Quentin Anthony Blount, 28, of Easton, Pennsylvania, Jesus Modesto Sanchez, 29, of New York City, and Ryan Lee, 35, of Trenton, New Jersey, are charged in separate complaints: Blount is charged with interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and attempted sex trafficking of a minor; Modesto Sanchez is charged with interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and possession of child pornography; and Lee is charged with attempted online enticement and attempted transfer of obscene materials to minors. Blount and Lee made their initial appearances by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III on Oct. 23, 2020, and were detained. Modesto Sanchez is expected to make his initial appearance later this week.

“Sexual crimes against children are among the most difficult cases we handle,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “I am proud my office is working hand in hand with our partners at the FBI and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office to make sure these predators are identified and prosecuted with all the tools at our disposal.”

“Our children and their online safety is the utmost concern to us at the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office,” Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson said. “Social media apps allow predators into our homes and as law enforcement, we must do what we can to make it a safer environment. We hope that this operation will continue to be eye-opening for parents. Although, 12 online child predators have been arrested, parents must learn the apps that their children are using and the inherent dangers within.”

“Children are our most vulnerable population, and crimes such as these are unthinkable,” Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. of the FBI Newark Division said. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to prevent these heinous crimes, safeguard our children, and bring justice to all.”

According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:

Special agents of the FBI and local law enforcement engaged in an operation targeting individuals who use the internet to exploit children. Blount, Modesto Sanchez and Lee were among several individuals identified and arrested.

On Oct. 15, 2020, Blount used an internet-based application to communicate with an individual who he believed was offering her 14-year-old daughter for sex in exchange for money. Unbeknownst to Blount, he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer. Blount travelled from Easton to a location in Somerset County, New Jersey, to meet with the mother and the minor. Upon his arrival, he provided a sum of cash to the undercover officer, who Blount believed was the child’s mother, and was arrested by law enforcement.

In mid-October 2020, Modesto Sanchez used an internet-based application to communicate with an undercover officer who Modesto Sanchez believed was a 13-year-old child. During the conversation, Modesto Sanchez offered to perform various sex acts. On Oct. 17, 2020, Modesto Sanchez travelled from New York to a location in Somerset County to meet with the child. Law enforcement identified Modesto Sanchez as he approached the location where he believed the minor to be, at which time he was arrested by law enforcement. A search of Modesto Sanchez’ cellular telephone revealed over 200 videos depicting the graphic sexual exploitation of children.

In mid-October 2020, Lee used an internet-based application to communicate with an undercover officer, who Lee believed was a 13-year-old child. During the conversations, which were sexual in nature, Lee repeatedly asked the individual who he believed was 13 to send him nude photographs, while also sending multiple photographs of his penis to the undercover officer. On Oct. 17, 2020, Lee travelled from Trenton to a location in Somerset County where he believed the minor was located. Law enforcement identified Lee as he approached the location and arrested him.

The charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted online enticement each carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charge of interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of transferring obscene materials to a minor carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Each count carries a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr.; detectives with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson and Chief John W. Fodor, and officers with the Somerville, Bound Brook, and Hillsborough Police Departments with the investigation leading to these charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel:

Blount and Lee: Rahul Sharma Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark

Today, Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced criminal charges against four defendants in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare and other government programs. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.“The charges announced yesterday reinforce the combined missions of the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and our law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. “Our office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of fraud, and seek justice for those impacted by Health Care Fraud schemes.”“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”The charges announced today by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, to line their own pockets. The  Government, in connection with the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown,  seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets.The following individuals were charged in the Eastern District of Louisiana:Leland Roberts, 46, of Tifton, Georgia, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for over $30 million for medically unnecessary genetic testing, and to pay and receive kickbacks. As alleged in the indictment, Roberts, co-owner, chief executive officer of, and (later) consultant to Luminus Diagnostics, a diagnostic laboratory located in Tifton, Georgia, conspired with others to procure orders for genetic testing in exchange for kickbacks, including orders acquired through purported telemedicine. To ensure the false and fraudulent claims would be paid, Roberts and his co-conspirators allegedly designed the genetic testing order forms to be “dummy proof”—with prepopulated diagnosis codes and check-the-box panels—and frequently billed the tests through another laboratory where co-conspirators thought the claims were more likely to be approved, which they concealed via a sham contract. Roberts and his co-conspirators caused the submission of over $30 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing, and Medicare paid approximately $4.4 million based on those claims. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses of the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.Dr. Marion Lee, 61, of Cordelle, Georgia, was charged by information with conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare approximately $24 million for medically unnecessary genetic testing, and to pay and receive kickbacks. As alleged in the information, Dr. Lee, co-owner of and medical advisor to Luminus Diagnostics, a diagnostic laboratory located in Tifton, Georgia, conspired with others to procure orders for genetic testing in exchange for kickbacks, including orders acquired through purported telemedicine. To ensure the false and fraudulent claims would be paid, Lee and his co-conspirators allegedly designed the genetic testing order forms to be “dummy proof”—with prepopulated diagnosis codes and check-the-box panels—and frequently billed the tests through another laboratory where co-conspirators thought the claims were more likely to be approved, which they concealed via a sham contract, among other deceptive means. Dr. Lee and his co-conspirators caused the submission of over $24 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing, and Medicare paid approximately $4 million based on those claims. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses of the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.Steven D. Peyroux, 56, of Canton, Georgia, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and two counts of health care fraud in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare approximately $12.1 million for over-the-counter (“OTC”) COVID-19 tests that were not requested and ineligible for reimbursement. As alleged in the indictment, Peyroux, a chiropractor and purported health care consultant, conspired with others to pay kickbacks in exchange for Medicare beneficiary information nationwide, including names, Medicare identification numbers, and clearly fabricated recordings of individuals posing as beneficiaries and requesting OTC COVID-19 tests, which they used to bill Medicare for OTC COVID-19 tests that were not requested. In an attempt to avoid Medicare scrutiny, the indictment alleged that Peyroux and co-conspirators solicited multiple providers to join the scheme, who they directed to enter into sham agreements and make false statements in response to Medicare audits, to conceal the misconduct. Peyroux and his co-conspirators caused the submission of approximately $12.1 million in false and fraudulent claims, of which Medicare paid approximately $11 million. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses of the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.Zoe Francis, 46, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged by information with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds in connection with her role in embezzling funds from the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (“IWES”), a non-profit organization based in New Orleans that received grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other federal funds. As alleged in the information, Francis, as the chief operating officer of IWES, embezzled the funds for the benefit of herself and family members, including unauthorized expenditures for personal events and Amazon purchases. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas D. Moses of the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Gary A. Crosby II of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.“The scale of this Takedown is unprecedented, and so is the harm we’re confronting. Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system and put vulnerable patients at risk will be held accountable,” said HHS-OIG Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins. “Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding patient care.”"The FBI will continue working side by side with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana to bring these individuals to justice for their actions," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office.The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle, District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle, District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of North Dakota, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Washington, and Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting the cases in the National Health Care Fraud Takedown, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team.Descriptions of each EDLA case and others involved in yesterday’s enforcement action are available at website.The Eastern District of Louisiana, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the United States Secret Service; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.An information or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.*Updated August 21, 2025###

Memphis, TN - Leadership Tennessee today announced its 45 Class VI members, leaders from rural and urban communities across Tennessee who will spend the next year engaging in collaborative, non-partisan dialogue on issues of statewide importance.

The 45 new class members represent each geographic region of the state, including the communities of Memphis, Martin, Jackson, Nashville, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Knoxville, Kingsport, Johnson City and Chattanooga. Professional sectors represented include healthcare, education, economic development, government, tourism and agriculture.

Class VI members:

Adamsville: Commissioner Jai Templeton, Tennessee Department of Agriculture

Brentwood: Valerie Hayes, Managing Director, Deloitte

Bristol: Jerry Caldwell, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Bristol Motor Speedway; Senator Jon Lundberg, State of Tennessee

Columbia: Jeff Aiken, President, Tennessee Farm Bureau

Chattanooga: Jared T. Bigham, Executive Director, Chattanooga 2.0; Stacy Goodwin Lightfoot, Vice President College and Career Success, Public Education Foundation; Hodgen Mainda, Vice President Community Development, Electric Power Board – Chattanooga; David Steele, Director of Civic Engagement & Assistant Professor of Practice, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Dakasha Winton, Chief Government Relations Officer/Senior Vice President, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee

Clarksville: Charlie Koon, VP Corporate & Military Business Development, F&M Bank

Dresden: Mayor Jake Bynum, Weakley County

Franklin: Brigadier General Kurt Winstead, Director of Joint Staff, Tennessee National Guard

Jackson: Logan Hampton, President, Lane College; Justice Roger Page, Tennessee Supreme Court; Lisa Piercy, MD, Executive Vice President, West Tennessee Healthcare

Johnson City: Alan Levine, Chairman/CEO, Ballad Health

Kingsport: Mayor John Clark, City of Kingsport; Dr. Jeff McCord, Vice President, Economic and Workforce Development, Northeast State Community College; Aundrea Wilcox, Executive Director – KOSBE, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce

Knoxville: Pastor Daryl Arnold, Overcoming Believers Church; Robyn Jarvis Askew, Shareholder/Attorney, Lewis, Thomason, King, Krieg & Waldrop P.C.; Cynthia Gibson, Chief Legal & Business Affairs Officer (former), Scripps Networks Interactive; Dr. Victoria Neiderhauser, Dean and Professor, University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Nursing

Martin: Keith Carver, Chancellor, University of Tennessee at Martin

Maryville: Bryan Daniels, President & CEO, Blount Partnership

Memphis: Rob Clark, Chief Government Affairs Officer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Tosha Downey, Advocacy Director, Memphis Education Fund; Mike Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, U.S. Department of Justice; Mitch Graves, President/CEO, HealthChoice LLC; Leslie Lynn Smith, President and CEO, EpiCenter Memphis; Tish Towns, Senior Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer, Regional One Health

Murfreesboro: Dan Caldwell, Senior Manager, Training, US Manufacturing, Nissan Group of North America; Beth Duffield, Senior Vice President of Education & Workforce Development, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce

Nashville: Shanna Singh Hughey, President, Think Tennessee; Paige Kisber, President and CEO, Hospital Alliance of Tennessee; Amy New, Assistant Commissioner, Community and Rural Development, State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; Toks Omishakin, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Planning and Environment, Tennessee Department of Transportation; Ann Jarvis Pruitt, Executive Director, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services; Emily Reynolds, Vice Chairman, Tennessee Board of Regents; Gabe Roberts, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, TennCare; Tara Scarlett, President/CEO, Scarlett Family Foundation; Todd Skelton, Deputy Counsel to Governor Bill Haslam, State of Tennessee; Deborah Taylor Tate, Director, Administrative Office of the Courts, Tennessee Supreme Court;

Union City: Lindsay Frilling, CEcD, CEO, Obion County Joint Economic Development Council;

"Each Leadership Tennessee class brings its own experience and insight to the table, and we’re especially excited about Class VI and what they bring to the conversation around critical issues in Tennessee," Leadership Tennessee Executive Director Cathy Cate said. "Each class grows together over the course of the year as they challenge their perspectives on issues in their communities. We’re looking forward to the conversations Class VI will have over the next year as they develop the program around focus areas they highlight as critical to state success."

Entering its sixth year, Leadership Tennessee selects a new class of leaders annually to visit different regions and communities of Tennessee, learning best practices and analyzing important issues faced by Tennesseans. To date, Leadership Tennessee has built a network of 175 leaders across the state.

"Leadership Tennessee helps you build relationships across multiple industries and sectors, public and private, but more importantly it builds opportunities for partnerships," recent Class V graduate and Tennessee Charter Schools Center CEO Maya Bugg said.

In conjunction with its fifth-year celebration, Leadership Tennessee brought Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Friedman to tour the state and hosted its first gubernatorial forum at Lipscomb University in May. It also launched its "Volunteer State of Mind" initiative to spotlight Tennesseans’ propensity to selflessly serve and volunteer.

Earlier this year, Leadership Tennessee cohosted panels focused on the relationship between health, economic development, and education in building healthier communities, and it held a summit on childhood poverty in Northeast Tennessee in April.

Leadership Tennessee, an initiative of the College of Leadership & Public Service at Lipscomb University, fosters collaborative, non-partisan dialogue on issues of state importance, connecting a network of diverse leaders and engaged citizens.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson announced today the appointment of a full-time Assistant U.S. Attorney to be stationed permanently in Roswell, N.M., to strengthen the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to serve the citizens of southeastern New Mexico, and to enhance the office’s partnerships with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in the region.

            “We are the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the entire State of New Mexico, and Roswell has always been an important focal point for our prosecutions in the southeastern part of the state,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson.  “This new on-the-ground presence in Roswell will provide us with valuable insight into the needs and priorities of the communities of southeastern New Mexico, and offer our law enforcement partners in this region closer coordination and immediate guidance on the most urgent crime reduction and other public safety matters.”

            Officials of the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Border Patrol, joined the U.S. Attorney in making the announcement at the offices of the Roswell Police Department.  These federal agencies routinely work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute a wide-variety of federal criminal activity, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, firearms offenses, illegal immigration, violent crime in Indian Country, child exploitation, complex financial crime, public corruption, and national security offenses.   

            “Having a full-time prosecutor in Roswell, re-affirms our commitment in federal law enforcement to the Roswell and southeastern New Mexico communities,” said Sonya K. Chavez, U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico.  “We are in this fight together and we are fully invested in continuing to support all law enforcement efforts and the people in this region of New Mexico.”

            “The men and women at the FBI Roswell Resident Agency have investigated crimes ranging from drug-trafficking to bank robbery in southeast New Mexico for years,” said Special Agent in Charge James C. Langenberg of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division.  “Having a permanently assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney here will give the FBI and our partners the ability to make an even greater impact in this important region of our state.”

            “HSI is pleased to announce the opening of an investigations office in Roswell,” said Special Agent in Charge Jack P. Staton of the HSI’s El Paso Division.  “HSI Special Agents assigned to the new office will increase our ongoing commitment and support to our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in eastern New Mexico.”

             “Federal, state and local law enforcement have come together to meet the need for a greater presence in Roswell, New Mexico.” said Kyle W. Williamson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA El Paso Division.  “DEA is proud to work with our partners, leveraging our respective resources to pursue those who threaten our communities.”

            “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has a long history of service to communities throughout New Mexico,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II of the ATF Dallas Division. 

“The addition of permanent services in Roswell is a tremendous enhancement to resources and strategies available to ATF, our law enforcement partners, community leaders, and residents of the area.  We are thrilled with the announcement.”

            “IRS-CI is pleased to learn of the U.S. Attorney’s Office new presence in Southeastern New Mexico and we look forward to having an increased ability to investigate cases in a more effective and efficient manner in that part of the state,” said Ismael Nevarez Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation.

“Officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations have been living and working in Roswell for the past couple years, and we stand with all of our partners in our commitment to combat crime and threats to the safety of the citizens of Roswell,” said Corey A. Price, Field Office Director for ERO El Paso.  “Our efforts to curb criminal activity are more effective when partnerships with local law enforcement are strong.”

              The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal partners also work closely with state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies towards the common goal of public safety.  In addition to the Roswell Police Department, which hosted the press conference, the New Mexico State Police, Chaves County Sheriff’s Office, Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Lea County Sheriff’s Department, Artesia Police Department, Carlsbad Police Department, and Hobbs Police Department joined U.S. Attorney Anderson in making the announcement.

            “We at the Roswell Police Department not only welcome assistance from our federal partners, but we wholeheartedly appreciate this step toward making Roswell safer as a community,” said Phil Smith, Chief of Police for the City of Roswell.

            “As the Chief of the New Mexico State Police, I understand the challenges associated with operating a law enforcement organization whose jurisdiction is the entire state,” said Tim Johnson, Chief of the New Mexico State Police.  “Having an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Roswell will benefit and streamline communication not only for my officers, but also for all federal, state and local agencies in the southern part of New Mexico.”

            “I sincerely support and welcome the addition of an AUSA in the Roswell area,” said Corey M. Helton, Lea County Sheriff.  “This will greatly enhance our partnerships with all the Federal agencies involved.”

“The Carlsbad Police Department looks forward to working with the newly assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney and all our federal law enforcement partners,” said Brandon Skinner, Chief of Police for the City of Carlsbad.  “The presence of the U.S. Attorney's Office in southeastern New Mexico will help us continue to serve those living and working in our community and in our effort to fight crime.”

“Federal prosecution of violent offenders has been, and continues to be, one of the cornerstones in the Artesia Police Department’s successful reduction of violent and drug crime within our community,” said Kirk E. Roberts, Chief of the Artesia Police Department.  “The addition of a full-time federal prosecutor to Roswell will greatly enhance the effectiveness of the federal programs our agency and partners participate in.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is one of 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the United States. The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties.  The District's main office is located in Albuquerque.  There is a staffed branch office in Las Cruces and an unstaffed branch office in Santa Fe.

Miami, Florida – United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Ariana Fajardo Orshan makes the following statement to the residents of South Florida:

+++

My fellow South Floridians:   

As is expected with a change in administration, I have submitted to President Biden my resignation as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, effective at midnight on March 27, 2021. Beginning March 28, 2021, Juan Antonio “Tony” Gonzalez, who currently serves as the First Assistant United States Attorney, will lead the office as Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Serving as your United States Attorney has been the privilege and honor of my lifetime. As the first Senate-confirmed woman to lead the office, I find it moving that my tenure ends in March, the month during which we celebrate women’s contributions to society. Befittingly, I take this opportunity to share with you some of the many things that we accomplished during my time as U.S. Attorney.   

We battled drug crimes head-on, from targeting local dealers feeding the fentanyl and methamphetamine epidemics in our communities to taking on the most notorious of international drug lords, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the violent leader of the Sinaloa cartel who moved tons of cocaine, heroin, and other illegal narcotics into our country. Prosecutors from my office spent three months in a federal courtroom, sitting across from El Chapo, and secured a guilty verdict and lifetime prison sentence.  

We furthered our commitment to reducing violent crime and approached the problem from different angles. When a Little Havana gang used armed violence to further their drug trafficking business in South Florida, we prosecuted 24 gang members and associates. Through our outreach programs, we connected with our community’s children and encouraged them to make smarter choices; and guided adults who had made bad decisions in the past so that they could make better ones in future.

We prosecuted criminals who preyed on seniors, from the leader of a $1 billion investment Ponzi scheme that targeted older adults, to fraudsters who impersonated bank representatives to drain their elderly victims’ bank accounts.

We held accountable doctors and other professionals who stole millions of dollars from our Medicare and Medicaid programs by fraudulently billing for medically unnecessary home health services, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, and addiction treatment services.

We focused on getting child sex predators off our streets. In one case, we prosecuted the mastermind of an on-line sextortion ring who coerced children into producing and distributing child pornography. In another, we brought a child predator to justice after he lied about his age and enticed an 11-year-old girl into an on-line sexual relationship. These defendants will spend years in prison. We also charged persons you  would never expect would commit child exploitation crimes: a former police officer, a former elementary school principal, a veterinarian and a pediatrician.    

We took on foreign corruption and money laundering, crimes that deeply impact our community, the treasured gateway to Latin America. We charged the former Economics Minister of Guatemala with laundering millions of dollars in dirty drug proceeds through South Florida banks. To deal with the kleptocrats stealing money from their countries and trying to hide it in South Florida real estate, I established a dedicated Money Laundering Section at the office. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Venezuela, Venezuela’s Minister of Electrical Energy, and officials and businesspeople connected to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company (PDVSA) and similar institutions are among those we have charged with money laundering crimes. And, we seized for forfeiture approximately $450 million in currency and assets from foreign corrupt actors.   

We rooted out corruption in local government too, including corruption in government contracting and spending, and in shady deal making that involved bribes. We held to account police officers who furthered illegal drug activity for personal profit.   

We sought justice in civil rights cases by securing prison sentences for a former police chief who tried to boost his department’s statistics by directing officers to make baseless arrests and for two corrections officers who used physical assault and intimidation to discipline young inmates in their care. And, we are actively prosecuting a case against a local police officer charged by a grand jury with violating the civil rights of a minor and an adult woman.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, closing our courthouses and forcing us to turn home spaces into workspaces, we pulled together. Thanks in large part to the strength of our information technology staff and administrative personnel, the close to 500 employees of this office adapted and did not miss a beat. We forcefully tackled the new breed of crime, emerging as national leaders in Covid-19 relief fraud prosecutions. And when a father and his sons peddled industrial bleach as a miracle cure for Covid-19, we shut them down in a civil case and charged them in a criminal one.

Of course, our office could not have achieved these successes without the firm partnerships we maintain with ATF, DEA, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS, HHS, Postal Inspection Service, Secret Service, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and other federal, state, and local agencies. Nor could we have succeeded without help from South Florida’s community and religious leaders. I thank the wonderful people of these organizations for their enduring commitment to justice and for their support and friendship.  

Finally, it is important to note that we achieved these successes during very challenging times. Three months into my tenure, we faced the longest federal government shutdown in history. In my second year as U.S. Attorney, the global pandemic and ensuing economic crash hit us, changing our lives in unimaginable ways. Amid that crisis, came the months of civil unrest, causing us to self-evaluate and confront difficult and painful race issues. The year 2021 started no better, as violence rocked our nation’s Capitol building on January 6, leading to nationwide investigations and arrests. Lastly, our district suffered the tragic killing of two FBI Miami agents while in the line of duty last month.  Having worked through these challenges alongside the dedicated public servants of this office, I know that I leave the residents of South Florida in the best of hands.

I could not have served as U.S. Attorney for the last two and a half years without the support of this community. God bless South Florida and the United States of America!

With warmest regards,

 

Ariana Fajardo Orshan

United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida

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Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich this week sentenced six individuals for their roles in wide-ranging racketeering and drug distribution conspiracies that involved seven murders, three kidnappings, multiple firearms and drug offenses, and related criminal conduct. The defendants were found guilty on September 8, 2016, following a three-month jury trial.

U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, James Trusty, Chief of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Tampa Field Office, made the announcement.

Nathaniel Harris (25), a/k/a “Popo,” was sentenced to four life terms for the murders of Demetrius Cunningham and Calvin Barnes, and racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy. In addition, he was sentenced to consecutive terms ranging from 10 to 25 years’ imprisonment for attempted murder, armed kidnapping, and drug and firearms offenses.

Napoleon Harris (32), a/k/a “Pole,” was sentenced to three life terms for the murder of Demetrius Cunningham, racketeering, and drug conspiracy. He was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.

Charlie Green (30), aka “Mr. 30N32,” was sentenced to five life terms for the murders of Joseph Evans and Ceola Lazier, racketeering, drug conspiracy, and armed kidnapping.

Jerry Green (30), a/k/a “Jerk,” was sentenced to four life terms for the murders of Ceola Lazier and Carlos Jurado, racketeering, and drug conspiracy.

Deonte Martin (27), a/k/a “Tang,” was sentenced to three life terms for the murder of Brenton Coleman, racketeering, and drug trafficking conspiracy. He also received additional sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years for firearms and drug charges.

Corey Harris (26), aka “James,” was sentenced to 120 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and distribution of crack cocaine.

Nathaniel Harris and Napoleon Harris were also ordered to pay $8,000 restitution to the family of Demetrius Cunningham.

According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members of a racketeering enterprise that controlled illicit drug distribution and committed murders for hire in and around Bradenton. From about 2006 through 2014, the defendants were responsible for murdering seven individuals, including one victim who was gunned down at a community center in front of hundreds of children and their parents. The racketeering enterprise attempted to murder an eighth individual who survived, but is now paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. The enterprise maintained a number of so-called “trap houses” that were used to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, MDMA, oxycodone and marijuana, and used extreme violence to collect drug debts and enforce its control of the drug trafficking in its territory. The enterprise also used threats of violence to prevent members of the community from testifying against its members.

“The sentences handed down this week were just in light of the scars these defendants inflicted on their community. Our thoughts remain with the families of the murdered victims,” stated U.S. Attorney Bentley. “The Department of Justice, working closely with our partners at all levels of law enforcement, will continue to use every available resource to protect vulnerable communities from the scourge of violent crime. We are deeply committed to dismantling violent criminal organizations.”

“A key component of ATF’s mission is reducing violent crime. These sentences represent a fulfillment of a promise that ATF made to this community to stand by them and we will continue to stand by them,” stated Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary of ATF-Tampa Division. “We appreciate the cooperation of our federal, state and local partners to this bring this case to a successful conclusion.”

Twelve enterprise members and co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, firearms, and other offenses in connection with this case.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Florida investigated the case, with assistance from other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Murray, Natalie Adams and Walter “Terry” Furr of the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Marty Woelfle of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.

          WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that the Washington State Supreme Court and the Washington State Court Administrator published a Model Language Access Plan (LAP) and accompanying Deskbook to assist its state courts in ensuring access for all limited English proficient (LEP) individuals to court services and programs. The LAP and Deskbook are the culmination of several years of collaboration between Washington State Courts and DOJ, through its Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, which provided technical and resource development assistance to the State.

 

          Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Safe Streets Act), and the regulations implementing these federal laws, all courts are required to provide language assistance services to all LEP individuals in civil and criminal court proceedings, and in all court-managed services and programs. The LAP and the Deskbook assist state courts in developing a written language access plan and creating or improving its language assistance services to meet federal civil rights obligations.

 

          “We applaud the Chief Justice and the many contributing stakeholders for working collaboratively with us to ensure compliance with applicable civil rights laws that ensure that everyone – regardless of their national origin – is able to participate meaningfully, fully and fairly in all state court proceedings,” said United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Annette L. Hayes. “Providing effective language assistance services is essential to safeguarding the civil rights of court users and ensuring the integrity of our justice system and the rule of law.”

 

          “Ensuring the integrity and fairness of court proceedings goes hand in hand with providing interpreters and other language assistance services,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Wheeler II. “This joint effort demonstrates the Department of Justice and the Washington State Courts are committed to ensuring that court proceedings are administered as fairly and equitably as possible for individuals coming through the courthouse doors, regardless of national origin.”

 

          The Justice Department’s initial engagement with the Washington State Courts began as a review of the King County Superior Court’s (KCSC) language assistance services program. In 2011 and 2012, the Justice Department received complaints from LEP individuals who alleged they did not receive interpreter services in KCSC civil cases. In response, DOJ opened a civil rights review to determine whether KCSC’s actions constituted national origin discrimination pursuant to Title VI, the Safe Streets Act, and their implementing regulations.

 

          In early 2014, the KCSC agreed to provide language assistance services (including interpreter services) at no cost for LEP parties and persons in interest in court proceedings and operations, both civil and criminal. Until that time, KCSC had been providing these services without consideration of cost only in criminal cases. KCSC also agreed to provide DOJ information about the financial impact of extending its language services to civil cases. During that time, hundreds of additional LEP individuals received interpreter services in civil legal proceedings who otherwise may not have. In December 2015, KCSC agreed to continue to provide free language assistance services indefinitely. As a result, DOJ agreed to close its engagement with KCSC and, to replicate KCSC’s success, sought to work with the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, its Office of Court Innovation, and the Washington State Interpreter Commission, and its community partners, in developing the LAP and Deskbook for the Washington State Court system as a whole.

 

          DOJ, through the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Offices, is responsible for investigating complaints of alleged violations of Title VI, as well as other federal laws, made against recipients of federal financial assistance from the Justice Department. When the Justice Department is unable to secure voluntary compliance with Title VI by a recipient, the Department has the authority to suspend or terminate financial assistance to a recipient provided by the Justice Department or to bring a civil suit to enforce the rights of the United States under applicable federal, state, or local law. The Justice Department also may provide technical and resource development assistance to recipients of federal financial assistance, as occurred here.

 

          Both matters were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Michael Diaz and Christina Fogg in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Michael Mulé, Attorney in the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (FCS) of the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department.

 

          For more information about FCS’s State Courts Language Access Initiative, a multi-pronged initiative focused on enforcement, technical assistance, outreach, resource development and policy efforts to ensure meaningful access to state courts receiving federal financial assistance, visit http://www.lep.gov or view the recent DOJ publication, “Language Access in State Courts.” To learn more about the LEP communities in Washington State or other parts of the United States, go to the Language Map App, available here. Further information about Title VI is available here.

 

wa_courts-v5_spanish_002.pdf

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Daniel B. Brubaker, the Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today the filing of an Information charging PAUL ROBERTS, the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kubient, Inc, a digital advertising technology company, with securities fraud.  The charge results from ROBERTS’s execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”).  ROBERTS plead guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2024.



U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Paul Roberts, the founder and former CEO of Kubient, inflated his company’s revenue and lied about the performance of one of its signature products, an AI-powered tool that was supposed to detect ad fraud in the digital advertising industry.  To carry out his scheme, Roberts had fake documents created to mislead the independent certified public accountants engaged to audit Kubient’s financial statements.  Today’s charge and guilty plea sends a message that this Office is committed to holding corporate executives accountable when they resort to fraud.”



USPIS Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “Mr. Roberts was caught lying about Kubient’s AI fraud detection tool.  And in this case, the only thing that was detected as fraudulent was what Mr. Roberts told investors to improperly bolster his company’s revenue during Kubient’s IPO.  This is our promise to the American public: Postal Inspectors along with our law enforcement partners will continue to protect investors from falling victim to greedy individuals.”

As alleged in the Information:

In or about May 2017, ROBERTS founded Kubient, Inc. (“Kubient”), a digital advertising technology company headquartered in New York, New York.  From in or about August 2020 to in or about November 2023, Kubient’s shares were publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker “KBNT.”  At various times relevant to the Information, ROBERTS was Kubient’s Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Interim Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chief Strategy Officer.

From at least in or about October 2019 through at least in or about March 2021, ROBERTS executed an accounting fraud scheme at Kubient.  During that time, ROBERTS caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements (the “Fraudulent Revenue”).  The Fraudulent Revenue was over 94% of Kubient’s reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its initial public offering (“IPO”) in or about August 2020, over 74% of its reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its secondary public offering in or about December 2020, and approximately 45% of Kubient’s reported revenue for all of 2020, as reported in Kubient’s 2020 annual financial statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on SEC Form 10-K in or about March 2021.  With his scheme, ROBERTS misled Kubient’s auditors and deceived the investing public about Kubient’s financial condition.

At the core of the accounting fraud scheme by ROBERTS was a fraudulent $1.3 million transaction that ROBERTS arranged between Kubient and another digital advertising technology company (“Company-1”) and one of Company-1’s affiliates (the “Company-1 Affiliate”).  In a set of three contracts negotiated and executed together in or about October 2019, Kubient and Company-1 agreed to provide certain services to the other for nearly identical fees.  Under the terms of two contracts, Kubient agreed to use its proprietary fraud detection tool Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”) to scan data provided by Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate for instances of digital ad fraud and then deliver the results of KAI’s findings to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate (the “KAI Agreements” of the “KAI Transactions”).  At the same time, pursuant to a Data Services Agreement, Company-1 agreed to sell Kubient other data and provide certain data-related services.

From in or about January 2020 through in or about November 2020, Kubient paid Company-1 $1,300,336 and Company-1 paid Kubient $1,300,338.03 (which Kubient fraudulently recognized as revenue), but neither company ever provided any of the services they agreed to provide to the other company under the contracts.  For example, with respect to the KAI Transactions, Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate never sent Kubient any data to be scanned by KAI, Kubient never scanned any Company-1 or Company-1 Affiliate data with KAI, and Kubient never delivered any results or reports to Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate with any findings by KAI.

To conceal his fraudulent scheme, ROBERTS directed Kubient employees to generate fake KAI reports and misled them about how he intended to use such reports.  Rather than receive data from Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate to be scanned by KAI, ROBERTS had Kubient employees create “sample” KAI reports based, at first, on Kubient’s own data and then eventually based on made-up metrics and no underlying data at all.  ROBERTS told Kubient employees he needed these “samples” to demonstrate for bankers and potential investors the kind of reporting of which KAI was capable.  In fact, ROBERTS needed the “sample” KAI reports to mislead Kubient’s independent certified public accountants (the “Audit Firm”) into believing that Kubient had performed its contractual obligations to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate under the KAI Agreements when, in fact, Kubient had not, so that Kubient could recognize the associated revenue in its financial statements.

ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings and in management representation letters submitted to the Audit Firm relating to Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition.  Contrary to representations ROBERTS made in these filings and letters, Kubient did not perform its obligations to Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate under the KAI Agreements and, consequently, none of the Fraudulent Revenue should have been recognized as revenue in Kubient’s financial statements.

In addition, ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings about the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud, including in connection with Kubient’s initial and secondary public offerings when Kubient was touting KAI as one of the company’s premier products that would differentiate it from its competitors.  For example, ROBERTS personally added language to Kubient’s SEC Form S-1 registration statements that ROBERTS signed and that Kubient filed in or about July, August, and December 2020, stating that, in 2020, KAI provided “two large enterprise clients” [i.e., Company-1 and the Company-1 Affiliate] “the ability to prevent the purchase of non-human or fraudulent advertising traffic” and that “KAI was identifying and preventing approximately 300% more digital ad fraud then [sic] the client’s current partners.”  ROBERTS made these statements knowing that they were false.  More specifically, ROBERTS knew that Kubient never received any data from Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate to scan with KAI pursuant to the KAI Agreements, that Kubient never scanned any of Company-1’s or the Company-1 Affiliate’s data with KAI, and that Kubient never delivered any results or reports to Company-1 or the Company-1 Affiliate with any findings by KAI, let alone that KAI was not “identifying and preventing approximately 300% more digital ad fraud” than Company-1’s and the Company-1 Affiliate’s “current partners.”

Fueled by the misrepresentations about Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition and the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud that ROBERTS made in Kubient’s SEC filings and elsewhere, Kubient raised more than $12.5 million in its IPO in or about August 2020, resulting in its shares being publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and more than $20 million in its secondary public offering in or about December 2020.  Kubient’s IPO and its secondary public offering would not have been possible without ROBERTS’s fraudulent misrepresentations about KAI and the KAI Transactions.

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ROBERTS, 48, of Melville, NY, is charged with one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the USPIS.  Mr. Williams also thanked the SEC, which filed a civil action against ROBERTS after he pleaded guilty, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Alex Rossmiller are in charge of the prosecution.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson presented the 2024 Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Awards today during the Opening Ceremony for the 23rd Annual Operation Reach Out at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse.

Operation Reach Out recognizes crime victims and those who serve them, and is sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and the Operation Reach Out Committee.

The 2024 Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Awards honorees are:



The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, for its Remote Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Outreach Project. This initiative allows victims in a growing number of counties to file petitions and participate in court hearings remotely, without having to be in the same building as the people from whom they are seeking protection. The entire Supreme Court - Chief Justice Tim Armstead, Justice Elizabeth D. Walker, Justice John A. Hutchison, Justice William R. Wooton and Justice C. Haley Bunn - and project officials attended today’s ceremony to accept the award.

The Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Lt. S.A. Sommers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, Elizabeth Street of the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Child Protect of Mercer County, and Guardian Ad Litem Michael Magaan for their roles in the successful prosecution of Eric Shawn Phillips, 43, of Princeton. Phillips was sentenced on November 13, 2023, to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, and ordered to pay $7,200 in restitution for enticement of a minor.

Special Agent Brian Morris of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for his role in the successful prosecution of Larry Allen Clay Jr., 58, and Kristen Naylor-Legg, 30, of Gauley Bridge. Naylor Legg was sentenced on August 31, 2023, to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 18. Naylor-Legg provided her 17-year-old female relative to Clay so he could engage in sexual intercourse with the minor. At the time, Clay was an employee of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the Chief of Police for the Gauley Bridge Police Department. A federal jury convicted Clay on April 28, 2023, of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice. Clay awaits sentencing.

Mission West Virginia for promoting positive futures by working to ensure every child has a loving family and the knowledge to make positive choices for a healthier future. Mission West Virginia has been a longtime partner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia as it recruits and trains foster families and provide support and services to relatives or kinship families caring for youth.

YWCA Charleston for its continuing commitment to communities throughout Kanawha, Clay and Boone counties. YWCA Charleston provides crucial services to domestic violence and trafficking victims, such as emergency and transitional housing, counseling and court advocacy. YWCA Charleston is also a longstanding and valued partner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.



The ceremony also featured a special Tree of Remembrance, upon which victims and survivors placed signed cards in memory of a loved one or for themselves as a survivor.

“As you look at the tree, we don’t just see pieces of paper. The toughest part of my job and my career, over the last 27 years, has been some of the photographs and videos that I’ve had to see,” said Thompson, a former Boone County Circuit Court judge. “Some of those, I don’t have to carry around in my wallet or anything of that nature. They are forever burned in my brain.”

Operation Reach Out aims to raise awareness of victims’ rights, educate the public about the various organizations that provide services to crime victims, and promote crime prevention and safety.

Operation Reach Out is held in coordination with National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), which is being commemorated this year on April 21-27. The 2024 NCVRW theme is “How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors.”

The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.

More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victim’s Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.

 A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

 

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From Aug. 28 to Aug. 31, the leadership of Ukraine’s three anti-corruption bodies met with Justice Department officials in Washington, D.C. Their visit was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). Separately, Department officials met with a delegation from the Victim and Witness Coordination Centre of the Ukrainian’s Prosecutor General’s Office, in a visit that was also funded by INL.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland welcomed to the Justice Department the anti-corruption delegation, which was led by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) Director Semen Kryvonos, Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) Chief Prosecutor Oleksandr Klymenko, and High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) Chief Justice Vira Mykhailenko. They were accompanied by the Department’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) Resident Legal Advisor at U.S. Embassy Kyiv Jared Kimball, who is providing guidance, case-based mentoring, and capacity building to SAPO and NABU.  







AG Garland with (l to r) DAAG and Counselor to AG for International Affairs Bruce Swartz; SAPO Chief Prosecutor Oleksandr Klymenko, NABU Director Semen Kryvonos, HACC Chief Justice Vira Mykhailenko and Resident Legal Advisor Jared Kimball. 

The anti-corruption delegation met with Criminal Division leadership including Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Counselor for International Affairs Bruce C. Swartz, OPDAT leadership, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), and Task Force KleptoCapture leadership. They also met with FBI Director Christopher Wray and the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.

The meetings provided an opportunity to demonstrate the United States’ unwavering support and confidence in their critical work in targeting high-level corruption, strengthening cooperation on financial investigations, and understanding what challenges they are facing and how the Department can help. The partnership includes facilitating communication with Ukrainian agencies on U.S. and Ukrainian cases involving corrupt actors and seized assets and working with OIA to improve the Mutual Legal Assistance process for both parties.

The Department reaffirmed its full commitment to support the independence of these anti-corruption institutions through technical support and capacity building provided by the Resident Legal Advisor in Kyiv and other Department expertise.

On Tuesday, Criminal Division Deputy Assistant Attorney General Anjali Chaturvedi and representatives of the Department’s War Crimes Accountability Team, based in the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and representatives of the Justice Department’s Office of Victims of Crime, Office on Violence Against Women, National Security Division’s Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia met at the Department with a delegation from the Victim and Witness Coordination Centre that was recently created in the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. Attorney General Garland welcomed the delegation and focused on the importance of supporting Ukrainian victims. The head of the Centre, Dr. Veronika Plotnikova, led discussions for the delegation. Following the meeting, the delegation visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia to learn more about how the Department supports crime victims and witnesses. The delegation also met with representatives of the FBI’s Victim Services Division.







AG Garland with Dr. Veronika Plotnikova and other members of DOJ, INL the Ukraine Prosecutor General’s Office, and Ukrainian Embassy. 

Earlier this year, Attorney General Garland met Prosecutor General (PG) Andriy Kostin and discussed the matter of supporting victims and witnesses of crime. In February, PG Kostin met with some of the Justice Department’s top victim witness support experts. The Centre was subsequently created by PG Kostin on April 11.

Department officials offered expertise and support to enhance the implementation of mechanisms in Ukraine to assist victims and witnesses during the criminal justice process as Ukraine investigates and prosecutes Russian war crimes and other atrocities.

The Department of Justice is proud to stand by our Ukrainian law enforcement partners in their courageous and crucial work and looks forward to continuing to assist in any way we can.

Below please find for new Assistant U.S. Attorneys hired and placed in this office.  Thank you.

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Brian Dunn came to the office after nearly 11 years as a deputy district attorney at the Denver District Attorney’s Office. Before that, he was in private practice at firms in Chicago and New York. He earned his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center.  Brian is assigned to the office’s Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the Criminal Division.

Cyrus Chung came to the office after serving as an Assistant District Attorney in the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.  Prior to that he clerked for 1st Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Bruce M. Selya and Judge Richard J. Holwell of the Southern District of New York, and also spent 2 years in private practice.  Cyrus earned his law degree from Harvard Law School.  He is assigned to the office’s Narcotics Section of the Criminal Division.

R. Josh Player joined the office after 22 years of legal practice.  During that time he was a Senior Attorney/Unit Chief for the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Assistant Attorney General for the State of Utah, a solo practitioner, and clerked for a State District Court Judge.  Josh earned his law degree from Seattle University School of Law.  He is assigned to the Durango Branch Office and focuses on Indian Country prosecutions and serves as the office’s trial liason.

Laura McNabb came to the office after 3 years in a private practice.  She clerked for Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nancy E. Rice and 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge David. M. Ebel.  Laura earned her B.A. from the University of Denver and her J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School.  Laura is assigned to the office’s Civil Division.

WASHINGTON – A federal inmate formerly residing in Pennsylvania pleaded guilty today to murder, carjacking and kidnapping, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan for the District of Vermont.

Donald Fell, 38, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to a federal indictment arising from the Nov. 27, 2000 kidnapping, carjacking and murder of 53-year old Teresca King.

Fell pleaded guilty to all four charges pending against him, including carjacking with death resulting, kidnapping with death resulting, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and transportation of a firearm by a fugitive from justice.  Chief U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford accepted Fell’s guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Rutland, Vermont.  Immediately after the guilty plea, Judge Crawford sentenced Fell to serve life in prison without the possibility of release.  Fell also agreed to waive direct appeal.

During the plea, Fell admitted to murdering Rutland man Charles Conway while Fell’s friend and now deceased co-defendant Robert Lee murdered Fell’s mother Debra Fell, 46, in an apartment on Robbins Street in Rutland.  The two men then carjacked and kidnapped Teresca King in Rutland and drove into New York State, where they killed Mrs. King.  Lee and Fell were natives of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, who came to Vermont in late 2000.

According to the  plea agreement, on the evening of Nov. 26, 2000, defendant Donald R. Fell, Robert Lee, Debra Fell, and Charles Conway were socializing in the apartment of Debra Fell on Robbins Street in Rutland.  In the early morning hours of Nov. 27, 2000, Fell attacked Charles Conway with a knife and killed him.  Robert Lee attacked Debra Fell with another knife, killing her.

After killing Conway and Debra Fell, Fell and Lee walked together to the Price Chopper grocery store in Rutland, carrying an unloaded Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, looking for a car in which to leave Vermont.  At approximately 3:30 a.m., Fell and Robert Lee confronted Teresca King when she arrived in her Vermont plated Plymouth Neon automobile at the Price Chopper to work her early morning shift.  At shotgun point, Fell and Lee stole King’s car keys and forced her into the backseat of her car.  The two men then took turns driving the car west out of Vermont into New York State, and then south for several hours.  Shortly after dawn on Nov. 27, 2000, the men parked King’s car at the side of the road in rural Dover Plains, New York, and took King into the woods.  In a spot not visible from the road, Fell and Lee battered King to death, kicking her in the head and striking her face with a rock as she lay on her back.  Leaving King’s body in the woods, Fell and Lee continued driving south in her car.

The two men stopped in their hometown of Wilkes-Barre for a night.  In Wilkes-Barre, they stole a pair of Pennsylvania license plates from another Plymouth Neon and put them on King’s car, and discarded King’s Vermont plates.  Continuing southwest, the two men paused to refuel in Clarksville, Arkansas, where a local law enforcement officer stopped the Plymouth Neon due to the stolen plates.  Fell and Lee were arrested, and the Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun was seized.

The United States extends its sympathy and gratitude to Mrs. King’s family, who closely followed the case since 2000, attending all court hearings and displaying remarkable patience with the extraordinary delays.  The United States also extends its sympathy to the family members of Charles Conway.  In his plea today, Fell acknowledged that he murdered Mr. Conway while Fell’s deceased co-defendant, Robert Lee, was murdering Fell’s mother, Debra Fell.  By encompassing Fell’s role in these murders in the plea, the loss of the lives of Mr. Conway and Mrs. Fell are recognized.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Rutland Police Department, the Vermont State Police, the New York State Police and the Clarksville, Arkansas Police Department.  The U.S. Marshal’s Service also worked hard on the case over the years.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Darrow and Jon Ophardt, along with Trial Attorney Sonia Jimenez of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section of the Department of Justice.

U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan commended U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutors and staff for their commitment and tremendous work on this case for more than 17 years.  She noted that Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrow has prosecuted this case with distinction and remarkable dedication over its entire lifespan, and she thanked the Department’s Capital Case Section and its prosecutors for their support and partnership.  She acknowledged the tremendous toll that nearly 18 years of litigation has taken on the victims’ families and stated that, in supporting the plea agreement, the United States hoped to bring that protracted ligation to resolution and secure finality for the victims, the public, law enforcement, and all other parties involved.  

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA —United States Attorney Adair F. Boroughs announced that Brook Andrews has been named First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, the office’s second-ranking position.

Andrews is a career federal prosecutor with experience spanning criminal, civil, trial, and appellate matters across several duty stations within the U.S. Department of Justice. He most recently served the office as the Deputy Criminal Chief for the White Collar/General Crimes Section. In that role, Andrews oversaw the investigation and prosecution of federal crimes in South Carolina including all financial fraud, civil rights, human trafficking, and public corruption offenses. As a criminal prosecutor, Andrews handled a number of high-profile matters including the prosecution of former SCANA executives in the wake of the V.C. Summer Nuclear investigation. Before that, he spent several years litigating civil fraud and whistleblower cases, recovering millions of dollars for Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and other federal programs. In addition to his primary duties as a prosecutor, Andrews has served for over five years as the Ethics Advisor for the district, and as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Before returning to his hometown of Columbia in 2016, Andrews practiced law in Washington, D.C. for five years, beginning with his selection into the U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General's Honors Program and placement into the Environment and Natural Resources Division. As a DOJ Trial Attorney, Andrews spent several years representing the United States in cases around the country involving land use, water rights, and environmental regulations. Andrews then spent two years in private practice at a national law firm, representing states and cities around the country as outside counsel in complex civil fraud and consumer protection cases.

Before his litigation practice, Andrews served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Jean Toal of the South Carolina Supreme Court and U.S. District Judge Margaret Seymour for the District of South Carolina. While at the Supreme Court, Andrews also served as a Staff Attorney on the South Carolina Sentencing Reform Commission.

For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc.

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Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley administered the oath of office to Eric Grant, swearing him in to serve as the court-appointed United States Attorney and thereby continue as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California. On August 11, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Mr. Grant as the interim U.S. Attorney for 120 days, and the judges of the Eastern District of California recently voted to re-appoint Mr. Grant pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546(d).Mr. Grant is a veteran of the Department of Justice, having served twice in Washington, D.C.: from 1991 to 1993 as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of Legal Counsel, and from 2017 to 2021 as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). During his tenure at ENRD, Mr. Grant supervised more than a hundred Department litigators advancing the interests of the United States and its agencies in both enforcement and defensive matters, both civil and criminal.“I have been honored to lead an excellent team of dedicated attorneys and other public servants in our shared mission to enhance public safety and the rule of law in the Eastern District of California. We have accomplished a great deal over the last several months, and our work continues. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and with federal, state, local, and tribal partners to accomplish that mission,” U.S. Attorney Grant said.In addition to his service in the Department, Mr. Grant has decades of experience in private practice in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento. That experience includes arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, and numerous other federal and state courts.Mr. Grant served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (retired) and Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the Supreme Court’s October 1994 Term. Earlier he served as a law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas.Mr. Grant grew up in Modesto, California, and raised his family in Sacramento County. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics (1986) and a law degree (1990).The United States Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California and is responsible for prosecuting federal criminal cases and representing the United States in civil litigation. The Eastern District encompasses 34 counties throughout the Central Valley and the Sierra, from the Oregon border in the north to the Los Angeles County line in the south. The United States Attorney’s Office has offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield.









 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and to conspiring with others in a scheme to prepare false tax returns seeking millions of dollars of tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to defraud the Paycheck Protection (PPP) loan program by filing over 80 PPP loan applications seeking over $100 million.

According to court documents, Quin Ngoc Rudin, 45, a convicted felon, was the Secretary, Director and Chief Financial Officer of Mana Tax Services, which purported to be a tax preparation business in the Los Angeles area. Rudin engaged in a conspiracy to commit two sets of fraud schemes using Mana Tax.

First, from May of 2019 through his arrest in December of 2021, Rudin and his co-conspirators prepared and filed with the IRS a series of false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of at least nine professional athletes that reported fabricated business and personal losses in order to get large refunds to which they were not entitled. Rudin and the co-conspirators represented to the professional athletes that Rudin was knowledgeable and experienced in the preparation of tax returns. Rudin represented that Mana Tax could obtain large refunds for the athletes and that he had specialized knowledge that their prior CPAs and tax professionals did not have. Not only did Rudin assist in the preparation of original tax returns for his professional athlete clients, but he also filed amended tax returns for past years to correct what he falsely characterized as “errors” made by the athletes’ previous accountants. Mana Tax then charged the athletes a fee of 30% of whatever amount of tax refunds the IRS issued. As a result of Rudin’s scheme to defraud the United States, the IRS paid refunds to the athletes totaling millions of dollars.

For his second scheme, from April of 2020 through December of 2021, Rudin and his co-conspirators assisted small businesses in applying for PPP loans, a federal loans initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet their expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic, in exchange for a 30% fee. Additionally, Rudin and his co-conspirators prepared fraudulent PPP loans for business entities that the co-conspirators controlled. In order to obtain the fraudulent PPP loans, Rudin and his co-conspirators grossly inflated the number of employees and monthly payroll costs claimed on the applications. Some of the businesses were not eligible for any PPP loan funds at all because they did not have any payroll expenses. Rudin and his co-conspirators obtained millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained PPP loans.

The conspirators also submitted fabricated tax returns in support of the PPP loan applications. Some of the business owners never saw their loan applications before Mana Tax filed them. To conceal the 30% fee obtained from the business owners, Rudin and his co-conspirators directed the businesses to pay the fee with cashier’s checks and to note falsely on the memo lines of the checks that the funds were related to payroll. 

The total actual losses for the tax fraud and PPP loan fraud are between $25 million and $65 million.

Rudin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit wire fraud, as well as to one count of wire fraud.  Rudin is scheduled to be sentenced on August 17. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud and 5 years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kimberly R. Pedersen, and Assistant Chief of the Justice Department’s Tax Division David Zisserson of the prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California provided assistance with this investigation.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-46.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others in separate fraud schemes to defraud the IRS and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal loans initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Seir Robinson Havana, 46, was the Vice President/Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mana Tax Services, a tax preparation business in the Los Angeles area. Havana engaged in a conspiracy to commit two sets of fraud schemes using Mana Tax.

First, from May of 2019 through November 2021, Havana conspired with Quin Ngoc Rudin, 45, of California, and others to prepare and file with the IRS a series of false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of at least nine professional athletes. The false tax returns reported fabricated business and personal losses to generate refunds the athletes were not entitled to receive. Havana and his co-conspirators represented to the professional athletes that Quin Rudin had specialized knowledge their prior tax professionals lacked and that Mana Tax could obtain large refunds for the athletes. The co-conspirators also told the professional athletes that Mana Tax could amend prior year tax returns to correct purported errors made by the athletes’ previous accountants to get additional refunds they were not entitled to receive. Mana Tax then charged the athletes a fee of 30% of the resulting refund. To conceal the payments, Havana directed the athletes to send the fee to shell entities he controlled. In all, Havana collected more than $3.1 million in fees from the professional athletes.

From April of 2020 through December of 2021, Havana and his co-conspirators also used Mana Tax to apply for PPP on behalf of a number of small businesses, shell entities controlled by the co-conspirators themselves with few or no employees, and business entities controlled by others. To obtain the PPP loans to which the applicants were not entitled, the co-conspirators grossly inflated the number of employees and monthly payroll costs claimed on the PPP loan applications and submitted fabricated tax returns in support of the applications. Some of the business owners never saw their loan applications before Mana Tax filed them, and some of the businesses were not eligible for PPP loans because they had no payroll expenses or had not been in operation during the relevant time period.

In exchange for processing the applications, Mana Tax charged a fee of 30% of the value of the loan obtained. To conceal this fee, Havana and his co-conspirators directed the businesses to pay the fee through cashier’s checks and to falsely note on the memo lines of the checks that the funds were related to payroll. The cashier’s checks were deposited into accounts controlled by Havana, who then transferred the funds to other bank accounts to further hide the source of the funds.

During the investigation, the government seized more than $11.8 million from bank accounts containing PPP loan fraud proceeds controlled by Havana and others. In addition, Havana surrendered cashier’s checks worth approximately $5.6 million, representing a portion of the fees charged to professional athletes for the preparation of their false tax returns, and a portion of the fees charged for obtaining fraudulent PPP loans. The two schemes resulted in total losses to the government of more than $25 million.

Havana pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit wire fraud, as well as to one count of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and 20 years in prison for money laundering. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

On May 13, Rudin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for September 14.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Darrell J. Waldon, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kimberly R. Pedersen, and Assistant Chief of the Justice Department’s Tax Division David Zisserson prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California provided assistance with this investigation.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-116.

“Chief Chuck Jordan’s legacy is one of service, courage, and accomplishment. He exemplifies the selfless police ethic of ‘protect and serve.’ There is no better friend to the cause of justice than Chief Jordan. Time and again, he displayed a remarkable balance of prudence and courage when faced with challenging circumstances and consequential decisions. Chief Jordan's reverence for the special responsibility placed in a police chief is as inspiring as it is unwavering. He knew that he had been entrusted to command the men and women who wore the uniform of the Tulsa Police Department; that his guidance and leadership could determine whether his officers made it home to their families. The City of Tulsa is a stronger and safer city because of Chief Chuck Jordan. As we have worked closely together over these last two years, I am also proud to be able call him my friend. Thank you for your service, Chief."

Memphis, TN – Patricia Parsons, 50, of Brighton, Tennessee, was sentenced to sixty months in federal prison for aiding and abetting solicitation to commit kidnapping. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to the facts revealed during the plea hearing in September 2017, from February 2017 through May 2017, Parsons conspired with Suzanne Holland, a self-appointed Chief Justice of the Universal Supreme Court of the Tsilhquot’ in Nation in Canada, to kidnap a Tipton County judge and a Nebraska sheriff.

United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "The U.S. Attorney’s Office takes any threats against law enforcement, the courts and public officials very seriously. The defendant’s disturbing conduct in this potentially violent case strikes at the very heart of our justice system, and we are pleased that she has been held accountable for her role in this unusual kidnapping attempt."

On January 10, 2017, Michael Parsons (the defendant’s husband) was scheduled to appear in state court in Tipton County, Tennessee on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Mr. Parsons did not show up for court, removed the ankle monitor and fled the jurisdiction. Two days later, he was located and arrested in a small airport in Arapahoe, Nebraska after flying himself there in a plane.

On February 16, 2017, FBI New Orleans received information that Suzanne Holland, self-appointed Chief Justice of the Universal Supreme Court of the Tsilhqot’ in Nation in Canada, was attempting to hire a bounty hunter to kidnap Sheriff Kurt Kapperman of Furnas County, Nebraska and Judge Joseph Walker of Tipton County, Tennessee and to break Mr. Parsons out of jail. Ms. Holland contacted an FBI Confidential Source in New Orleans, Louisiana and solicited the source to execute what were purported to be duly-

issued "arrest warrants" for the sheriff and judge issued by the Tsilhqot’ in Nation. Holland emailed "arrest warrants" to the source along with an "order to release Michael Parsons from jail." Further investigation revealed that the Tsilhqot’ in Nation was a Sovereign Citizen Group located on the Indian reservation in British Columbia, Canada.

On February 17, 2017, Ms. Holland provided a telephone number for the source to facilitate further discussions. FBI Memphis determined this number to be that of Mr. Parson’s wife, defendant Patricia Parsons.

Based on initial telephone conversations, Ms. Holland and the source agreed to draft a contract, signed by both parties, describing duties and payments. A final negotiated price of $250,000 was agreed upon for the arrest of the sheriff and judge and the facilitating release of Mike Parsons from jail. Mike Parsons was described as an Associate Justice of the Tshilhqot’ in Nation.

On February 23, 2017, the source and Ms. Holland agreed on an initial payment of $5,000 to begin arranging all travel and other details related to the operation. Holland told the source that Patricia Parsons would have the money and be available to meet in Memphis. On March 6, 2017, the source advised Holland that a business associate would meet Patricia Parsons to coordinate the payment. An amended contract was drawn up and signed by both parties. The source then contacted Patricia Parsons to discuss the transaction.

On March 3, 2017, Ms. Holland requested the source to accept a Corvette in lieu of the $5,000 payment. The Corvette was owned by the Parsons and located on Patricia Parsons’ property in Brighton, Tennessee. In telephone conversations, Patricia Parsons advised that the Corvette had some problems but was worth approximately $7,000. Three days later, during a series of phone calls, the source advised the defendant that an associate was traveling to the Parsons’ property to complete the payment transaction.

Further the source explained to Parsons what the overall operation would entail, including: selling the vehicle to help fund the operation; breaking Mr. Parsons out of jail; kidnapping the Tennessee judge (who was scheduled to preside over her husband’s impending trial) and the Nebraska sheriff; using the plane to transport the abducted individuals to Holland in Canada; and using 30 operatives divided into two teams to accomplish these objectives.

During these calls, defendant Parsons advised that her phone was tapped by the FBI and agreed to call the source on another phone. The defendant called on a different line and indicated that she was ok with the source taking the vehicle and using the plane in Nebraska "as long as the FBI don’t come knockin at my door again." The source explained that the operatives would need to go to Canada because "once we kidnap a judge and a sheriff, our heads are gonna be on the choppin block… and once we do what we gotta do we can never come back." After these discussions, the defendant agreed to meet one of the operatives to complete the transaction.

On March 6, 2017, an undercover FBI employee posing as an associate of the source exchanged phone calls with the defendant and subsequently met at her residence in Brighton, Tennessee to obtain the Corvette. Due to the fact that the Corvette was inaccessible at the residence, the defendant agreed to provide the associate a 1991 Ford Ranger truck as the down payment for the operation. Parsons could not find the title but signed a note transferring ownership of the vehicle and gave the associate keys to the truck.

Between March 11 and March 15, 2017, the associate made three separate telephone calls to Parsons in order to gain further information on Tipton County Judge Joseph Walker. The associate asked about an address and photo of the judge’s house. The defendant responded that she did not know the specific address but that the judge’s name was "Joseph Walker III" and advised that he was located in Ripley, Tennessee in Lauderdale County. She also agreed to find out more information on the judge. On another call, the defendant advised the associate about a Ripley P.O. Box for the judge and stated he presided over courts in Tipton, Lauderdale, Hardeman, Fayette and one other county. At no time did Parsons attempt to notify any authorities of the impending plot to kidnap a sheriff and judge and free Mr. Parsons from jail.

On December 12, 2017, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Parsons to 60 months imprisonment and two years’ supervised release to begin after her term of incarceration.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hall prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

On September 19, 2023, TAE’RON WOMACK, 22, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to making a false declaration before a federal grand jury.

Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence.  On July 20, 2020, Womack appeared before a grand jury in New Haven.  Womack had been called to testify because his car was used during the shooting and killing of Myreke Kenion on January 26, 2020.  The grand jury had developed information that Jaheim Warren was involved in the shooting.  Womack was shown a picture of Warren and was asked “Have you seen this person before?”  Womack, under oath, responded, “No.”  He was then asked “You don’t recognize this person at all?”  Womack responded, “Probably like seen him around but like overall, I don’t know him.”

Shortly after Womack’s grand jury testimony, investigators discovered a YouTube rap video in which Warren and Womack appeared together throughout the video.

Womack was arrested on September 9, 2020.

Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for December 12, at which time Womack faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  He is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.

Jaheim Warren, 19, was shot and killed on December 20, 2020.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state, and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

QUAYMAR SUGGS, 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 250 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent New Haven street gang and his murder of an associate of a rival gang in May 2021.Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating a gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city.  The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven.  Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.The investigation revealed that Suggs and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders.  Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence.  Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.On July 1, 2024, Suggs pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, including acts of violence, narcotics trafficking, and gun sales, and specifically admitted that, on May 19, 2021, he shot and killed an 18-year-old associate of a rival gang.  Suggs also admitted that in 2021, he and other Exit 8 members broke into a Connecticut state trooper’s car and stole the trooper’s duty bag.Suggs has been detained since March 24, 2023.This investigation has been conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Trashad Laron Roberts, 34, Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court and charged with escape of a prisoner subject to lawful custody from a residential treatment facility. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.Roberts appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his arraignment in federal court on September 16, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is set for November 4, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Alan C. Winsor.If convicted, Roberts faces up to five years’ imprisonment.The case is being investigated by the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo.An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the appointment of 12 U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). Created in 1973, the AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The first meeting of the AGAC will take place later this spring.

The appointees include U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York; U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania; U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee for the District of Maine; U.S. Attorney Trini Ross for the Western District of New York; U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina; U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown for the Western District of Louisiana; U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. Attorney Gregory Harris for the Central District of Illinois; U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota; U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona; U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado; and U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. An appointee from a district within the jurisdiction of the Eleventh Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals will be announced at a later date, once the Senate has confirmed nominees.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams will serve as the Chair of the AGAC, and U.S. Attorney Cindy Chung will serve as the Vice Chair.

“These United States Attorneys will represent the views of dedicated federal prosecutors across the country, and provide advice and insight into essential matters facing the Department,” said Attorney General Garland. “I look forward to working alongside them in carrying out the Department’s core priorities of upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights.”

“I am honored to have been selected by Attorney General Garland for this role and I am excited for the opportunity to work collaboratively with other U.S. Attorneys across the country, and to lend my voice to prosecution policy and the rule of law,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “I appreciate the ability to amplify the excellent work of our team here in the District in engaging with our sovereign tribal partners, in interdicting contraband on the border, and in addressing the other unique issues we face in Arizona.”

A brief bio on each appointee is below:

Damian Williams (Chair)

The Senate confirmed Damian Williams’ appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in October 2021. Williams began his legal career as a law clerk to then-Judge Merrick Garland when he served in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2007 to 2008. Williams then served as a law clerk for Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court from 2008 to 2009. From 2009 to 2012, he was a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. From 2012 to 2021, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In the role, he served as a chief of the securities and commodities fraud task force from 2018 to 2021. He received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Harvard University in 2002, a Master of Philosophy in international relations from Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge in 2003, and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2007, where he was also an editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Cindy K. Chung (Vice Chair)

The Senate confirmed Cindy K. Chung’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania in November 2021. In 2002 and 2003, Chung served as a law clerk for Judge Myron H. Thompson in the Middle District of Alabama. She then joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office in 2003, serving as an assistant district attorney until 2007 and as investigation counsel in the Official Corruption Unit from 2007 to 2009. From 2009 to 2014, Chung served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She later joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, serving as deputy chief of the major crimes division. From 2014 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Chung earned a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1997 and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 2002.

Darcie McElwee

The Senate confirmed Darcie McElwee’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine in October 2021. McElwee began her legal career as an assistant district attorney for the Penobscot and Piscataquis counties in Maine from 1998 to 2002. Between 2005 and 2008, McElwee was an adjunct professor of advanced trial advocacy at the University of Maine School of Law. From 2002 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Since 2005, she has been the coordinator of Project Safe Neighborhoods. McElwee received her Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College in 1995 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law in 1998.

Trini Ross

The Senate confirmed Trini Ross’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York in September 2021. Ross began her career as an appellate attorney for the New York Supreme Court. She was an associate at Hiscock & Barclay LLC before joining the Office of Professional Responsibility as assistant counsel. From 1995 to 2018, Ross served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York. She has also been an adjunct professor of law at Buffalo Law School. She has also served as director of the investigations for the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General since 2018. Ross earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1988, a Master of Arts from Rutgers University in 1990, and a Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School in 1992.

Sandra Hairston

The Senate confirmed Sandra Hairston as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina in November 2021. Hairston previously served as an assistant district attorney in Columbus County, North Carolina, from 1987 to 1989 and as a special assistant district attorney in Guilford County, North Carolina from 1989 to 1990. From 1994 to 1996, she served as Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina before returning to the Middle District of North Carolina in 1996. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in 1990 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Hairston previously held the position of First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina from 2014 to 2021. From March 1, 2021, until her Senate confirmation, she served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. Hairston received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1981 and her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1987.

Brandon Brown

The Senate confirmed Brandon Brown as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana in December 2021. From 2007 to 2012, Brown served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office. He was also an associate at Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice LLP in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since 2012, he has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2002 and a Master of Business Administration in 2004 from Louisiana Tech University, followed by a Juris Doctor in 2007 from the Southern University Law Center.

Dawn Ison

The Senate confirmed Dawn Ison as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan in December 2021. In 1989 and 1990, Ison was a prehearing attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals. In 2002, Ison began serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. She also served as chief of the Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit. Ison earned a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College and a Juris Doctor from the Wayne State University Law School.

Gregory Harris

The Senate confirmed Gregory Harris as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois in December 2021. Harris began his career as a lawyer for the Office of the State Appellate Defender in 1976 where he represented indigent criminal defendants on appeal. From 1979 to 1980, he served as legal counsel for the Illinois Governor’s Office of Manpower and Human Development and later as a staff attorney for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Development. From 1980 to 1988, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. From 1988 to 2001, he was a lawyer for Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Bodewes in Springfield, Illinois. He later rejoined the Central District of Illinois in 2001, where he served as chief of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney. Harris was born in Washington, D.C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 1976.

Andrew Luger

The Senate confirmed Andrew Luger as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota in March 2022. He previously served in that role during the Obama administration and briefly during the Trump administration from 2014 to 2017. Prior to his appointment, Luger was a partner in the Minneapolis office of Jones Day from 2017 – 2022. Luger has also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, from 1989 to 1992, and for the District of Minnesota from 1992 to 1995, where he prosecuted a wide variety of narcotics and violent crimes, as well as complex white collar frauds. In 1995, Luger joined the law firm of Greene Espel in Minneapolis, where he was a partner until 2014. Luger earned a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.

Gary Restaino

The Senate confirmed Gary Restaino as U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Restaino served in Paraguay with the Peace Corps. From 1996 to 1999, he provided legal services to seasonal farm workers as a lawyer with Community Legal Services. From 1999 to 2003, he served as a civil rights lawyer in the Arizona Attorney General's Office. He then served as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Restaino joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona in 2003. He was nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney in October 2021. Restaino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College in 1990 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996.

Cole Finegan

The Senate confirmed Cole Finegan as U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Finegan served both as Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Policy and Initiatives for Colorado Governor Roy Romer. From 1993 to 2003, Finegan was a partner for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Denver office. Finegan joined Hogan Lovells (then Hogan & Hartson) in 2007 as a partner. Finegan acted as an adviser to Governor Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Finegan attended the University of Notre Dame from 1974 to 1978, earning a degree in English. Finegan earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986.

Matthew Graves

The Senate confirmed Matthew Graves as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in October 2021. After graduating law school, Graves began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Richard W. Roberts of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. From 2002 to 2007, he was an associate at WilmerHale. From 2007 to 2016, Graves worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, where he served in the office’s fraud and public corruption section, ultimately serving as the acting chief of the section. Since 2016, he has been a partner at DLA Piper. Graves earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2001.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2022-035_Advisory Committee Appointment

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

DEVIN SUGGS, also known as “JB,” 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 168 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent New Haven street gang and several gang-related shootings.

Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city.  The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven.  Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.

The investigation revealed that Suggs and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders.  Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence.  Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.

On February 20, 2024, Suggs pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in five shootings between April 2021 and January 2023.  As a result of these shootings, on April 27, 2021, a rival gang member was shot in the leg; on May 14, 2021, a rival gang member was shot in the leg and torso; and on May 20, 2021, one victim was shot in the back and another victim was shot in the leg.  On January 20, 2023, Suggs and other Exit 8 members stole an SUV in Scarsdale, New York, and, later that day, he and Exit 8 member Nyzaire Barnes committed a drive-by shooting of a rival gang member in New Haven.  The victim was shot in the head, but survived the attack.

Suggs has been detained since August 3, 2023.

Barnes, also known as “Melo,” pleaded guilty and, on June 20, 2024, was sentenced to 125 months of imprisonment.

This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

AssaultJimmy Joe Black, 58, from Clinton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served, which at the time of sentencing was three months and 24 days, for assault of a dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury. The defendant also received two years of supervised release. According to court documents, in April 2023 the victim sought medical attention for an injury to her wrist; however, she did not report it as abuse until September of 2023. The victim indicated that the defendant was always with her, and she felt unsafe. She provided investigators photo evidence of the assault along with text messages of the defendant apologizing. She claimed the assault has led to years of pain in her hand and wrist. The FBI investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Black was indicted on July 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2025. After the plea hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence. Case No. 24-CR-00125Firearm OffensesEddie Lee Shells, 27 of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served with two years of supervised release to follow for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of domestic violence. At the time of his sentencing, Shells had served 142 days in prison. According to court documents, the defendant was responsible for an assault on his live-in girlfriend. After the assault, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department requested help from DCI to locate the defendant. On Oct. 23, 2024, the defendant was located in Campbell County. Wyoming Highway Patrol attempted to pull him over for speeding when he fled. After a brief pursuit, the defendant stopped his truck and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended. Troopers conducted a search of his truck and located two firearms. The defendant was convicted of domestic assault in February 2021, prohibiting him from possessing a firearm. DCI, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Shell was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 17. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Dec. 8 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00020Drug TraffickingDanel Akio Moriyama, 44, of Cheyenne, Wyoming was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, in July 2024, the Cheyenne Police Department investigated Danel Moriyama for selling methamphetamine and fentanyl from his home. Surveillance uncovered frequent visitors and vehicle activity consistent with drug sales occurring in the house. Subsequent coordination with the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force (NCDTF) revealed his connection to multiple drug distributors in both Wyoming and Colorado. On September 18, following the defendant’s trip to Colorado to acquire drugs, officers conducted a traffic stop and found 447 grams of methamphetamine and 194 fentanyl pills in his pickup truck. A subsequent search of his residence yielded handguns, additional methamphetamine, an AR-style rifle, and drug distribution materials. The Cheyenne Police Department and NCDTF investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Moriyama was indicted on Nov. 29, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Dec. 9 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00173Micah Edwards Maas, 37, of Worland, Wyoming was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting in the use of a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.  According to court documents, in July 2024, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) received information that Micah Maas was a distributor of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Worland, Wyoming area. As the investigation continued, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) learned of a suspected methamphetamine source of supply in San Francisco who was shipping packages to Worland through the U.S. Postal Service. USPIS investigators began monitoring the packages and intercepted multiple packages containing methamphetamine and others containing thousands of fentanyl pills. DCI and USPIS investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Maas was indicted on May 21 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 16. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Dec. 11 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00094Sarah Louise Hutchinson, 42, from Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, between September 2023 and December 2024, DCI agents were investigating drug trafficking in Campbell County. Sarah and her partner John Roberts were identified as distributors of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Throughout the investigation, agents made a controlled purchase from her codefendant. On Dec. 5, 2024, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Roberts and Hutchinson. Officers seized approximately 379 grams of methamphetamine. DCI and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie R. Morrison and Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Hutchinson was indicted on July 16 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 16.  U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence and ordered $500 in community restitution on Dec. 4 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00076Pauline Michelle Lane, 37, of Lakewood, Colorado, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, in January of 2024, the Sheridan Police Department along with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began investigating a drug trafficking organization. Officers seized a phone from one of the distributors and identified Lane as the source of supply. The defendant acknowledged selling methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl to a friend, who was then redistributing the controlled substances in Wyoming. Lane admitted the drug transactions occurred between August 9, 2023, and May 5, 2024. She acknowledged the amount of methamphetamine was more than 500 grams. The Sheridan Police Department and DCI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie R. Morrison prosecuted the case. Lane was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 9. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence and ordered $500 in community restitution on Dec. 5 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00017Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien Leobardo Rangel-Ventura, 33, of Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the U.S. According to court documents, on June 19, ICE located the defendant at the Sublette County Jail in Pinedale. The defendant was arrested by the Sublette County Sheriff’s Department for the offense of failure to appear on an underlying case for driving under the influence of alcohol. Based on the defendant’s fingerprints, ICE determined he had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in November 2018. ICE investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Dec. 5 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00153About the United States Attorney’s OfficeThe United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:Project Safe ChildhoodLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Operation Take Back America Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Victim Witness Program The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime

Senior Mgt. Counsel and Law Enforcement Coordinator Cindy Cipriani (619) 546-9608    

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 15, 2020

SAN DIEGO – U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer today announced the 2020 recipients of the third annual “Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice” awards, which honor 77 federal, state and local law enforcement officers for their work on cases in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Recipients were selected in a number of categories, including Lifetime Achievement, Exceptional Service, Cases of the Year, Investigations of the Year, Community Impact, and Collaboration. The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to U.S. Border Patrol Assistant Chief Chancy L. Arnold, the longest-serving Border Patrol agent in the United States.

“I greatly respect the crime-solving and life-saving efforts of the incredible law enforcement community in San Diego and Imperial counties,” said U.S. Attorney Brewer. “These awards celebrate the diligence, courage and extraordinary character of these recipients, all of whom were nominated by prosecutors in this office. During this unprecedented time of global pandemic, our award ceremony will not be held in person this year. I regret that I cannot express my gratitude to these deserving honorees directly – but I am giving them a virtual standing ovation.” Some of the recipients honored for “Cases of the Year” include U.S. Border Patrol agents who were confronted by an armed assailant on November 26, 2018. According to court records, Hector Rodriguez-Chavez pointed a loaded gun at one of the agents, and in a split-second decision, the agent grabbed Chavez's weapon and wrestled it out of his hands. Another agent, Patrick Powers, assisted by deploying his taser, and the agents were able to arrest Rodriguez-Chavez.

FBI agents, including Brian Loveland, were assigned the investigation. Hector Rodriguez-Chavez pleaded guilty in September 2019 and was sentenced in February 2020 in federal court to 141 months in prison.

The nomination said: “The agents’ quick, disciplined action at a critical moment avoided bloodshed and saved both their own and the defendant's lives. This was followed by a thorough investigation, which delivered a just result and reflected law enforcement at its professional best.”

The awards are presented to agents and officers who demonstrated creativity, initiative, and persistence to achieve justice in difficult cases, including major opioid and methamphetamine investigations, gun prosecutions, immigration fraud and even action on the high seas chasing drug traffickers.

“Each one of these award recipients has shown an exceptional dedication to the pursuit of justice for victims and to the safety of our community, and for that I am extremely proud and grateful,” Brewer said. “These are demanding and dangerous jobs that all too often go unappreciated. Agents and officers put their lives on the line because they want to make a difference. We need to give them support and sincere appreciation for their service and sacrifice.”

Exceptional Service awards were given to FBI Agent Bradlee Godshall for investigation of environmental crimes; Tom Eilers, Director, Imperial County Law Enforcement Coordination Center, for his years of leadership; and Bryan Chehock of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for his work to address the opioid epidemic.

Today also marks National Peace Officers Memorial Day, as well as the conclusion of National Police Week, which commemorate the courage and selflessness of law enforcement officers throughout our nation. Sadly, it is also a time to honor and pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives in the line of duty last year and whose names were engraved this year on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.  It is particularly appropriate to honor our fallen heroes now, given the significant risks our brave first responders face during this pandemic.  As of May 7, 2020, the Fraternal Order of Police reports that 92 law enforcement officers have died from the Coronavirus nationwide.

For a list of award recipients, please see the table below.



           2020 Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice Awards





 





Award Title





Awardee





Agency





Background





Case Name/ Investigation





Lifetime Service Award





Chancy L. Arnold





U.S. Border Patrol





Chancy has dedicated his entire career to public service, and he demonstrated a level of commitment and leadership that has made him a role model for many junior Border Patrol officers.  Chancy, who has the distinction of being the longest serving Border Patrol agent in the United States, has increased the safety of our community and the security of our nation.





 





Exceptional Service Award





Bradlee Godshall





Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)





Agent Godshall’s leadership led to the successful investigations of 53 defendants for environmental crimes, including seven cases that went to trial.





 





Exceptional Service Award





Tom Eilers





Imperial Valley LECC – HIDTA





Director Eilers effectively coordinated numerous state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies in the fight against narcotics trafficking and deadly fentanyl in Imperial Valley.





 





Exceptional Service Award





Bryan Chehock





Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)





Chehock, a DEA attorney, crafted a successful argument that persuaded the court to allow DEA to get records of opioid prescriptions using administrative means rather than a search warrant. This information is essential in the fight against the opioid epidemic.





United States v. California; et al.





Case of the Year





Carlo Petersen

Aron Marcellus

Tyler Mower

Paul Hernandez

Alvaro Arauz

Juan Bribiesca

Ramon Villarreal





Homeland Security Inv. (HSI)

HSI

HSI

HSI

U.S. Border Patrol

U.S. Border Patrol

U.S. Border Patrol





Thanks to this team’s successful and effective collaboration, immigration fraud was prevented and an infant is in safer hands.





U.S. v. Cesar Augusto Cordova-Montoya

19CR2358-LAB

 





Case of the Year





Brian Loveland

Patrick Powers





FBI

U.S. Border Patrol





The agents’ quick, disciplined action at a critical moment avoided bloodshed and saved both their own and the defendant's lives. This was followed by a thorough investigation, which delivered a just result and reflected law enforcement at its professional best. 





U.S. v Hector Rodriguez-Chavez





Case of the Year





Michael Prince

Brendan P. Biamon

Travis C. Olmsted

Michael Boady





FBI

FBI

FBI

FBI





This team worked quickly to seek forfeiture orders that returned wrongfully wired funds to two universities and followed up to ensure that defendant was extradited to the United States.





U.S. v. Amil Raage

18CR4858-GPC





Case of the Year





David Senness





U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs-OIG





Agent Senness helped to protect contracts intended for veterans and created a model playbook for procurement fraud prosecutions.

 

 





U.S. v. Andrew Otero; et al

17CR-0879-JAH

15CV-0441-JAH





Case of the Year





Brandon L. Pullen

Jeffrey Wight

Adam W. Welzant

Caroline E. Miller

Jordan D. Groff

Scott D. Rogers

K. Channing Meyer





DEA

DEA

U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard





This team exemplified decisive action on the high seas and superb follow-up investigation.  Due to the overwhelming evidence developed by this team, the government obtained guilty verdicts that resulted in some of the most significant sentences ever imposed in a Title 46 drug prosecution.





U.S. v. Cortez-Quinonez

18-cr-00421





Case of the Year





Jacob MacLeod





San Diego Sheriff’s Dept.





Detective MacLeod’s investigation led to a groundbreaking federal prosecution that secured justice for the devastated parents of an opioid overdose victim. 





U.S. v. Maxwell Gaffney

17-cr-03330





Investigation of the Year





Jennifer Barnum

Roger Quintana

Janel Frith

Josh Watkins





HSI

U.S. CBP

HSI

HSI





The awardees’ investigation resulted in the seizure of drugs, dozens of weapons and $2 million in bulk currency; the successful prosecution of more than a dozen U.S. defendants; and charges against significant targets in Guatemala and Mexico.  





US v Ipina, et al. 17cr0648

 





Award Title





Awardee





Agency





Background





Case Name/ Investigation





Investigation of the Year





Jason Hurley

Sandy Wasser

Ernst Jacobsen

Vivien Valderrama





DEA

DEA

DEA

IRS Criminal Investigations





The joint efforts of these agents removed hundreds of pounds of deadly drugs from the streets and resulted in indictments of dangerous drug traffickers in the Ever Perez-Cruz drug trafficking organization.





 





Investigation of the Year





Christian Sanders

Connell Ainslie

Zachary Leasure





HSI

HSI

DEA

 





This team’s investigation resulted in convictions of two high level traffickers and the seizure of 2800 kilograms of cocaine; 280 kilograms of methamphetamine; five firearms; and approximately $2 million in bulk currency.     





18CR3737-WQH and 18CR3739-WQH





Investigation of the Year





Jeffrey Horn

John Philpott

Israel Garcia

Cathleen Beausang





FBI

S.D.  County DA’s Office

Cal. Dept. of Insurance

FBI





The awardees exposed systemic corruption in the California Worker’s Compensation System.   Ultimately, their hard work and tenacity led to the conviction of 18 individuals and 7 corporations and more than $2 million in fines.





 





Investigation of the Year





John Roberts





FBI





This award-winning investigation resulted in the convictions of four defendants who fraudulently obtained nearly $50 million from investors by pretending the money would be secured by high-end real estate.

 

 





 





Community Impact





Michael Wasser





DEA





Agent Wasser’s investigations and his ongoing training of numerous agents, task force officers and AUSAs resulted in a significant 40 percent increase of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) prosecutions in FY 2019.





 





Award Title





Awardee





Agency





Background





Case Name/ Investigation





Community Impact





Arnesha Bahn





ATF





Since May 2019, Agent Bahn personally swore out 40 federal PSN complaints, leading to safer and more secure neighborhoods in the Southern District.





 





Collaboration





Rick Aguilar

Lisa Amman

Pat Shadoan

Thomas Garrity

Michael Wasser

Sarah Duray

James Peters

Brian Hamilton

Edward Byrne

Brandon Merrick

Oscar Amando





San Diego Police Dept./DEA

Cal. DHCS/DEA Task Force

San Diego Police Department

HSI

DEA

DEA

DEA

FBI

HSI

DEA

San Diego Police. Dept.





Team 10 is a creative and effective collaboration that quickly takes deadly drugs off the streets, delivers justice, and never loses sight of the faces and stories of overdose victims.  





 



 

*Not all award recipients are listed

LUIS GARCIA, 25, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a racketeering charge stemming from his participation in a violent Bridgeport street gang.

Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence.  Garcia was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang.  O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut and used the cars to commit crimes.

Text messages and social media posts reviewed during the investigation confirmed that Garcia possessed and sold narcotics and firearms, stole vehicles, and was involved in related violent criminal activity alongside other O.N.E. members and associates.

On August 9, 2018, O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport.  In the following days, O.N.E. members conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport.  Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Stratford and Union Avenues in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End group member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car.  After the shooting, O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Wells State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder.

It is alleged that O.N.E. members committed other violent crimes, including murder.

Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  A sentencing date is not scheduled.

Garcia has been detained since his arrest on September 8, 2021.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis and Tara E. Levens.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Kentucky and Illinois

 

DEA-Led Investigation Included Seizures of 30 Kilograms of Heroin, 64 Kilograms of Methamphetamine, 17 Kilograms of Cocaine, 20 Kilograms of Marijuana, 24 Firearms, $102,000 in Currency and Three Vehicle

 

ALBUQUERQUE – Twenty-eight individuals are facing drug trafficking and money laundering charges as the result of a federal investigation targeting a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for importing large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico, and distributing the drugs in New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Kentucky and Illinois.

 

The charges are the result of a 16-month DEA-led investigation during which law enforcement authorities seized approximately 30 kilograms of heroin, 64 kilograms of methamphetamine, 17 kilograms of cocaine, 20 kilograms of marijuana, 24 firearms, $102,000 in currency, and three vehicles. The investigation concluded this morning with an early morning, multi-agency law enforcement operation which included the execution of arrest warrants in New Mexico and Texas, and the execution of six search warrants at locations in El Paso, Tex., Sunland Park, N.M., Belen, N.M., and Albuquerque, N.M.

 

Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of the DEA’s El Paso Division announced the results of the investigation this afternoon during a press conference in Las Cruces, N.M. Representatives of the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, New Mexico State Police, Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Department, Las Cruces Police Department and Sunland Park Police Department joined Acting U.S. Attorney Tierney and DEA Special Agent in Charge Glaspy in making the announcement.

 

In announcing the charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Tierney said, “This investigation and its resulting prosecutions are about taking control of our streets. The charges filed and drugs seized as the result of this investigation demonstrate the success of the collaborative efforts of our federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies to root out drug traffickers operating in New Mexico and throughout the country. Through today’s announcement, the law enforcement community is sending a loud and clear message to those who traffic drugs in our communities that they cannot commit crimes in New Mexico without consequence.”

 

“Today law enforcement in New Mexico and West Texas has dealt a severe blow to a drug trafficking organization with ties to a Mexican drug cartel,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Glaspy. “Through the cooperation of numerous law enforcement organizations we have removed criminals from our communities who have been involved in smuggling, transporting, and distributing drugs.”

 

“The responsibility of protecting our borders and keeping our communities safe is a task to which we are committed. We are proud to partner with these other fine law enforcement agencies as we work together to protect our citizens and our future from the selfish criminals that look to profit by exploiting our neighborhoods and our children,” said Jeffrey D. Self, Chief Patrol Agent, El Paso Sector. “This entire investigation is a perfect example of an interdiction that continued into a perfectly executed investigation through a unified effort.”

 

“The results of this multi-agency operation reflects greatly on the partnership and commitment of dedicated men and women to combat the poisoning of our communities with highly addictive and dangerous drugs,” said Waldemar Rodriguez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “HSI is committed to continue working with our law enforcement partners to enhance public safety in our communities.”

 

The investigation, which was designated as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, targeted a DTO allegedly led by Luis Angel Briseño-Lopez, 30, a Mexican national believed to reside in Juarez, Mexico, and who has yet to be arrested. The multi-agency investigation revealed that the DTO allegedly imported large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States; distributed the drugs in several states; and transported drug proceeds back to Mexico.

 

Twenty-three of the 28 defendants are charged in a 44-count indictment, three are charged in two separate criminal complaints, and two will be charged in criminal complaints being filed today. Twenty-three of the 28 defendants are in custody, including 20 who were arrested during today’s law enforcement operation.

 

The 44-count indictment, which was filed under seal on April 19, 2017 and unsealed earlier today, alleges that the 23 defendants charged therein participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine between April 2016 and April 2017. It also alleges that nine of the defendants also participated in an international money laundering conspiracy during that same period in time. The indictment also charges certain defendants with engaging in a series of substantive drug trafficking and money laundering offenses, and using communication devices (telephones) to facilitate their criminal activities. It charges one defendant with a firearms offense.

 

The indictment includes 77 overt acts allegedly committed by the defendants in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy. The overt acts describe the expansive sweep of the DTO’s drug distribution operation and the significant quantities of drugs involved. For example, the overt acts allege that the DTO’s drug trafficking and money laundering activities extended to Kentucky, where law enforcement officers seized $15,300 in drug proceeds from a courier who was transporting the money to New Mexico in April 2016; Oklahoma, where law enforcement officers seized 4.44 kilograms of methamphetamine from a courier in June 2016; and New Mexico, where law enforcement officers seized six kilograms of heroin from couriers at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in October 2016.

 

The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations, which seek to forfeit to the United States the proceeds of the DTO’s drug trafficking and money-laundering activities, including $56,556 seized by the DEA during the investigation. It also seeks the imposition of a money judgment in the amount of at least $1.4 million, the amount allegedly derived from the crimes charged in the indictment.

 

One defendant is charged in a criminal complaint with heroin and cocaine trafficking offenses arising out of the seizure of approximately 24.4 pounds of heroin and 2.45 pounds of cocaine at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 25 north of Las Cruces on March 10, 2017. Two other defendants are charged in a criminal complaint with heroin trafficking offenses arising out of the seizure of approximately 17.8 pounds of heroin by the Hatch Police Department during a traffic stop near Hatch, N.M., on April 20, 2017.

 

Two other defendants, who were not previously charged, were arrested during today’s law enforcement operation. They will be charged in criminal complaints to be filed today with drug trafficking and money laundering offenses.

 

“The citizens of New Mexico are safer today because of the collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies. When law enforcement agencies combine resources and assets, we are able to bring illegal narcotic traffickers to justice,” said Chief Pete Kassetas of the New Mexico State Police. “These cases are great examples of how local, county, state and federal agencies are working with State District Attorneys and the U.S. Attorney to prosecute those responsible for their crimes. This operation reinforces that there are consequences to those that choose to conspire to illegal narcotics crimes in our communities and state.”

 

“The Hatch Police Department along with the other agencies involved in today’s operation continue to have a strong relationship,” said Chief James Gimler of the Hatch Police Department. “We are honored to work hand in hand with our federal partners, the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in achieving the ultimate goal of keeping our streets safe.”

 

Doña Ana County Sheriff Enrique Vigil said, “I can say with confidence that our local law-enforcement agencies are committed to doing all that we can to bring fugitives to justice, and will continue working together to make our great state of New Mexico a safe place. In doing that, I will continue to pledge every resource available from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department towards that goal.”

 

“The Las Cruces Police Department is proud of the working relationship we have with other local and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Chief Jaime Montoya of the Las Cruces Police Department. “We rely on each other to help keep our communities safe from those who defy our laws.”

 

“Through partnerships within our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, those communities and families affected by criminal activity can rest assured, that at the end of the day, we are all here to Serve and Protect. We want to be a part of making the neighborhoods safe again in order to ensure that our community can roam around freely without worrying about crime a foot,” said Chief Javier Guerra of the Sunland Park Police Department. “In keeping our community safe, I want to enlist their help by asking them to report anything out of the ordinary, suspicious behavior and domestic violence. It is the duty and responsibility of the community to watch-out for each other.”

 

The Las Cruces and Albuquerque offices of the DEA conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, New Mexico State Police and Hatch Police Department. In addition, the Las Cruces and El Paso offices of Homeland Security Investigations, Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office, Las Cruces Police Department and Sunland Park Police Department participated in today’s law enforcement operation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Selesia L. Winston and Sarah M. Davenport of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the cases as part of the OCDETF Program and the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative.

 

The OCDETF Program is a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.

 

The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico. The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.

 

Indictment in United States v. Luis Angel Briseño-Lopez, et al., 17-CR-1032-RB

 

Summary of the Charges

 

Count 1 of the Indictment charges 23 defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than ten years nor more than life and a $10 million fine.

 

Count 2 of the Indictment charges nine defendants with participating in an international money laundering conspiracy. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is 20 years and a $500,000.

 

Counts 3, 20, 21, 31 and 39 charge certain defendants with substantive international money laundering offenses. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is 20 years and a $500,000.

 

Counts 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 22 through 24, 27, 28, 30, 32 and 33 charge certain defendants with using communication facilities to facilitate drug trafficking crimes. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on each of these counts is imprisonment for four years and a $250,000 fine.

 

Counts 6 and 29 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and a substance containing methamphetamine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than ten years or more than life and a $10 million fine.

 

Count 9 charges a defendant with distributing more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The maximum penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than five years or more than 40 years and a $5 million fine.

 

Count 12 charges a defendant with distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than ten years or more than life and a $10 million fine.

 

Counts 14, 25, 35 and 36 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than ten years or more than life and a $10 million fine.

 

Counts 16, 19, 26, 34, 37, 38, 40 and 44 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than ten years or more than life and a $10 million fine.

 

Count 41 charges a defendant with carrying and possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than five years, which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on other counts of conviction.

 

Count 42 charges a defendant with managing or controlling a residence for storing controlled substances. The maximum penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for 20 years and a $500,000 fine.

 

Count 43 charges certain defendants with possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. . The maximum penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than five years or more than 40 years and a $5 million fine.

 

Charges against Defendants

 

Luis Angel Briseño-Lopez, 30, a Mexican national believed to reside in Juarez, Mexico, is charged in Counts 1-4, 6, 13-17, 20-21, 23, 25-26, 29, 31-32 and 34-39 of the indictment. Briseño-Lopez has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.

 

Francisco Luna-Rosales, 50, a legal permanent resident who resides in Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 27, 29, 38 and 40-42 of the indictment. Luna-Rosales has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.

 

Omar Fernandez, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 24 and 28 of the indictment. Fernandez was arrested this morning in Albuquerque.

 

Manuel German Ibarra, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, 22 and 31 of the indictment. Ibarra has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.

 

Juan R. Gutierrez, 30, of Belen, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2 and 18-20 of the indictment. Gutierrez was arrested this morning in Belen.

 

Gustavo Hernandez-Loaiza, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2 and 21 of the indictment. Hernandez-Loaiza was arrested this morning in Albuquerque.

 

Joshua Jande Carmona, 23 of El Paso, Tex., is charged in Counts 1-3, 5-8, 10-11, 14, 29-31 and 34-35 of the indictment. Carmona was arrested this morning in Arlington, Tex.

 

Alberto Terrazas-Ignacio, 24, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, 6, 15-18, 20-28, 32-33 and 44 of the indictment. Terrazas-Ignacio was arrested this morning in Las Cruces.

 

Jose Manuel Ortiz-Campos, 28, a legal permanent resident residing in El Paso, Tex., is charged in Counts 1- 2 and 36-40 of the indictment. Ortiz-Campos was arrested this morning in El Paso.

 

Diego Armando Rivas-Aguilar, 23, a Mexican national, is charged in Counts 1 and 33 of the indictment. Rivas-Aguilar is in custody on a federal marijuana trafficking charge in the Western District of Texas and will be transferred to the District of New Mexico to face the charges in the indictment.

 

Edgar Dominguez-Cuellar, 30, of Sunland Park, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 7-10 and 12-13 of the indictment. Dominguez-Cuellar is in custody on a federal alien smuggling charge in the District of New Mexico.

 

Rosa M. De Santiago, 43, of Sunland Park, N.M., is charged in Counts 1- 2 and 36-40 of the indictment. De Santiago was arrested this morning in Sunland Park.

 

Georgina Ramirez, 36, of Anthony, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 36-38 and 43 of the indictment. Ramirez was arrested this morning in Anthony.

 

Jesus A. Flores, 39, a legal permanent resident of Anthony, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 38 and 43 of the indictment. Flores was arrested this morning in Anthony.

 

Alfonso Rios, 36, of Santa Rosa, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 11 of the indictment. Rios was arrested in El Paso.

 

Vanessa Reyes, 26, of El Paso, Tex., is charged in Counts 1-2 and 29-31 of the indictment. Reyes was arrested this morning in Arlington, Tex.

 

Roderica T. Bahe, 24, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 44 of the indictment. Bahe was arrested this morning in Las Cruces.

 

Martin J. Contreras, 25, of Rio Rancho, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 25-26 of the indictment. Contreras was arrested this morning in Rio Rancho.

 

Elizabeth Monroy, 19, of Chaparral, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 36-37 of the indictment. Monroy was arrested this morning in Chaparral.

 

Daisy Hidalgo, 22, of Anthony, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 36-37 of the indictment. Hidalgo has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.

 

Jazmin Lucia Soto, 19, of Chaparral, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 36-37 of the indictment. Soto was arrested this morning in Las Cruces.

 

Ricardo Terrazas-Ignacio, 19, of Las Cruces, N.M., is charged in Count 1 and 16 of the indictment. Terrazas-Ignacio was arrested this morning in Las Cruces.

 

Dulce Viridiana Rodriguez, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 and 38 of the indictment. Rodriguez has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.

 

Criminal Complaint in United States v. Jose Fernando Lucero, 17-MJ-617-GJF

 

The criminal complaint charges Jose Fernando Lucero, 24, of Las Cruces, N.M., with conspiracy and possession of heroin and cocaine with intent to distribute. The charges against Lucero arise out of the seizure of approximately 24.4 pounds (11 kilograms) of heroin and 2.45 pounds (1.1 kilogram) of cocaine by the U.S. Border Patrol on March 10, 2017, during an inspection at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 25 north of Las Cruces, N.M. The statutory penalty for a conviction on the charges in the complaint is imprisonment for not less than ten years nor more than life and a $10 million fine. Lucero was arrested on March 10, 2017, and remains in federal custody pending trial.

 

Criminal Complaint in United States v. Reyes, et al., 17-MJ-1042-SMV

 

The criminal complaint charges Maria Isabel Reyes, 37, and Roberta Guillermina Ornelas, 38, both of Horizon City, Tex., with conspiracy and possession of more than a pound of heroin with intent to distribute. The charges against Reye and Ornelas arise out of the seizure of approximately 17.80 pounds (8.10 kilograms) by the Hatch Police Department near Hatch, N.M., on April 20, 2017. The statutory penalty for a conviction on the charges in the complaint is imprisonment for not less than ten years nor more than life and a $10 million fine. Reyes and Ornelas were arrested today in Horizon City.

 

Additional Defendants

 

Gonzalo Dominguez-Cuellar, 24, of Sunland Park, N.M., was arrested this morning and will be charged by criminal complaint with participating in the drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies charged in the indictment.

 

Ivonne Briseno-Lopez, 26, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested this morning and will be charged by criminal complaint with participating in the money laundering conspiracies charged in the indictment.

 

Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Briseno-Lopez Indictment   Lucero Complaint    Reyes Complaint

MIAMI - Staff from the Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently hosted middle school students from Jane S. Roberts K-8 Center in Miami for a legal field trip.

The students, who were part of the school’s Student Government Association, saw inmate testimonial videos and participated in a mock trial in a federal courtroom. The videos showed impassioned pleas from inmates urging viewers to make better choices.

“I wasted my life … I wasted it,” said one former gang member, currently incarcerated and serving 25 years to life for murder.

Pre-COVID-19, inmates spoke to students in person. However, the messages—even over video—were powerful. Approximately 92 percent of those prosecuted in federal court either plead guilty or are convicted. 

“I think this is eye opening,” said Jaclyn Marrero, an intensive reading teacher at Jane S. Roberts K-8 Center. “It gives our students a feel for what life truly is about. It teaches them morals, values, and integrity. It’s important to understand how the real world operates versus what they see on television.”

Sometimes it comes down to a single choice that can have a lasting impact. 

“Bad decisions can have negative consequences that affect your life for years,” said Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section Chief J.D. Smith. “Every day you must decide whether to be a good person or a bad person. As you get older, we encourage you all to make smart choices.”

The students then rode up to the eleventh floor and borrowed a courtroom for the mock trial. This is the sixth year that USAO-SDFL has hosted this activity.

“We used to take students up to an empty federal courtroom to see how imposing they are, but then we thought it was a perfect location for a life lesson,” said Smith. “Students could play all the roles in a trial and learn more about the criminal justice system.”

The young men and women jumped at the chance to be prosecutors and defense attorneys, with six on each side. One swore in witnesses as the clerk and 16 students made up the jury. The case involved a death due to hazing. Litigators studied the case, stood at the microphone, and did their best to sway the jury. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Thompson presided as judge.  

In the end, the prosecutors were too much for the defense team. The defendant was found guilty on all counts.

“We hope to teach the students to be good people to their families, friends, communities, and country,” said Smith. “If we reached only one student today, then it was time well spent.”

 

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Physician Partners of America LLC (PPOA), headquartered in Tampa, Florida, its founder, Rodolfo Gari, and its former chief medical officer, Dr. Abraham Rivera, have agreed to pay $24.5 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing federal healthcare programs for unnecessary medical testing and services, paying unlawful remuneration to its physician employees and making a false statement in connection with a loan obtained through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Certain PPOA affiliated entities are jointly and severally liable for the settlement amount, including the Florida Pain Relief Group, the Texas Pain Relief Group, Physician Partners of America CRNA Holdings LLC, Medical Tox Labs LLC and Medical DNA Labs LLC.

The United States alleged that PPOA caused the submission of claims for medically unnecessary urine drug testing (UDT), by requiring its physician employees to order multiple tests at the same time without determining whether any testing was reasonable and necessary, or even reviewing the results of initial testing (presumptive UDT) to determine whether additional testing (definitive UDT) was warranted. PPOA’s affiliated toxicology lab then billed federal healthcare programs for the highest-level UDT. In addition, PPOA incentivized its physician employees to order presumptive UDT by paying them 40% of the profits from such testing in violation of the Stark Law, which prohibits physicians from referring patients to receive “designated health services” payable to Medicare or Medicaid from entities with which the physician or an immediate family member has a financial relationship, unless an exception applies.

The United States further alleged that PPOA required patients to submit to genetic and psychological testing before the patients were seen by physicians, without making any determination as to whether the testing was reasonable and necessary, and then billed federal healthcare programs for the tests.

The United States further alleged that when Florida suspended all non-emergency medical procedures to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in March 2020, PPOA sought to compensate for lost revenue by requiring its physician employees to schedule unnecessary evaluation and management (E/M) appointments with patients every 14 days, instead of every month as had been PPOA’s prior practice. PPOA then instructed its physicians to bill these E/M visits using inappropriate high-level procedure codes. Moreover, the United States alleged that at the same time PPOA was engaged in this unlawful overbilling, PPOA falsely represented to the SBA that it was not engaged in unlawful activity in order to obtain a $5.9 million loan through the PPP. The settlement announced today resolves liability under the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) arising from the false claims submitted to federal healthcare programs for the E/M visits as well for PPOA’s false statement in connection with its PPP loan.

“Billing federal healthcare programs for services that providers know are unnecessary or unreasonable undermines the quality of care that patients receive and increases the costs of these taxpayer-funded programs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that healthcare providers base their treatment decisions on their patients’ needs rather than their own financial interests.”

“Holding healthcare providers accountable for inflated claims and false statements helps ensure the integrity of the healthcare system as a whole,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Settlements like this one are an important step in that direction.”

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the SBA has been focused on providing relief swiftly, equitably and efficiently to millions of struggling small business owners – ensuring that relief has been distributed with the utmost integrity has been central to that mission under Administrator Guzman,” said General Counsel Peggy Delinois Hamilton for the SBA. “The SBA takes fraud seriously and will continue to make it our priority to work alongside the Office of the Inspector General to identify and address any potential fraud to ensure sound administration of relief programs.”

In connection with the settlement, PPOA also entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). Under the CIA, PPOA agreed to undertake significant compliance efforts, including: maintain a compliance department, medical director and oversight board; retain a compliance expert; provide management certifications; maintain written standards, training and education; obtain multiple annual claims reviews by an Independent Review Organization; establish a risk assessment and internal review process; and implement monitoring of testing referrals. 

“When health care providers bill taxpayer-funded health care programs for medically unnecessary services, they divert government funds designed to assist business owners during this pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of HHS-OIG. “Our agency will work with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate health care fraud schemes.”

“This settlement allows OWCP to recover medical bill payments under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act and return those funds to the Employees’ Compensation Fund,” said Director Christopher Godfrey of the Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). “The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, as well as various other agencies’ offices of inspector general (OIG), devote significant investigative resources to detecting cases of possible abuse within the FECA program, and this settlement demonstrates the commitment of the DOL and its OIG in helping to ensure that funds issued through the program are paid appropriately.”

“When actors within our health care system are focused on profit rather than patient care, it undermines the integrity of the medical decision-making process,” said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with our investigative partners to protect the funding entrusted to the Defense Health Agency that serves our military members and their families.”

“Veterans Affairs' Community Care programs provide veterans and their families the ability to obtain critical healthcare services from providers within their own communities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA OIG) Southeast Field Office. “This civil settlement reinforces the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs and operations and preserving taxpayer funds.”

“When providers submit false claims for medically unnecessary tests, they are not only violating their patients’ trust but also compromising the integrity of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP),” said Special Agent in Charge Amy K. Parker of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General (OPM OIG). “This settlement demonstrates the OPM OIG’s commitment to protecting patients from tests that are not medically reasonable or necessary and safeguarding the FEHBP from fraudulent claims.”

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Donald Haight, Dawn Baker, Dr. Harold Cho, Dr. Venus Dookwah-Roberts and Dr. Michael Lupi, who are current or former employees of PPOA or its affiliated entities. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Haight v. Physician Partners of Am.; United States ex rel. Baker v. Physician Partners of Am LLC; United States ex rel. Lupi v. Physician Partners of Am. LLC; and United States ex rel. Dookwah-Roberts v. Physician Partners of Am. LLC.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida; HHS-OIG; VA OIG; DCIS; DOL OIG; and OPM OIG.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel David W. Tyler of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Saxe Griffin for the Middle District of Florida.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

A federal jury in Bridgeport today found TAHJAY LOVE, also known as “Goon,” 25; ZAEKWON McDANIEL, also known as “Gap” and “Yung Gap,” 25; MALIK BAYON, also known as “Pop” and “Dirt,” 27; and JAMES GRAHAM, also known as “Little Cuz,” 24, guilty of offense related their participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.

Today's announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.

In an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang.  On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging 960 members Love, McDaniel, Bayon, and Graham, and 12 other alleged gang members, with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.

According to the evidence presented during the trial:



On October 31, 2017, 960 members were involved in a drive-by shooting in the area of Porter Street and Bank Street in Waterbury in an attempt to murder members of a rival gang.  An individual was shot and wounded in the shooting.  Investigators recovered 17 shell casings from four different firearms at the scene, and also identified the car used by the assailants.  McDaniel’s DNA was found on the steering wheel of the car.

On November 22, 2017, McDaniel, Bayon, and Love shot at Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos who were in a car at a restaurant in Waterbury.  Lewis sped from the scene at a high-rate of speed and crashed into a house at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Dallas Avenue in Waterbury.  Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene.  Shell casings connected two of firearms used during the shooting to the shooting that occurred on October 31, 2017, and McDaniel’s DNA was found on a gun magazine that was dropped at the restaurant.

On December 29, 2017, shortly before 9:00 p.m., McDaniel shot and injured the father of a rival gang member who was taking out the trash in front of his residence.  960 members videoed themselves wearing masks at the scene minutes before the shooting.

On October 19, 2019, Love and Graham, who were incarcerated in state custody, assaulted another inmate who they believed had reported to law enforcement Love’s admitted role in the November 22, 2017, shooting that resulted in the deaths of Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos.



The jury found Love, McDaniel, and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity with special circumstances that they killed Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos in the course of a single event, murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute, and two counts of causing death through the use of a firearm and in relation to a crime of violence.  The jury also found McDaniel guilty of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Love and Graham guilty of obstruction of justice; and Bayon guilty of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Love, McDaniel, and Bayon face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, and Graham faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

“We thank the jury for its thoughtful analysis of the evidence presented during this lengthy trial,” said U.S. Attorney Avery.  “960 gang members murdered and attempted to murder both rival gang members and innocent victims alike.  The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to using federal law enforcement resources to dismantle violent groups in Waterbury and other cities in Connecticut, and prosecute those responsible for the drug trafficking and persistent acts of gun violence that torment the communities in which they operate.  I thank the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office for its close cooperation in prosecuting this matter, and the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police Department for their excellent work and partnership during this long investigation.”

“This case serves as an important illustration of the importance of cooperation and the sharing of information between various federal and state agencies,” said Waterbury State’s Attorney Platt.  “We are extremely thankful for the tremendous effort and resources that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has put forward to aid in the prosecution of these serious and violent offenders.  I am also very proud and grateful of the hard work, dedication ,and professionalism exhibited by members of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office including Supervisor Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen, Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alex Arroyo, and Inspector Michael Slavin, and the Waterbury Police Department led by Chief Fernando Spagnolo, which led to today’s verdicts.” 

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, ATF and Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, who have been cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

MACON, Ga. – The owner of Middle Georgia Family Rehab has admitted in federal court to ordering two employees to illegally alter documents during a federal civil investigation into alleged improper healthcare billing by the business.

Brenda Hicks, 58, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on June 5. Hicks faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and $250,000 fine. In addition, the plea agreement stipulates that Hicks will pay restitution to TRICARE, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicaid and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Anyone who attempts to alter or destroy documents requested as part of a federal investigation will face federal penalties for breaking the law,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “For the sake of justice and truth, it is imperative that the integrity of the investigation is maintained for the benefit of all parties.”

According to court documents, Middle Georgia Family Rehab, LLC (MGFR)—an outpatient rehabilitation facility owned by Hicks with locations in Byron and Macon—was served with a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) requesting various patient records on Oct. 7, 2019. After its receipt, Hicks set up a meeting about the CID with two MGFR employees. Hicks told them it was an “audit” and explained that MGFR did not have the records that were requested. She then instructed them to go into the system and pull any portions of the requested files, looking for hard copies of the records in MGFR’s storage unit if needed.

Many of the requested records were either blank or missing. Hicks explained that if the records were not there or had not been signed, the employees were supposed to create or sign the records. For example, if the records were missing progress notes, Hicks instructed the employees to make them up by copying and pasting the narrative language from other progress notes to fill in the missing information. These narrative sections were supposed to contain unique information from each session, such as the patient’s pain level and what exercises were performed at the visit. One employee expressed concern to the other employee that what they were doing was illegal and quit. The other employee complied with Hicks’ instructions and added notes and signatures to patient records as needed. These doctored patient records were then produced to the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Dec. 2, 2019, in response to the CID. Hicks now admits that she conspired to corruptly alter patient records with the intent to impair the integrity of those records and their availability for use in a civil action. For more information about the civil action, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/judge-orders-middle-georgia-family-rehab-pay-96-million-damages-submitting-hundreds.

The case was investigated by the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DOD-DCIS); the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); and the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG); with substantial assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government, with previous assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Dietrick.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today sentenced James Henry Roberts, a/k/a “Bub,” age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to his activities in the Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon (“NFL”) gang, which operated in the Edmondson Village area in Southwest Baltimore.  

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to Robert’s guilty plea, from 2016 to March 2020, Roberts was a member of the NFL gang, which was an enterprise, and participated in its illegal activities with other members, including the NFL drug trafficking organization (“DTO”).  Members of the NFL gang have social and familial ties to the Edmondson Village neighborhood of Southwest Baltimore. 

During the conspiracy, NFL gang members distributed large quantities of heroin and cocaine to drug customers and re-distributors from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.  Roberts admitted that he obtained narcotics from multiple sources of supply and stored the narcotics in stash houses that the NFL gang controlled.  Over the course of the charged conspiracy, Roberts and his co-conspirators distributed over one kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of cocaine base. 

As detailed in his plea agreement and court documents, Roberts paid members and associates of the NFL gang to commit multiple murders on behalf of the enterprise.  For example, in 2018, Roberts and others offered a bounty in exchange for the murder of Victim 1, who Roberts believed was cooperating with law enforcement.  On June 16, 2018, an NFL gang member (Co-conspirator 1) murdered Victim 1 as well as a bystander (Victim 2).  Shortly after the murders, Roberts paid Co-conspirator 1 with money from another NFL related enterprise.

Additionally, in October 2018, Roberts learned of a bounty for the murder of Victim 3.  To try to collect the bounty, Roberts recruited two NFL gang members to murder Victim 3 and share the proceeds.  Ultimately, the two NFL gang members shot and killed Victim 3 on October 31, 2018, then notified Roberts of Victim 3’s murder.

More than 30 defendants in this and related cases have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to between 30 years and time served. 

This case is 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.

This case is also 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, DEA, DPSCS, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.   Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Sippel, Jr., James T. Wallner, and Robert I. Goldaris who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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ATLANTA – Sterling Breynard Bell was sentenced to federal prison for firearms charges related to the murder of a young woman whose body was found along a highway near Macon, Georgia, nearly a decade ago. “The diligence of a federal special agent solved a murder and prevented the conviction of an innocent man,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “By using tools designed to test ballistics, the federal agent linked a gun seized from Bell to shell casings recovered from a murder scene two years earlier. The man initially charged the murder was exonerated, and Bell was brought to justice.”“This case underscores the vital role that the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network plays in solving violent crimes,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “By linking the firearm used in this tragic murder to Sterling Bell, our agents demonstrated the power of technology in the pursuit of justice.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On August 7, 2016, the body of 27-year-old Kendra Roberts was found along a highway near Macon, Georgia. Roberts had been shot multiple times at close range, including twice to the face and once to the back of the head. The next day, Roberts’s boyfriend was charged with the murder. Roberts’s boyfriend remained in custody for months. However, without realizing any connection to Roberts’s murder, the Clarkston Police Department seized a Glock 9mm pistol from Sterling Bell just ten days after the murder. The Bibb County deputies who were investigating Roberts’s murder were unaware that Bell had purchased that Glock mere weeks before the murder by lying to the seller about his daily drug use. In 2018, an ATF special agent used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to confirm that Bell’s gun was the murder weapon. ATF continued to investigate Bell and learned that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and refused to take his prescribed medication. Bell was arrested on federal firearms charges in October 2018, while the charges against Roberts’s boyfriend were dismissed. Bell later admitted to killing Roberts and was sentenced by a state judge to 20 years of imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 1/3 of the sentence. On October 1, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May sentenced Sterling Breynard Bell, 35, of Clarkston, Georgia, to 25 years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. While on supervised release, Bell will be required to submit to mental health and substance abuse treatment. On July 3, 2025, Bell pleaded guilty to one count of false statements to a federal firearms licensee and two counts of illegal possession of a firearm as an unlawful user of a controlled substance.This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laurel B. Milam and Phyllis Clerk prosecuted the case.For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

LOS ANGELES – A man who last year shot and wounded two Jewish men as they left religious services in the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 420 months in federal prison.Jaime Tran, 30, formerly of Riverside, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who set a restitution hearing for December 2, 2024.Tran pleaded guilty on June 3 to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. “Targeting people for death based solely on their religious and ethnic background brings back memories of the darkest chapters in human history,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Such hate-fueled violence has no place in America. We hope the sentence imposed today sends a strong message to all in our community that we will not tolerate antisemitism and hate of any sort. For those who engage in hate crimes, the punishment will be severe.”“After years of spewing antisemitic vitriol, the defendant planned and carried out a two-day attack attempting to murder Jews leaving synagogue in Los Angeles,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Vile acts of antisemitic hatred endanger the safety of individuals and entire communities, and allowing such crimes to go unchecked endangers the foundation of our democracy itself. As millions of Jewish Americans prepare to observe the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Justice Department reaffirms its commitment to aggressively confronting, disrupting, and prosecuting criminal acts motivated by antisemitism, or by hatred of any kind. No Jewish person in America should have to fear that any sign of their identity will make them the victim of a hate crime.”“This country was founded by many who fought for religious freedom, and practicing our religion continues to be a sacred and fundamental right,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will always defend that constitutional right. Those who violate the First Amendment by violent acts, those who would target the innocent based on hatred, will be held accountable.”“While this sentencing cannot fully restore the sense of safety stolen from the two victims and the Jewish community, it is a decisive step towards justice and a clear message that such acts of hate and violence will not be tolerated,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi.According to the government’s sentencing position, Tran obsessed over his antisemitic hatred for years leading up to the attack. In 2018, Tran left graduate school after making antisemitic comments about other students. From August 2022 to December 2022, Tran’s antisemitic statements escalated and included increasingly violent language, including messages to former classmates such as “I want you dead, Jew,” and “Someone is going to kill you, Jew.” Tran described himself as a “ticking time bomb” and maintained social media accounts with the handle “k1llalljews.”In November 2022, Tran emailed two dozen former classmates a flyer containing antisemitic propaganda, including the statement, “EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF THE COVID AGENDA IS JEWISH.” The following month, Tran emailed his former classmates excerpts from an anti-Semitic website further denigrating Jewish persons. As a result of previous mental health holds, as of 2023, Tran was prohibited from purchasing firearms. In January 2023 in Phoenix, Tran asked a third party to buy two firearms for him. Tran selected the firearms he wanted and paid approximately $1,500 in cash to the third party, who then purchased them. Law enforcement identified the third party, who has now pleaded guilty in Arizona to illegally selling Tran the firearm used in the shootings. Messages later retrieved from his phone reflected that Tran had asked multiple people to purchase firearms for him and had offered to pay more if no background check was performed. In early February 2023, Tran sent an online message stating: “it’s time to kill all Jews.” On the morning of February 15, 2023, Tran used the internet to research locations with a “kosher market,” planning to shoot someone near a kosher market because he believed there would be Jewish people in the area. Tran drove to Pico-Robertson and shot a Jewish victim wearing a yarmulke as he was leaving religious services at a synagogue. Tran, believing the victim was Jewish, shot him at close range centimeters from his spine, intending to kill him. Tran then fled the scene in his car.The next morning, February 16, 2023, Tran returned to the Pico-Robertson area, intending to shoot another Jewish person. Tran shot a second Jewish victim, also wearing a yarmulke and leaving a synagogue after attending religious services. Tran shot the victim at close range, intending to kill him, as the victim crossed the street. Tran again fled the scene.Both victims survived the attacks. Law enforcement arrested Tran on February 17, 2023, after a witness reported seeing someone shooting a firearm behind a motel.  When he was arrested, Tran told law enforcement that he was “practicing” with his assault weapon. In its sentencing position, the government argued that “[h]ad [Tran] not been caught the night of his second shooting, his campaign of terror would likely have continued.”The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Cathedral City Police Department, the Fountain Valley Police Department, the Beverly Hills Police Department, and the UCLA Police Department provided substantial assistance.Assistant United States Attorneys Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.

LOS ANGELES – A former Riverside resident who last year shot and wounded two Jewish men as they left religious services in the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles has agreed to plead guilty to hate crimes and firearms offenses, the Justice Department announced today.

Jaime Tran, 29, has agreed to plead guilty to all charges against him: two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Tran is expected to plead guilty to the felony charges before United States District Judge George H. Wu in the coming weeks.

Upon entering his guilty plea, Tran will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each hate crime count, and a maximum of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for each firearm count.

Under the plea agreement, which prosecutors filed today, Tran would receive a prison sentence of between 35 years and 40 years.

“This defendant sought to murder two men simply because they were Jewish,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada.  “Rather than allow these horrific crimes to divide us, however, our community came together and swiftly brought the perpetrator to justice. Hate and intolerance have no place in America. We will remain firm in our approach of using all the tools at our disposal to aggressively prosecute acts of hate.”

“The defendant’s hatred led him to plan the murder of two innocent victims simply because he believed they were practicing their Jewish faith,” said Krysti Hawkins, the Acting Assistant Director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “I’m relieved that the hard work by investigators and prosecutors led to Tran’s admission to these abhorrent crimes, and hope that members of the Jewish community take some solace in knowing that he will not be in the position to target their fellow members.” 

“I’m thankful for the hard work our investigators and prosecutors have put into this case,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi. “Hate crimes tear at the fabric of our communities and safety. The Los Angeles Police Department is stronger through our federal partnerships, better serving the people of Los Angeles.”        

According to his plea agreement, Tran developed and espoused antisemitic beliefs and made violent threats toward Jewish people. In 2018, Tran left dental school after making hate-filled statements about other students whom he perceived to be Jewish.

From August 2022 to December 2022, Tran’s antisemitic statements escalated and included increasingly violent language, including against a former classmate whom he repeatedly called and texted with messages such as “I want you dead, Jew,” “Someone is going to kill you, Jew,” and “Burn in an oven chamber.”

In November 2022, Tran emailed two dozen former classmates a flyer containing antisemitic propaganda, including the statement, “EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF THE COVID AGENDA IS JEWISH.”  The following month, Tran emailed his former classmates excerpts from a website describing Jewish persons as “primitive” and having “thick skulls.”

As a result of previous mental health holds, as of 2023, Tran was prohibited from purchasing firearms. In January 2023 in Phoenix, Tran asked a third party to buy two firearms for him. Tran selected the firearms he wanted and paid approximately $1,500 in cash to the third party, who then purchased them.

On the morning of February 15, 2023, Tran used the internet to research locations with a “kosher market,” and planned to shoot someone near a kosher market because he believed there would be Jewish people in the area. Tran drove to Pico-Robertson and shot a Jewish victim wearing a yarmulke as he was leaving religious services at a synagogue. Tran, believing the victim was Jewish, shot him at close range in the back, intending to kill him. Tran then fled the scene in his car.

The next morning, February 16, 2023, Tran returned to the Pico-Robertson area, intending to shoot another Jewish person. Tran shot a second Jewish victim, also wearing a yarmulke and leaving a synagogue after attending religious services. Tran shot the victim at close range, intending to kill him, as the victim crossed the street. Tran again fled the scene. 

Both victims survived the attacks. Law enforcement arrested Tran on February 17 and he has remained in custody since then.

The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Cathedral City Police Department, and the Fountain Valley Police Department provided substantial assistance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.

LOS ANGELES – Prema Thekkek, her Vacaville-based management company, Paksn Inc., and six skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) owned by Thekkek and/or operated by Paksn have agreed to enter into a $45.6 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicare by paying kickbacks to physicians to induce patient referrals.

The six settling SNFs are Kayal Inc. (doing business as Bay Point Healthcare Center), Nadhi Inc. (doing business as Gateway Care & Rehabilitation Center), Oakrheem Inc. (doing business as Hayward Convalescent Hospital), Bayview Care Inc. (doing business as Hilltop Care and Rehabilitation Center), Aakash Inc. (doing business as Park Central Care & Rehabilitation Center) and Nasaky Inc. (doing business as Yuba Skilled Nursing Center) (collectively the SNF Defendants).

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering or paying remuneration to induce the referral of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs. It is intended to ensure that medical decision-making is based on the best interests of patients and not compromised by improper financial incentives to providers.

From 2009 to 2021, the SNF Defendants, under the direction and control of Thekkek and Paksn, systematically entered into medical directorship agreements with physicians that purported to provide compensation for administrative services, but in reality were vehicles for the payment of kickbacks to induce the physicians to refer patients to the six SNFs. Specifically, the defendants hired physicians who promised in advance to refer a large number of patients to the SNFs, paid physicians in proportion to the number of their expected referrals and terminated physicians who did not refer enough patients.

On one occasion, a Paksn employee told Thekkek that two physicians were being hired because “they are promising at least 10 patients for $2000 per month,” to which Thekkek responded, “good job. Make sure they give you patients everyday. [W]e can also expand to other buildings with them, if possible.” On another occasion, an employee informed Thekkek that the defendants previously had paid a certain doctor “$1500 each month and he only send [sic] us 2 patients[,] so we didn’t pay him anything from Jan[uary] onwards.” On a third occasion, Thekkek rejected a proposed stipend for a new medical director, explaining that the defendants had paid the previous medical director that amount because “we were getting admission[s] from him,” whereas she did not expect the new medical director to refer many patients. More generally, Thekkek complained that if her employees did not pay medical directors promptly every month, “[t]hese doctors will not give us patients.”

“The administrators and beneficiaries of the Medicare Program expect that providers will make decisions based on sound medical judgment, not their personal self-interest” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “As this case demonstrates, our office will take decisive action to address allegations that medical providers are paying or receiving improper financial benefits that could impact care provided to patients.”

“Kickbacks can impair the independence of physician decision-making and waste taxpayer dollars,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to preventing illegal financial relationships that undermine the integrity of our public health care programs.”

“Kickbacks impose hidden costs on the health care system and compromise medical decision-making,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to combat the waste of valuable taxpayer dollars and protect the integrity of federal health care programs.”

Under the settlement announced today, in addition to entering into a $45,645,327.25 consent judgment, the defendants will make scheduled payments to the United States of at least $385,000 over the next five years. That payment schedule was negotiated based on the defendants’ lack of ability to pay.

The settlement stems from a whistleblower complaint filed in 2015 by Paksn’s former Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer, Trilochan Singh, pursuant to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private persons to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the government and to share in the proceeds of the suit. The Act also permits the government to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it did in this case as to some of Singh’s allegations.

In addition to resolving their False Claims Act liability, the defendants have entered into a five-year corporate integrity agreement with the HHS-OIG which requires, among other compliance obligations, an Independent Review Organization’s review of their physician relationships.

The United States’ intervention and settlement in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS, at 800 HHS TIPS (800-447-8477).

HHS-OIG investigated the case.

The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Karen Y. Paik of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section, investigator Eileen Sofre, and auditor John Powers, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and by attorneys Matthew Oster, Lindsey Roberts, Jessica Sarkis and Rohith Srinivas, and senior financial analyst Karen Sharp, of the Justice Department Civil Division’s Fraud Section.

The case is captioned United States of America ex rel. Trilochan Singh v. Paksn Inc. et al., No. 15 cv-09064 (C.D. Cal.).

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Trashad Laron Roberts, 35, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of escape from federal custody. The guilty verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The terms of supervision at a residential reentry center are not suggestions, they are mandatory conditions of an inmate’s prison sentence that are designed to keep our communities safe. My office will aggressively prosecute any offenders who attempt to abscond from justice.”In September 2020, the defendant was convicted of possession and distribution of methamphetamine in the Northern District of Florida. The defendant was required to serve four years on supervised release following his multi-year federal prison sentence. The defendant was scheduled to serve the final year of his prison term at a residential reentry center in Tallahassee. Evidence at trial demonstrated that on September 2, 2025, the defendant left the residential reentry center without authorization. Law enforcement immediately acted to locate the defendant. Four hours later, the United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department found the defendant hiding inside a residence.Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.The United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph A. Ravelo and Meredith L. Steer prosecuted the case.The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Martin Estrada announced today that he will resign his position as the chief prosecutor for the nation’s most-populous federal district, the Central District of California. While serving as the top federal law enforcement officer in the Los Angeles-based district since September 2022, Mr. Estrada oversaw more than 500 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and staff who serve almost 20 million people in the seven counties that comprise the district.Mr. Estrada tendered his resignation to the President and the Attorney General today, and he will conclude his service as United States Attorney on January 17.“As the child of immigrants from Guatemala, neither my family nor I could ever have believed that I would one day have the opportunity to serve as United States Attorney in service to the greatest country in the world,” Mr. Estrada said. “To say that serving in this position has been an honor would be a profound understatement. Giving back to the community where I grew up and that I love so dearly – and doing so alongside such talented and generous attorneys and staff – has been the greatest privilege of my life.”During his tenure, Mr. Estrada prioritized protecting the public by taking on the most significant and impactful cases, outreach to the community, and recruiting the best lawyers in the country to continue the office’s excellent service to the nation.Notable CaseworkWith regard to casework, Mr. Estrada focused on matters addressing hate crimes, civil rights, violent crime, national security, fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, public corruption, corporate fraud and financial crimes, and protecting vulnerable communities and environmental justice.           Hate CrimesIn one of the most diverse regions in the country, Mr. Estrada collaborated with other civic and law enforcement leaders in numerous events to highlight the community’s unity against hate and prejudice of all types. Delivering on this message, the office aggressively prosecuted hate crimes in the district, including by convicting and obtaining a 35-year prison sentence against a man who attempted to murder two orthodox Jewish men in the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles; carrying out the largest-ever takedown of a Neo-Nazi organization, involving 68 members and associates of the San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods and Aryan Brotherhood; convicting an active-duty Marine and his conspirators who firebombed a Planned Parenthood clinic, sought to attack Dodger Stadium during “Pride Night” and conspired to attack the power-grid system to start a race war; obtaining a 98-count indictment against the shooter who murdered one congregant and attempted to kill 44 others at a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods; and convicting a man who drove his car through a “stop Asian hate” rally in Diamond Bar.           Civil RightsIn the field of civil rights, under Mr. Estrada’s leadership, prosecutors charged a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy who allegedly, along with his former law enforcement and military accomplices, unlawfully held an Irvine family as part of a multimillion-dollar business dispute; convicted a former FBI agent who accepted bribes from an organized crime figure; and convicted an LASD deputy for using excessive force against a teacher and then attempting to cover up the act.Lawyers in the office’s Civil Division obtained the largest redlining settlement in the history of the Department of Justice – $31 million – against City National Bank; secured a settlement with the County of Los Angeles to ensure access for voters with disabilities; filed a lawsuit against LA Fitness, the largest fitness club chain in the country, alleging disability discrimination at its fitness clubs; and initiated an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and harassment at the two women’s state prisons in California.           Violent CrimeTo address violent crime, Mr. Estrada built greater federal and local partnerships throughout the region. In particular, he launched Operation Safe Cities, an enhanced collaboration with local police and sheriffs’ departments to address the most violent gun criminals, particularly those involved in commercial robberies, kidnappings, extortion and gun offenses. Through Operation Safe Cities, the office has filed dozens of cases subjecting dangerous gun criminals to enhanced federal penalties.Other notable violent crime results under Mr. Estrada’s leadership include decades-long prison sentences against three gang members who murdered an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer while he was shopping for a home with his girlfriend; a life sentence against a gang member who murdered the son of a former federal agent; a racketeering indictment targeting the leadership of a gang allegedly responsible for the murder of two El Monte Police Department officers; the indictment of a car-rental business and its operators who allegedly facilitated more than 120 burglaries by South American crime tourists; the indictment of a man who shot at a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputy responding to a domestic violence call; and the indictment of Grammy-winning Chicago rapper Durk Banks, a.k.a. “Lil Durk,” for allegedly conspiring to murder a rival rapper and killing his cousin.In September 2024, Mr. Estrada was joined by Mayor Karen Bass, City Attorney Heidi Feldstein-Soto and other law enforcement officials to announce the Figueroa Corridor Human Trafficking Initiative, a multi-agency initiative to address the sexual exploitation of children and young people along Figueroa Street, a notorious prostitution hub. With this initiative, prosecutors were able to obtain major sentences against pimps trafficking in children.           National SecurityIn the national security area, prosecutors obtained a life sentence against a Long Beach man whose bomb attack in Orange County killed his ex-girlfriend and injured two other victims; prison time for a U.S. Navy officer who transmitted sensitive U.S. military information to a Chinese intelligence officer; convictions and prison time for weapons traffickers who illegally exported military items to Russia; the indictment of a Chinese national who allegedly worked to illegally ship firearms, ammunition and sensitive technology to North Korea; and the indictment of a former member of the Chinese military who allegedly illegally operated as an agent for the People’s Republic of China and sought to influence the U.S. political system.Prosecutors also worked to protect the cybersecurity of the nation with notable cases, including indicting the leaders of the cybercriminal group known as Anonymous Sudan that launched more than 35,000 cyber attacks in one year against U.S. government agencies, major corporations and foreign governments; dismantling the massive, global botnet known as Qakbot, which was tied to ransomware attacks around the world; and indicting four individuals connected to the Scattered Spider network, which was responsible for more than $11 million in losses.             Synthetic DrugsWith fentanyl becoming the leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45 and wreaking havoc on the streets, Mr. Estrada focused major resources on combating this epidemic. As for large-scale drug traffickers, prosecutors filed critical cases, including matters against a Chinese laboratory and its staff for allegedly selling fentanyl precursor chemicals; a Canadian and former Olympic snowboarder and his conspirators charged with trafficking tons of drugs from Mexico to the United States and Canada; Mexican cartel members and Canadian truckdrivers moving hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine throughout the United States and Canada; an alliance alleged between the Sinaloa cartel and money launderers in the People’s Republic of China; and numerous fentanyl traffickers operating on the dark web.Mr. Estrada also directed the office to put significant focus on charging drug-traffickers who cause the death of another person, cases which carry 20-year mandatory minimum sentences in federal prison. Partnering with local law enforcement and district attorney’s offices in the region, the office filed over 70 “death-resulting” cases during Mr. Estrada’s tenure, by far the most of any office in the country. Among these was the prosecution of five individuals, including two doctors, responsible for the death of actor Matthew Perry in October 2023.           Public CorruptionMr. Estrada led the office to continued success in combating public corruption.  Among other matters, prosecutors obtained a RICO conspiracy conviction and 13-year prison sentence for former Los Angeles city councilman Jose Huizar; a 12-year prison sentence for former Los Angeles deputy mayor Raymond Chan; a bribery and fraud conviction and 3½-year prison sentence against longtime politician Mark Ridley-Thomas; a five-year prison sentence for a real estate executive who bribed a San Luis Obispo County supervisor; and convictions of the former Commerce city manager and Baldwin Park city attorney for a bribery scheme concerning cannabis permits. Prosecutors also secured the guilty plea of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do to charges of bribery involving more than $10 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.            Corporate Fraud and Financial CrimesTo put greater focus and resources on fraud by executives and insiders, Mr. Estrada launched the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, a section dedicated to prosecuting complex corporate crimes, abuses by company insiders, and offenses that impact the nation’s financial system. Among other cases, prosecutors charged Fat Brands Inc., its former CEO, and former CFO on fraud charges; indicted an activist short seller with multiple counts of securities fraud; and convicted the former CEO and chairman of a health care company of securities fraud and insider trading.Financial fraud prosecutors also brought criminal charges against those involved in illegal gambling, including Ippei Mizuhara, the former translator for Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani.           Protecting Vulnerable Communities and Environmental JusticeMr. Estrada placed great emphasis on protecting vulnerable victims. To do so, he launched the Vulnerable Communities Task Force, which addresses scams aimed at groups that historically have had less legal recourse to address offenders targeting them, such as immigrants, indigent individuals, and older adults. With this initiative, prosecutors have convicted and sentenced numerous individuals and groups involved in “pig butchering” scams and other fraud. Prosecutors also convicted celebrity lawyer Tom Girardi, who stole from his clients in their greatest time of need.Recognizing the need to combat environmental violations in the nation’s most populous and diverse district, Mr. Estrada created the position of Environmental Justice Coordinator and bolstered the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section of the office. The section indicted Phillips 66 Company for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act by illegally discharging hundreds of thousands of gallons of contaminated wastewater; convicted the captain of the Conception dive boat for a fire that killed 34 people; and secured a landmark $20 million settlement with the City of Los Angeles for the discharge of millions of gallons of wastewater from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant into Santa Monica Bay in 2021.Community Outreach and RecruitmentMr. Estrada, the first U.S. Attorney of Central American heritage and a native of Southern California, prioritized outreach to allow the community to better understand the work of the office. A fluent Spanish speaker, Mr. Estrada made it a point to provide Spanish-language segments in the over four dozen press conferences and interviews he provided to reporters. Mr. Estrada also created the Community Service and Outreach Committee to direct the office’s outreach efforts. Among other events, the office organized court visits for youth nonprofits in South Los Angeles, met with Tribal leaders and youth, organized civil rights roundtable events with public-interest and faith-based organizations, partnered with AARP and local leaders at fraud-prevention events for older adults, and participated in Adoption Day. To expand outreach at local schools, the office partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country, to educate students about cyber safety and other cybersecurity dangers. In launching this partnership, Mr. Estrada served as “Principal for the Day” at LAUSD’s Whitman High School in the Fairfax area of Los Angeles.Additionally, Mr. Estrada strengthened private sector-public sector collaboration through a series of summits attended by federal and local law enforcement, private companies, and non-profits. Among these were the Power Grid Security Summit, the Semiconductor Security Summit, and the Public Interest Summit.In the area of criminal justice reform, Mr. Estrada established one of the first federal conviction integrity committees and created an executive position of Chief of Ethics and Post-Conviction Review. The new committee and position allowed for expedited review of innocence claims, ethical issues, and requests for commutation or pardon. Further, working with the district court, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, and the Federal Public Defender’s Office, Mr. Estrada announced the expansion of the Conviction and Sentence Alternatives (CASA) program, which is being made available to a wider group of defendants by expanding admission criteria to include defendants facing federal charges who have demonstrated an ability and willingness to make significant and meaningful changes in their lives.To move the office toward better reflecting the diversity of the region, Mr. Estrada also significantly expanded recruitment efforts, sending attorneys to speak at law schools throughout the country and personally visiting dozens of law schools. Mr. Estrada also spoke to bar organizations throughout the country to discuss the work of the office and encourage applicants from nontraditional backgrounds to apply to become AUSAs.In addition, Mr. Estrada recruited federal investigators to create the office’s first-ever Investigative Division, which will help the office bring more meritorious cases.* * *On June 6, 2022, President Biden nominated Mr. Estrada to be U.S. Attorney, and he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on September 13, 2022. He was sworn in as U.S. Attorney on September 19, 2022.Mr. Estrada received his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, where he graduated magna cum laude, and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he graduated with distinction.Mr. Estrada, who served as an Assistant United States Attorney from 2007 to 2014, is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He also was an Adjunct Professor for Loyola Law School’s Ninth Circuit Appellate Clinic, part of the Alarcón Advocacy Project, where his teams achieved success for indigent clients.Mr. Estrada served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Robert J. Timlin of the Central District of California and Judge Arthur L. Alarcón of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

LOS ANGELES – A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder and 15 other defendants have been charged in a 16-count superseding indictment for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada and other locations in the United States, and whose leaders orchestrated multiple murders in furtherance of these drug crimes.Ryan James Wedding, 43, a Canadian citizen residing in Mexico, and Andrew Clark, 34, a Canadian citizen also residing in Mexico, were previously charged in the original indictment with running a continuing criminal enterprise, murder, and conspiring to possess, distribute, and export cocaine. Clark was arrested October 8 by Mexican law enforcement and is detained. Wedding is a fugitive.The first superseding indictment, unsealed today, names 14 additional co-defendants. The superseding indictment alleges that Wedding, Clark, and others conspired to ship bulk quantities of cocaine – weighing hundreds of kilograms – from Southern California to Canada through a Canada-based drug transportation network run by Hardeep Ratte, 45, of Ontario, Canada, and Gurpreet Singh, 30, of Ontario, Canada, from approximately January 2024 to August 2024. The cocaine shipments were transported from Mexico to the Los Angeles area, where the cocaine trafficking organization’s operatives would store the cocaine in stash houses, before delivering it to the transportation network couriers for transportation to Canada using long-haul semi-trucks.           As alleged in the superseding indictment, the organization resorted to violence – including multiple murders – to achieve its aims. Wedding and Clark allegedly directed the November 20, 2023, murders of two members of a family in Ontario, Canada, in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that passed through Southern California. Another member of that family survived the shooting but was left with serious physical injuries. Wedding and Clark allegedly also ordered the murder of another victim on May 18, 2024, over a drug debt. Clark and Malik Damion Cunningham, 23, a resident of Canada, are charged with the April 1, 2024, murder of another victim in Ontario, Canada.Wedding, whose aliases include “El Jefe,” “Giant,” and “Public Enemy,” and who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is the superseding indictment’s lead defendant. Wedding is charged with eight felonies: two counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to export cocaine, one count of leading a continuing criminal enterprise, three counts of murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime, and one count of attempt to commit murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime. Clark, whose aliases include “The Dictator,” is charged with the same eight felonies, plus an additional count of murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime.“As alleged in the indictment, an Olympic athlete-turned-drug lord is now charged with leading a transnational organized crime group that engaged in cocaine trafficking and murder, including of innocent civilians,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office’s mandate is to protect the public and stopping sophisticated and violent organized crime groups goes to the heart of that mission.  We will continue to collaborate with our federal, local, and international law enforcement partners to bring these groups to justice.”“The FBI remains steadfast in its mission to identify, target, and dismantle violent transnational organized crime syndicates in our communities. Today, in collaboration with several local, federal, and international partners, we reaffirm our commitment to the American people by dismantling a violent organized crime network trafficking large quantities of drugs into the United States and orchestrating multiple homicides to eliminate the competition,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The organization, led by former Olympian Ryan Wedding, cultivated a violent transnational drug trafficking empire that extended from Canada to the United States, Mexico, and Colombia. While key members of Wedding’s criminal enterprise were successfully apprehended this week, he remains at large. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for any information leading to his arrest.”“Organized Crime groups create immense harm in all our communities, not just with the poisons they ship, but through the tragic violence that inevitably comes with it,” said Liam Price, Director General, International Special Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. “This network presented a threat to communities in Canada, the United States and overseas. That is why we, as Canada’s national police force, worked closely with the FBI and others to disrupt it. This operation demonstrates the value and the impact of close collaboration with amongst international partners to combat transnational organized crime, helping keep our communities safe. We will always look beyond our borders to where these threats originate and try to stop them at source.”“The Wedding Drug Trafficking Organization and its unremitting, callous and greed-driven crimes has been operating for far too long, spanning several countries, from Colombia through Mexico, the U.S. and to Canada,” said Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Los Angeles. “They have triggered an avalanche of violent crimes, including brutal murders. Wedding, the Olympian snowboarder, went from navigating slopes to contouring a life of incessant crimes. DEA and our partners stand firmly in our resolve to dismantle his operation. I want to thank our DEA investigators and all our partners, including the FBI, LAPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police International for their collaboration, experience and tremendous value that help embolden our mission.”“Thank you to the dedicated men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department for the countless hours you have invested traveling, authoring warrants, seizing narcotics and gathering evidence to bring the members of this criminal enterprise to justice,” said LAPD Chief, Dominic Choi. “Our work on this case is ongoing, and the LAPD remains committed to combating the pervasive issue of drug trafficking and its associated crimes through ongoing collaboration with various agencies and jurisdictions. Together, when we share intelligence, resources, and strategies we are able to dismantle trafficking networks like the violent ring led by Ryan Wedding.”"This complex investigation spans multiple jurisdictions and agencies, with an alleged retaliation over stolen drugs tragically impacting an innocent family in Ontario, Canada," said Marty Kearns, the Deputy Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police.  "Today's announcement reflects the tireless months of work undertaken by agencies in both Canada and the United States, as well as support from law enforcement in Mexico and Colombia. This is a testament to how collaboration and investigative diligence cross borders to identify perpetrators and bring crucial answers to victims and their families.""Today's investigative outcomes stand as a powerful testament to the tireless dedication and collaboration of law enforcement agencies across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Colombia. These investigative outcomes are important for the families who have endured tragic loss, casualties of criminal greed and a drug trafficking war. Peel Regional Police remains unwavering in its commitment to working alongside our global partners to bring those responsible for violent acts and homicides-both within Peel and beyond-to justice."          During the investigation, law enforcement has seized more than one ton of cocaine, three firearms, dozens of rounds of ammunition, $255,400 in United States currency, and more than $3.2 million in cryptocurrency. According to the superseding indictment, in March 2024, the organization delivered a total of approximately 293 kilograms (646 pounds) of cocaine to representatives of Ratte and Singh for eventual shipment to and distribution in Canada. The following month, the organization attempted to deliver approximately 375.1 kilograms (827 pounds) of cocaine to representatives of Ratte and Singh for eventual transportation to Canada, but investigators interrupted the delivery and seized the cocaine. In total, several defendants possessed a total of approximately 1,800 kilograms (1.8 metric tons) of cocaine, according to the superseding indictment. One-thousand eight hundred kilograms of cocaine carries a street value between $23.4 and $25.2 million dollars in Los Angeles.Several of the defendants arrested are expected to make their court appearances within the coming week in Los Angeles, Michigan, and Miami.          An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.          If convicted, Wedding, Clark, and Cunningham would face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison on the murder and attempted murder charges. The continuing criminal enterprise charges also carry a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison. The drug trafficking charges carry mandatory minimum penalties between 10 and 15 years in prison.           The FBI investigated this matter with the Los Angeles Police Department, the DEA Los Angeles, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance was provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations – Detroit and United States Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Niagara Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service, and Peel Regional Police; Mexican law enforcement partners, including the Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la República) and the Criminal Investigation Agency (Agencia de Investigación Criminal); and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group (Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales).          Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Maria Jhai of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.  

RALEIGH The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today, eight co-defendants in the kidnapping case of a Wake Forest man were sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, for their role in the conspiracy to seize, kidnap, and abduct Frank Janssen from Wake Forest, North Carolina and transport him to Atlanta, Georgia.

The following sentences were imposed:

 

JAKYM TIBBS, 23 of Atlanta, GA; 52 years imprisonment

TIANNA MAYNARD 33 of Warner Robins, GA; 50 years in conjunction with a life sentence imposed by the State of Georgia for a homicide conviction.

QUANTAVIOUS THOMPSON, 21 of Atlanta, GA; 42 years imprisonment

CLIFTON ROBERTS, 32 of Atlanta, GA; 37 years imprisonment in conjunction with a life sentence imposed by the State of Georgia for a homicide conviction.

             PATRICIA ANN KRAMER,30 of Austell, GA; 30 years imprisonment

MICHAEL GOODEN, 24 of Atlanta, GA; 30 years imprisonment in conjunction with a life sentence imposed by the State of Georgia for a homicide conviction.

JENNA MARTIN, 23 of Georgia; 25 years imprisonment

            JEVANTE PRICE, 23 of Marietta, GA; 20 years imprisonment

 

United Blood Nation (UBN) 1-8-Trey Gang Leader KELVIN MELTON was found guilty in a jury trial of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping, Attempted Kidnapping and Aiding and Abetting, Kidnapping and Aiding and Abetting, and Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of, a Crime of Violence, that being Kidnapping and Aiding and Abetting on June 21, 2016. On November 10, 2016 MELTON was sentenced to life imprisonment in a Federal Super Max Facility.

 

Frank Janssen was taken from his home against his will on April 5, 2014. One Eight Trey Blood member MELTON, used a cell phone that he illegally possessed while serving a life sentence in North Carolina’s Polk Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, to transmit instructions to co-conspirators in the plot who then sent threats to Janssen’s wife. Specifically, MELTON gave instructions on how to kill Mr. Janssen, dispose of his body and sanitize the crime scene.

 

Through a coordinated effort involving many federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team rescued Mr. Janssen at 11:55 pm on April 9, 2014, at a residence in Southeast Atlanta.

 

United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce stated, “The federal prosecution of Kelvin Melton’s accomplices is now nearly complete, and justice has been served. The credit for this successful prosecution goes to the hard-working prosecutors in our office, the dedicated agents of the FBI, and scores of officers from state and local agencies who worked together to rescue the victim and solve the case.”

 

Co-defendants Dewayne Seymore and Shameika Goodall are set for sentencing later this Spring.

 

The case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte, FBI Atlanta, the Wake Forest Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation with assistance by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh Police Department, Durham Police Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, Garner Police Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, RDU Police, City County Bureau of Investigation, the Cobb County Police Department, Alpharetta Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina is handling the prosecution of these cases.