Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco Delivers Remarks at Major Cities Chiefs Association 2021 Annual Meeting

 Washington, DC

~

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Remarks as Prepared

Thank you, Laura, for that introduction, and good afternoon everyone. It’s great to be with you all today.

I want to begin by recognizing that this has been a particularly difficult week for the law enforcement agencies of the Department of Justice. This morning, I learned that an FBI agent was shot and wounded while assisting on a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive Task Force operation in Racine, Wisconsin. This comes on the heels of the tragic loss on Monday of a DEA agent and the severe injuries sustained by a second DEA agent as well as a task force officer during a law enforcement operation in Tucson, Arizona. Yesterday, an ATF agent was critically wounded in a shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, in the course of an investigation; and last Friday, a Deputy U.S. Marshal died as a result of a vehicle accident while assisting with a law enforcement operation in Louisiana. Their sacrifices remind all of us of the risk that all of you and law enforcement officers across this country take every day to protect the communities you serve. We owe them, and you, a debt of gratitude. 

These tragedies are yet another painful reminder of what everyone in this audience knows firsthand: violent crime — particularly gun violence — has reached epidemic levels. Last week, the FBI released its final crime data for 2020, and it confirmed what those of you on the front lines see every day: that the increases in murder and aggravated assault rates between 2019 and 2020 were simply staggering: In 2020, the United States witnessed a nearly 30% increase in the murder rate – which is the largest increase in the 60 years that the FBI has been keeping records. And 77% of those homicides were committed with a firearm.

We in the Department of Justice and all of you share the same mission — keeping the people in our communities safe, and the department is committed to doing all it can to curb violent crime. But we also recognize that the lion’s share of this work falls to you and your departments, day in and day out, often laboring under difficult conditions — especially during the pandemic. It is our responsibility on the federal side to do what we can to support you. In the five months that I have been Deputy Attorney General, I have been fortunate to benefit from several conversations with you and many of your law enforcement counterparts. What I have heard time and again is that none of us will stop this rise in violent crime alone. We must work together – not only law enforcement to law enforcement – but also in partnership with the communities bearing the brunt of the violence.

In furtherance of those partnerships, I’m pleased to announce that we are expanding our National Public Safety Partnership program to help 10 additional jurisdictions facing particularly high levels of violent crime implement data-driven, evidence-based strategies based on the unique needs of their communities. This expansion builds on PSP’s work with 40 other jurisdictions since the program’s inception — providing coordinated training, focused technical assistance, and other intensive assistance. Four of the additional sites are members of MCCA — Phoenix, Louisville, Philadelphia and Aurora — and I’m glad to see you all here today either in New Orleans or by Zoom. 

Our targeted enforcement efforts reflect our commitment to partnerships. Every U.S. Attorney’s Office, for example, is revamping its Project Safe Neighborhoods program to bring together law enforcement and community leaders to identify and address the most pressing violent crime problems in their jurisdiction. In July, we launched five firearms trafficking strike forces to help disrupt illegal firearms trafficking networks that too often fuel violence in our communities across the country—an effort that depends on close law enforcement coordination across state and local boundaries. Led by the ATF and designated U.S. Attorney’s Offices, those strike forces have already opened more than 100 investigations, and we are committed to continuing this joint effort until we have shut down these well-worn paths of illegal gun trafficking.   

Those partnerships — and your tireless work — are already making a difference. Our joint efforts this year — and especially during the summer months — demonstrate a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication to tackling this nationwide crisis: This year, the U.S. Marshals Service has partnered with over 1,700 state and local agencies through district and regional task forces, and from Memorial Day to Labor Day, some 600 of those partners participated in a USMS targeted initiative resulting in the apprehension of more than 3,400 fugitives, including more than 1,500 wanted for murder, in addition to seizing more than 2,000 illegal firearms and nearly $10 million connected to illegal activity. The ATF embedded with homicide and shooting investigation units in police and sheriff’s departments in more than 60 communities across the country, and expanded the reach of its National NIBIN Correlation and Training Center to an additional 25 jurisdictions. ATF now provides ballistic matching services and generates leads for more than 1,400 local police departments nationwide. The FBI has partnered with nearly 2,000 state and local officers as part of its Violent Crime Task Forces and Safe Streets Task Forces, which together have confiscated more than 5,000 illegal firearms this year. Finally, the DEA has strong partnerships with state and local law enforcement – 4,600 of whom serve as DEA task force officers disrupting the activity of some of the most violent drug trafficking organizations in the country. During the summer months alone, DEA initiated more than 840 investigations with a nexus to violent crime.

Of course, the numbers tell only part of the story — and are not an end in themselves — the fundamental goal of this work is to reduce the level of violence in our communities — and we know we have more work to do on that front. Many of you have raised particular concerns about addressing youth violence and the root causes behind it. We have heard your message that, particularly during the pandemic, young people have increasingly been involved in violent criminal activity. Later this month, the department will convene experts in the field to help create a “tool kit” that will provide guidance and resources for jurisdictions seeking to implement comprehensive, community-based strategies for preventing youth violence. Starting this month, we also expect to award nearly $100 million in grants to implement intervention- and deterrence-focused strategies — through the Comprehensive Youth Violence Prevention and Reduction program, the Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence program, the Hospital-Based Victim Services program, and the STOP School Violence program.  

More broadly, we’ve heard from you about the immense strain that surging violent crime has placed on your departments — both in terms of resources and on officer health and wellness. The department recognizes this toll and is committed to making sure you have the resources needed to do your jobs safely and effectively. That’s why the Bureau of Justice Assistance will award $13 million in officer wellness initiatives, and the department’s COPS Office will also award more than $7 million in funding for law enforcement mental health and wellness by the end of the year — nearly doubling our investment from the previous year. 

We also know that to lessen the burden on law enforcement, many of you are launching new efforts to respond to emergency calls for those with mental health or substance use crises. Later this month, we look forward to seeing many of you at the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s national conference, Taking the Call, to explore these innovative community responder models. We’re particularly excited that one of your regional representatives and the Chief of the Wichita Police Department, Gordon Ramsay, will serve as a panelist. 

In the many conversations I’ve had over the last few months with law enforcement leaders – another theme that comes up over and over again is the importance of trust and accountability with our communities. As you know, creating strong, positive ties between law enforcement and communities is critical to making us safer. Last Friday, the President issued a proclamation announcing this week as National Community Policing Week; and just this morning, the department announced that the COPS Office is awarding $33 million in grants to advance community policing efforts across the country.

Our commitment to trust and accountability is why the very first principle in our strategy to reduce violent crime is to foster trust and legitimacy in the communities we serve. We all know that trust is built on a culture of transparency and accountability, and underscored by a broader commitment to procedural justice and community policing.

Here again, our practices have been informed by what we’ve heard from our state and local partners.  The department issues guidance and does training, we fund best practices – but we have a responsibility to and are at our best when we learn as well.  That’s why, in June, I directed each of the department’s federal law enforcement components to develop plans specific to their unique missions to expand the use of Body Worn Cameras to their federal agents. Today, I am pleased to announce that ATF, DEA, FBI and the USMS are all now wearing Body Worn Cameras in select cities during Phase I of our implementation program.

It’s an announcement that I credit to many in this group and to many of your law enforcement colleagues who repeatedly urged the department to lead by example on BWCs. We owe you a debt of gratitude for keeping us accountable when it came to Body Worn Cameras, and keeping the department focused as we went through the policymaking process. I also want to highlight the leadership of your executive director, Laura Cooper, who polled and surveyed MCC members to help us get to a policy that met everyone’s needs. Her work and support are a big reason the policy was implemented at warp speed for the federal government. 

That is not the only concrete change the department has made to our policies to reflect your feedback. Early last month, I issued the first ever department-wide directive on the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants. This brings the department in line with what many of your departments have already done.

And of course, the department will continue to work with you to promote trust and accountability in your departments, as was the case in the recent monitor reviews that we conducted with over 50 stakeholders. Following that review, the Associate Attorney General made — and the Attorney General adopted — recommendations that incorporated many of the exact principles and concerns that your departments have been raising for years, such as making sure that monitors are independent, free from conflicts, and not a cottage industry.  

The department is committed to listening to you, and strengthening our partnership, because we know our goals are the same: to promote mutual trust in law enforcement as we keep our communities safe. I hope I have made clear today that the department cannot succeed in that effort without each of you and your departments.

Finally, before I take a few questions and ask some of you, I want to end with a heartfelt thank you for your continued service to our country throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and despite the additional risks the virus posed to your health and safety. The Attorney General and I recognize the tremendous sacrifices that you and your departments have made — and will continue to make — throughout this pandemic. Many of you got sick or saw family members get sick, and too many of your colleagues succumbed to COVID-19 as a result of exposure in the line of duty. This virus has had a tremendous impact on mental health and wellness, and throughout all of this, you and your colleagues have continued to answer the call of service, day in and day out.  For that, I am truly grateful.

With that, I would be glad to answer any questions you all might have for me.

Uniontown Felon Indicted on Firearms and Narcotics Law Violations

 PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

The two-count Indictment named Donald Nicklo, 46, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about March 12,2021, Donald Nicklo, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On that same date, Nicklo also possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000.00 or both for the firearm charge, and not more than twenty years in prison and a fine of not more than $1,000,000.00 or both for the narcotics charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Barbara K. Doolittle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Seal Cove Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Child Pornography Offenses

 BANGOR, Maine: A Seal Cove man pleaded guilty today in federal court to three counts of producing child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, on July 6, 2020, Keegan T. Richardson, 28, entered a private chat group on the internet and began communicating with an FBI undercover agent. This chat group was known to the agent as a place where people met, discussed and traded original images of underage children and links containing child pornography. Richardson confirmed that he had access to a female minor and shared multiple sexually explicit images of the minor with the agent.  Shortly afterwards, a search warrant was obtained for Richardson’s residence and phone, and he was arrested. Investigators later learned that he had access to two other minors. On his phone, a forensic examiner found multiple sexually explicit images of all three minors. Richardson had taken the images with his phone. The forensic examiner also found multiple additional images of sexually explicit conduct involving different minors on the phone.

Richardson faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for each production count, a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the transportation count, and up to 20 years in prison for the possession count. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 for each count, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case.

Chenango County Man Arraigned on Child Pornography Charges

 SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brian T. Whipple, age 42, of New Berlin, New York was arraigned yesterday on an indictment filed by a federal grand jury charging him with Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon, Matthew Scarpino, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.

An indictment unsealed in federal court charges that from approximately 2009 through June 2020 the defendant used a peer-to-peer file sharing service connected to the internet to receive and download child pornography and that he possessed child pornography on multiple devices in June 2020.

If convicted, Whipple faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. Whipple also would have to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

Whipple was detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric on October 8, 2021.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in cooperation with the New York State Police and the Chenango County District Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Ecuadorian Man Sentenced to Prison for Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

 DAVENPORT, Iowa– Luis Moreira Bravo, of Ecuador, but resided in Edina, Minnesota, was sentenced on Monday, October 4, 2021, by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 120 months in prison for Transportation of a Minor. Moreira Bravo was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, Luis Moreira Bravo, age 27, left his Minnesota residence on May 5, 2020, and traveled to Iowa to meet with a fourteen-year-old minor. Moreira Bravo met the victim on social media where the two discussed engaging in sexual activity when they met in person. Moreira Bravo arrived at the victim’s residence and he thereafter drove her to a nearby location where the two engaged in sexual intercourse multiple times. After sleeping overnight in the vehicle, Moreira Bravo drove the victim to Minnesota the next day with the intent to further engage in illegal sexual conduct. Once in Minnesota, the minor victim and Moreira Bravo again engaged in sexual intercourse.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Muscatine Police Department, St. Paul Police Department, and Minneapolis Police Department collaborated on this investigation to locate the victim.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

Paterson Man Sentenced to 55 Months in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl

 NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 55 months in prison for distributing fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig announced.

Maurice Tisdale, 28, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an information charging him with knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl. Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence today by videoconference.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Tisdale is a member and associate of the 230 Boys street gang, which operates primarily around Rosa Parks Boulevard and Godwin Avenue in Paterson. Through numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, consensually recorded telephone calls and text messages, physical surveillance, and the analysis of telephone call detail records, law enforcement officers determined that from at least September 2018 through Oct. 1, 2019, Tisdale and other members and associates of the 230 Boys distributed narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base, in and around Paterson. On June 25, 2019, Tisdale worked with other members and associates to distribute fentanyl to another individual.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Tisdale to three years of supervised release.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents and task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora; detectives of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia Valdes; and officers of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the leadership of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and the Belleville and Livingston police departments for their assistance with the case.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.

Former Rogers Company Executive Pleads Guilty To Role In Workers’ Comp Billing Fraud/Kickback Conspiracy

 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—A former executive with a Rogers medical supply and billing company pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, health care fraud, fraud to obtain federal employees’ compensation, and illegal remunerations (paying kickbacks), in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. government and private insurance companies by over-billing for unnecessary medications provided to workers’ compensation patients. 

U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the plea hearing, in which Amanda Dawn Rains, 39, waived indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging her with conspiracy to violate five different federal statutes. According to court documents, Rains, who in 2013 was hired as the Billing Director of an unidentified Rogers corporation, joined in a fraud scheme that ran from 2011 until 2017 and defrauded both federal and private workers’ compensation insurers.

Court documents allege that the basic premise of the scheme was that individuals associated with the Rogers corporation recruited physicians to dispense pain creams and patches to their workers’ compensation patients by offering them a split of the profits collected from successfully billing insurers, typically 50 percent. One such physician was Robert Dale Bernauer, Sr., who ran a clinic in Lake Charles, La.  Bernauer pleaded guilty to his role in the same conspiracy on July 30, 2021.

After signing contracts with physicians, the company supplied them with pain creams and patches, and acted as the billing agent for the physicians, handling all of the paperwork and submitting the allegedly fraudulent claims to both the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, which covers all federal employees, and to private insurers as well. The company billed insurers at markups of anywhere from 15 to 20 times what the medications actually cost, and then paid the physicians kickbacks on amounts collected.

According to court documents, Rains’ role in the conspiracy included: managing the billing system for the Rogers corporation and electronically submitting allegedly fraudulent claims to the Department of Labor and private insurers; maintaining a “do not dispense” list of insurers that refused to pay the company’s claims; advising doctors and clinics how to respond to insurance companies that questioned the charges; shipping the company’s medications to doctors and clinics; preparing presentations used by the company’s sales representatives to recruit doctors that falsely stated the business arrangement did not violate anti-kickback laws; and continuing to ship medications to Bernauer and bill insurers for his prescriptions despite knowing he did not have the required Louisiana license to dispense medications.

In her plea agreement, Rains promises to pay restitution to the Department of Labor and to other insurers victimized by the conspiracy, in amounts to be determined. The charging document for her case alleges that the total losses include more than $3.9 million paid by the Department of Labor, and amounts paid by private insurers that are still to be calculated but include almost $2 million in payments related to medication dispensed by Bernauer alone. According to court documents in the related case, Bernauer has already paid $664,176.30 in restitution to the Department of Labor, and $361,096.70 to the court clerk’s office, to go to other victims of the fraud, for a total of $1,025,273 restitution paid to date.

As a result of her guilty plea to the single conspiracy count, Rains may be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison. The court will determine her sentence at a later date, after reviewing a pre-sentence investigation report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office and considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Louisiana Department of Justice, the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, and the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Mohlhenrich and Hunter Bridges prosecuted the case for the United States.

Alexandria Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl and Illegally Possessing a Firearm

 ALEXANDRIA, La. - Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Dustin O. Thompson, 36, of Alexandria, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearm charges. The hearing was held before United States District Judge Dee D. Drell in Alexandria.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment on August 28, 2019 charging Thompson with two drug trafficking offenses and two additional counts involving the illegal possession of firearms. On October 4, 2021, Thompson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The charges in this case stem from an incident on March 12, 2018 when Thompson distributed a controlled substance to an individual in Alexandria and represented to him that the substance was heroin, when in truth and in fact, it was fentanyl. After consuming what he thought to be heroin, but in fact was fentanyl, the individual became unconscious and crashed his vehicle into the Alexandria, Louisiana Police Department. Law enforcement officers administered NARCAN in order to revive him. He was then taken to a local hospital where a NARCAN drip was administered to him for an extended period of time.

Later that day following the crash, law enforcement officers searched Thompson’s residence and found three loaded firearms, 54 grams of fentanyl, and a large sum of cash. In pleading guilty to the charges, Thompson admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl to other individuals.

Thompson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the narcotics conviction and not less than 10 years for the firearm conviction. He also faces not less than three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 

The FBI, ATF and Alexandria Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. Reeg and J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.

Inmate Sentenced to Six Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Benefits

 PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on a charge of fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

Tylan Huddleston, 24, was sentenced to six months of incarceration followed by two years of supervised release by United States District Judge David Cercone.

On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to be an emergency under Section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford disaster Relief and Emergency Act. Subsequently, on March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (which is frequently referred to as the CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which provided unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits. The CARES Act also provided an emergency increase in unemployment compensation benefits of $600.00 per week.

According to information provided to the court, Huddleston conspired with another individual to commit mail fraud to obtain $13,905 in connection with pandemic unemployment assistance benefits while he was incarcerated awaiting trial on state charges.

“Tylan Huddleston conspired to defraud the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program by having his co-conspirator fraudulently file for and receive benefits on his behalf while Huddleston was incarcerated at Lawrence County Jail. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General will continue to work closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and our law enforcement partners, to safeguard the integrity of all unemployment assistance programs,” stated Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Philadelphia Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. 

The United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Tylan Huddleston.

Clinton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography Charge

 DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man, Joshua Del Chandler, was sentenced on Monday, October 4, 2021 by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 210 months in prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Chandler was ordered to serve seven years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund and $11,000 in restitution.

Chandler, age 38, was identified as a suspect after a cell phone and laptop belonging to Chandler were turned over to the FBI in April 2020. Officers obtained a search warrant for the devices and located 22 images and three videos depicting child pornography. In February 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Chandler’s residence. Multiple electronic devices were seized, revealing an additional 70 images and 131 videos of child pornography. In a post-Miranda statement, Chandler admitted to knowingly possessing, receiving, and distributing child pornography. On May 14, 2021 Chandler pleaded guilty to the charge.

Acting U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

This matter was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the United States Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

Wetzel County man indicted on drug charges

 WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Kevin Ray Morgan, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was indicted today on a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Morgan, also known as “Model,” 46, was indicted on one count of “Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl,” one count of “Possession with Intent o Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl,” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Morgan is accused of distributing of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in April 2021 in Wetzel County.

Morgan faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Minneapolis Man Charged with Child Sex Trafficking

 Defendant is a fugitive; FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest

MINNEAPOLIS – A recently unsealed federal indictment charges a Minneapolis man with sex trafficking a minor, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.

According to court documents, between August 12, 2020, and August 14, 2020, Charles William Dexter III, 40, knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, and advertised a minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act, knowing that the victim had not attained the age of 18 years.

Dexter is a fugitive. The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Dexter’s location and arrests. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, and the Bloomington Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Owner Of New York Investment Fund Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison For Orchestrating $26 Million Scheme To Defraud Investors

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that BRENT BORLAND, the owner and principal of a New York-based investment fund known as Belize Infrastructure Fund I LLC (“Belize Fund”), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 84 months in prison for orchestrating a $26 million investment fraud scheme against dozens of investors.   BORLAND pled guilty in February 2019 to conspiring to commit, and the commission of, securities fraud and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Strauss said: “Brent Borland led a years-long, multifaceted scheme to bilk victims out of more than $26 million.  Using lies and deceit, Borland tricked more than 40 investors into entrusting him with their hard-earned money. In truth, Borland’s promises to investors were lies, and he spent much of their money on himself.  For the financial and emotional devastation his fraud has inflicted, Borland will spend the next seven years in prison.”    

According to the Complaint, Indictment, and statements made in connection with sentencing:

From 2014 through March 2018, BORLAND and others solicited and received approximately $26.1 million from approximately 40 investors based upon representations that he would use the investors’ money to construct an airport in Belize.  BORLAND promised investors high rates of return on their investments, which he represented were temporary “bridge financing.”  BORLAND also represented to investors that their investments would be fully secured by real property in Belize that was unencumbered by any liens or obligations.

In fact, however, BORLAND misappropriated millions of dollars of investors’ funds and used those funds for his own personal benefit.  BORLAND diverted a substantial portion of the funds invested by victims to himself to pay for a variety of personal expenses, including his mortgage payments, credit card bills, luxury automobiles, a beach club membership, and private school tuition for his children.  In contrast to BORLAND’s representations that investors would receive high rates of return within a specified time frame, all known investors in the scheme lost money.  And while BORLAND represented that the investments would be secured by real property, the property purportedly serving as collateral was improperly pledged to multiple investors and, in some cases, did not even exist in the manner identified and described by Borland in documents he provided to the investors. 

*                *                *

In addition to his prison term, BORLAND, 51, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $26,584,970 and restitution of $26,184,970.          

Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which brought a separate civil action. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Negar Tekeei and Edward Imperatore are in charge of the prosecution.

Canadian Man Going To Prison For Attempting Illegally To Export Firearms From The U.S. To Dubai And Columbia

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Aydan Sin a/k/a Hon Chak Gordon Sin a/k/a Andy a/k/a Bullion, 49, of British Columbia, Canada, who was convicted of violating the Arms Export Control Act, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that between November 2016 and April 2017, the defendant conspired with others, including Guy Deland and Charan Singh, to export defense articles on the United States Munitions List (USML) in violation of United States law.

In November 2016, Singh began communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent (UCA), inquiring about whether the UCA could export firearms from the United States to the United Arab Emirates. During those communications, Sin, Deland, and Singh were advised by the UCA that a license was required from the United States Department of State in order lawfully to export the firearms. The defendants acknowledged the illegality of the attempted exports, provided an encrypted Blackberry device to the UCA for the purpose of secure, covert communications, and wired approximately $70,000 USD from Canada to the United States as a 50% down payment for the export of the goods.

On December 7, 2016, Sin, through telephone and email, requested the gun order include 9mm handguns and Uzi machine guns. On December 9, 2016, Sin told the UCA that rather than get an export license, he wanted the UCA to export the firearms “the wrong way.”

Subsequently, on January 10, 2017, the UCA emailed two revised invoices to Sin and Deland. One invoice was for the export to Dubai of three new Glock 9mm firearms, six magazines, two used Mini Uzi submachine guns, two suppressors, and 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition for the firearms, for a total cost of $20,575. The second invoice was for the export to Colombia (thru Panama) of 37 new Glock 9mm firearms, 74 magazines, 13 used Mini Uzi submachine guns, 13 suppressors, and 3,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition for the firearms, for a total cost of $121,175. Both invoices contained language stating that exporting these products was prohibited by law without an export license.

On February 6 and 7, 2017, an undercover bank account, located in the Western District of New York, received two bank wire transfers from a bank account in Canada, each in the amount of $34,990 USD, representing 50% of the total purchase price of the firearms, suppressors, and ammunition.

On March 10, 2017, Sin contacted the UCA and asked if the shipment of guns to Columbia would occur in a few days. On March 20, 2017, the UCA used existing sea freight shipment tracking numbers and told Sin and Deland that the firearms, suppressors, and ammunition were shipped to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, and the shipment of guns to Columbia would occur on March 29, 2017. The UCA also provided them with the tracking information.

The firearms, suppressors, magazines, and ammunitions listed above are defense articles listed on the USML. Prior to the attempted export and export of these defense items from the United States, Sin was aware that an export license was required and at no time did he, or the actual exporter apply for, receive, or possess a license to export the items from the United States.

Charges remain pending against defendants Guy Deland and Charan Singh. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly. Additional assistance was provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Oregon Man Pleads Guilty To His Role In Cross Country Marijuana Conspiracy

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Robert Fiels, 33, Springfield, Oregon, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant served as the source of supply for individuals that trafficked marijuana and marijuana-based products across the country. Fiels utilized individuals, including co-defendant Syed Ahmad and others, to deliver the marijuana and marijuana-based products. Others, including co-defendant Frank Vacanti, then distributed the marijuana to individuals such as co-defendant Vincent Lopresti, who then sold the marijuana and marijuana products across Western New York. Between late 2016, and June 2019, Fiels trafficked approximately 1,800lbs of marijuana to one individual.

In January 2017, the defendant was stopped by DEA-Chicago and Amtrak Police while traveling from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, Illinois. After questioning and providing consent, DEA-Chicago seized $222,965.00 in drug proceeds located in the defendant’s suitcases. On December 31, 2017, in Morgan County, Illinois, local law enforcement and the DEA, recovered approximately 1,000 lbs. of marijuana from an RV driven by co-defendant Syed Ahmad and another individual. The marijuana belonged to Fiels and was destined for locations around the United States. On January 18, 2018, the defendant was stopped in a vehicle for traveling too fast for conditions in Hobart, Indiana by local law enforcement. During a search his vehicle, law enforcement seized $48,000 in drug proceeds. On February 10, 2020, law enforcement in Springfield, Oregon seized approximately $15,000 in drug proceeds sent to the defendant via USPS. 

On June 29, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at three locations in the State of Oregon associated with Fiels, including his residence, work apartment, and the residence of his former girlfriend. Law enforcement recovered marijuana, marijuana-based products, USPS parcels, drug paraphernalia, packing materials, scales, psychedelic mushrooms, two firearms, and liquid steroids. 

Charges remain pending against Syed Ahmad, Frank Vacanti, and Vincent Lopresti. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino; HSI Portland, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Clifford Jones; HSI Springfield, Illinois, under the direction of Acting Resident Agent-in-Charge Eric Bowers; the Illinois State Police, under the direction of Director Brendan F. Kelly; the Oregon State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Terri Davie; the Morgan County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff’s Office Director Mike Carmody; the Hobart, Indiana Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard W. Zormier; and the Springfield, Oregon Police Department, under the direction of Chief Andrew Shearer.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 17, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.

Former U.S. Military Pilot Charged With Making False Statements on National Security Background Forms Regarding Foreign Contacts

 Allegedly failed to reveal multiple contacts with a Chinese National and business, including messages, meetings in foreign countries, and cash payments

SAN DIEGO – A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot-turned-civilian-contractor appeared in federal court in San Diego yesterday to face charges that when he was required to make disclosures during national security background checks, he failed to disclose that he repeatedly met with - and received cash payments from - a Chinese national linked to intelligence services.

Shapour Moinian, 66 years of age from Mira Mesa, worked for many years for various defense contractors and also as a civilian contractor for the U.S. Navy and was subjected to multiple national security background checks. According to a complaint and disclosures made at his initial appearance and bond hearing, Moinian made false statements on these questionnaires, asserting repeatedly that he did not have any contact with foreign nationals.

In 2017, Moinian was communicating with a Chinese National, who posed as a recruiter on a job-services platform in a manner that both Germany and France have publicly identified as a technique used by Chinese intelligence services. Thereafter, Moinian traveled to China where in March 2017, while working at a cleared defense contractor on various projects, including a high-altitude, unmanned surveillance aircraft used by the U.S. Military and various allies. Upon returning, Moinian continued to communicate with his Chinese contact and update her on the progress of his work for her. In September 2017, Moinian again traveled overseas and met with his Chinese contact. Following this meeting, Moinian used a relative’s South Korean bank account to receive payment from his Chinese contact, which he then had wired to him in the United States.

In 2017, in the midst of his communications, visits, and working for his Chinese contact, Moinian completed a Questionnaire for National Security Background Investigations, where it is alleged he made knowingly and willfully materially false, fraudulent, and fictitious statements and representations, when he stated that he had not had close or continuing contact with a foreign national and had not been asked to work as a consultant, or consider employment by a foreign national, within the past seven years.

In 2018 after returning from another overseas meeting with his Chinese contact and her associates, where he received a cash payment, Moinian conducted searches using an internet search engine for sabotage, espionage, spying, and selling military information to a foreign country. In June 2019, Moinian requested a $20,000 payment from his Chinese contact, telling her that it was for a friend. In August of that year, Moinian traveled overseas to meet with his Chinese contact and others, where he received a large cash payment.

In 2020, when completing another Questionnaire for National Security Background Investigations, it is alleged Moinian made knowingly and willfully materially false, fraudulent, and fictitious statements and representations, when he reaffirmed that he had not had close or continuing contact with a foreign national and had not been asked to work as a consultant, or consider employment by a foreign national, within the past seven years.

Moinian, a former helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army, continued his work for various defense contractors while communicating and meeting with his Chinese contact and her associates, who provided him with cash payments that he smuggled back into the United States. These meetings, and payments, occurred in multiple overseas locations, including Hong Kong, Macau, Bali, and Taiwan. In addition to cash payments at these meetings, Moinian also received at least one other payment from his Chinese contact that he funneled through his relative’s South Korean bank account.

At the time of his arrest on October 1, 2021, Moinian was working for another cleared defense contractor and was slated to relocate to South Korea to work on a military aircraft being produced for that country. When he was arrested, Moinian had already provided many of his belongings to a company to transport to South Korea, and given notice that he was vacating his apartment the following week. Although these charges have been filed, the investigation is continuing by both the FBI and NCIS.

“The complaint alleges a disturbing failure to reveal information highly relevant to the background clearance process,” stated Acting United States Randy Grossman.  “This office is committed to ensuring that individuals in sensitive national security positions are worthy of the trust placed in them.”  Grossman commended the work of AUSA Fred Sheppard, DOJ’s National Security Division and the FBI and NCIS agents who diligently pursued this matter.

“This case serves as a stark reminder of the social media exploitation strategies Chinese intelligence agencies will utilize to target, recruit, and maintain contact with valuable foreign assets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. “Let this arrest serve as a deterrent to those who may consider hiding their foreign contacts in the hopes they can live a double-life and not get caught.”

“Mr. Moinian’s alleged false statements on security background forms about his contact with foreign nationals posed a significant threat to our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle Kramer of the NCIS Office of Special Projects. “This arrest should serve as a warning that NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain committed to rooting out any and all criminal attempts to compromise our nation’s national security interests. We sincerely thank our partners for their substantial efforts during this investigation to preserve U.S. warfighter superiority.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

DEFENDANTS                                         Case Number             21MJ3884

Shapour Moinian                                       Age: 66                      San Diego

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 (Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation)

Maximum penalty: Fine and prison term of up to five years.

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

Oklahoma Man Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

 The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Romain Green, 32, of Oklahoma City, was arraigned today upon an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit money laundering.  The indictment alleges that Green and others conspired to engage in financial transactions involving wire fraud proceeds and that the financial transactions were designed to conceal the nature, location, source, and ownership of the criminal proceeds.   

The Grand Jury in Vermont returned its indictment charging Green with this offense on March 25, 2021.  Green was arrested on September 23 in Minnesota, where he was detained over the weekend before being released on September 27.  

According to the indictment, Green and others distributed and received information regarding various bank accounts, including how to utilize those accounts for purposes of receiving crime proceeds.   The indictment is an accusation only.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.  

United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered Green released on conditions, and granted Green’s lawyers 90 days for the filing of pre-trial motions.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michal Drescher.  Green is represented by David McColgin of the Federal Public Defender’s office and Laura Wilson, Esq. of Lyndonville, Vermont.

Final Defendant Convicted at Trial in “Original Block Hustlaz” Drug Trafficking Case Sentenced to Over 16 Years in Prison

 PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Hans Gadson, 35, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to sixteen years and four months in prison, and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson for his role in the Original Block Hustlaz, or “OBH,” a violent drug trafficking organization that doubled as a group of aspiring rap artists in Philadelphia whose lyrics boasted about their drug dealing and willingness to resort to violence. Three of Gadson’s co-defendants, Jamaal Blanding, 39, and Jameel Hickson, 43, both of Philadelphia, PA, and Abdul West, 38, of Brookhaven, PA, were also recently sentenced and received 25, 20, and 40 years in prison, respectively.

In November 2019, all four defendants were convicted after a two-and-a-half-week trial on charges that included conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of or possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine. Several other co-defendants pled guilty prior to trial. In total, nine defendants connected to OBH were charged in a 16-count Second Superseding Indictment in August 2019. All nine were convicted or pled guilty.

Between at least March 2017 through June of 2018, OBH poisoned the Philadelphia community by importing dangerous narcotics, including large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine, from California to Philadelphia and then selling those drugs in the Philadelphia area. To further their drug business, OBH employed fear, intimidation, and violence. In September 2017 and May 2018, FBI agents and Philadelphia Police Department officers executed search warrants at residences on North Sydenham Street and Columbus Boulevard, which were properties used by members of OBH to store and sell drugs. During the execution of the search warrant, numerous drugs were seized, including cocaine base (“crack”), heroin, and methamphetamine mixture, as well as tens of thousands of dollars in cash.

In a related case, defendant Charles Salley, 39, of Clayton, Delaware, was sentenced in August 2021 to seven and a half years in prison for witness tampering in connection with the above-referenced trial. During the trial, a cooperating witness received a threatening letter from Salley under the pen name “Ron Harvey,” threatening physical violence if the witness testified at trial against his OBH associates. Salley was present in the courtroom during the course of the trial, including on the day of the witness’ scheduled testimony. The threatening letter was investigated by the FBI and the witness ultimately testified during the trial.

“Gadson and his OBH co-defendants pumped huge quantities of deadly drugs into our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “As the evidence presented at trial showed, OBH wreaked havoc on the streets of Philadelphia to further their violent drug trafficking operation; their rap lyrics weren’t just about artistic expression or creating an image to sell records, but were about their reality. Our Office is determined to continue doing everything we can by being ‘All Hands On Deck’ to get violent criminals like OBH off the streets.”

This case is part of the FBI’s Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force, a program through which federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies collaboratively address the violent crime plaguing communities. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Timothy M. Stengel. The Salley case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.

Justice Department Commemorates National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 Office on Violence Against Women Invests More Than $476 Million in Grants to Address Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking

The Justice Department joins law enforcement partners, victim services professionals, advocates and communities across the country in observing October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and announces more than $476 million in Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grants. The funding supports projects that meaningfully address the needs of underserved and marginalized survivors, improve access to justice, enhance survivor safety, hold accountable those who have caused harm, and provide training and technical assistance to an array of professionals and systems working to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in every state and territory, as well as dozens of tribal communities.

“Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a sobering reminder of the harm domestic violence inflicts across our country, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic means that for many survivors, abuse may be compounded by being isolated with an abuser, loss of income and stress over the virus itself,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “These OVW grants will provide local organizations with resources to support survivors as they heal, promote victim access to justice, and further local, state and tribal training efforts to best prepare officials to respond to these dangerous calls.”

“The grant awards we make this year will not only touch the lives of millions of survivors of domestic violence, but also help our nation prevent and end sexual assault and stalking,” said Acting Director Allison Randall of OVW. “OVW is proud to be the leading federal voice in the country’s fight against these devastating crimes. Grant awards announced today will fund victim services, culturally specific responses, legal assistance, law enforcement and prosecution services, and court practices, as well as training and technical assistance to an array of professionals who help survivors every day.”

In addition to administering grant funding, the department is combatting domestic and sexual violence in local and tribal communities on other fronts. The department has outlined a comprehensive strategy to address violent crime, which asked U.S. Attorneys to evaluate the current drivers of violent crime in their regions, including domestic violence, and to develop strategies to address these drivers. OVW’s announcement today of over $476 million in grants is a key part of that strategy. In addition, on Sept. 20, the department’s Office of Justice Programs announced more than $1.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2021 Victims of Crime Act funding.

In his Domestic Violence Awareness Month proclamation, President Joseph R. Biden, the original author of the Violence Against Women Act, called on all Americans to reaffirm their commitment to ending this violence, and in his Fiscal Year 2022 budget, proposed a historic $1 billion for grant programs administered by OVW.

Funds being awarded this year by OVW formula grant programs include:

Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program: $153.1 million awarded to all states and territories to support communities, including American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages, in their efforts to develop and strengthen effective responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The STOP Formula Grant Program – authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent legislation – requires that 30% of funds be allocated for victim services, of which at least 10% must be distributed to culturally specific, community-based organizations. No less than 25% of a state’s formula funding must be allocated for law enforcement, 25% for prosecution and 5% to courts.

Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) Formula Grant Programs: $28.2 million awarded to states and territories for direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. The SASP Formula Grant Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations or tribal programs that provide services, direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. Funds provided through SASP are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial level.

State and Territorial Coalitions Program: $15.1 million awarded to fund 87 state and territorial domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions (determined by the Department of Health and Human Services) to coordinate victim services activities. These coalitions support member rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters and other victim service providers through funding, training and technical assistance, public awareness activities, and public policy advocacy.

Tribal Coalitions Program: $6.1 million awarded to support 18 nonprofit, nongovernmental tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions. Tribal coalitions provide education, support and technical assistance to tribal victim service providers and tribes to enhance their response to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and sex trafficking.

For more information about these grants, please see OVW’s Formula Grant Programs fact sheet.

OVW discretionary program funding for 2021 includes:

Legal Assistance for Victims: $35.8 million awarded to 59 projects to provide a range of services, including legal assistance for victims and the implementation, expansion and establishment of efforts and projects to provide competent, supervised pro bono legal assistance for victims. See the Legal Assistance for Victims Program fact sheet.

Transitional Housing: $35.3 million awarded to 68 programs to support funding for: the operating expenses of newly developed or existing transitional housing programs; short-term housing assistance, including rental or utilities payments assistance and assistance with related expenses; and voluntary services designed to enable a minor, an adult, or a dependent of such minor or adult, who is fleeing a situation of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, to locate and secure permanent housing, secure employment (including obtaining employment counseling, occupational training, job retention counseling and counseling concerning re-entry into the workforce), and integrate into a community by providing that minor, adult, or dependent with services such as transportation, counseling, child care services, case management and other assistance. See the Transitional Housing fact sheet.

Rural Program: $34.6 million awarded to 46 programs to identify, assess and appropriately respond to child, youth and adult victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in rural communities by encouraging collaboration among service providers, criminal justice service providers, human and community service providers, educational institutions, and health care providers; establish and expand nonprofit, nongovernmental, state, tribal, territorial and local government victim services in rural communities; and increase the safety and wellbeing of women and children in rural communities. See the Rural Program fact sheet.

Grants to Tribal Governments: $32.4 million awarded to 40 programs for a wide range of support, including: increasing tribal capacity to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking and stalking crimes against American Indian and Alaska Native women; strengthening tribal justice interventions; enhancing victim services; providing transitional housing for victims, including rental or utilities payment assistance and assistance with related expenses and support services, to enable victims to locate and secure permanent housing and integrate into a community; and developing, strengthening and implementing policies, protocols and training for law enforcement regarding cases of missing or murdered Indians. See the Tribal Governments Program fact sheet.

Improving Criminal Justice Responses: $30.8 million awarded to 41 programs that address a wide range of support across the criminal justice system so that domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are treated as serious violations of criminal law requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system and partnerships with victim service providers. See the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program fact sheet.

Campus Program: $16.2 million awarded to 52 programs to support a wide range of  projects that develop a comprehensive coordinated community approach to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking on campuses that enhances victim safety, provides services and support for victims, and supports efforts to hold offenders accountable. See the Campus Program fact sheet.

Justice for Families: $13.6 million awarded to 24 projects to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice systems to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse, including by supporting court-based programs, supervised visitation and safe exchange of children, training for court personnel, and civil legal services. See the Justice for Families Program fact sheet.

Consolidated Youth and Engaging Men: $9 million awarded to 20 programs to provide services and training to address the needs of children and youth impacted by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking; and engage men to prevent violence against women and girls. See the Consolidated Youth and Engaging Men Program fact sheet.

Culturally Specific Services: $6.8 million awarded to 23 projects to increase communities’ capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims; provide culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing and workplace needs of victims; provide training for law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation and correctional facilities on culturally specific responses; and examine the dynamics of culture and its impact on victimization and healing. See the Culturally Specific Services fact sheet.

Underserved Program: $4.9 million awarded to 11 programs to develop or enhance services for populations or implement outreach strategies targeted at adult or youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking in underserved populations, who often face challenges in accessing victim services that are accessible, culturally relevant, and responsive to their needs. See the Underserved Program fact sheet.

Disabilities Program: $4.1 million awarded to 10 programs to provide a range of resources including personnel, training, technical assistance, advocacy, intervention, risk reduction and prevention to disabled victims, and to develop model programs. See the Disability Grant Program fact sheet.

Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program: $4 million awarded to 14 programs to create, maintain and expand sustainable sexual assault services provided by organizations that are uniquely situated to respond to the needs of sexual assault victims from culturally specific populations. See the Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program fact sheet.

Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program: $3.8 million awarded to 10 programs to support the establishment, maintenance and expansion of programs and projects within Indian country and Alaska Native villages to assist those victimized by sexual assault. See the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program fact sheet.

Research and Evaluation Initiative: $2.3 million awarded to seven projects on a range of topics including measuring effectiveness of a wide breadth of funded activities, including victim services, policing, prosecution and court responses. See the Research and Evaluation Initiative Solicitation.

Abuse in Later Life: $1.4 million awarded to four programs to provide training, establish and support multidisciplinary collaborative community responses, provide and enhance services for victims, and conduct outreach and awareness campaigns to support projects that provide a comprehensive approach to addressing elder abuse. See the Abuse in Later Life Program fact sheet.

National Tribal Clearinghouse on Sexual Assault: $1 million awarded to one program to establish, sustain and expand a repository that provides resources, training opportunities, educational materials and technical assistance on issues relating to sexual assault of American Indian and Alaska Native women.

Resource Center on Workplace Responses to Assist Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence Program: $1 million awarded to one program to manage the National Resource Center on Workplace Responses, which provides information, resources, tools and technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to better equip them to respond to victims. These efforts address the needs of employees in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking impacting the workplace.

Special Domestic Violence Jurisdiction Program: $733,691 awarded to two programs to assist Indian tribes in planning, implementing and exercising “special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction” to hold accountable non-Indians who commit crimes of domestic violence or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian country. For more information, see the Tribal Jurisdiction Program fact sheet.

Training and Technical Assistance Program: $36.2 million awarded to 65 programs that provide training, expertise and problem-solving strategies to meet the challenges of addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Technical assistance projects offer in-person and online educational opportunities, peer-to-peer consultations, on-site technical assistance, and tailored assistance for OVW grantees and potential grantees. In more limited circumstances, OVW's technical assistance projects offer technical assistance to a small number of pilot sites as part of demonstration initiatives or assessments of newly developed training curricula or tools. For more information, please visit OVW’s Training and Technical Assistance website.

*      *      *

About the Office on Violence Against Women

The Office on Violence Against Women provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw. To sign up for OVW alerts visit this webpage or follow OVW on Twitter @OVWJustice.

Leader of $2.4 Million Dollar Fraud Scheme Pleads Guilty

 PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Massachusetts used car dealer admitted to a federal court judge in Providence, RI, that he led a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud financial institutions in several states of more than $2.4 million dollars by obtaining and attempting to obtain car loans using stolen personal identifying information of others and fraudulent documents, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.

Rolando E. Estrella, 32, of Dracut, Mass., the former owner of a used car dealership in Lawrence, MA, admitted to the court that he recruited, employed, advised, and directed others to file fraudulent used car loan applications, open bank accounts, deposit fraudulently obtained used car loan checks, and execute cash withdrawals of the fraudulently obtained funds.

Estrella is among nine individuals named in an indictment returned in February 2020, and subsequently in a superseding indictment, that alleged Estrella, and others working at his direction,  opened bank accounts with major banks and smaller credit unions using other individuals’ personal identifying information.  Estrella and his confederates then used that information, along with falsified automobile titles and other counterfeit documents, including, to apply for and received used car and truck loans. The loan funds were deposited into bank accounts opened by members of the conspiracy in the supposed “sellers’” names. Members of the conspiracy quickly withdrew the funds from banks in the form of cash.

According to information presented to the court, Estrella and his co-defendants intended to defraud financial institutions of $2,419,054.

Appearing Friday before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Estrella pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, and fraudulent use of a Social Security number. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20, 2022.

In addition to Estrella, four others charged in this matter have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The remaining four defendants are awaiting trial.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.

The investigation into this fraud ring which operated throughout the northeast was conducted by the Social Security Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Fresno Man Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison for Dealing Fentanyl Pills and Illegally Possessing Firearm

 FRESNO, Calif. — Morgan Wency Ventura Sanchez, 24, of Fresno, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for possessing hundreds of fentanyl pills with intent to distribute them and illegally possessing a firearm in furtherance of the offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in August 2020 federal and local law enforcement officers were investigating Ventura Sanchez for dealing fentanyl pills. On Aug. 24, 2020, officers searched Ventura Sanchez’s car, person, and residence and found hundreds of fentanyl pills, as well as other controlled substances, including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Officers also found a loaded firearm close to Ventura Sanchez’s drug stash. Ventura Sanchez was arrested and pleaded guilty to federal drug and gun charges.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi‑agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.

Indian River County Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison Term

 Miami, Florida – Today, a South Florida federal district judge sentenced a Vero Beach drug dealer who drove around town with fentanyl, a loaded semi-automatic firearm, and tens of thousands of dollars in cash to 106 months in federal prison.

On February 23, 2020, law enforcement officers arrested 34-year-old Burnell Heiges Emlet, III, after finding him slumped over the steering wheel of a car that was sitting at a stop light.  With him inside car, Emlet had a loaded semi-automatic firearm with a large capacity magazine, as well as 76 prepacked baggies of fentanyl.  Emlet was charged with state crimes and released on bond.  Officers arrested Emlet again on May 22, 2020, following a traffic stop.  This time, Emlet had 1,700 prepackaged baggies of fentanyl and more than $55,000 in cash with him inside the car.  After this arrest, Emlet’s state bond was revoked.

In 2021, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida charged Emlet with federal gun and drug trafficking crimes relating to the February 2020 arrest.  A federal magistrate judge ordered him detained pre-trial, without bond.  On July 15, 2021, Emlet pled guilty in federal district court to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks imposed today’s sentence.   

Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; La Verne J. Hibbert; Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Field Division; and David E. Currey, Chief of Police, Vero Beach Police Department, announced the sentence.  

DEA Miami and Vero Beach PD investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted it.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-14012.

Point Pleasant Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking Offense

 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Point Pleasant man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Dale Randall McCarthy, Jr., 51, pleaded guilty to the offense in May 2021.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, McCarthy admitted that on August 8, 2020, he agreed with a man he met online to pay $100 to have sex with a 14-year-old girl that would be supplied by the other man. McCarthy met with the man at a motel in Dunbar and paid the man $40 up front for sex with the girl, with the remainder to be paid after the sexual activity.  After paying the man $40, McCarthy was placed under arrest. McCarthy further admitted that he had previously used Craigslist to communicate with minors about meeting for sexual activity. In one such conversation, McCarthy admitted to requesting and receiving a sexually explicit image of a person who stated they were a minor.

Upon release from prison, McCarthy will be placed on federal supervised release for a period of 10 years and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentence.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handled the prosecution.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Wyoming Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Idaho Child

 POCATELLO – A Wyoming man pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor child.

According to court records, James Colton Giannell, 23, of Sheridan, Wyoming, admitted that he asked Andrew John Jemmett, over the Internet, to produce child pornography for him in April 2019, while Jemmett was in Idaho. Jemmett used an eight-year-old child to create pornographic videos that he sold online to Giannell for $150. The videos were produced in a public restroom in Pocatello. Jemmett later used Snapchat to share the videos with Giannell. Law enforcement interviewed Giannell following his arrest and after waiving his Miranda rights, Giannell admitted to requesting and paying for the videos to be produced.

Giannell was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pocatello on August 25, 2020. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2022 and faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Pocatello Police Department, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which led to charges.

Wayne County Man Charged With Enticement Of A Minor

 SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 1, 2021, Michael Jacob Walczyk, age 41, of Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, was charged by a criminal information with enticement of a minor. 

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the information alleges that between July 10, 2019 and September 2020, Walczyk knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a victim under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity for the purposes of producing child pornography.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering for Role in Internet-Based Fraud Schemes

 WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that an Illinois man pleaded guilty Friday, October 1, 2021 to conspiring with others to launder, or attempting to launder, between $550,000 and $1,500,000 from internet-based fraud schemes.  Chief Judge Colm F. Connolly accepted the plea.

According to court documents, Daniel Oluwatoki Kuye, 22, received funds from businesses and individuals victimized through internet-based fraud schemes, including business email compromises and romance fraud.  Kuye’s co-conspirators defrauded businesses and individuals over the internet and then instructed those victims to send the fraudulently obtained money to Kuye or to an alias Kuye used to receive the illicit proceeds.  Kuye personally used a portion of the fraud proceeds and distributed the remainder to other co-conspirators.

Kuye pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Chief Judge Connolly will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Mr. Kuye and his co-conspirators used online scams to steal money from American businesses and to cheat citizens out of their hard-earned savings.  Mr. Kuye actively aided his co-conspirators by using aliases to receive fraudulently obtained proceeds and enriched himself in the process.  My office will continue to prosecute those who participate in internet-based fraud schemes in any capacity.”

“Mr. Kuye admitted to laundering money obtained from various online fraudulent schemes which can be devastating to businesses and individuals who fall prey to them,” said Tomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “He also knowingly engaged in criminal money laundering activities, serving as a Money Mule. Money Mules assist these type of fraud schemes by receiving money from victims and forwarding proceeds to other criminals or even foreign-based perpetrators. This prosecution sends a message to all who are engaged in money mule activity that they will be caught and prosecuted. We also remind the public if you believe you have been the victim of a scam, please report it to the FBI at IC3.gov.”

This case was investigated by FBI-Baltimore Division’s Wilmington Resident Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse S. Wenger and Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Alejandra Arias of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware.  Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 20-cr-57-CFC.

New York Woman Admits Entering Sham Marriage in Immigration Fraud Case

 Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on October 1, 2021, AUDREY BONET JOHNSON, 34, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to conspiracy to commit immigration marriage fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2012, Johnson, a U.S. citizen, and Shanon St. Aubyn Stephenson, a citizen of Jamaica, entered into a fraudulent marriage.  Shortly thereafter, Johnson and Stephenson applied to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS) for Stephenson to become a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., often called a “green card.”  Following an interview with the USCIS in 2012, Stephenson was issued a temporary, two-year green card.  In subsequent submissions and statements to the USCIS, Johnson and Stephenson claimed to be married and living together in Brooklyn, New York.  In fact, Stephenson married Jodian Stephenson, also known as Jodian Gordon, in 2010, and lived with her, and not Johnson, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford on January 4, 2022, at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

This investigation revealed that Jodian Stephenson, a citizen of Jamaica, operated Stephenson Immigration and Legal Services, LLC, in Bridgeport.  Between 2011 and 2017, she conspired with others to arrange 28 sham marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizens residing in the U.S. for the purpose of the non-citizens’ applying for and obtaining  green cards.  One of the sham marriages was between Johnson and Shanon Stephenson, and another was between Jodian Stephenson and a U.S. citizen.  Jodian Stephenson typically found and introduced a U.S. citizen to be the non-citizen’s purported spouse and helped the couple obtain a marriage license.  She also organized the marriage ceremony and celebration, coached the couple on how to make their marriage appear to be genuine despite their neither living together nor otherwise intending to remain actually married, and prepared and helped submit several immigration documents needed as part of the non-citizen’s green card application.  Jodian Stephenson typically charged between $17,000 and $20,000 to complete this process for a non-citizen, and the citizen spouse received between $2,000 and $4,000 for his or her participation.

Jodian Stephenson and Shanon Stephenson each previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration marriage fraud.  On August 26, 2021, Jodian Stephenson was sentenced to six months of imprisonment.  Shanon Stephenson awaits sentencing.

A total of 10 individuals were charged as a result of this investigation, and all pleaded guilty.  Removal proceedings have been or are being commenced against all individuals whose green card applications were found to have been based on sham marriages.

This investigation has been conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry K. Kopel.

Philadelphia man sentenced for heroin and fentanyl distribution

 MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Gaines, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 151 months of incarceration for opioid distribution, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Gaines, age 46, pled guilty in July 2020 to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl.” Gaines admitted to having heroin and fentanyl in June 2017 in Berkeley County. The night of his arrest, Gaines fled from police during a traffic stop in Martinsburg at a high rate of speed, hitting a tree. During the hearing today, it was mentioned that Gaines, who is not a drug user, was in Martinsburg for the sole reason of selling drugs. He is labeled as a career offender, with a previous violent crime conviction and another felony drug conviction.

These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep.  This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the West Virginia State Police, and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

Berkeley County man sentenced for role in drug conspiracy

 MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Medo Hallack, of Inwood, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 70 months of incarceration for his role in a drug conspiracy that spanned several states, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Hallack, 32, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Hallack admitted to working with another to sell cocaine hydrochloride, also known as “coke,” in August and September 2019 in Berkeley County. Hallack received a sentencing enhancement for firearms possession and violence. During the execution of search warrant for drug activity, he allegedly fired at officers and was engaged in a 45-minute standoff with law enforcement.

This case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep.  This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally. 

 

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. 

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

Jefferson County man admits to drug charge

 MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Shaquan Osullivan Kelly, of Ranson, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Kelly, 25, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Kelly admitted to selling cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in August 2018 in Jefferson County.

Kelly faces up to 20 years of incarceration and fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police, the DEA Task Force Montgomery County, Maryland; and the Frederick, Maryland, HIDTA group investigated. The EPDTF consists of the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Ranson Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Martinsburg Police Department.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.