Roanoke, VIRGINIA –Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Thomas T. Cullen announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.'  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”

The Western District of Virginia will receive funding to hire one AUSA to focus on violent crime and a second AUSA to focus on civil enforcement. It is expected that these positions will be based in the Roanoke office, however the additional allocation of prosecutorial resources will extend throughout the Western District of Virginia. The new positions will soon be open to qualified applicants and are in addition to the three pending job openings in the Western District of Virginia for prosecutors dedicated to the prosecution of violent offenders and prolific drug dealers.

“Reducing violent crime is my first priority and the addition of this Assistant United States Attorney will go a long way in making the communities of the Western District of Virginia safer,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “Human capital is our most important resource in fighting crime and today’s action bring much needed resources to our district.”

St. Louis – On the 500^th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Jeff Jensen announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.'  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."

In the Eastern District of Missouri, four of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one on civil enforcement against pharmacists and physicians who over-prescribe or divert opioids.

May 17, 2018 – Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont Christina Nolan announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."

In the District of Vermont, which will receive three new AUSAs, one of these prosecutors will focus on violent crime, one on affirmative civil enforcement, and one on prosecuting immigration crimes. The allocation of an additional violent crime AUSA will permit the U.S. Attorney’s Office to place even greater emphasis on violent criminal conduct, such as homicides, arsons, robberies, and other criminality involving the use of firearms. In the civil enforcement arena, the additional AUSA position will allow federal prosecutors to bring powerful civil resources to bear on those who endeavor to obtain federal funds by fraudulent means. This increase in civil resources will also support Attorney General Sessions’ vision to combat the opiate epidemic in Vermont and across the country using the full range of criminal and civil enforcement tools against opioid over-prescribers and pill diverters. Finally, the addition of a position focused on immigration crime increases the District of Vermont’s capacity to protect the integrity of the northern border and prosecute those who enter or remain in the United States in violation of our nation’s immigration laws.

In response to the Attorney General’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Nolan noted: “We in Vermont are grateful to the Department for recognizing these areas of critical law enforcement need, and sending resources to our State so that we can address these needs efficiently and effectively. My office will make immediate use of this violent crime resource to target those whose criminal conduct strikes at the heart of Vermont’s safety and security. In addition, the allocation of a civil enforcement AUSA position is a clear call for us to continue to attack the opiate scourge in Vermont in a creative and comprehensive manner, with resort to all civil and criminal mechanisms at our disposal. As a state situated along the international border with Canada, Vermont prosecutors must combat unlawful border crossings and work to dismantle smuggling rings that import people and contraband into the country. The District of Vermont will use this criminal immigration AUSA position to do its part to ensure the security of our nation and preserve the integrity of our border and immigration laws.

To see more information on the locations of the 311 Assistant United States Attorney positions click here.

          CONCORD  – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire Scott W. Murray announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis in New Hampshire.

          In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas.  The District of New Hampshire will receive two of these attorneys. One will focus of violent crime, while the other will concentrate on civil enforcement of federal laws.

          “Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.'  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”

          U.S. Attorney Murray welcomed the announcement, saying “The horrible opioid crisis plaguing New Hampshire has brought with it great suffering, including thousands of overdose deaths, illnesses and violent criminal activity associated with the drug trade. Given limited resources, the additional prosecutor is critical to our ability to combat crimes of violence that endanger our citizens, especially those involving firearms. The new civil enforcement attorney will allow us to directly confront one of the factors contributing to the crisis. Specifically, we will take aggressive action against practitioners who prescribe or distribute controlled substances in an illegal, irresponsible manner. We will also step up our efforts to pursue civil remedies against health care providers who defraud Medicare and other federal benefit programs.”

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NEWARK, N.J. – A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in a scheme that fraudulently obtained more than $24 million from the Post 9/11 GI Bill, a federal education benefits program designed to help veterans who served in the armed forces following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

David Alvey, 51, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

“Today’s sentence is an appropriate punishment for a man who spent years cheating our veterans by stealing millions in tax payer funds reserved for their education,” said U.S. Attorney Carpenito. “Instead of receiving the quality instruction they were promised, thousands of service men and women recruited by Ed4Mil were enrolled in unapproved online courses without their knowledge. No veteran should be treated this way.”

“The VA’s Post 9/11 GI Bill is an invaluable and comprehensive education program meant to advance our nation’s veteran’s educational and professional lives as they transition to civilian life,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Smith, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. “The successful prosecution of those who defraud this important program sends a clear message that those who seek to do VA harm will be pursued and prosecuted. VA OIG is committed to working closely with our fellow law enforcement and DOJ partners, and grateful for their efforts in pursuing justice in this matter”

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

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides educational assistance to eligible veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces by paying for veterans’ tuition, housing costs, and other educational expenses as long as their courses meet certain criteria. Because these tuition benefits are paid by the United States directly to the school, all entities involved in developing and administering the courses must be fully disclosed to the United States in order to assess the courses for approval.

From 2009 through August 2013, Alvey – founder and president of Ed4Mil – along with Lisa DiBisceglie and Helen Sechrist, both of whom previously pleaded guilty to a similar wire fraud conspiracy count, and others, conspired to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in tuition assistance and other education-related benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

DiBisceglie, then an associate dean at Caldwell University, helped Alvey get approval from Caldwell’s administration to develop and administer a series of non-credit online courses for veterans in Caldwell’s name. In order for the courses to be eligible for education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, DiBisceglie, Alvey, and others prepared and submitted an application with the Veterans Administration stating that the courses were developed, taught, and administered by Caldwell faculty and met Caldwell’s stringent educational standards. The courses were subsequently approved, and Alvey, Sechrist, and others aggressively marketed the courses to veterans who were eligible to receive the benefits.

However, Caldwell did not participate in developing or teaching the online courses. The veterans were instead enrolled in online correspondence courses developed and administered by a sub-contractor of Ed4Mil. Neither Ed4Mil nor its sub-contractor were disclosed to the government, and neither were eligible to receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

Alvey and others concealed the true nature of the courses from the government and the veterans who enrolled in the courses. Thousands of veterans enrolled in the online courses believing they were taking courses from Caldwell. The scheme caused the United States to pay more than $24 million in tuition benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

“Today's action should serve as a warning to anyone who intentionally steals or misappropriates federal student aid for their own selfish purpose: you will be caught and held accountable for your criminal actions,” said Debbi Mayer, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General's Eastern Regional Office. “As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Education, we will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate student aid funds for their own purposes. America’s veterans and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”

“Today's sentencing of David Alvey is yet another example of the FBI's aggressive posture in pursuing those who defraud the government,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie of the Newark FBI Field Office. “This case, where the victims were U.S. military veterans, is no exception.”

In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Alvey to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution in the amount of $24,024,465.65.

DiBisceglie and Sechrist are scheduled to be sentenced June 5, 2018.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Smith; the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ehrie in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mayer, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Eskew, Deputy Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division, Senior Litigation Counsel David E. Malagold of the Criminal Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Mastropieri of the Healthcare and Government Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jafer Aftab of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.

Defense Counsel: Stacy Biancamano Esq., Chatham, New Jersey

June 4, 2018 – On the 500^th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Matthew D. Krueger announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

“Under President Trump’s strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’ When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”

In the Eastern District of Wisconsin, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one AUSA will focus on affirmative civil enforcement, including cases involving illegal opioid distribution.  

“We are grateful for additional prosecutors to confront the opioid epidemic and violent crime in our community,” said United States Attorney Krueger. “Last month, in a single weekend in Milwaukee County, at least six people died of drug overdoses. For many, addiction starts with prescription opioids. The new civil enforcement AUSA will reinforce our efforts to deter prescribers and pharmacies that distribute prescription opioids illegally. Violent crime rates are also far too high. The two new criminal AUSAs will bolster our campaign to prosecute aggressively the firearms offenses that disrupt neighborhood safety.”     

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SAN FRANCISCO- On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Alex G. Tse announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis. 

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."

In the Northern District of California, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one will focus on civil enforcement.  In addition, the Northern District of California previously was allocated another two AUSA positions that were dedicated to violent crime.  This brings the total number of newly allocated positions to five since January 2017.

“We are very pleased to receive additional resources consistent with the demonstrated needs of the district and the priorities of the Department of Justice,” said Acting US Attorney Tse.  “We intend to take full advantage of these resources to efficiently and effectively prosecute violent crime and further build upon our robust civil fraud work.”
 

ON 500TH DAY OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS ANNOUNCES 311 NEW ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY POSITIONS

Southern District of West Virginia Allocated Largest Percentage Increase in New Prosecutors of any District in the Country

 Largest Percentage Increase in History of Southern District

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On the 500^th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart, Southern District of West Virginia, announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

“Today, I am extremely pleased to announce that the Southern District of West Virginia has been allocated a nearly fifteen percent (15%) increase in new prosecutors which represents the largest percentage increase of any district in the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “It is not only the largest increase in the country but the largest allocation of new prosecutors in the history of the Southern District of West Virginia. It is a strong, strong endorsement of my efforts to combat the opioid crisis, violent crime, and corruption throughout southern West Virginia.”

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.'  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”

In the Southern District of West Virginia, three (3) new AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one (1) on civil enforcement. At this time, no determination has been made as to whether new prosecutors will be assigned to the Bluefield, Beckley, Charleston or Huntington field offices.

“At a time of amazing economic challenge and a declining West Virginia population, one could argue for a reallocation of resources from this region to other faster-growing regions of the country,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart.  “Rather than contracting, however, Washington has taken note of our hard work and strong performance and rewarded us with a record number of new prosecutors. I appreciate Attorney General Session’s confidence very much.  We’ve developed a great partnership.  Every new prosecutor will be put to work in support of the people of our amazing state and hard-working taxpayers.”  

U.S. Attorney Stuart added, “We will use these new positions to intensify our approach to apprehending and locking up drug thugs and violent criminals, prosecuting white collar crime and public corruption, and super-charging an offensive-minded civil practice. I have been on offense since the day I got here and these new reinforcements will super-charge my efforts.”

Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews  

Follow U.S. Attorney Stuart on Twitter:  @USAttyStuart

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A registered sex offender in Springfield, Mo., has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing thousands of images of child pornography over the Internet.

Anthony Richard Salois, 51, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Friday, June 1, 2018, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Salois to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. Salois, who has a prior state conviction for sexual abuse involving a minor, has remained in federal custody since his arrest in July 2014.

Salois, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 1, 2018, admitted that he received and distributed child pornography over the Internet between Sept. 16 and 20, 2013. Salois utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing network to download child pornography.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Salois’s residence on Oct. 13, 2013, and seized two desktop computers. Investigators found 3,973 images of child pornography, 50 multimedia files of child pornography, 641 images of child erotica and 39 multimedia files of child erotica on those computers.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the FBI and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force.

Project Safe Childhood
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." 
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri Tim Garrison announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime and drug trafficking.

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Among the 190 violent crime prosecutors are three new prosecutors being added to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in the Western District of Missouri. A new federal prosecutor will be added to the staff in each of the Kansas City, Springfield and Jefferson City offices.

 “The Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Sessions. “We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”

“We are confronting violent crime throughout the district,” said lGarrison. “Missouri has been hit hard by methamphetamine trafficking and opioid abuse, along with the violent crime that drug trafficking inevitably brings. Three new prosecutors, strategically stationed in each of our district’s offices, will provide additional resources for us to aggressively prosecute these dangerous criminals.”
 

     TUCSON, Ariz. - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, is hosting the ‘Be Here for Kids’ event on Friday, June 8, 2018 at the University of Arizona’s Student Recreation Center, located at 1400 E. 6^th Street.  The event will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

     The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) created the ‘Be Here for Kids’ campaign to promote awareness about all child safety issues.  The campaign is designed to help parents and others teach children to be aware, alert, and cautious to potential threats and to provide steps that children can take to stay safe, both on the Internet and in daily life.

     This year’s event is being presented in partnership with the University of Arizona Youth and Activities Department of Campus Recreation. Agencies participating in the event include, but are not limited to, The Arizona Rangers, Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center, Be Smart Gun Safety, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, MADD, Pima County Sheriff’s Office, Red Cross, and UMC Banner Child Life Program and Volunteer Resources, along with several local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

     There will be several special four legged guests attending this year’s event. McGuff the Crime Dog, ATF’s Kira, Border Patrol’s Beny, and Tucson Police Department’s Luna. A few activities of interest include Ko Sho Martial Training Institute’s interactive self-defense demonstration at 1:30. Beginning at 2:30, Tucson Fire Department will have a wet-down for the children. After the event, there will be a presentation for children and parents to discuss the importance of good online citizenship and protecting yourself from online predators.

     For more information on NCMEC, visit www.missingkids.com. For more information about the Be Here for Kids campaign, visit www.missingkids.com/behereforkids. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-075_Be Here for Kids_Tsn

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Largest Increase in AUSAs in Decades Allocates Two Prosecutors to the Eastern District of Kentucky to Focus on Violent Crime and Civil Enforcement

LEXINGTON, Ky. – On the 500^th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, increase civil enforcement efforts, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas.  Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.  The Eastern District of Kentucky will receive two of the positions.

“Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions.  "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is ‘the coin of the realm.’  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed.  I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher.  These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership.  This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."

In the Eastern District of Kentucky, one of these AUSAs will focus on prosecuting violent crime cases.  “President Trump and Attorney General Sessions have prioritized reducing violent crime, through investigation and prosecution of the ‘worst of the worst’ offenders.  With this new position, we intend to do just that,” stated U.S. Attorney Duncan.  “The new violent crime AUSA will work with our federal, state, and local partners to help protect the public and keep our communities safe and will prosecute cases arising from the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a multi-agency partnership aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.”

The other AUSA position will focus on conducting affirmative civil enforcement actions, including bringing actions against medical professionals for over prescribing opioids and submitting fraudulent claims for reimbursement to the federal government.  “As directed by Attorney General Sessions, we will use every available tool, including through the use of civil enforcement measures, to stop the spread of the opioid epidemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Duncan.  “This new civil enforcement AUSA position will add to an already productive affirmative civil enforcement practice.”

To see more information on the locations of the 311 Assistant United States Attorney positions click here. 

Société Générale S.A. (Société Générale), a global financial services institution based in Paris, France, and its wholly owned subsidiary, SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V., have agreed to pay a combined total penalty of more than $860 million to resolve charges with  law enforcement authorities in the United States and France, including $585 million relating to a multi-year scheme to pay bribes to officials in Libya and $275 million for violations arising from its manipulation of the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), one of the world’s leading benchmark interest rates.  Together with approximately $475 million in regulatory penalties and disgorgement that Société Générale has agreed to pay to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in connection with the LIBOR scheme, the total penalties to be paid by the bank exceed $1 billion.

In related proceedings, Société Générale reached a settlement with the Parquet National Financier (PNF) in Paris relating to the Libya corruption scheme.  The United States will credit $292,776,444 that Société Générale will pay to the PNF under its agreement, equal to 50 percent of the total criminal penalty otherwise payable to the United States.  This is the first coordinated resolution with French authorities in a foreign bribery case.

SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V. is scheduled to plead guilty in connection with the resolution of the foreign bribery case and Société Générale will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement on Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Brooklyn before Chief United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry.  The plea agreement and the deferred prosecution agreement are subject to court approval by Chief Judge Irizarry.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John P. Cronan, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Washington Field Office, Criminal Division, and Eric Hylton, Deputy Chief, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.

“The resolution announced today by the Department with Societe Generale and a subsidiary, which includes a guilty plea, admissions of wrongdoing, significant corrective measures and hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties, sends a powerful message to financial institutions that engage in corruption and manipulation in the financial markets that they will be held accountable,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “The United States will vigorously protect the integrity of financial markets by holding responsible to the full extent of the law those banks, corporations and individuals who seek to corrupt government officials to enrich themselves.” 

“For years, Société Générale undermined the integrity of global markets and foreign institutions by issuing false financial data and by fraudulently securing contracts through bribery,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan.  “Today’s resolution – which marks the first coordinated resolution with France in a foreign bribery case – sends a strong message that transnational corruption and manipulation of our markets will be met with a global and coordinated law enforcement response.”

“Today’s resolution demonstrates that fraudulently manipulating LIBOR and deceiving the financial market has severe consequences, and the FBI will not tolerate this type of criminal activity,” said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge DeSarno. “The FBI remains committed to holding institutions accountable for their actions in breaking the law and manipulating the global benchmark interest rate. The personnel of the FBI Washington Field Office have dedicated significant time and resources to investigating complex financial fraud schemes such as this one, and I want to thank them for their tireless efforts as well as our colleagues at the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their hard work.”

“Today’s announcement resulted from the unraveling of international financial transactions orchestrated by Société Générale and its agents to facilitate illegal payments to foreign government officials in Libya,” said IRS-CI Deputy Chief Hylton. “IRS-CI is a trusted partner in pursuit of those who use pervasive bribery schemes to circumvent the law. We are committed to maintaining fair competition, free of corrupt practices, through global teamwork and our robust financial investigative talents.”                                   

The FCPA Case

According to the companies’ admissions, between 2004 and 2009, Société Générale paid bribes through a Libyan “broker” in connection with 14 investments made by Libyan state-owned financial institutions.  For each transaction, Société Générale paid the Libyan broker a commission of between one and a half and three percent of the nominal amount of the investments made by the Libyan state institutions.  In total, Société Générale paid the Libyan broker over $90 million, portions of which the Libyan broker paid to high-level Libyan officials in order to secure the investments from various Libyan state institutions for Société Générale.  As a result of the corrupt scheme, Société Générale obtained 13 investments and one restructuring from the Libyan state institutions worth a total of approximately $3.66 billion, and earned profits of approximately $523 million.

Société Générale will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with a criminal information charging the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and one count of transmitting false commodities reports.  Additionally, Société Générale’s subsidiary, SGA Société Générale Acceptance N.V., will plead guilty to a one-count criminal information filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging the company with a conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA.  Pursuant to its agreement, Société Générale will pay a total criminal penalty of $860 million to the Department of Justice.  Société Générale also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Department’s investigation and adopt and maintain enhanced compliance procedures.                  

The Department of Justice entered into this resolution in part due to Société Générale’s failure to voluntarily self-disclose the companies’ misconduct to the Department; the seriousness of the companies’ conduct, including the high value of the bribes paid to foreign officials; the company’s substantial, though not full, cooperation with the Department; and the company’s significant remediation which, together with the company’s risk profile and ongoing monitoring by L’Agence Française Anticorruption, resulted in the Department determining that a monitor was not necessary in this case.

The LIBOR Case

As admitted by the company, between May 2010 and at least October 2011, Société Générale promulgated falsely deflated U.S. Dollar (USD) LIBOR submissions to make it look as though Société Générale was able to borrow money at more favorable interest rates than it was actually able to do so.  This downward manipulation allowed Société Générale to create the appearance that it was stronger and more creditworthy than it was. 

The USD LIBOR manipulation scheme was ordered by senior executives of Société Générale, who tasked the managers of the company’s Treasury Department with overseeing the execution of the deflation effort.  Several employees within Société Générale’s Treasury Department ensured that the company’s USD LIBOR submissions were altered in accordance with the deflation directive.  Société Générale’s misconduct frequently altered the daily rate at which USD LIBOR was set, which affected financial products worldwide, including interest rate swaps, futures contracts and other derivative financial products.

Further, in 2006, certain Société Générale employees in London and Tokyo worked together to manipulate Société Générale’s Japan Yen (JPY) LIBOR submissions.  These employees endeavored to manipulate JPY LIBOR in order to benefit the trading positions of a Société Générale employee.  This employee had numerous deals tied to JPY LIBOR, and manipulation of JPY LIBOR improved the profitability of the employee’s trading book.

By the terms of the agreement, Société Générale will pay a fine of $275 million to resolve the LIBOR misconduct matter.  Additionally, in August 2017, two individuals—former Société Générale Global Treasury Head Danielle Sindzingre and former Paris Treasury Head Muriel Bescond—were indictedfor their roles in the scheme.  Both individuals remain at large.

The FBI’s New York Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation’s New York office are investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Pitluck and James P. McDonald of the Eastern District of New York, and Trial Attorneys Gerald M. Moody Jr. and Dennis R. Kihm of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the FCPA case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Amatruda of the Eastern District of New York and Assistant Chief Carol Sipperly, Trial Attorneys Timothy A. Duree and Gary A. Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the LIBOR case.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter.

The Department appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the CFTC in this matter.  The PNF, the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office, the Federal Office of Justice in Switzerland and the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland also provided significant cooperation.

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-274 (DLI)

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-253 (DLI)

     PHOENIX – Attorney General Jeff Sessions and First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange for the District of Arizona announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

     In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

     "Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.'  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."

     The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona will receive 10 of the newly-created positions.  “We are very grateful to be receiving such a dramatic infusion of prosecutorial and enforcement resources,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Strange.  “Our office is dedicated to securing the border, combatting the violent crime that plagues our cities and tribal communities, and addressing the opioid crisis in Arizona.  These additional attorneys will allow us to make even greater strides in these important areas to enhance the safety of our communities.”

RELEASE NUMBER:    2018-074_ AUSAs

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

            WASHINGTON – Barrett Harrington, 31, and Germar Fox, 35, both of Washington D.C., have pled guilty to charges stemming from an armed home invasion that took place in July 2016 near Capitol Hill, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.

            Harrington and Fox pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to the charge of first-degree burglary while armed. Harrington entered his guilty plea on June 1, 2018, and Fox pled guilty today. The pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval, call for each defendant to be sentenced to 102 months of incarceration. The Honorable Kimberly S. Knowles scheduled sentencing for Aug. 10, 2018. Both men were to stand trial today before deciding to plead guilty to the lead charge in the indictment.

            According to the government’s evidence, the burglary took place at about 5:30 p.m. on July 15, 2016, with both Harrington and Fox conspiring to take items of personal property from the victim while he was present in his apartment in the 1000 block of New Jersey Avenue SE. Fox was armed with a firearm during the crime. According to the evidence, Harrington, Fox, and a third man conspired to commit the crime. The third man previously befriended the victim, but that was actually a ruse. On the day of the home invasion, the third man and the victim were together. The third man stepped out and informed Harrington and Fox that he was alone with the victim in the apartment. Harrington and Fox then barged into the apartment, bound the victim with duct tape, placed a pillow case over his head, assaulted him with the gun, and robbed him of his safe with thousands of dollars in cash and other items.  

            As they made their escape, a passerby noted the license plate of the getaway car, and provided it to police. Further investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including fingerprint and DNA evidence, led to the arrests of the defendants. Harrington was arrested on June 24, 2017 and Fox was arrested on July 11, 2017. Both have been in custody ever since. The case against the third man remains pending.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica Sanchez, Denise Cheung, and Stephen Rickard; Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Fogle and Donice Adams; Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh.

            Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kamil Shields, Alyse Constantinide and Louis Manzo, who investigated, indicted and prosecuted the matter.

A Warrensville Heights man was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for helping lead a conspiracy that brought large amounts of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine into Greater Cleveland from Chicago and Yonkers, New York.

Alfonso Rodrigo, 37, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison. He was one of nearly 20 people prosecuted as part of Operation Loaded Deck. Law enforcement seized 29 kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of fentanyl, as well as $350,000 and several firearms as part of the investigation.

Some of these conspirators had significant links to the Sinaloa cartel. Among the defendants sentenced thus far:

Ismael Acosta, 39, of Cleveland Heights, to 190 months in prison.

David Urrabazo Maldonado, 31, of Medera, California, to 120 months in prison.

Jonathan Stepp, 34, of Cleveland, to 108 months in prison.

Jose Hernandez, 57, of Chicago, to 57 months in prison.

The defendants conspired together from 2010 through 2016 to obtain fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and marijuana from suppliers in Chicago and Yonkers, N.Y. and then sell the drugs in Northeast Ohio.

Acosta obtained heroin from suppliers in Chicago. Jose Hernandez supplied vehicles with after-market trap compartments to transport hidden drugs and drug proceeds. The conspirators used a home on West 130^th Street in Cleveland to store and distribute the drugs and drug money. The Rodrigos used a house on Maple Heights Boulevard in Maple Heights to store and distribute drugs and drug money, according to court documents.

“Cocoa plants don't grow in Cleveland and poppy plants don't grow in Parma," said Justin Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “We increasingly see the Mexican cartels sending deadly narcotics into our region, and that was certainly true in this case.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon said: “The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Operation Loaded Deck exposed a network of violent drug cartel members who controlled a pipeline of cocaine and fentanyl from Mexico and Phoenix to Cleveland, along with several other major American cities including Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta and New York.  The DEA, along with our federal, state, and local partners, has ruptured that pipeline to impede the flow of poison this organization was pushing onto our streets.  This collaborative law enforcement effort sends a clear message that we have zero tolerance for drug dealers and their violence in northern Ohio. This investigation has demonstrated DEA’s resolve to dismantle criminal organizations such as this, and to reduce violent crimes and drug related activities in our community.” 

“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs,” said Ryan Korner, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge. “Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers could not finance their organizations. IRS-CI is committed to taking the profit away from the drug traffickers and putting those individuals in jail.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Marisa Darden following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.

RALEIGH– United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III, sentenced EQUAN CORNELIUS DUNSTON, 26, of Spring Hope, North Carolina to 114 months imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release. 

DUNSTON was named in a Criminal Information filed on January 10, 2018 charging him with conspiracy to distribute twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack) between June 20, 2017 and August 17, 2017.  On March 5, 2018, DUNSTON pled guilty to the single count Criminal Information.

According to the investigation, beginning in June 2017, deputies with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the narcotics distribution activity of DUNSTON.  A confidential informant was utilized to make six controlled purchases of over 300 grams of cocaine base (crack) from DUNSTON between June 20, 2017 and August 14, 2017.  DUNSTON conspired with others in his narcotics distribution. 

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and Spring Hope Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government. 

Vladimir Nevidomy, 32, of Hallandale Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 26 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to illegally export military-grade night vision and thermal vision devices, and ammunition primers to Russia. 

U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, Special Agent in Charge Robert Lasky of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Mark Selby of Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Miami Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams. 

According to information contained in court documents, from as early as April 2013 through November 2013, customers in Russia contacted Nevidomy by email requesting night vision rifle scopes, thermal monoculars and ammunition primers, all of which were on the U.S. Munitions List and subject to export control by the U.S. Department of State.  Nevidomy proceeded to obtain at least three ATN MARS 4x4 night-vision rifle scopes and an ODIN 61BW thermal multi-purpose monocular from U.S. vendors by falsely representing to the vendors that the items were not for export. 

After the U.S. vendors sent the night vision devices to Nevidomy in South Florida, he exported them to his co-defendant in Russia by either concealing the defense articles in household goods shipments sent through a freight forwarding company or using a private Russian postal service that operated in South Florida.  In June 2013, Nevidomy aided and abetted the export of the ATN MARS 4x4 night-vision rifle scopes from the U.S. to the co-defendant in Russia, and in August 2013, he exported the ODIN 61BW thermal multi-purpose monocular from the U.S. to the co-defendant in Russia.  

On or about July 19, 2013, the same co-defendant sent an email to Nevidomy requesting 1,000 large-rifle ammunition primers to be shipped to Vladivostok, Russia.  On or about Oct. 2, 2013, Nevidomy attempted to export 1,000 Sellier & Bellot ammunition primers from the U.S. to the co-defendant in Vladivostok.  These ammunition primers were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

These night vision rifle scopes, thermal monocular and ammunition primers required a license or other authorization from the U.S. Department of State before being exported from the U.S. since they were on the U.S. Munitions List.  A certified license history check revealed that neither Nevidomy, a Ukraine-born naturalized U.S. citizen, nor his associates ever applied or attempted to apply for an export license from the State Department for the night-vision equipment or ammunition primers. 

Nevidomy was sentenced today to concurrent time, in Case No. 17-CR-60137, after previously pleading guilty to passport fraud and conspiracy to commit passport fraud in the Southern District of Florida.

Mr. Greenberg and Mr. Demers commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and HSI.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Thakur and Rick Del Toro of the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Christian Ford of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA– Mark Joshua Mitchell, 40, of Destin, was sentenced today to 240 months in prison, after pleading guilty on June 22, 2017, to seven counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

On various dates in 2015 and 2016, victims contacted the Walton County Sheriff’s Office to report that their residences had been burglarized and that jewelry and other items had been stolen during the burglaries.  The victims reported six different burglaries in Santa Rosa Beach, Panama City Beach, and Destin.  The stolen items included multi-carat diamond engagement rings, a three-piece platinum wedding ring set, other jewelry, cash, and Mexican gold coins.  Mitchell then shipped diamonds taken from the rings or the entire stolen item to Missouri and Louisiana.

The investigation in this case was led by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.  The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) provided assistance.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

CEDAR RAPIDS – On the 500^th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Peter E. Deegan, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.

In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.'  When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."

In the Northern District of Iowa, two of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime.  The addition of these two AUSAs brings the total number of AUSAs in the district to 26, representing an increase of over 7%.

“The new Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Iowa will be dedicated to working with all of our law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe,” said United States Attorney Deegan.  “Our office remains committed to fighting violent crime and these new positions will allow us to bring even more prosecutors to the fight.”

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