On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of Oklahoma, Trent Shores 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 Oklahoma, one of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime and one on civil enforcement. 

United States Attorney Shores stated, “I am thankful for the opportunity to add two more dedicated public servants to our staff. These new positions will enable my office to better combat violent crime and opioids in northeastern Oklahoma.  We will hire attorneys with integrity, energy, and intelligence who will protect our community through the enforcement of federal law.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – U.S. Attorney John E. Childress issued the following statement upon Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ announcement today that the Department of Justice has allocated additional positions across the country to fight violent crime, including the addition of a prosecutor position in the Central District of Illinois:

“On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I would like to thank the Attorney General for the additional resources dedicated to the protection of the citizens of Central Illinois,” stated U.S. Attorney John Childress. “With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work together to promote the safety and interests of those citizens.”

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA– On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Christopher P. Canova, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, 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 nationwide to assist in priority areas.  These allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 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.

The two new AUSA positions allocated to the Northern District of Florida will focus on violent crime.

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Attorney General Sessions’s announcement of more prosecutors to fight crime punctuates his mission to make our communities safer.  He continues to support law enforcement officers and prosecutors by providing the resources, tools, and discretion to bring evil-doers to justice.  My office will use these two new AUSA positions to prosecute the predators who terrorize our communities.  Everyone should feel safe to walk the sidewalks and let their children play in the yard.”

“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 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.

U.S. Attorney John H. Durham today announced that Leonard C. Boyle has returned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney, the office’s second-ranking position.

Since July 2009, Mr. Boyle served as Deputy Chief State’s Attorney where he supervised all prosecutions and investigations conducted by the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.  Mr. Boyle previously served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 1986 to 1998, the last four years of which he was Chief of the Criminal Division.  After a short time in private practice, Mr. Boyle returned to government service in April 1999 as a Special Attorney to the U.S. Attorney General and investigated and prosecuted corrupt relationships between law enforcement personnel and organized crime figures in the Boston area.  From January 2003 to August 2004, Mr. Boyle served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, and also supervised the Office’s Corporate Fraud Unit.

U.S. Attorney Durham notes that in addition to Mr. Boyle’s earlier work as a federal prosecutor, his wealth of law enforcement and management experience includes previous service as the Director of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center in Washington, D.C., from March 2007 to February 2009, and as Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Public Safety from August 2004 to March 2007.

Mr. Boyle graduated from the University of Hartford in 1980, and from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1983.  From 1975 to 1980, Mr. Boyle was a police officer for the Town of East Hartford.

“Len Boyle is a true public servant, and we and the entire Department of Justice are tremendously fortunate that he has decided to bring his legal skill, extraordinary judgment and decades of professional experience back to our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Durham.

In addition to the appointment of Mr. Boyle as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney Durham announced a change to the supervisory structure of the office, and the appointment of several Assistant U.S. Attorneys to office leadership positions.

U.S. Attorney Durham has appointed Susan L. Wines as Executive Assistant United States Attorney.  Ms. Wines has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Connecticut since December 2007, prosecuting complex white collar crime, elder fraud and tax matters.  Prior to joining the office, she was in private practice in Los Angeles and, from 1997 to 2002, was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California where she prosecuted many violent offenders, including members and associates of the Mexican Mafia.

For several years, the office’s Criminal Division, which continues to be led by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Nardini, has included three program-based units:  National Security and Major Crimes, Violent Crimes and Narcotics, and Financial Fraud and Public Corruption.  The Criminal Division now comprises four units, as the National Security and Major Crimes Unit has been separated into two groups:  National Security and Cybercrime, which is responsible for prosecuting matters involving international and domestic terrorism, customs enforcement and identity theft, and the rapidly expanding problem of sophisticated cybercrimes, and Major Crimes, which will be responsible for prosecuting matters including immigration, child exploitation, human trafficking, civil rights and hate crimes, government program fraud and environmental crimes.

U.S. Attorney Durham has appointed Peter S. Jongbloed as Chief of the National Security and Cybercrime Unit and Vanessa Richards as Deputy Chief.  Sarah P. Karwan has been elevated to the position of Chief of the Major Crimes Unit and Sarala V. Nagala will serve as Deputy Chief.

The Violent Crimes and Narcotics Unit (VCN), which includes Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) prosecutions, the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), and violent crime, gangs and narcotics investigations, and will continue with S. Dave Vatti as Chief of the unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson has been named as a new Deputy Chief of the unit and will serve as PSN Coordinator, overseeing firearms prosecutions that seek to deter the illegal possession of guns and reduce gun and gang violence.  Anthony E. Kaplan, has been named as the second Deputy Chief of the Unit, and will serve as OCDETF Coordinator, which targets major drug trafficking operations responsible for the distribution of large quantities of narcotics by major drug trafficking organizations.

Within the VCN Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick F. Caruso has been named Opioid Coordinator, with responsibilities that include managing the Office’s HEAT program and other outreach efforts, prosecuting cases related to the overprescribing and dispensing of opioids, and leading the Office’s statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

The Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Unit is responsible for investigating matters involving securities and investor fraud, public corruption, bank fraud and embezzlement, mortgage fraud, tax fraud, health care fraud, bankruptcy fraud and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.  David E. Novick continues to serve as Chief of the unit, and Michael S. McGarry remains as Deputy Chief.

U.S. Attorney Durham also announced that John B. Hughes remains the longstanding Chief of the Civil Division.  In the Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McConaghy continues to lead the Defensive Unit, which defends claims filed against the U.S., including tort, medical malpractice, employment discrimination, immigration and foreclosures.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Molot heads the Civil Division’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Civil Rights Unit, which pursues claims on behalf of the U.S. in cases involving health care fraud, defense contractor fraud, drug diversion, forfeitures and environmental violations.

U.S. Attorney Durham also notice that Sandra S. Glover and Marc H. Silverman continue as Chief of Appeals and Deputy Chief of Appeals, respectively.

“Throughout my career, I have never failed to be impressed by the number of incredibly bright and talented individuals who choose federal service and work in our Office, and the professionalism with which they do their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Durham.  “Every member of this supervisory team and their colleagues are committed to making Connecticut a safer and better place to live, and every day I’m proud to work by their side in the cause of justice.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation.  The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford.

A federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict today against Frank Smith, also known as “Fresh,” a member of a Coney Island-based street gang known as “Rival Impact,” on charges of racketeering and two counts each of murder-in-aid-of racketeering and causing a death through the use of a firearm.  The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge Frederic Block.  When sentenced, Smith faces two mandatory terms of life imprisonment for the murders of Terrance Serrano and Rashawn Washington.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the verdict. 

“With today’s jury verdict, Frank Smith has been held accountable for murders and drug dealing arising out of his allegiance to a violent Brooklyn street gang,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to dismantle violent street gangs and to eradicate the menace they pose to our communities.”  Mr. Donoghue thanked the agents and detectives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding investigative work on the case.

Between January 2000 and January 2014, Smith was a member of the Rival Impact street gang, a racketeering enterprise based at the Mermaid Houses in Coney Island.  For more than a decade, the gang engaged in heroin and crack distribution and violence, including murders, attempted murders, robberies and assaults.  Rival Impact had been at war for some time with members of “Thirty-O,” a street gang based in and around the Coney Island Houses.  After a Rival Impact gang member Vincent Carmona was slain by “Thirty-O” crew members,  Smith plotted killing members of Thirty-O, specifically Terrance Serrano and Rashawn Washington, whom he believed shot Carmona.  On October 4, 2010, Smith and a Rival Impact gang member drove to East 19^th Street in Manhattan where they found a parked car belonging to Serrano and Washington.  After Serrano and Washington approached and entered the car, Smith ran to the car and opened fire, killing both men sitting inside.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Cruz Melendez, Jennifer M. Sasso and Josh Hafetz are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

FRANK SMITH (also known as “Fresh”)
Age:  33
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-346 (FB)

CHICAGO — Attorney General Jeff Sessions and United States Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr., of the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that the district will receive additional resources to combat violent crime, enforce federal immigration laws and attack the opioid crisis.  The Northern District of Illinois will receive six Assistant U.S. Attorney positions to focus exclusively on those priorities.  Nationally, 311 new federal prosecutors will be assigned to districts throughout the country.

“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 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 welcome the additional resources to reduce violent crime, enforce our country’s immigration laws and fight the opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.  “Our Assistant U.S. Attorneys work tirelessly to keep the citizens of northern Illinois safe, and these new positions will strengthen those efforts.  We will work quickly to fill these positions with highly skilled, highly motivated attorneys.”

Under the Attorney General’s allocation, four of the new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions in the Northern District of Illinois will focus exclusively on violent crime.  The other two positions will be assigned to the office’s Civil Division, focusing on immigration cases and affirmative civil enforcement actions, which seek to recover government money lost to fraud or to impose penalties for violations of federal laws.  Many of the new civil enforcement positions announced today will support the Department of Justice’s newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force, which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.

United States Attorney Brandon J.  Fremin announced that Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced ANDREW EASTERLY, age 21, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to serve 144 months in federal prison following his conviction for transportation of child pornography.  EASTERLY will also be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a convicted sex offender upon his release from prison.

This criminal case began when law enforcement officials received a tip that EASTERLY, utilizing user names “youngones” and “littleones69,” shared a number of sexually explicit images of children, ages 5 to 14, to an online social media website.  A subsequent forensic examination of EASTERLY’s electronic devices revealed at least 300 additional images and videos of sexually explicit depictions of minors, including toddlers and prepubescent children.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officials learned that EASTERLY had also produced his own child pornography involving at least seven different victims, ages 1 to 17.  Most of the child pornography produced by EASTERLY was the result of him surreptitiously photographing and recording unaware children in various states of nudity and engaging in private, personal activities such as using the restroom, showering, or changing clothes at his college dorm and at his parent’s home.

U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Through his despicable and reprehensible actions, this defendant earned every bit of his 144-month prison sentence.  Protecting our children from child predators like ANDREW EASTERLY will continue to be a top priority of this office.  We look forward to continuing to work with the public and our excellent federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue offenders who target the most vulnerable members of our community.”

“Individuals who engage in the trade of child pornography steal the innocence of children and re-victimize them each time the evidence of their exploitation is shared online,” said Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles. “This case shows HSI investigators are actively working to identity and disrupt the trade of these illegal images, and also to identify and seek prosecution of the criminals who produce and possess them.”

This matter was a joint investigation between the United States Attorney’s Office, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office – Cyber Crime Unit, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie A. Flowers, Jr.

FRESNO, Calif. — Fernando Alanis, 55, of Rio Grande City, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to three years and three months in prison for two counts of mail fraud related to an unemployment insurance fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Alanis and others participated in a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) of unemployment insurance benefits. Alanis was a supervisor with a local farm labor contractor that provided contract labor for growers and packers and organized them into crews managed by “crew bosses.” Alanis would hire and supervise crew bosses and facilitate the hiring of other laborers.

According to court documents, Alanis provided the personal identifying information of individuals, including his relatives and other acquaintances, to workers, some of whom were undocumented, so they could obtain employment with the farm labor contractor under the assumed identities. They then worked as seasonal farm laborers and earned wages. When the workers were laid off at the end of the season, with Alanis’ knowledge and assistance, false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims were filed in the names of the assumed identities. This caused EDD to send unemployment insurance checks and benefit debit cards to the addresses of the owners of the assumed identities, who were not entitled to the benefits. The individuals lending their identities would either share some of the benefits with Alanis, or would pay Alanis in advance of the unemployment insurance claims being made. Alanis’ direct and indirect conduct resulted in a loss to EDD of approximately $456,548.

“As a supervisor for a large Central Valley farm labor contractor, Fernando Alanis devised a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor’s unemployment insurance program for his own personal benefit. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat fraud against programs of the Department designed to assist unemployed workers,” stated Abel Salinas, Special Agent-in-Charge, Los Angeles Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the California Employment Development Department Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Henry Z. Carbajal III and Vincenza Rabenn prosecuted the case.

SHREVEPORT, La. –United StatesAttorney David C. Joseph announced that a Shreveport man was sentenced last week to five years and 10 months in prison for possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and use of a firearm in a drug trafficking offense.

Xavier Breonte Strickland, 29, of Shreveport, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. On June 2, 2017, officers went to Strickland’s residence to serve a parole warrant, and after someone opened the door, officers saw Strickland exit a bedroom.  Officers searched the house and found a loaded Ruger 1911 semiautomatic pistol in the closet of the bedroom where they saw Strickland. Next to the bag was a black zipper pouch that contained a digital scale and a bag containing 31 grams of marijuana. 

The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.

RENO, Nev.– An Owyhee, Nevada, man was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for second-degree murder of a person on Duck Valley Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.

Borden Bitt, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks. Bitt pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder within Indian Country. He is a member of the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. Owyhee is located within the exterior boundaries of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation and is designated as Indian Country.

According to court documents, on July 23, 2017, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) received an emergency phone call about a fight at a house on Atkins Road in Owyhee. A BIA officer arrived on scene and found the victim face down in a pool of blood on the floor. Emergency medical services arrived and determined that the victim was deceased. Bitt admitted that he approached the victim from behind with a large single-blade hunting knife and slit the victim’s throat.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami.

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FRESNO, Calif. — Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott made the announcement.

According to the plea agreement, between September 2017 and December 20, 2017, Jameson voiced support for ISIS knowing that the organization was engaging in terrorist activity and terrorism. Among other things, he had several online interactions with a confidential source, and during those interactions, he stated that he was committed wholeheartedly to “the cause.” Jameson also expressed support online for the October 31, 2017, terrorist attack in New York City, as well as other terrorist attacks. In subsequent communications with an undercover agent, Jameson stated that he was ready to do whatever they needed done here and noted that his time in the military had trained him for combat and war. According to court documents, Jameson joined the Marine Corps and received basic training, including earning a sharpshooter rifle qualification, but was ultimately discharged for failing to disclose his asthma history.

Later, Jameson met with another undercover agent whom he believed to be associated with, and working for, the senior leadership of ISIS and offered to carry out violent acts and provide financial support for the terrorist organization.

According to the plea agreement, on December 16, 2017, Jameson discussed what he could offer to the cause. Among other things, Jameson stated that he was well versed in the Anarchist Cookbook, and explained his desire to use explosives in an attack. He also noted that he could get PVC pipe, nails and powder for explosive devices, and asked for remote timing devices from that person, Jameson identified Pier 39 as a target location of an attack, noting that it was crowded and explosives could be used to funnel people into an area so that he could inflict casualties by shooting people trying to escape. Jameson also offered to provide money to the cause.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawrence W. Rice Jr. and Christopher D. Baker are prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney Brenda Sue Thornton of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Jameson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on September 4, 2018. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Jameson faces a 15-year prison term, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Under the agreement, the court may accept or reject the parties’ agreement about the appropriate sentence.

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Five Florida residents have admitted to their involvement with a gas station skimming fraud scheme, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Three pled guilty to one count each of “Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud” and one count each of “Access Device Fraud-Use of Unauthorized Access Device.” They are:

•    Meylan Montalvo Gomez, of Hialeah, Florida, age 27
•    Yosan Pons Sosa, of Miami, Florida, age 29
•    Lazaro Serrano Diaz , of Miami, Florida, age 27

Naudi Reyes Fernandez, of Miami, Florida, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud” and one count of “Access Device Fraud-Possession of Device-Making Equipment.” 

Yarai Fuentes Quinones, of Hialeah, Florida, age 26, pled guilty today to one count of “Access Device Fraud-Use of Unauthorized Access Device.” 

Each admitted to their roles in a conspiracy spanning four states that involved using skimming devices at gas pumps, using technology to upload the account information, and creating fraudulent cards with said accounts to make unauthorized transactions at different businesses in West Virginia and elsewhere.

Gomez, Sosa, and Diaz are each facing up to up to seven and a half years incarceration and fine of up to $125,000 for the conspiracy count and up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the access device count. Fernandez is facing up to seven and a half years incarceration and fine of up to $125,000 for the conspiracy count and up to 15 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the possession of a device count. Quinones is facing up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. 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. 

The United States is also seeking forfeiture of the following:

a.    approximately thirty-three (33) gift cards containing an unknown value; 
b.    approximately $72,495.73 in United States Currency;
c.    approximately $28,498.00 worth of Western Union money orders;
d.    approximately $10,300.00 worth of MoneyGram money orders; 
e.    one magnetic stripe card reader-writer-encoder
f.    two laptops
g.    six cell phones

The United States is also seeking a money judgement against each of the defendants.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, West Virginia State Police and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated. 
 
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
 

LAS VEGAS, Nev.– On the 500^th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada 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 Assistant U.S. Attorneys will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force that 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 District of Nevada is grateful for the addition of three new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions,” said U.S. Attorney Elieson. “One will focus on violent crime prosecutions, one on affirmative civil enforcement, including civil opioid enforcement, and one on prosecuting criminal and civil immigration enforcement work. We look forward to hiring talented, experienced, and service-minded individuals who are committed to making Nevada a safer state.”

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

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          SANTA ANA, California– An Irvine man who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges related to a bogus commodities trading program that caused losses of approximately $1.6 million was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison.

          Rawle Gerard Suite, 57, was sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna.

          Suite, who also used the name “Jerry Snead” and other aliases, was sentenced after pleading guilty in June 2017 to four counts of wire fraud. To perpetrate the fraud that took place over a 3½-year period that ended in May 2016, Suite concealed his true identity from investors and used a series of companies with names such as STA Opus, TBT Analysis LLC, and Another Winning Trade that purportedly were trading in commodities that included soybeans, gold, oil and unleaded gas.

          As part of the fraudulent scheme, Suite made a series of false claims to investors, such as that STA Opus had annual returns of at least 60 percent, when in fact the company had continually suffered trading losses.

          Suite was a registered commodity trading advisor and commodity pool operator from late 1985 until May 3, 1990, when his registration was revoked. Since then, Suite has been targeted twice by the California Department of Corporations, which in 2012 obtained a $2.5 million judgment against Suite, in part for violating a prior order issued by the agency.

          “Though this is [Suite]’s first criminal case for investment fraud, it is clear that defendant has a history of fraud and violating court orders,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court. “Shortly after being enjoined by the Los Angeles Superior Court, defendant began this fraud scheme.”

          The case against Suite was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which received substantial assistance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

          This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vibhav Mittal of the Santa Ana Branch Office.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and United States Attorney Grant Jaquith 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 Northern District of New York, three new AUSAs will be hired: one new AUSA will focus on violent crime, one will focus on civil enforcement, and one will focus on prosecuting immigration crimes. 

United States Attorney Grant Jaquith said: “We are grateful to Attorney General Sessions for allocating three additional Assistant United States Attorneys to the Northern District of New York.  These reinforcements will enhance our vigorous efforts to curtail violent crime, combat the opioids epidemic, and enforce criminal immigration laws throughout our large district, including our 310-mile border with Canada.”

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, including representatives from the Kenner Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – United States Attorney R. Andrew Murray announced today that the Western District of North Carolina will hire three Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs), following an announcement by the Justice Department regarding newly-allocated AUSA positions.  Two AUSAs will focus on violent crime prosecutions, and one will join the Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) unit, with a special focus on civil opioid enforcement. 

“Reducing violent crime and tackling the opioid abuse epidemic are priority areas for my Office and the Justice Department,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “The addition of three federal prosecutors will further our mission to seek justice and to keep the citizens of Western North Carolina as safe as collectively possible.”

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.”

            WASHINGTON - Attorney General Jeff Sessions has selected the District of Columbia to receive three additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys to focus on violent crime and civil enforcement matters, part of a nationwide influx of federal resources to communities.

            In the largest increase in decades, Attorney General Sessions announced on June 4, 2018 that the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant U.S. Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement attorneys, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Nationwide, much of the civil enforcement work 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 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.”

            “My office is grateful for the extra support being provided by the Justice Department to make our community safer,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu. “We will put our new attorneys to work as quickly as possible on complex cases involving violent crime, drug trafficking, health care fraud, and other serious offenses that harm the citizens of the District of Columbia.”

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office already is working with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and other law enforcement partners on a Justice Department initiative called Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) that is generating additional cases focusing on violent crime. Under Project Safe Neighborhoods, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to a coordinated law enforcement approach and identifying and addressing the most violent locations in the District of Columbia and the offenders.

            In the District of Columbia, two of the three new Assistant U.S. Attorneys will focus on violent crime and one will focus on civil enforcement. The new attorneys are in addition to an Assistant U.S. Attorney provided to the District of Columbia in an earlier initiative created by Attorney General Sessions to target cases involving violent crime.

            On the violent crime front, the two new prosecutors will take on responsibilities including work on multi-agency investigations focusing on neighborhood crews and gangs in the Sixth and Seventh Police Districts. Much of the upcoming work will include coordinating federal and local law enforcement resources to combat the recent uptick in violent crime in these areas.  The additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys will supplement and increase efforts in executing the Office’s ongoing Project Safe Neighborhoods initiatives and MPD’s Summer Crime Initiatives.

            On the civil enforcement side, the new attorney will join five current Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Office’s Civil Division in sharing responsibility for handling a large docket of complex fraud cases.  The District of Columbia ranks fourth in the nation in the number of whistleblower cases filed under the False Claims Act since 1987, and the number of new cases in this district in which the United States is the plaintiff increased on average by 76% during the period from 2013 - 2017.  Those cases primarily involve procurement fraud and health care fraud schemes that require substantial resources to investigate and prosecute. 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man pleaded guilty yesterday to running a drug trafficking conspiracy and illegally dealing over 200 firearms.

According to court documents, beginning in August 2015 and continuing through his arrest in March 2018, Bobby Perkins, Jr., 29, supervised a conspiracy to distribute marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in Fredericksburg and Stafford County. During the course of the conspiracy, Perkins routinely carried on his person semi-automatic pistols to avoid being robbed of his drugs and the proceeds of his drug-distribution activities. Additionally, Perkins supplied his co-conspirators with firearms, which they used in furtherance of the conspiracy.

Separately, during an approximately five-month period in 2015, in Stafford County, Hanover County, and Henrico County, Perkins engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Perkins acquired and re-sold over 200 semi-automatic pistols, at least 106 of which have been recovered by law enforcement. Most of the firearms were recovered in Washington, D.C., with others found in Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Perkins knew that several of the individuals to whom he sold the firearms were convicted felons.

Perkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and dealing in firearms without a license. He faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on August 31. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Blanchard and Carina A. Cuellar are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-214.

In less than 18 months on the job, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made significant progress in reducing crime and improving morale among federal, state and local law enforcement.

The attorney general faced enormous challenges from his first day in office. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2016, more than 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses.

This is roughly equal to the total number of U.S. troops killed during the Vietnam War. Of these fatal overdose deaths in 2016, approximately 42,000, or two-thirds, were caused by opiates, including heroin, and synthetic opioids, mainly OxyContin and fentanyl.

Correctly recognizing that these were unacceptable national trends, the new attorney general took immediate steps to equip the prosecutors and agents of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), including the 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices.

He quickly rescinded the so-called “Holder Memorandum,” the governing policy of the previous attorney general, which, among other things, had limited federal prosecutors’ ability to seek lengthy mandatory-minimum prison sentences for drug dealers and violent offenders.

In addition to demoralizing many dedicated career federal prosecutors and agents engaged in narcotics and gang work, the Holder Memorandum and its restrictions on charging serious offenses and mandatory minimums had taken away one of the most effective tools to encourage offenders to cooperate and, in turn, help dismantle major drug-trafficking organizations and violent gangs.

Under the new “Sessions Memorandum,” federal prosecutors are empowered to bring the most serious charges warranted by the crime.

The attorney general also announced new prosecution priorities, shifting DOJ’s focus to (1) combatting the opioid epidemic; (2) reducing violent crime; (3) aggressively addressing illegal immigration; and (4) protecting national security.

Literally putting his money where his mouth is, the attorney general then successfully secured $72 million in additional funding for 311 new assistant U.S. attorney positions across the country. This is the largest and most significant DOJ hiring initiative in a generation.

The attorney general also revamped and relaunched Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a gang and gun violence-reduction program focused on collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement. Although data for 2017 will not be available until later this year, it is likely we will see a reduction in violent crime for the first time in several years.

As the newly appointed U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, I embrace the attorney general’s new priorities and his back-to-basics approach to fighting crime. The opioid epidemic is raging across our district.

As the Roanoke Times recently reported, the Roanoke Valley suffered more than 80 fatal opioid overdose deaths in 2017. The greater-Winchester area saw 40 fatal opioid overdoses. According to CDC data, in 2016, Martinsville led the nation in the number of opiate prescriptions per person.

Violent crime also increased dramatically in our district between 2014 and 2016. The homicide rate in Roanoke increased 500 percent, and Danville saw a 400 percent increase. These increases, and the increases in drug trafficking and other violent crimes, is partially attributable to organized gang activity in these communities.

We are taking a number of steps to address the opioid epidemic and violent crime in the Western District. On the opioid front, my office is committed to investigating and prosecuting health-care professionals who push these dangerous drugs for profit.

We are also working with our state and local partners to investigate overdose deaths as potential homicides, and hold dealers accountable under severe mandatory minimum periods of incarceration. Our drug prosecutors are committed to interdicting and disrupting the supply of these deadly drugs, including fentanyl and heroin, into our district.

In 2017, a federally-funded drug task force based in the Western District seized over two kilograms of fentanyl, or the equivalent of approximately a million doses of heroin. This was likely the largest fentanyl seizure in Virginia last year.

With respect to violent crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is collaborating with our state and local partners to identify the drivers of violent crime and target them for prosecution. Working with our FBI-led violent crime task forces, we are focusing on gang activity in our urban areas and hope to reverse the cycle of violence that has plagued these communities for far too long.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is also prosecuting more cases involving the illegal possession and use of firearms and sending offenders to federal prison.

As U.S. attorney, I spend a significant portion of my time traveling around our large district to meet with local sheriffs, chiefs of police, state law-enforcement officials and commonwealth attorneys. Without exception, the message I have heard from my local counterparts is that they are grateful for and excited to have an attorney general who understands the scourge of the opioid epidemic and gun-related violence, and who is fully committed to addressing these problems.

We have a long and difficult path ahead, but, together — and with the unwavering support of an attorney general who is committed to the rule of law — we are well-positioned to make an impact.

• Thomas T. Cullen is U.S. Attorney, Western District of Virginia.