WASHINGTON – Bijon Brown, 23, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to federal charges stemming from his escape from a halfway house and his subsequent arrest in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.

             Brown pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to charges of escape from custody and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of five years in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release.  The Honorable Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled sentencing for May 17, 2019.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Feb. 27, 2018, Brown was residing in a halfway house and completing his sentence in an earlier case. That day, staff from the Piedmont, Va. Regional Jail arrived at the halfway house, expecting to return Brown to incarceration because he was having disciplinary issues. Instead, Brown exited through a window and fled.

            Brown was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on April 17, 2018. That day, officers responded to the 2400 block of Elvans Road SE for a report of a man with a gun. They found Brown inside the entryway of an apartment building. Brown ran from police, down multiple flights of stairs, and tossed a handgun as he fled. He was caught and arrested. His handgun, a Glock 17 9mm pistol, loaded with one round in the chamber and 29 rounds in an extended clip, was recovered from the floor.

            Since 2015, Brown has been convicted of charges in three separate cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In March 2015, Brown pled guilty to a charge of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon for a shooting that took place on Feb. 16, 2015, in the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road SE. Brown fired approximately four or five shots in the direction of two juvenile brothers, hitting one in the leg. He was sentenced to six months of incarceration, but the time was suspended on the condition that he complete 12 months of supervised probation. While on probation, on Aug. 21, 2015, Brown exchanged gunfire with another individual while onboard a D.C. Metrobus in Southeast Washington. Brown was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and sentenced to 18 months in prison, with all but a year and a day suspended. Brown was released from jail on Aug. 16, 2016 and was arrested again in a third case just eight days later. In that case, he pled guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and was sentenced to 14 months in prison. After sentencing on the latter charge, Brown remained incarcerated until he was transferred to the halfway house and subsequently escaped. 

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, including detectives and officers from the Seventh Police District.  She also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen D’Angelo and William Schurmann, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

     TUCSON, Ariz. – On Nov. 1, 2018, Adam Sheafe, 44, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced to 94 months’ prison by United States District Court Judge Raner C. Collins.  Sheafe was previously found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft by a federal jury. 

     The evidence at trial established that Sheafe used stolen credit card numbers obtained from co-conspirators to process hundreds of transactions through separate merchant accounts at Bank of America and Compass Bank. Sheafe conducted these fraudulent transactions in a short time-frame, and without the knowledge or consent of the actual cardholders. Sheafe rapidly moved the proceeds out of the merchant accounts before the banks discovered the scheme. As a result of the scheme, the financial institutions suffered over $500,000 in losses.

     The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Postal Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:                CR16-00438 -TUC-RCC

RELEASE NUMBER:           2018-143_Sheafe

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

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PITTSBURGH, Pa – A former resident of West Mifflin, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to a federal narcotics charge, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Stanley Church, 47, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of possession with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, and Psilocyn mushrooms before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on March 17, 2017, Allegheny County Police detectives went to execute a search warrant on the person of Stanley Church and his vehicle. This search warrant was approved after investigators observed Church trafficking drugs out of this same vehicle. Investigators conducted a traffic stop on Church and then began to search his car. Inside Church’s car investigators found quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA, and Psilocyn mushrooms, drug packaging material, scales, and other paraphernalia. Church has previously been convicted of state and federal narcotics offenses.

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for March 13, 2019. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior record of the defendant.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Western District of Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea in this case. This Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local Task Force Officers, including officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Department, Allegheny County Police, Port Authority Police, Munhall Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

St. Louis, MO – Melvin Harmon was sentenced to 33 months incarceration and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $119,359.92 for conspiracy to defraud the United States and mail fraud by assisting Missouri residents in registering their cars in Illinois.

According to evidence at trial, between January 1, 2015 and December 20, 2016, Melvin Harmon was employed at a Granite City, Illinois office registering vehicles for the State of Illinois Secretary of State.  He used his employment to assist Missouri residents in obtaining fraudulent motor vehicle registrations for others in exchange for a fee.  Some of the Missouri residents learned of his services when they saw flyers advertising Harmon as “The Plate Man.”

In March 2016, investigators with the Illinois Secretary of State discovered that Harmon had been charging Missouri residents $350.00 to $700.00 in order to fraudulently register their cars in Illinois.  Doing so enabled the Missouri residents to evade payment of Missouri taxes.  In addition, Harmon altered the price of the vehicles in order to reduce any payments that would be paid to the State of Illinois as a result of the fraudulent registration.  The alteration increased the amount he profited through the scheme.  The State of Missouri lost in excess of $119,359.92 in sales tax revenue due to the fraudulent conduct.  The precise loss of personal property tax income to the State of Missouri and local municipalities has not been determined.

Harmon, 40, Belleville, IL, was found guilty on May 18, 2108 after a federal jury returned five guilty verdicts.  He appeared before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey.

The case was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue-Compliance and Investigation Bureau and the State of Illinois Secretary of State Police.  This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Berry and Dianna Collins.

BOSTON – A federal grand jury indicted a Lynn man on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, in connection with taking and attempting to sell two Warhol paintings on eBay.

Brian R. Walshe, 43, was indicted on one count each of wire fraud, interstate transportation for a scheme to defraud, possession of converted goods, and unlawful monetary transaction. In May 2018, Walshe was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint.

According to court documents, in early November 2016, a buyer found two Andy Warhol paintings for sale on eBay. The paintings were two of Warhol’s “Shadows,” a series of untitled, abstract canvas paintings from 1978. The original listing price for the paintings was $100,000. In the advertisement, the eBay seller included a picture of an invoice for the two Warhol Shadow paintings with Warhol Foundation numbers and a purchase price of $240,000. 

It is alleged that the buyer believed the paintings were authentic and between Nov. 3 and 5, 2016, arranged with Walshe – the seller – to purchase the artwork outside of eBay for $80,000. Walshe and the buyer signed a contract which specified that the buyer had three days to terminate the contract and get a full refund if the buyer did not accept the artwork. On Nov. 7, 2016, the buyer’s assistant flew to Boston and met Walshe to retrieve the paintings, providing him with a cashier’s check for $80,000. According to bank records, the cashier’s check was deposited that day into an account that Walshe controlled, and $33,400 was subsequently withdrawn in the following 14 days. On Nov. 8, 2016, the buyer removed the paintings’ frames and found no Warhol Foundation authentication stamps and also noticed that the canvasses and staples looked new. When he compared the paintings to the photographs from the eBay listing, they did not look identical. The buyer concluded that the paintings he purchased from Walshe were not authentic. The buyer then repeatedly attempted to contact Walshe, who initially did not respond, and then made excuses for the delay in refunding the buyer’s money.

According to court documents, Walshe initially gained access to the paintings through a friend (the victim). Walshe was present when the victim first purchased a Warhol painting. Sometime after this purchase, the victim purchased the two Shadow paintings. Thereafter, while visiting the victim in South Korea, Walshe told the victim that he could sell some of the art for a good price. The victim agreed and let Walshe take the two Shadow paintings and other fine art pieces.

After Walshe took the items, the victim did not hear from Walshe and was unable to contact him. Eventually, the victim contacted a mutual friend, who met with Walshe and retrieved some of the art. On May 3, 2011, Walshe allegedly attempted to consign the Warhol paintings to a gallery in New York City, at which time he also had other art belonging to the victim. The gallery declined to accept the paintings because Walshe did not have a bill of sale.

The indictment alleges that Walshe converted the art from the victim and falsely offered the authentic Warhol paintings for sale on eBay, but delivered fake paintings to the buyer.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of interstate transportation for a scheme to defraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of converted goods provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of unlawful monetary transaction provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. The Lynn Police Department provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Richard E. Bowe (40, Riverview) with four counts of making false statements to federally insured credit unions. If convicted, Bowe faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Bowe that the United States intends to forfeit $96,184.13, which is alleged to be the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

According to the indictment, between January and early March 2015, Bowe sought a number of loans from credit unions. In his loan applications, he falsely indicated that he was employed by the United States Army Contracting Command as a Deputy Inspector General, and that he was earning a monthly salary in excess of $14,000. Bowe also falsified information about his military service and VA benefits.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigation Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

St. Louis, MO – United States Attorney Jeff Jensen announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Hal Goldsmith will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election.  AUSA Goldsmith has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Missouri, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

United States Attorney Jeff Jensen said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud.  The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur.  The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.  For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law.  Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Jeff Jensen stated that AUSA Hal Goldsmith will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (314) 539-7733.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (314) 231-4325 or (314) 589-2563.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to voting.section@usdoj.gov or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.

Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate.  It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.

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A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced November 2, 2018, to seven years in federal prison.

Gregory Stockdale, 52, from Eagle Grove, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 12, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At the guilty plea, Stockdale admitted that from about February 2017 through November 2017, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed 1.5 kilograms of actual (pure) methamphetamine in the Eagle Grove, Iowa area.  Evidence showed Stockdale was involved in meth dealing for over ten years. In addition, Stockdale and a co-conspirator each possessed a firearm during an attempted drug deal.  A search warrant was executed at Stockdale’s residence where officers seized over 8 grams of pure methamphetamine, $600 in cash, and other indicia of drug distribution including a drug scale and packaging materials.

Stockdale was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Stockdale was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment.   He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Stockdale is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Division of Criminalistic Laboratory, Eagle Grove Police Department, and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 17-3057.

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that GARRICK JONES, age 39, of Reserve, was sentenced yesterday for charges relating to narcotics trafficking, retaliation against a witness, and firearm possession. 

JONES pled guilty on October 12, 2017, to conspiring with others to distribute at least 28 grams of cocaine base (“crack”), andto retaliating against a witness for information provided to law enforcement relating to the commission of a federal offense. JONES, who was previously convicted of a felony, also pled guilty to illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. JONES possessed a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber pistol.

Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced JONES to 48 months in the Bureau of Prisons, as well as 4 years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Moses and Edward Rivera are in charge of the prosecution.

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On Nov. 2, a federal indictment against three Puerto Rican men was unsealed after their arrest for their roles in a conspiracy to provide pirated DISH Network (DISH) services to thousands of Puerto Ricans, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez for the District of Puerto Rico.  DISH is a Colorado based company that provides satellite television to its customers for a fee and has invested heavily in measures to ensure that its services are not intercepted by copyright infringers, also known as pirates. 

The three-count indictment charges Arnaldo Vazquez, 41, aka “Naldo,” aka “naldo.dish;” Awildo Jimenez, 36, aka “Wildo,” “joselo626,” and “wildo20;” and Higinio Lamboy, 46, aka “Ingi,” with one count of conspiracy to circumvent protective systems, infringe copyrights and traffic in satellite decryption devices, one substantive count of trafficking in technology designed to circumvent technology copyright protection systems and one substantive count of circumventing a technological measure that protects a copyrighted work. 

The indictment describes Vazquez and Jimenez as owners and operators of a company that provided the pirated services to customers who paid a monthly cash fee to receive copyrighted content delivered from DISH satellites and identifies Lamboy as their salesman and repairman for the hardware that they provided to their customers.  The indictment further describes a complex scheme to steal the copyrighted content for financial gain through the interception of encrypted DISH signals that were distributed to paying DISH customers and decrypted through DISH-issued hardware.  For example, the indictment alleges that the defendants used DISH’s network control words, or decrypted code, and placed them onto an Internet Key Sharing (IKS) server, which was under their control.  Placing the control words on the IKS server aided the decryption and distribution of the pirated content.  The defendants also provided their customers with receivers that were programmed with software that allowed them to bypass DISH’s anti-piracy measures, which then allowed their customers to connect to the conspirators’ bootleg IKS server to access the copyrighted content. 

The indictment alleges that the defendants used online chat forums to discuss their criminal enterprise, resolve technical problems related to their DISH piracy, and facilitate the payment for their criminal deeds and purchase of equipment needed to further their scheme.

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

This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the FBI.  The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Kebharu Smith of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Cannon of the District of Puerto Rico.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – A jury today voted to convict John “Body” Coffin, 49, of Schenectady, New York, for illegally possessing a handgun and ammunition, following a five-day trial.  The jury acquitted Coffin on a second charge, of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The evidence at trial established that Coffin provided a Walther P22 .22 caliber firearm, which he described as “the murderer’s gun,” and nine rounds of ammunition to another man in Schenectady, New York.

Coffin could not possess the handgun or ammunition because of prior felony convictions for drug and assault offenses. He faces at least 15 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy on March 11, 2018. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This prosecution resulted from an investigation by the Capital District Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the Schenectady Police Department, the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York Air National Guard.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne A. Myers.

NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced yesterday that STEPHEN J. SCOTT, age 31, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty as charged to committing the robbery of the First American Bank & Trust at 1800 Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Metairie, Louisiana, on April 9, 2018, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).

Bank robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in the Bureau of Prisons, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.  The Court will sentence SCOTT on January 31, 2019.

On that date, SCOTT entered the bank, passed a demand note to the teller, and implied that he was in a possession of a weapon.  The teller handed over $3,400 to SCOTT, who fled the location.  Members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office were able to match a fingerprint taken from the bank to SCOTT.  Sheriff’s Office members then compared the surveillance footage from the robbery to other known photos of SCOTT to confirm his identity.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force and officers with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Myles Ranier is handling the prosecution.

U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox has announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Nicole Dana will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2018, general election. 

AUSA Dana has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Texas, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” said Nealy Cox. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

 The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur.  The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day. 

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.  For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law.  Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.  In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox stated that AUSA/DEO Nicole Dana will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  She can be reached by the public at by phone at 214-659-8600.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 972-559-5000.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767, by fax at 202-307-3961, by email to voting.section@usdoj.gov or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.

According to U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate.  It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced thatBobby Mataara Owens, 41, of Turangi, New Zealand, was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to five years in prison and by ten years of supervised release for transporting child pornography. Owens pleaded guilty on September 1, 2017.

According to court records, in December 2016, a federal agent in Maine was investigating the sharing of child pornography over the internet. The agent chatted online with Owens, who sent the agent several images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Further investigation revealed that Owens was using an IP address assigned to a residence in Valley Village, California. A federal search warrant was obtained for the residence and executed later the same day. Owens was present at the residence, and admitted to investigators that he had sent the images to the agent earlier in the day.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Los Angeles, California Police Department. The 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today that the District of New Jersey seized 352 firearms as part of criminal prosecutions in Fiscal Year 2018.

The District of New Jersey worked jointly with its law enforcement partners, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and numerous agencies of the State of New Jersey.

“As part of our mission to keep the public safe from violent crime, the United States Attorney’s Office has removed more than 300 firearms from the hands of criminals in the last year alone,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Each one of these firearms represented a clear and present danger to the safety of our citizens, and we are proud to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to reduce the threat of armed criminals in New Jersey.”

“Taking these guns off the streets is proof that Attorney General Sessions’ initiatives to fight gun violence are successful and are having an impact,” ATF Newark Field Division Special Agent in Charge John B. DeVito said. “The use of Crime Gun Intelligence is instrumental in achieving these objectives, and ATF remains committed to removing the firearms that endanger our communities.”

During the 2018 fiscal year, firearms seizures in the District of New Jersey included:

• Nine AR-15 type assault rifles
• More than a dozen other “long guns,” including shot guns and rifles, and even an M2 machine gun
• More than 300 pistols and revolvers

“To keep New Jersey streets safe, the FBI along with our local and state partners will aggressively pursue the seizure and forfeiture of guns from violent criminals and convicted felons,” Newark FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said.

“Transnational criminal organizations operating in New Jersey rely on firearms as a tool to further their criminal activity,” Brian Michael, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Newark, said. “HSI and all our law enforcement partners are determined to keep these weapons out of the hands of dangerous criminals that pose a threat to public safety and the special agents/officers that pursue them each and every day.”

“When we remove crime guns and the criminals who carry them from our communities, we attack the root of gun violence,” N.J. Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. “The 352 guns forfeited by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in collaboration with law enforcement partners across New Jersey represent 352 guns that will never kill or maim a resident or one of our law enforcement officers. We work best when we work together, and our collaborative efforts to prosecute gun crimes and share intelligence about illegal guns trafficked into New Jersey are having a strong impact.”

“We are pleased to have partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office the recovery of over 300 firearms this year,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said. “We will remain vigilant in working with U.S. Attorney Carpenito and his law enforcement partners in the confiscation of illegal firearms with an aim towards an ongoing reduction of violent crime.”

“U.S. Attorney Carpenito’s unwavering leadership to reducing gun violence has facilitated a significant statistical decrease in the number of gun homicides and firearm related aggravated assault incidents in Camden,” Camden County Police Chief J. Scott Thomson said. “Removing violent criminals and their guns from the streets with the promise of federal prosecution continues to serve as a major deterrent that makes neighborhoods safer.” 

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with their law enforcement partners, are responsible for seizing and forfeiting firearms that are involved in criminal activities. Many of these forfeitures result when previously-convicted felons continue to carry firearms, and are convicted of being felons in possession of weapons, pursuant to Section 922(g) of Title 18 of the United States Code. The law requires that these firearms be forfeited.

Memphis, TN – After a three-day jury trial in federal court in July 2018, Antonio Hawkins, 41, was convicted of multiple counts of sex trafficking. Today, he was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison on five counts related to sex trafficking, including sex trafficking of a minor victim and sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence.

According to information presented in court, in April 2016, Antonio Hawkins took three women from New Orleans to Houston to put the women out on the prostitution track. While in Houston, Hawkins picked up a fifteen-year-old runaway, and put her on the track as well. Hawkins subsequently brought them to Memphis to work. All of the women, including the minor (who is now seventeen), testified at trial that Hawkins threatened to, and did, use violence to keep them from leaving him. The women testified that Hawkins struck them, pointed a gun at them and fired warning shots, and once even used a hot hair iron to intimidate the women into doing as he instructed.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Human trafficking of minors and adults for commercial sex purposes is an unconscionable crime that must be met with severe consequences. We commend the FBI for their outstanding investigation of these heinous crimes, and we are pleased to achieve justice for the victims in this disturbing case.”

On Friday, November 2, 2018, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Hawkins to 360 months imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasey Weiland and Deb Ireland prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY– November 2, 2018

SAN DIEGO – Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (“NGSC”), a subsidiary of the Northrop Grumman Corporation, with offices in San Diego, California, agreed today to pay a total of $31.65 million to settle civil and criminal investigations into fraud arising out of its Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (“BACN”) and Dynamic Re-tasking Capability (“DRC”) contracts with the United States Air Force.  NGSC agreed to pay $27.45 million to settle civil allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by overstating the number of hours its employees worked on the BACN and DRC contracts with the United States Air Force.  Additionally, NGSC agreed to forfeit $4.2 million in a separate agreement to resolve a criminal investigation into fraudulent billing on the BACN contract.  In exchange for admitting its employees’ misconduct, making full restitution, and agreeing to cooperate in the ongoing criminal investigation, no criminal charges will be filed against NGSC.

(see the agreementHERE )

In the agreement resolving the criminal investigation of NGSC, the company admitted that its employees deployed to an air base in the Middle East defrauded the Air Force by overbilling time charged to the BACN contract.  Specifically, from January 2011 to October 2013, NGSC employees charged exactly 12 or 13.5 hours per day, seven days a week, despite the fact that the employees were not working those hours.  NGSC admitted that its employees billed time to the BACN contract when its employees were not working and engaged in leisure activities, such as golfing, skiing, visiting local amusement parks, going out to eat or drink, shopping, and enjoying various amenities at the five-star hotels where the employees were housed. 

By inflating their time, the employees working on the BACN contract personally profited and were paid thousands of dollars that they did not earn.  In an email, one NGSC employee summed up the billing practices by saying that they “work[ed] about 6-8 hours and charge[d] 13.”  NGSC admitted that its employees working on the BACN contract overbilled the United States by more than $5 million at one site alone.

“Federal contracts are not a license to steal from the U.S. Treasury,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman.  “DOJ is firmly committed to vigilantly weeding out abuse and will swiftly pursue all available remedies when egregious fraud occurs.”

“Air Force OSI’s Office of Procurement Fraud is dedicated to protecting the taxpayer’s interests worldwide while safeguarding the needs of the warfighter.   This investigation is a testament to AFOSI’s global reach, and to our partnerships with DCIS and the FBI which allowed us to meticulously unravel this international conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Air Force,” stated Jason T. Hein, Special Agent in Charge of the Air Force OSI Office of Procurement Fraud, Detachment 6.

“We are committed to ensuring the funds of the American people are used for their intended purpose,” stated John Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego Field Office - Federal Bureau of Investigation.   “This is another example of the incredible partnerships between the FBI and our Department of Defense counterparts.  Together, uncovering this immense fraud against the government and returning the funds to the American taxpayer is vitally important to ensuring our military receives the honest services they are due.”

Chris Hendrickson, Special Agent in Charge of the Western Field Office, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, said:  “This settlement demonstrates how defense contractors will be held accountable for making false claims to the United States.  DCIS is committed to working with its law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to aggressively investigate such matters, and the recovered funds can now be properly used to support the men and women of our Armed Forces.”

Except for the conduct admitted in connection with the criminal agreement, the claims resolved by the civil agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of civil liability.

The civil investigation was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Price and Douglas Keehn and Benjamin C. Wei, Senior Trial Counsel, Fraud Section, Civil Division, Department of Justice.

The criminal investigation was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle L. Wasserman, Billy Joe McLain, Mark W. Pletcher, and Phillip L.B. Halpern.

AGENCIES

Air Force Office of Special Investigations

Defense Criminal Investigative Service

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Defense Contract Audit Agency

Air Force Materiel Command Law Office Fraud Division

With the robust participation of Americans nationwide, the Drug Enforcement Administration and its law enforcement partners have now surpassed its 10 million pound goal and collected nearly 11 million pounds of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications over the course of 16 successful DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back events.

“The results of our most recent Take Back Day clearly demonstrate a need for this initiative as a tool in the fight against America’s opioid crisis,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “The success of this event is a direct reflection of DEA’s commitment to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths in the U.S. Together, we are all helping to make a difference to keep our friends and families safe.”  

Clyde E. Shelley, Jr. the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Division, which overseas DEA operations in Oklahoma and Texas, announced that during the 16^th semiannual event on Oct. 27, DEA and federal, state and local partners disposed of more than 900,000 pounds of prescription medications collected at nearly 6,000 sites across the country. Together with almost 5,000 local, state and federal partners, DEA collected and destroyed more than 457 tons of potentially dangerous leftover prescription drugs. This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 10,878,950 pounds, or 5439.5 tons.

The Dallas Field Division experienced record participation and collected 32,941 pounds of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications across Texas and Oklahoma. 

Oklahomans located in the 11 counties (Tulsa, Pawnee, Osage, Creek, Washington, Nowata, Rogers, Craig, Mayes, Ottawa, and Delaware Counties) which comprise the federal Northern District of Oklahoma did their part in meeting the milestone, turning over 864.492 pounds of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. United States Attorney Trent Shores and DEA Special Agent in Charge Clyde E. Shelley, Jr., championed the efforts of federal, state, local, and tribal community partners who helped make the event a success.

United States Attorney Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma stated, “Hundreds of Oklahomans lose their lives every year due to prescription opioid overdoses. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Drug Take Back Day saves lives. Disposing of these prescription drugs keeps them out of the hands of our children and loved ones and helps stop the spread of addiction. I am thankful to the DEA for their hard work in setting up this event and every Oklahoman who turned in their outdated and unused prescriptions.”

“The DEA Prescription Drug Take-Back program provides all citizens of Texas and Oklahoma the ability to properly and safely dispose of prescription medication that may otherwise be used for nefarious purposes.  DEA Dallas is proud to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners and members of the community to stem the massive amount of prescription drugs that serve as a catalyst for the opioid epidemic,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Clyde E. Shelley, Jr.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events continue to remove opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they could be stolen and abused by family members and visitors, including children and teens.

DEA began putting on Take Back Day events when the public had no other way to appropriately dispose of their leftover painkillers and other potentially dangerous drugs. These events have been extremely successful not only in getting unused drugs out of the house, but also in raising awareness of their link to addiction and overdose deaths. Since DEA launched this program nine years ago, doctors are prescribing fewer painkillers, and law enforcement agencies, pharmacies and others have installed permanent prescription drug drop boxes on-site, making drug disposal even more convenient.

Helping people to dispose of potentially harmful prescription drugs is just one way DEA is working to reduce the addiction and overdose deaths plaguing this country due to opioid medications.

The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.justthinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov. Also follow DEA Dallas via Twitter at @DEADALLASDiv 

Complete results for DEA’s fall Take Back Day are available at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#initiative-results. DEA’s next Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 27, 2019. 

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault With a  Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury.

Francis Dog Soldier, age 36, was indicted on September 11, 2018.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 25, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on May 4, 2018, Dog Soldier assaulted an individual with shod feet with the intent to do bodily harm, and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.

The charges are merely accusations and Dog Soldier is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.   

Dog Soldier was released pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Person incapable of Consent was sentenced on October 29, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Bates Hood, Jr., age 41, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Hood was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 12, 2017.  He pled guilty on August 2, 2018.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on January 31, 2016, when Hood knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in, sexual contact with an individual who he knew at the time was incapable of appraising the nature of conduct and physically incapable of declining participation. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

Hood was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.