Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced her resignation, effective immediately.

“It has been a great honor and privilege to serve as Connecticut’s United States Attorney. In fact, it has been a gift of a lifetime. I am extremely proud of the tremendous accomplishments of the men and women of this office during my tenure. I applaud their tireless work holding our most violent offenders accountable, protecting our children and our environment, standing up for our most vulnerable victims, and not hesitating to stand up to the powerful. Together, we also built bridges and trust with communities. I hope all of this work continues to thrive. The people of Connecticut will be in excellent hands with Acting U.S. Attorney Mike Gustafson, and the more than 100 career employees of the office who dedicate themselves to always doing what is right and just.”

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson will be the Acting U.S. Attorney.

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 63 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 52 staff members at offices in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport.

PROVIDENCE – At the direction of the President, United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha today announced his resignation, effective at midnight. Mr. Neronha joins all of the other United States Attorneys appointed by President Obama in stepping down today.

Mr. Neronha, the 39^th person to be appointed United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, began a career of public service in 1996 as a Special Assistant Attorney General in the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General. In 2002, Mr. Neronha joined the United States Attorney’s Office as an Assistant United States Attorney. Since becoming United States Attorney, Mr. Neronha has twice been appointed to terms on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2009, and by Attorney General Loretta Lynch in 2016. The AGAC regularly meets with and advises the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting all 94 U.S. Attorney’s offices nationwide.

A fourth generation native of Jamestown, Mr. Neronha attended North Kingstown High School, and in 1985 graduated summa cum laude from Boston College. He attended Boston College Law School, where he was a member of the Boston College Law Review. Upon graduation, he joined the Boston, Massachusetts law firm, Goodwin Procter, LLP.

United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha released the following statement:

“It has been the honor and privilege of my professional life to serve the people of Rhode Island as United States Attorney for nearly eight years. When I began my career in public service as a state prosecutor over twenty years ago, I never could have anticipated what the future would hold. I am incredibly grateful to President Obama, and to Senators Reed and Whitehouse, who recommended me to the President, for their confidence in me.

“I have met and worked with so many great and talented people along the way, both in law enforcement and in the community, and we have done so much together. We have faced so many challenges, from the steady stream of public corruption cases to the scourge of human trafficking, particularly child sex trafficking. International drug cartels and prescription pill misuse have caused our ongoing opioid and heroin public health crisis, threatening the lives of children and adults alike. Violent crime, and a criminal justice system not best equipped to deal with it, has challenged us to rethink our mission as prosecutors and law enforcement – to understand that prevention and effective re-entry for those who have paid their debt to society have their place alongside smart enforcement.

“Whatever we have accomplished, none of it would have been possible without the dedication and outstanding ability of the men and women of the Office I have been so fortunate to lead. Some have been my colleagues for nearly fifteen years, and I will miss them all, very, very much. Given the nature of this job there is never a perfect time to step away. With enormous gratitude toward those who have been so supportive during my tenure, my family and I look forward to the next chapter of our lives.”

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United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on March 8, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Miles Condon, age 25, was sentenced to 36 months of custody on each charge to be served concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

Condon was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 12, 2016. He pled guilty on December 13, 2016.

The Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury conviction stems from an incident on August 3, 2016, when the victim was walking by Condon’s residence in Dupree. Condon, who had been drinking alcohol, called him over to ask him for some money. A verbal argument ensued between the two men. During the course of the argument, the victim called Condon a derogatory name, and Condon retrieved a golf club that was already outside. The victim began to back away at that point, and Condon continued to swing the golf club and struck the victim above the left ear. The blow caused a 2½” long and ½” wide gash to the victim’s skull. As Condon continued to swing, the victim reached out and grabbed the club, which caused Condon to fall to the ground. The victim left and went to his mother’s house and called the police. The victim was ultimately taken to the emergency room at the Indian Health Service Hospital and then transported to Rapid City Regional Hospital with a skull fracture. When law enforcement responded, Condon resisted arrest.

The Defendant was indicted for the assault on October 12, 2016. On October 13, 2016, law enforcement officials from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the Ziebach County Sheriff’s Office went to Condon's house in Dupree to execute the federal arrest warrant stemming from that Indictment. They were let into the home, and found Condon asleep/passed out on the floor of the residence. Condon was advised he was under arrest and handcuffed. He became belligerent and combative, and told the officers he was going to “act up.” While they were walking him to the patrol car, Condon began grinding his teeth, stiffened up, and was dragging his feet to the point where the officers had to drag him in order to move him in the direction of where their patrol cars were parked. They told Condon to relax several times. When they got to the patrol car, they leaned Condon over the trunk so they could get the back door open. Condon slammed his head down on the trunk of the patrol car twice before they were able to pull him away. The officers decided to put leg irons on Condon, and when one of the officers stepped away to open the trunk of the patrol car and retrieve the leg irons, Condon attempted to jerk away from, and struggled with another one of the officers. Condon was taken to the ground and leg irons were put on him.

Condon was transported to the Cheyenne River Adult Detention Facility to be booked into the jail. There, he became combative and belligerent with Detention staff. As they were leading him from the patrol car into the booking area, Condon again tensed up and was verbally abusive. Condon refused to cooperate as the detention officer attempted to search him. They physically placed him onto the counter of the booking area so they could finish searching Condon. Once the search was complete, Condon was taken into a holding cell. After one of the detention officers removed one of the leg restraints, Condon kicked the detention officer on the right side of his face/head, near his eye, knocking off the correctional officer’s glasses. The detention officers completed swapping out the leg restraints and then exited the holding cell.

This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Ziebach County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

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

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Aurora, Colorado, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sexual Contact by Force, Sexual Contact with a Minor, and Sexual Contact.

Isaac Padilla, age 23, was indicted on March 7, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 8, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on February 25, 2017, Padilla knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual contact with two women, one of them a juvenile who had not attained the age of 16 and was 4 years younger than Padilla.

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.

Padilla was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for May 2, 2017.

PORTLAND, Ore. – On Friday, March 10, 2017, Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, delivered the following statement on the verdict announcement in U.S. v. Bundy et al.

Remarks as prepared for delivery.

Good Afternoon. My name is Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.

After approximately 21 hours over 3 days, a federal jury here in Portland returned its verdicts against Jason Patrick, Duane Ehmer, Darryl Thorn, and Jake Ryan all of whom were active participants in the 41-day armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge that took place near Burns, Oregon beginning in January of last year.

Jason Patrick was found guilty of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States.

Darryl Thorn was found guilty of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States and possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in federal facilities.

Duane Ehmer and Jake Ryan were both found guilty of depredation of government property.

Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, May 10, 2017 here in Portland.

Freedom of speech and expression are core values and rights that I and others have sworn to protect and uphold. In this case, the defendants were not on trial for their beliefs, but rather for their conduct.

Taking up arms and occupying federal lands and property that interferes with federal employees discharging their duties is and will continue to be illegal. We cannot have people taking over government offices and facilities at the end of a gun and expect no consequences.

The jury has spoken. Their verdicts speak to their view of the evidence. I respect the American judicial process and remain convinced it is the best system in the world.

For forty-one days early last year, these individuals prevented U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management employees from doing their jobs as stewards of land belonging to all Americans.

They purposefully interfered with the daily lives of residents of Burns, Hines, Harney County, and members of the Burns Paiute Tribe. The negative impacts of their actions continue to this day.

Our communities and state are stronger because of our joint effort to bring these individuals to justice. The rule of law matters.

Taking up arms because you do not like how things are done can never be accepted as a lawful way to protest. The good people in rural Oregon who are ranchers, loggers, farmers, and small business owners understand the difference between disagreeing with land management policies and working together to bring about change versus outsiders with a political agenda taking over property with guns and claims of being patriotic. A voice for change and one’s vote are more effective than threats and an AR-15.

I would like to begin by thanking the residents of Burns, Hines, and Harney County, Oregon, members of the Burns Paiute Tribe, and others who were victimized by the actions of these individuals. Your patience with and commitment to both trials was a motivation to everyone involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

I would like to thank Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward, Oregon State Police, the Oregon Sheriff’s Association, and the countless local and tribal law enforcement personnel from around the State of Oregon that worked tirelessly to bring about a peaceful resolution to the standoff.

I would like to thank the employees of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management for their courage and determination to continue serving our country in various capacities despite having their workplaces temporarily taken from them and despite having to dedicate countless staff hours in support of these trials.

I would like to thank the FBI for their outstanding investigative support through every phase of this process. Their professionalism and commitment were essential in bringing about a successful resolution to the trial.

And finally, I would like to thank our trial attorneys and staff at the United States Attorney’s Office for their hard work and commitment to bringing these defendants to justice. The process of prosecuting these individuals required an extraordinary level of effort and unflappable commitment on behalf staff at all levels. I am very proud and thankful for their tremendous effort.

Heloise Westbrook, MD, of Owensboro, Kentucky, formerly of Aberdeen, South Dakota, was sentenced on March 6, 2017, on three misdemeanor charges of Fraudulent Returns, Statements, or Other Documents in U.S. District Court.

She was sentenced to five years of probation on each count to run concurrently, restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $184,871.21, an $8800.00 fine, and a $75 special assessment. In addition, Westbrook will be required to serve 100 days in the Daviess County Detention Center in Kentucky (2 days and 2 nights each consecutive weekend for a period of 50 weeks).

Westbrook was originally charged with one count of Impeding the Administration of the Internal Revenue Laws.

Westbrook is a medical doctor who operated a medical practice in Aberdeen, including between 2004 and 2010. Her medical practice was organized as a wholly-owned professional corporation, and she filed corporate income tax returns, in addition to personal income tax returns.

In a a civil audit, the IRS agent assigned identified numerous entries that Westbrook had identified as business expenses for purposes of her corporate tax returns and deducted them as business expenses. Her claimed business expenses were not, in fact, business related, but rather personal expenses incurred to pay for her own wedding celebration.

She pled guilty to three misdemeanor charges of Fraudulent Returns, Statements, or Other Documents on December 2, 2016.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Koliner prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division.

OAKLAND – Ricky Keith Barnette was sentenced today to one hundred months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.

Barnette, 34, of Antioch, pleaded guilty on November 10, 2016, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1).  According to his plea agreement, Barnette admitted that on January 8, 2016, he was driving a stolen BMW in Antioch, Calif., while in possession of more than 167 grams of methamphetamine for sale and a stolen 9mm Ruger LC9 pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition.  Officers from the Antioch Police Department attempted to pull Barnette over but he drove onto the off-ramp of Highway 4 and sped westbound in the eastbound lanes of the highway.  While driving the wrong direction on the highway, Barnette collided head-on with another vehicle and caused great bodily injury to the other driver. 

Barnette was charged in an information with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Pursuant to his plea agreement, Barnette pleaded guilty to the charge.

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Jon S. Tigar, U.S. District Judge.  In addition to the prison term, Judge Tigar also ordered Barnette to serve a five-year period of supervised release and ordered him to forfeit the firearm and $1,760, that Barnette admitted was the proceeds of his drug trafficking.  Barnette is in custody and will begin serving the sentence immediately.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth Hire is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Vanessa Quant.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Antioch Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Safe Streets Task Force.

This afternoon, the President requested my resignation, along with the remaining presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys across the country, effective at midnight tonight.

It has been the greatest professional experience that I can possibly imagine to have served in this office for the past seven-and-a-half years. Having spent so much of my career working to protect the interests of the people of New Jersey, I can think of no greater form of public service.

I am enormously grateful for the opportunity I was given to lead the men and women who work in this office. They are the most extraordinary group of public servants I have ever known, and I am more than honored to have been their colleague.

FRESNO, Calif. — After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Martin Calzada, 29, of Norwalk, guilty today of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and eight counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The trial was held before United States Chief District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill.

According to evidence presented at trial, Calzada conspired to defraud homeowners facing foreclosure. Calzada and other employees of Star Reliable Mortgage, which had offices in Bakersfield, Visalia, and Salinas, targeted distressed homeowners with a fraudulent “loan elimination” scheme. Between approximately August 2010 and October 2011, Star Reliable charged clients an upfront fee for its services – ranging from $2,500 up to $4,500 – as well as monthly fees, based on false promises that the clients could own their homes “free and clear” as a result of Star Reliable’s services. Clients paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to Star Reliable and at least $300,000 was transferred from Star Reliable into Calzada’s bank accounts. In furtherance of the scheme, Calzada and other employees at Star Reliable filed at county recorders’ offices fraudulent documents on behalf of the homeowner-clients, which purported to replace the legitimate property trustees with fictitious trusts affiliated with the defendant and Star Reliable, all in an effort to “cloud title” and halt or stall the foreclosure process. Additionally, Calzada, and other employees working at his direction told Star Reliable clients to stop paying their mortgages. They also falsely represented that Star Reliable clients had one million dollars in a U.S. government account that could be used to pay-off a homeowner’s mortgage.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Patrick J. Suter are prosecuting the case.

Calzada was remanded into custody following the announcement of the verdict. In a related case in December 2014, co-conspirators Juan Ramon Curiel, 38, of Visalia, and Santiago Palacios-Hernandez, 47, of Salinas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Curiel additionally pleaded guilty to one count of bankruptcy fraud. They are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge O’Neill on April 10, 2017.

Calzada is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge O'Neill on June 5, 2017. Calzada faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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LAS VEGAS, Nev.– Twenty-one individuals were charged in an indictment for their alleged roles and participation in an international multimillion dollar scheme to steal credit and debit card account information, manufacture counterfeit credit and debit cards, identity theft, and money laundering. The charges are the result of a ten-month investigation by local, state, and federal law enforcement and the Department of State.

United States Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI’s Las Vegas Division; and Special Agent in Charge Michael Bishop of the Diplomatic Security Service’s Los Angeles Field Office.

“The sophisticated multimillion dollar fraud scheme occurred in Las Vegas, multiple other states, and crossed international borders,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “These charges are another successful example of our commitment to working together with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in the pursuit and prosecution of perpetrators who commit credit card fraud, identity theft, and money laundering.”

“These indictments demonstrate the unified commitment of law enforcement to stop those who target our community through the theft of our personal and financial data. Those who commit such acts should take notice that you will be caught,” said SAC Rouse of the FBI’s Las Vegas Division.

“The Diplomatic Security Service is firmly committed to working with the U.S. Department of Justice and our local law enforcement partners in Nevada to investigate and prosecute all allegations of criminal activity related to passport and visa fraud,” said SAC Bishop of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Los Angeles Field Office. “The strong relationship we enjoy with our federal and local law enforcement partners is vital towards ensuring the integrity of U.S. travel documents and protecting greater U.S. interests.”

According to the allegations in the 47-count indictment, from at least Jan. 1, 2013, to about Dec. 9, 2016, the defendants conspired to commit credit and debit card fraud by using “skimmers” placed on automatic teller machines (ATM), cash-out transaction ticket dispensing terminals, such as Global Cash Advance (GCA), and other means to obtain stolen account information. They set-up credit card forgery “laboratories” in residences and hotel rooms to manufacture counterfeit credit and debit cards. Equipment in the laboratories included counterfeit card production systems, thermal dye printers, foil tipping machines, card embossers, and card scanners and encoders.

It is further alleged that the defendants possessed and used the counterfeit credit and debit cards at hotel-casinos, high-end luxury watch, jewelry, and fashion boutiques, electronic retailers, and ATMs throughout Las Vegas, Nevada and in other cities and counties around the country, including: Del Mar, California, Detroit, Michigan, New Orleans, Louisiana, Nassau County, New York, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Atlantic City, New Jersey. They obtained GCA cash advances at casinos, and purchased expensive merchandise, including Rolex watches, ladies’ purses and handbags, and clothing. The purchases would be resold on the black market or online marketplaces. The approximate total loss is over $3.5 million in fraudulent retail purchases and cash advances and withdrawals at hotel-casino properties and other businesses.

In addition, the defendants allegedly possessed and used personal identification of other individuals. The defendants allegedly conspired to commit money laundering and made deposits into bank accounts with money obtained through the fraudulent credit and debit card scheme.

The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with access devices; producing, using or trafficking in a counterfeit access device; using or trafficking in an unauthorized access device; possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices; possession of access device-making equipment; aggravated identity theft; possession of counterfeit Visa, permit or other document; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and money laundering. The indictment charges the following 21 defendants:

• Lucas Coehlo Paiva Rego, 25

• Fausto Teixeira Martins Neto, 36

• Andre Araujo Rodrigues, 33

• Anderson Clayton Mariano Alcantara, 26

• Carlos Rodrigo Dos Santos Braga, 36

• Bruno Macedo Correia, 26

• Pedro Igor Alves Barbosa, 21

• Vitor Domingues Valentini Dos Reis, 25

• Bruno Dos Santos, 31

• Amysterdan Barbosa Da Silva, 34

• Alexander Lima De Souza, 38

• Francisco Rui De Alencar Mendes Filo, 26

• Davi Dias Fernandes, 26

• Shiro Noburo Naruse, 24

• Hugo Belmino Garces, 27

• Lorenzo Ramon Sala Moura, 39

• Marcelo Araujo, 34

• Henrique Ortolani De Souza Vila Real, 31

• Leonardo Augusto Oliveira Santos, 33

• Rogerio Belarmino Da Silva, 31

• Felipe Augusto Vecale Martins, 38

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. In addition, they face fines in the amount of $250,000.

These charges are the result of cooperative, investigative efforts by the FBI, Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and Henderson Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burns.

An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LAFAYETTE, La. –Stephanie A. Finley, United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, announced today that she is retiring after 25 years of federal service.

Finley began her public service in the military in 1988 after she was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, competing nationally and being designated as a Distinguished Graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps. She served for four years on active duty at England Air Force Base, Louisiana and Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where she also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for both installations. Ms. Finley served as a member of the Judge Advocate Corps for 25 years and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College. Ms. Finley is the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Air Force Longevity Service, one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and the Air Force Training Ribbon. She retired in November of 2016.

During her Reserve career, she was assigned to Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, the 8^th Air Force, and the 2^nd Bomb Wing. As a JAG officer, she served as a hearing officer for criminal cases and administrative discharge boards, worked in the areas of contract and labor law and military justice, as well as providing legal assistance services for active duty, reservists and dependents of the military.

Ms. Finley began her career with the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in October of 1995. Prior to her appointment as U.S. Attorney in June of 2010, Ms. Finley served as the District’s Senior Litigation Counsel and was responsible for the District’s training and mentoring programs. She also served as the Deputy Criminal Chief for the Lafayette Office. In her 21-plus years with the Department of Justice, she prosecuted cases involving white collar crimes, violent crimes, civil rights, environmental crimes, drug trafficking, public corruption and tax evasion.

Finley served on Attorney General Eric Holder’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) from 2011-2013. The Attorney General Advisory Committee was created to serve as the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and to advise the attorney general on policy, management and operational issues impacting the offices of the U.S. Attorneys. In addition, she also served as Co-Chair and Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee’s Office of Management and Budget Committee, and on a number of subcommittees and working groups for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, to include the Civil Rights Subcommittee, Native American Issues Subcommittee, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Working Group, Environmental Issues Working Group, Racial Disparities Working Group, and the Service Members and Veterans Rights Working Group. Finley also served as a board member of the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Board.

Under Ms. Finley’s leadership, transparency and outreach were District priorities. Her office initiated and conducted numerous outreach efforts designed to strengthen relationships between law enforcement partners, citizens, schools, and community groups. Ms. Finley also focused her attention on developing in-house programs designed to develop leadership among both attorneys and support staff. As the chief law enforcement officer of 42 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, her emphasis was on civil and criminal cases with a strong federal nexus. Between 2010 and 2016, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, through its amped up Financial Litigation Unit, collected more than $101 million in civil and criminal actions.

Known for her commitment to the children of this District, Ms. Finley engaged the district’s clergy, civic, nonprofit, and business communities through community forums, roundtable discussions and a myriad of speaking engagements. She often on her own time and at her own expense visited the District’s youth at schools, community centers, and nonprofit organizations. Ms. Finley was also a frequent speaker at law enforcement events. She prioritized the District’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC) efforts to provide countless training sessions for federal, local and state law enforcement agencies designed to enhance their enforcement abilities to keep our communities safe.

Ms. Finley ensured that all five of the division offices were operational and the Lafayette and Shreveport offices were fully staffed, navigating through several financial challenges, including a hiring freeze, government shutdown and budget sequestration.

Ms. Finley is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Grambling State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. She is a Cum Laude graduate of Southern University Law Center where she received her Juris Doctorate in 1991 and was the Editor in Chief of the Law Review.

Ms. Finley has been recognized for her longstanding dedication and commitment to the community. She previously served as the Criminal Bar Examiner and an Assistant Bar Examiner for the Louisiana Bar, is a frequent youth conference lecturer on the local and state level, and has been honored as a “Top 20 Under 40” recipient, one of Lafayette’s “Women Who Means Business,” a “Person of Excellence” recipient from the National Association of University Women, a Torchbearers’ Award recipient, a Southern University Law Center Hall of Fame inductee, a recipient of Grambling State University’s Beacon Award for Public Service, a Public Service Award recipient at Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Regional Conference, and various other Achievement Awards

“I have been truly blessed to serve my nation in the capacity of the United States Attorney, Assistant United States Attorney, Special Assistant United States Attorney, and Lt. Colonel in the United States Air Force. I am extremely proud of the District’s accomplishments over the last six and a half years; there are too many to mention. But, as I have said from day one, no one does this alone. Today, I would like to thank all of the unsung men and women of the Western District of Louisiana who are some of the finest public servants in our state and nation. They are the reasons why my service has been so gratifying and successful. I want to also thank the men and women who serve in our partner federal agencies and our tribal, state and local partners. The public will never know the magnitude of our ongoing collaboration to keep the citizens of our communities safe and to represent the United States. I also thank my family and friends who have been supportive throughout my career.

The work of the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office will continue. My service to our nation and state will also continue; it will now be in my private capacity. I am excited about what the future holds, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as the United States Attorney.”

Cheyenne, Wyoming – United States Attorney Christopher A. Crofts has announced that he will resign his position with the Department of Justice, effective midnight March 10, 2017.

"It has been my distinct pleasure to work with the men and women of the Wyoming United States Attorney’s Office for the past seven years. I thank them and the law enforcement community for their tireless efforts in the pursuit of justice on behalf of the citizens of Wyoming and the United States," USA Crofts said.

“Today, I was fired from my position as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Serving my country as U.S. Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live. One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served. I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice. They will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H. Kim, the current Deputy U.S. Attorney, who will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney.”

HAMMOND- The United States Attorney’s Office announced that David Capp has submitted his resignation as United States Attorney as requested by the President.

Capp stated: After 31 years at the United States Attorney’s office I have submitted my resignation as United States Attorney. I had advised my office last summer that it was my plan to retire in 2017. I had been looking toward a June retirement, so this is just a few months earlier.

It has been my greatest honor and privilege to serve all these years. The work we do in the United States Attorney’s Office has such an important positive impact on the citizens of northern Indiana. I want to thank the men and women of the USAO for their dedication and professionalism, day-in and day-out. They are the people that do the hard work!

Some years ago I spoke one evening at a church in Gary. We had just made some arrests and closed down a drug operation in the neighborhood the church served. Afterwards a gentleman came up to me, shook my hand, thanked me for our efforts and told me “now my grandchildren can play in the yard again.” That has always stuck with me and kept me focused on what our work is really about. I hope that I have played a part in making more yards in the Northern District of Indiana safe for “grandchildren to play in.”

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“Today, I was fired from my position as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Serving my country as U.S. Attorney here for the past seven years will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life, no matter what else I do or how long I live. One hallmark of justice is absolute independence, and that was my touchstone every day that I served. I want to thank the amazing people of the Southern District of New York, the greatest public servants in the world, for everything they do each day in pursuit of justice. They will continue to do the great work of the Office under the leadership of Joon H. Kim, the current Deputy U.S. Attorney, who will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A United States District Court jury convicted Frederick A. McShan, 37, and David McShan, 42, both of Steubenville, Ohio, of running a Steubenville-area heroin-trafficking organization.

Specifically, Frederick McShan was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, 12 counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. David McShan was also convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Betsy Steinfeld Jividen, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia Betsy, Karl Colder, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Washington, D.C. field office, Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane M. Hanlin and members of the Jefferson County Drug Task Force and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force announced the verdict reached early Friday evening, which was returned following a trial that began on Monday, March 6th before Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

According to court documents and testimony, the McShan brothers helped lead a drug organization that was supplied out of Chicago and was responsible for street-level heroin sales in Steubenville, Ohio, including in the Market Street apartment public housing area, Weirton, W.Va., Wheeling, W.Va. and Bellaire, Ohio.

A yearlong investigation in this case by local, state and federal law enforcement culminated in the seizure of eight firearms, three vehicles and approximately $110,000 of narcotics proceeds.

Four co-defendants in this case have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. They include:

Donae F. Grier, 38, of Irving, Texas, sentenced to 60 months in prison;

Christopher J. Bishop, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., sentenced to 120 months in prison;

Kerris D. Moncrease, 32, of Weirton, W.Va., sentenced to 42 months in prison; and

Perrier D. Coleman, 21, of Steubenville, Ohio, sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Terrence J. Smith, 27, Michael K. Greathouse, 25, and Erica L. Jury, 37, all of Steubenville, Ohio have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin is a federal crime punishable by 10 years to up to life in prison. Both conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to commit money laundering are crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative efforts of law enforcement, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Michael Hunter, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jane M. Hanlin who are prosecuting the case.

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Thomas J. Richter, 30, from Troy, Illinois was charged on March 7, 2017 in federal court by a two-count criminal complaint alleging Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography, United States Attorney Donald S. Boyce has announced. After a detention hearing held today, Richter was released on bond with electronic leg monitoring.

The offenses charged in the criminal complaint allege that in October and November 2016, Richter distributed and received numerous images containing child pornography using an internet application. If convicted of distribution and/or receipt of child pornography, Richter faces a term of imprisonment of not less than five (5) years up to twenty (20) years, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five (5) years up to life on each count.

A criminal complaint is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and

prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit

www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

The case was investigated by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Metro East Cyber Crimes and Analysis Task Force. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hoell.

Abingdon, VIRGINIA – An Irvine, California, man was found guilty Friday afternoon following a five-day jury trial on conspiracy and mail fraud charges in relation to his role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States Food and Drug Administration, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.

After one and one-half hours, a federal jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon found Sitesh Bansi Patel, 33, of Irvine, California guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the FDA, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and three counts of mail fraud. At sentencing, Patel faces up to 85 years in prison, a fine of up to $1.25 million and the potential forfeiture of assets acquired through criminal behavior.

In a separate hearing Friday, a co-conspirator in the matter, Guillermo “Willy” Ramos, 41, of Oceanside, California, was sentenced to two years’ probation for his role in the conspiracy. Steven Donald Wood, 38, of Danville, Virginia, was previously sentenced to probation for a term of one year and ordered to forfeit $1.5 million, which was paid prior to Wood pleading guilty. Wood was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

According to evidence presented during last week’s trial, Patel was the vice president of SK Labs, a California-based supplement manufacturer. Patel has a Pharm.D degree. In 2008 and 2009, Patel used SK Labs to produce H-Drol and M-Drol for Steve Wood’s company Competitive Edge Labs. The products labeled M-Drol and H-Drol contained prohormones. The products were misbranded because the labels identified them as “dietary supplements” when, in fact, they were drugs. The active ingredients in H-Drol and M-Drol are now classified by the DEA as anabolic steroids. In 2009, when it became widely known in the supplement industry that these types of products were being actively investigated by the FDA, SK Labs quit producing H-Drol and M-Drol. However, beginning in December 2010, Patel arranged for Steve Wood, who was a significant customer of SK Labs, to meet Willy Ramos, of Oceanside, California, via email so that Ramos could begin producing H-Drol and M-Drol for Steve Wood. Patel received, at his home, the first shipments of the raw powders, labels, and payment from Wood. On more than one occasion, Patel transported those items to a shopping mall parking lot where he delivered them to Ramos. Ramos encapsulated, bottled, and labeled the H-Drol and M-Drol on several occasions. Patel arranged for the first shipment of finished product to be sent to Wood in the Danville, Virginia, area. Patel was paid by Ramos and Wood for his role. Wood testified he sent Patel $8,000 to $10,000 in cash on at least two occasions. The cash was sent in supplement bottles. Ramos testified that he paid Patel $7,500 in cash. Ramos quit producing the products when Steve Wood was arrested on September 14, 2011, in the Danville, Virginia, area.

Wood obtained his raw powder from Xinli “Eric” Li, a Chinese national, who pleaded guilty in federal court in Abingdon on December 4, 2015. Li forfeited $1.6 million and served five months in prison prior to being deported to China.

M-Drol listed its single active ingredient as 2a, 17a di methyl etiocholan 3-one, 17b-ol, a chemical nomenclature for methasterone, also known as “Superdrol.” The FDA has identified methasterone as a “designer steroid” or “designer drug”, a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug. H-Drol listed its single active ingredient as 4-chloro-17a-methyl-androst-1,4-diene-3-17b-diol, the nomenclature for a designer drug identified as halovar, a clone of halodrol. Both products were deemed to be misbranded drugs because the label was false, that is, the product was labeled as a “dietary supplement” but contained a “steroid” or drug. Therefore, neither product met the definition of a dietary supplement. Both products were popular among those seeking an increase in muscle mass and loss of body fat and were distributed widely in the U.S. and overseas, both at retail stores and via the internet. The use of anabolic steroids or dietary supplements that contain anabolic steroids or designer steroids may trigger numerous adverse health effects in the human body.

The investigation, known as Operation Grasshopper, has resulted in the forfeiture of over $3 million and felony convictions for seven different individuals from Virginia, California, Florida, New York and China.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations. The Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the case. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.

HOUSTON – United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson has announced that he will resign as chief law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) effective midnight March 10, 2017.

“It has been privilege and a honor to serve as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas,” said Magidson. “It has been a hallmark of my administration to ensure that our office lived up to the ideals of justice. The ability to everyday protect the interests of the United States has truly been a great blessing and a hallmark of my career. I am confident that our office will continue to live up to these ideals.”

Magidson was nominated by former President Barack Obama in June 2011 and began serving as U.S. Attorney for the district on Sept. 30, 2011, following confirmation by the Senate. As the leader of one of the busiest districts in the nation, Magidson oversaw nearly 370 employees, including approximately 180 Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the 7^th largest district in the country, covering 43,000 miles and representing 8.3 million people. His resignation today brings to a close nearly 35 years of federal law enforcement experience.

The Southern District of Texas saw a wide variety of issues due to the large metropolitan area of Houston and proximity to the border that Magidson equally considered a priority. In his five and a half years as U.S. Attorney, prosecutors in his office convicted nearly 40,000 defendants.

He believed in protecting this district and held national security as one of his primary concerns, recently securing the conviction of a 24-year-old man of attempting to provide material support to ISIL. Weeding out public corruption, civil rights and protecting people from the harms associated with illegal immigration and human smuggling were also considered paramount.

Magidson also combatted the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children with cases brought as a result of Project Safe Childhood. The SDTX actively supported this initiative through coordination of federal, state and local law enforcement efforts to prosecute predators and rescue child victims. Under his leadership, prosecutors fought to help bring criminals to justice and protect the most vulnerable members of our society. The SDTX convicted, on average, one defendant each week during his tenure.

Trafficking in persons is a form of modern-day slavery and a particular problem in the SDTX with its many miles of border with Mexico. Magidson placed a high emphasis on prosecuting those traffickers who often prey on the poor, frequently unemployed or underemployed and who may lack access to social safety nets. One such example was the conviction of 68-year-old woman behind a 14-defendant sex trafficking ring operating in Houston. This notable case is one of the most significant in scope and magnitude to be tried to a verdict of guilty on all counts, and one of the few in which as many as 12 victims of an international sex trafficking scheme came forward to testify at trial. The defendant later received life in prison.

Aggressively prosecuting drug traffickers through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) was also a top priority, as was the targeting of criminals involved in violent crime with significant prosecutions for bank and armored robberies as well as firearms offenses.

Finally, Magidson led the office in its fight to combat fraud throughout the district. Magidson believed in protecting the interests of the U.S. and the citizens of the district by targeting identity thieves, telemarketers, tax evaders and persons engaged in insurance fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, mortgage fraud and fraud committed against federal agencies. Additionally, the SDTX consistently ranked as one of highest in terms of federal health care fraud prosecutions throughout the nation.

During his tenure, the office’s civil division also handled a large caseload of civil litigation in some of the most difficult and important cases the government faces, including resolution of the border fence issues, defending serious medical malpractice claims and recovering millions in criminal debt and civil fraud. In 2015, Magidson also established a new Civil Rights Section within its Civil Division that has the authority to investigate and to remedy civil rights violations within the district.

Prior to serving as U.S. Attorney, Magidson served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in the SDTX since 1983. For most of that time, he was the OCDETF Regional Coordinator for the Southwest Region, which includes all of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and the Central and Southern Districts of California and encompasses 11 federal judicial districts. The OCDETF program targets the most significant drug trafficking and related money laundering organizations operating in the United States. Previously, as chief of the Narcotics Division, he supervised assigned AUSAs in addition to his regional OCDETF coordination duties.

In 2008, Magidson was called upon to serve as the Harris County District Attorney upon appointment of then Texas Governor Rick Perry. As the District Attorney of the third most populous county in the United States, he managed an office with more than 300 prosecutors and investigators.

Cognizant of his experience and accomplishments, the Department of Justice asked Magidson to serve under then Attorney General Janet Reno as the director for the Executive Office for OCDETF in Washington, D.C., from May 1996 through May 1997. In that role, he was responsible for a broad range of management, financial and administrative duties and supervised a staff consisting of professional and support staff deemed necessary for performing the duties of the office.

Prior to his federal career, Magidson served as an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County. During that time, he served as the chief felony prosecutor in the 177th District Court and was responsible for the prosecution of major felony crimes including capital murders, rapes, robberies, burglaries, kidnappings and more.

Magidson graduated from the University of Maryland and holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston.

BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that he has submitted his resignation as United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana effective March 10, 2017.

U.S. Attorney Green stated: “I wish to thank my incredible staff and law enforcement family for all their support over the years as I respectfully submit my resignation as United States Attorney. With over twenty-seven years as a United States Marine and twenty years as a member of the Department of Justice, I will treasure all my memories of public service to this great nation.”

As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Green prioritized protecting the district from terrorism and threats to national security, violent crime, human trafficking, as well as cyber threats, corruption, and fraud, with a special emphasis on assisting victims of crime.

Mr. Green fought human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children by surging the number of prosecutors to aggressively pursue offenders and significantly expanding his Middle District Human Trafficking Task Force. His tenure saw prosecutions resulting in human traffickers being sentenced to 192 and 115 month sentences; a 20-year sentence for an offender who extorted children into producing child pornography; and a 25-year sentence for an offender who expressed interest in kidnapping and sexually abusing a child. He and his task force also engaged in outreach efforts aimed at educating law enforcement agencies, non-profit organizations, medical providers, and others about recognizing and investigating human trafficking and, most importantly, assisting its victims.

Violent crime was a focus throughout his tenure, forming a united front with federal, state, and local law enforcement. His leadership saw a doubling of the number of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operations aimed at large-scale and violent drug organizations, gangs, and cartels (including the prosecution of 39 offenders in Operation Third World, the largest such prosecution in the history of the district); a surge in the number of federal gun prosecutions over the last year through Operation Joint Endeavor; the launching of a new initiative, dubbed “Project Infiniti”, to increase federal prosecutions of violent drug offenders; the creation and staffing of the multi-jurisdictional Violent Crimes Unit and the Crime Strategies Unit; co-leading the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination program; and leading reentry and diversion efforts aimed at reducing recidivism.

Mr. Green created and led the Middle District of Louisiana’s innovative cyber security initiative, a comprehensive effort to increase awareness of cyber security issues, better protect potential victims in the district, and take a more aggressive approach at initiating criminal investigations and prosecutions where appropriate. Through his leadership, Mr. Green established new relationships with his district’s federal, state, and local law enforcement partners; established a new law enforcement working group to better address and respond to cyber threats affecting the Middle District; and directed a significant investment in outreach to the private sector and business community. Mr. Green’s efforts led to a significant increase in the number of cyber- and computer crime-related criminal investigations being led by his office.

Mr. Green aggressively pursued white collar criminals, including corrupt public officials and those seeking to defraud government programs and private entities, which included the district’s first insider trading prosecutions, in connection with the sale of The Shaw Group, and its first prosecution of the Bank Secrecy Act’s anti-money laundering provisions.

His efforts included overseeing the continuation of the district’s successful health care fraud initiative, including the efforts of the Baton Rouge Medicare Fraud Strike Force, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Justice’s multi-agency effort to fight Medicare fraud. By dedicating significant, additional office resources to the anti-health care fraud effort, and partnering with the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and dedicated Strike Force attorneys, Mr. Green’s office convicted numerous defendants of health care fraud and related schemes, obtained dozens of lengthy prison sentences (including several of the longest sentences for health care fraud in the history of the district), and obtained judgments and restitution orders totaling tens of millions of dollars.

Throughout his tenure, Mr. Green demonstrated his commitment to bringing to justice those who violated the civil rights of others, including convicting three former state corrections officers in the beating of an inmate, convicting the Sorrento police chief in a civil rights investigation, and, most recently, charging four former supervisory correctional officers with beating a handcuffed and shackled inmate.

Mr. Green led his civil division in using the civil process to combat healthcare fraud, protect the interests of the United States, forfeit criminal proceeds, and collect millions of dollars in criminal and civil judgments for victims of crime, the U.S. Treasury, and various agencies.

Mr. Green is also the Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster Fraud (“NCDF”), formerly the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Command Center, located in Baton Rouge. The NCDF is the central point for the receipt and processing of disaster fraud-related complaints nationwide and facilitates complaints to the appropriate federal, state, and local investigative agencies.

On March 13, 2014, President Obama nominated Mr. Green for the position of United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Mr. Green’s nomination on May 1, 2014, and he was sworn-in on June 2, 2014. Mr. Green oversaw a district comprised of nine parishes and approximately one million residents, managing a staff of 60 attorneys and support personnel.

Mr. Green earned his B.A. from Louisiana State University and his J.D. from Tulane Law School. From 1993 through 1997, he served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. In 1999, he became an Assistant United States Attorney in Las Vegas. He then returned to Baton Rouge where he continued serving as an Assistant United States Attorney. Prior to becoming U.S. Attorney, Green served as the Acting United States Attorney (2013-2014), the First Assistant United States Attorney (2010-2013), and the Deputy Criminal Chief in charge of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section (2001-2010). He also served as the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee Coordinator, the Anti-Terrorism Task Force Coordinator, and the Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator.

Mr. Green’s commitment to public service also includes twenty-seven years of disguished service in the United States Marine Corps, including two tours of duty in Iraq. He continues to serve in the Reserve, holding the rank of Colonel.