The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Matthew A. Oquendo, 28, of Holyoke, Massachusetts was arraigned today in federal court on charges related to the selling of heroin and fentanyl during several FBI undercover operations. Oquendo entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.  Oquendo remains detained pending trial.

According to court records and other information presented in court, during the months-long investigation, the FBI used a confidential source to purchase heroin and fentanyl from Oquendo.  On March 8, 2021, the FBI confidential source purchased approximately 2,000 bags of fentanyl from Oquendo for $4,000.  Just five days later, on March 13, 2021, the FBI confidential source purchased approximately 20,000 bags of heroin from Oquendo for $40,000.  Shortly after the deal, Oquendo realized that the $40,000 was fake money.  As a result, Oquendo attempted to chase down the confidential source’s vehicle. Law enforcement officers attempted to stop Oquendo by driving towards his car with their blue/red emergency lights engaged; however, Oquendo continued to chase the confidential source’s vehicle – ultimately, requiring an FBI officer to ram Oquendo’s car. Oquendo fled the area in his vehicle, speeding through an intersection and into oncoming traffic causing law enforcement to cease their pursuit.  Eventually, law enforcement officers located Oquendo’s vehicle and, with the assistance of a K-9, found Oquendo hiding in a wooded area.

On April 8, 2021, the Grand Jury returned a two-count indictment against Oquendo for distributing fentanyl and for distributing 100 grams or more of heroin.  The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  The defendant faces a five-year mandatory minimum sentence based on the allegation of distributing 100 grams or more of heroin. The actual sentence would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The FBI, the FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force, the Vermont Drug Task Force, the Vermont State Police, and the Easthampton (Massachusetts) Police Department Drone Unit are investigating the case.  The United States Attorney’s Office also recognizes and appreciates the Brattleboro Police Department for the vital assistance it provided during this investigation. 

The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Davis.  Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth represents the defendant.

GUILTY PLEA – SAMANTHA LONGORIA

On April 13, Samantha Longoria, 25, plead guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.  Longoria sent the proceeds from drug transactions to Mexico via wire remittance transfers.  For each transfer Longoria completed she was paid a fee.  When she arrested in late September, law enforcement found receipts for money transfers in her residence she shared with a coconspirator.  From May 14-18, Longoria completed 79 transactions totaling $70,000.  Longoria now faces up to 20 years in federal prison for her crimes.  The DEA conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kull is prosecuting the case.

SENTENCING – Yotzer Harin Peraza-Navarro

On April 13, Yotzer Harin Peraza-Navarro, 32, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Peraza-Navarro was pulled over by law enforcement for a traffic violation and placed under arrest for having an active warrant.  When law enforcement searched Peraza-Navarro’s vehicle, they located $26,419, a pistol, and methamphetamine.  Peraza-Navarro later admitted to transporting 25 pounds of methamphetamine and one kilogram of heroin.  The DEA, HSI, Lubbock Sheriff’s Office, and Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long prosecuted the case.

SENTENCING – JORGE BENITEZ

On April 13, Jorge Benitez, 21, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that Benitez occupied.  Officers searched the vehicle and located marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, $4,715 in drug proceeds, and a firearm.  The DEA conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael Jones prosecuted the case.

GUILTY PLEA – GERARDO JIMENEZ

On April 15, Gerardo Jimenez, 43, plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.  Jimenez utilized a storage building on his property to store large quantities of illegal narcotics.  In May 2020, an undercover officer came to his residence and purchased an “eight ball” of cocaine.  When law enforcement executed a search warrant of the residence, they located kilograms of methamphetamine, marijuana plants, and ten firearms.  Jimenez now faces up to life in federal prison for his crimes.  The DEA conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phelesa Guy is prosecuting the case.

GUILTY PLEA – PERRY HILSON

On April 13, Perry Hilson, 42, plead guilty to possessing contraband in prison.  On July 27, 2018, Perry Hilson, a prisoner at FCI Seagoville, spoke with Deshea Hilson and instructed her to smuggle narcotics to him during their visit the following day.  When Deshea arrived in the visitation room, she went to the vending machines and purchased a bag of chips.  She later excused herself to the restroom and retrieved several balloons of methamphetamine from her person and placed them in the chip bags.  When she returned to the visitation room, Perry then pretended to eat the chips, but attempted to ingest the methamphetamine.  Perry Hilson now faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his crimes.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs is prosecuting the case.

PITTSBURGH, PA - A Beaver County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of embezzlement from a federal credit union and willful failure to file tax returns, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

Stacey Shaw, 47, of Industry, PA pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Shaw was the President and CEO of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 712 Federal Credit Union, and beginning in May 2017 she opened six credit cards in her name without getting approval from the Board of Directors. Over the course of approximately three years, and without authorization, Shaw raised the credit limits on her credit cards approximately 138 times, using the available credit to make personal purchases. When her conduct was discovered, the six credit cards had a total outstanding balance of approximately $2.1 million, all of which resulted in a loss to the credit union. Ultimately, the loss was so profound, the credit union went out of business. The Court was further advised that Shaw had significant income for the years 2018 and 2019, but she willfully failed to file tax returns for those years.

Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for August 10, 2021 at 9:30 A.M. The law provides for a total sentence of 31 years in prison, a fine of $1,100,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court released Shaw on a $50,000 bond.

Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Shaw.

The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Victoria Pease, 32, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to time served following her guilty plea to a charge that she distributed heroin laced with fentanyl.  U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that Pease immediately begin serving a three-year term of supervised release.  Pease must also be on location monitoring for six months.

Last year, a federal grand jury charged Pease with distributing heroin in Brattleboro on March 12, 2020.  Pease was arrested on the charge in August and has been detained since her arrest.  Pease had a prior federal felony drug conviction sustained in 2017.

This case was investigated by the Vermont Drug Task Force.   

Pease is represented by Katina Francis, Esq.  The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Colorado Springs, Colorado, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

Chad William Chapman, age 36, was indicted on April 13, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on April 15, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered. 

The Indictment alleges that on March 16, 2021, in the District of South Dakota, Chapman knowingly and intentionally possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.  Chapman was pulled over by the Aberdeen Police Department in Aberdeen and found in possession of nearly a pound of methamphetamine and $6,135 in U.S. currency.   

The charge is merely an accusation and Chapman is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Aberdeen Police Department and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.   

Chapman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been scheduled.

A man who distributed pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced on April 15, 2021, to more than 20 years in federal prison.

Jamie Allen Medulan, age 46, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 22, 2020 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On July 13, 2020, officers searched a hotel room being used by Medulan and located more than five kilograms of “ice” methamphetamine, two firearms, $31,448 in cash, and other evidence of drug trafficking.  Medulan later admitted receiving more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine from his source over the course of months.  Medulan’s criminal history includes convictions in 31 separate cases, including convictions related to theft, assault, burglary, and manufacturing of methamphetamine.

Medulan was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Medulan was sentenced to 251 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Medulan is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.  For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/ag/page/file/1217186/download.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Marion Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 20-CR-55.

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WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Dominique Revell Dungey, of Martins Ferry, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to 10 months of incarceration for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced.

Dungey, also known as “Murda,” age 29, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base” in January 2021. Dungey admitted to selling cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in May 2019 in Ohio County.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Clayton J. Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, West Virginia State Police, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wheeling Police Department, investigated. The U.S. Marshal Service, Columbus Police Department Gang Crimes Unit, the Martins Ferry Police Department, and the Bellaire Police Department also assisted.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

Original case indictment here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/26-charged-drug-conspiracy-involving-heroin-fentanyl-crack-cocaine-and-meth-wheeling

Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

Myles Feather Earring, age 37, was indicted on April 6, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on April 15, 2021, 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, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that Feather Earring, who had previously been convicted of a sex crime and required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, failed to do so between January 7, 2021, and February 9, 2021.

The charge is merely an accusation and Feather Earring is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.   

Feather Earring was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced during a press conference today that Moshe Porat, the former Dean of Temple University’s Richard J. Fox School of Business and Management (“Fox”), has been indicted on charges that he conspired and schemed to deceive the school’s applicants, students, and donors into believing that the school offered top-ranked business degree programs, so they would pay tuition and make donations to Temple.

Porat, 74, of Bala Cynywd, PA, was Dean of Fox Business School from 1996 until 2018.  He also was the Dean of Temple’s School of Sports, Tourism & Hospitality Management from 1998 until 2018.

The Indictment charges Porat with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. According to the Indictment, from at least 2014 until at least 2018, Porat conspired with a Fox professor named Isaac Gottlieb and a Fox employee named Marjorie O’Neill to submit false information about the school’s online MBA (“OMBA”) and part-time MBA (“PMBA”) programs to U.S. News & World Report in order to inflate Fox’s rankings in the annual U.S. News surveys of top OMBA and PMBA programs.

Among other things, the conspirators allegedly agreed to provide false information to  U.S. News about the number of Fox’s OMBA and PMBA students who had taken the Graduate Management Admission Test (“GMAT”); the average work experience of Fox’s PMBA students; and the percentage of Fox students who were enrolled part-time because it was believed that better numbers for these metrics would result in better rankings for the programs.

The Indictment charges that the scheme was successful. Relying on the false information it had received from Fox, U.S. News ranked Fox’s OMBA program Number One in the country four years in a row (2015 – 2018). U.S. News also moved Fox’s PMBA program up its rankings from No. 53 in 2014 to No. 20 in 2015, to No. 16 in 2016, and to No. 7 in 2017.

According to the Indictment, Porat boasted about these rankings in marketing materials directed at potential Fox students and donors. Enrollment in Fox’s OMBA and PMBA programs grew dramatically in a few short years, which led to millions of dollars a year in increased tuition revenues.

Gottlieb and O’Neill have been charged in a separate Information with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

“The success of the higher education system in the United States relies not only on the academic excellence and rigor of the programs offered, and not only on the aptitude and hard work of the applicants and students,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams, “but also on transparency and honesty about the system itself. Moshe Porat allegedly misrepresented information about Fox’s application and acceptance process, and therefore the student-body itself, in order to defraud the rankings system, potential students, and donors. His conduct, as alleged, undermines the integrity of the entire academic system and forever hurts the students who worked so hard for admission.”

“Moshe Porat knew that burnishing the MBA programs’ rankings would make Fox more competitive, bringing in more students and more dollars,” said Lilian S. Perez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.“Fudging the school’s data was a means to that end. But countless applicants, students, and donors made big decisions, financial decisions, based on the lies at the heart of this alleged conspiracy. This was an extended and extensive fraud, for which those involved must be held accountable.”

“Today’s action alleges that Mr. Porat knowingly abused his position of trust to defraud the very ones he promised to serve – Temple students. That is unacceptable,” said Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Regional Office. “As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Education, we will continue to aggressively pursue those who scam students or rig the system for their selfish purposes.”

“Leadership at institutions of higher education owe a duty to provide honest and accurate information about their schools and programs. As these leaders know, students, prospective students, prospective employees, employers, and others rely on the information they disseminate, and trust in its veracity,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood. “Unfortunately, we have seen far too many examples of these leaders breaching this duty by engaging in deceptive activity. Today, the United States Attorney charged the former Dean of the Fox School Business at Temple University with providing fraudulent information to college ranking publications and then widely sharing that information with prospective students. This fraudulent data helped propel Temple Business School’s online degree program to a number one ranking in the US News and World Report and caused the program’s application and enrollment numbers to balloon. Many of these students would not have considered Temple if not for the number 1 ranking. The team from the FBI, the US Department of Education Office of Inspector General, and the Postal Inspection Service, spent several years working together to unravel this fraud. Today, thanks to their investigation, we are holding one of those individuals who engaged in this destructive conduct responsible and accountable.” 

If convicted, Porat faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Gottlieb and O’Neill each face a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, followed by three years supervised release; and a $500,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General; and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Seattle – The first high-level manager of the notorious hacking group FIN7 was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa A. Gorman.  Fedir Hladyr, 35, a Ukranian national, served as a high-level manager and systems administrator for FIN7.  He was arrested in Dresden, Germany, in 2018 at the request of U.S. law enforcement and was extradited to Seattle.  In September 2019, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit computer hacking.  At today’s sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “Cybercrime has become the greatest threat to American’s financial health, and to citizens around the globe.”

“This criminal organization had more than 70 people organized into business units and teams.  Some were hackers, others developed the malware installed on computers, and still others crafted the malicious emails that duped victims into infecting their company systems,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman.  “This defendant worked at the intersection of all these activities and thus bears heavy responsibility for billions in damage caused to companies and individual consumers.”

According to records filed in the case, since at least 2015, FIN7 members (also referred to as Carbanak Group and the Navigator Group, among other names) engaged in a highly sophisticated malware campaign to attack hundreds of U.S. companies, predominantly in the restaurant, gaming, and hospitality industries.  FIN7 hacked into thousands of computer systems and stole millions of customer credit and debit card numbers which were used or sold for profit. 

FIN7, through its dozens of members, launched numerous waves of malicious cyberattacks on numerous businesses operating in the United States and abroad.  FIN7 carefully crafted email messages that would appear legitimate to a business’s employees and accompanied emails with telephone calls intended to further legitimize the email.  Once an attached file was opened and activated, FIN7 would use an adapted version of the notorious Carbanak malware in addition to an arsenal of other tools ultimately to access and steal payment card data for the business’s customers. Since 2015, many of the stolen payment card numbers have been offered for sale through online underground marketplaces.

In the United States alone, FIN7 successfully breached the computer networks of businesses in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, stealing more than 20 million customer card records from over 6,500 individual point-of-sale terminals at more than 3,600 separate business locations.  Additional intrusions occurred abroad, including in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France.  Companies that have publicly disclosed hacks attributable to FIN7 include such familiar chains as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chili’s, Arby’s, Red Robin, and Jason’s Deli.  

“These cyber thieves orchestrated an elaborate network of hackers and systems to infiltrate businesses and exploit consumers’ personal information,” said Donald M. Voiret, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle Field Office.  “Their specialized skills to target certain industries amplified the damage exponentially.  Thanks to the hard work of law enforcement partners both in the U.S. and overseas, these fraudsters are not beyond our reach and cannot hide from the law.”

Hladyr originally joined FIN7 via a front company called Combi Security—a fake cyber security company that had a phony website and no legitimate customers.  Hladyr admitted in his plea agreement that he quickly realized that, far from being a legitimate company, Combi was part of a criminal enterprise.  Hladyr served as FIN7’s systems administrator who, among other things, played a central role in aggregating stolen payment card information, supervising FIN7’s hackers, and maintaining the elaborate network of servers that FIN7 used to attack and control victims’ computers.  Hladyr also controlled the organization’s encrypted channels of communication.

Speaking to the court, Hladyr said he had “ruined years of my life and put [his] family through great risk and struggle.”

Noting that cyber criminals must be deterred by significant sentences, Chief Judge Martinez said he was cognizant of the “ease of sitting at a keyboard and stealing money from people around the globe” and emphasized that would-be cybercriminals “must understand that, once caught, the punishment will be significant.”  The judge also ordered Hladyr to pay $2.5 million in restitution.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Seattle Cyber Task Force of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Office of International Affairs, the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance, numerous computer security firms and financial institutions, FBI offices across the nation and globe, as well as numerous international agencies.  German law enforcement authorities provided significant assistance by arresting Hladyr.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis Franze-Nakamura and Steven Masada of the Western District of Washington, and Trial Attorney Anthony Teelucksingh of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Mobridge, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.

Spencer Jacob Rinehart, age 28, was indicted on April 13, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on April 15, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered. 

The Indictment alleges that between January 1, 2017, and April 29, 2020, Rinehart knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Mobridge, South Dakota. 

The charge is merely an accusation and Rinehart is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Mobridge Police Department, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.   

Rinehart was released on conditions pending trial.  A trial date has not been scheduled. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, CAYLE LEIGH KLINEKOLE, 48, of Elgin, was sentenced to serve five years of probation for embezzlement and theft from an Indian tribal organization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On October 30, 2020 Klinekole pleaded guilty to a single-count felony Indictment charging her with embezzlement and theft from an Indian tribal organization.

According to court documents and public record, Klinekole worked at the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Intertribal Land Use Committee ("KCA") as the Executive Director from 2016 to 2017.  The KCA is a designated representative body of each of the three tribes authorized to manage and conduct business regarding jointly owned lands.  During the time of her employment, Klinekole stole funds by forging checks, entering into labor agreements with companies without proper authorization, and making unauthorized purchases on credit accounts at different vendors. 

On April 15, 2021, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Klinekole to serve 5 years of probation, including home confinement for the first year, and 50 hours of community service.  Judge Goodwin also ordered Klinekole to pay $194,573.18 in restitution to the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Intertribal Land Use Committee.  In announcing the sentence, Judge Goodwin noted the nature and circumstances of the offense and the need for the sentence to reflect the seriousness of the offense.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Comanche Nation Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Cárdenas prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to public filings for more information. 

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Aberdeen, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Brent Wayne Vostad, age 36, was indicted on April 13, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on April 15, 2021, 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, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on February 27, 2021, in Aberdeen, South Dakota, Vostad, while knowingly being a convicted felon and a user of a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a loaded handgun, which had been transported in interstate commerce. 

The charge is merely an accusation and Vostad is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

The investigation is being conducted by the Aberdeen Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.   

Vostad was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that an Inwood, Iowa, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

Kyle William King, age 34, was indicted on April 6, 2021.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on April 14, 2021, 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, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on King, who had previously been convicted of a sex crime and required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, failed to do so between October 1, 2020, and February 8, 2021.

The charge is merely an accusation and King is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.   

King was remanded to the custody of the State pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

A Cedar Rapids man, responsible for possessing a gun while using marijuana and being a felon, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison.

Marcus Lynn Brown, Jr., age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a November 10, 2020 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Information disclosed at sentencing and at his plea hearing showed that, in May 2020, Cedar Rapids police officers stopped a vehicle Brown was a passenger in because Brown had active arrest warrants.  Once the vehicle stopped, Brown tried to run from police and fought with them as he was being arrested.  Brown left a gun in the vehicle just before running.  Officers located the gun, which was loaded.  The gun had Brown’s DNA on it.  Brown had marijuana in his pocket and tested positive for using marijuana.  Brown has five prior adult criminal convictions, three of which involved violence or firearms. 

Brown was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Brown was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make payment of $100 to the special assessment fund.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/ag/page/file/1217186/download.

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

The case file number 20-CR-79.

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ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The last of six defendants were sentenced today for participating in multiple health care fraud conspiracies involving kickbacks and fraudulent billings that resulted in nearly $8 million in losses to federal, state, and private health care benefit programs.

“Health insurance programs, and the American public, rely on pharmacy professionals to safeguard the system from harmful kickback schemes, and to make truthful representations about the services they provide,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The defendants betrayed their duties as health care professionals, performed illegal kickbacks, and defrauded essential benefit programs out of millions of dollars. EDVA is committed to prosecuting those who exploit taxpayers and engage in the unacceptable fleecing of these important public institutions and programs.”

According to court documents, Mohamed Abdalla, 48, of Allendale, New Jersey, owned multiple pharmacies in northern Virginia, including Medex Health Pharmacy in Falls Church and Royal Care Pharmacy in Fairfax. As the owner of these pharmacies, Abdalla oversaw and executed two related schemes to defraud health care benefit programs. One scheme involved the payment or receipt of unlawful kickbacks for expensive drugs and devices in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Another scheme involved billing federal, state, and private health care benefit programs for numerous expensive drugs and devices that were not medically necessary, not prescribed by a physician, or were not received by a beneficiary.

“Health care professionals who use fraud and deceit to steal funds and scam the system will be held accountable for their actions,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “These individuals, who are supposed to be trusted by the American public, were fueled by greed and their own interests to exploit their profession and pad their pockets. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to root out fraud in the health care industry and protect the public from their illegal schemes.”

From at least January 2014 through at least the end of 2018, Abdalla participated in several schemes to pay kickbacks for the referral of prescriptions for compound medications and for an expensive naloxone auto-injector device used to treat opioid emergencies. Abdalla and his conspirators then billed federal health care benefit programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, which is the Department of Defense’s health care program, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Abdalla obtained over $2 million from these schemes.

“This investigation is a prime example of how kickback schemes undermine the integrity of the U.S. military healthcare system, and degrade the acquisition process,” said Christopher Dillard, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “These sentencings should send a clear warning that DCIS and its investigative partners will vigorously pursue fraudsters intent on lining their pockets with tax dollars earmarked for the care of our Warfighters.”

In addition, Abdalla and employees at his pharmacies conspired to defraud federal, state, and private health care benefit programs by engaging in numerous other schemes, including billing for prescriptions in the names of themselves, family members, and other pharmacy employees that were not medically necessary and/or not prescribed by a licensed physician, and billing for prescriptions for pharmacy customers that were never filled. These additional schemes resulted in a loss to these health care benefit programs of approximately $6,216,434.39.

“Health care providers are trusted to recommend and provide prescription medications that their patients need,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, HHS Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Regional Office. “Today’s sentencing shows individuals who commit fraud and pay kickbacks will be held responsible for their illegal actions. HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to investigate allegations of health care fraud and ensure the integrity of Federal programs.”

On March 19, Abdalla was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in the conspiracies. Five additional defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced for their respective roles in conspiring to pay kickbacks and defraud health insurance providers:

Onkur Lal, 30, of Alexandria, worked for Abdalla as a pharmacy technician and pharmacy intern before ultimately working as a licensed pharmacist. From approximately January 2014 to April 2019, Lal engaged in numerous health care fraud schemes resulting in millions of dollars in losses. At times, Lal used his specialized knowledge to circumvent audits and investigations by third parties, who were investigating fraud on behalf of health benefit programs. On March 5, Lal was sentenced to three years in prison.

Mohammed Tariq Amin, 35, of Fairfax, worked for Abdalla as a pharmacy technician and was the general manager of Royal Care for almost two years. From approximately January 2015 to November 2018, Amin conspired with Abdalla and others to pay kickbacks for the referral of prescriptions of an expensive naloxone auto-injector device. He also engaged in numerous other schemes that defrauded health care benefit programs and used his specialized knowledge to circumvent audits and investigations. Amin was sentenced today to two years in prison.

Daniel Tyler Walker, 51, of Lewes, Delaware, worked as a pharmaceutical sales specialist for a pharmaceutical company and was responsible for marketing an expensive naloxone auto-injector device used to treat opioid emergencies. From approximately August 2015 to April 2017, Walker accepted kickbacks from Abdalla and Amin for the referral of prescriptions for this device, which were then billed to federal health care programs. Walker was sentenced today to 15 months in prison.

Seth Michael Myers, 53, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, from approximately spring of 2013 to mid-2016, conspired with Abdalla, another individual who was a licensed physician, and others to accept kickbacks for the referral of expensive compound medications that were billed to federal health care benefit programs. A company that was created by Myers and the licensed physician was paid over $2.5 million during the scheme. On March 19, Myers was sentenced to two years in prison.

Michael Beatty, 53, of Finksburg, Maryland, worked as a licensed pharmacist at Fallston Pharmacy in Fallston, Maryland. From approximately the summer of 2013 to the fall of 2014, Beatty conspired with Myers and a licensed physician to pay kickbacks for the referral of expensive compound medications, which were billed to federal health care benefit programs. On March 5, Beatty was sentenced to one year and one day in prison.

Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Chris Dillard, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, HHS Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Regional Office; Patrick E. McFarland, Inspector General of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management; and Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monika Moore, Carina Cuellar, and Jamar Walker prosecuted the cases.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-250.

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY– April 16, 2021

SAN DIEGO – Valorie Moser, former bookkeeper for the adult website GirlsDoPorn, pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring with the operators of the website to fraudulently coerce young women to appear in sex videos.

Moser, who worked for GirlsDoPorn (GDP) from 2015 to 2018, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Linda Lopez to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion. Moser, the third of six defendants to plead guilty, admitted that she served as GDP’s bookkeeper, made travel arrangements for models, provided transportation for approximately 100 models once they arrived in San Diego, and performed miscellaneous other tasks. Moser reported her accounting activities to co-defendant Matthew Wolfe, and her interactions with the models to co-defendant Michael Pratt and others.

Moser admitted she knew that GDP produced pornographic videos for publication and dissemination on the internet, and that the young women being recruited to star in these pornographic videos had been provided false assurances that the videos would not be published on the internet. For example, Moser overheard Pratt, using the alias “Mark,” telling prospective models that the video footage would only be distributed on DVDs in Australia, and that the models would remain anonymous, statements that Moser knew to be false.

Further, Pratt instructed Moser not to tell the women the truth about their video’s distribution as she drove the young women to and from the video shoots. Moser was to tell the women that she was just an Uber driver. Later, Pratt told Moser to tell the women that she was bound by a non-disclosure agreement and could not discuss it.

After the videos were posted on-line and widely available, many women contacted Moser to ask that their videos be taken down. Pratt, Wolfe and co-defendant Ruben Garcia all told Moser to block any calls from these women.

Moser also attempted to recruit potential models. Pratt gave her a list of names and numbers and showed her how to use a spoof program to conceal her actual phone number when making calls. Moser was aware that Pratt had a grading system for young women, and that she would get paid more if Pratt found the recruited women attractive. Pratt instructed Moser to tell all prospective models the same lie - that the videos would be released solely on DVD in Australia. Moser knew this to be false. Moser never actually recruited anyone and therefore never made these promises.

“This defendant was a willing participant in a scheme that has traumatized many victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We will continue to seek justice for these women, and to prevent others from becoming ensnared by sex traffickers.” Grossman commended the excellent work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Green and Alexandra F. Foster, as well as FBI agents and members of the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, for their continuing effort to investigate and prosecute this important case.

“Valorie Moser’s guilty plea closes yet another chapter in this deplorable crime ring,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner. “The defendant used lies and deceit to help facilitate this sex trafficking conspiracy.”

Moser is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino on July 2, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. The next hearing in the ongoing case is May 7, 2021 at 2:00 p.m., also before Judge Sammartino.

Any additional victims of the alleged crime are encouraged to call the San Diego FBI at 858-320-1800.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Michael James Pratt. Individuals with information about Pratt should contact their local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

For further information, please see:

- Wanted Poster: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/additional/michael-james-pratt

- Press Release:  https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sandiego/news/press-releases/fbi-seeks-public-assistance-in-locating-sex-trafficking-suspect

DEFENDANT                                              Case Number 19cr4488-JLS

Valorie Moser                                             Age: 38                                          San Diego, CA*

*Pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.

Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine, a special assessment of $100.

CO-DEFENDANTS

Michael James Pratt Age: 36 Fugitive

Matthew Isaac Wolfe Age 37 San Diego, CA

Ruben Andre Garcia Age: 31 San Diego, CA**

** Pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 7

Theodore Gyi Age: 42 Rancho Aliso, CA**

** Pleaded guilty to Superseding Information charging Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371

Amberlyn Dee Nored Age: 27 San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Count 1 (charging all defendants)

Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c)

Maximum Penalty: Life in prison, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

Count 2 (Pratt)

Production of Child Pornography, 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: 30 years in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

Count 3 (Pratt)

Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1) and (2)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

Counts 4 (Pratt, Wolfe, Garcia), 5 (Pratt, Garcia), 6 (Pratt, Wolfe, Garcia), 7 (Pratt, Garcia, Gyi), 8 (Pratt, Garcia, Gyi)

Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a) and (b)(1)

Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine, and a special assessment of $5,000 under 18 U.S.C. § 3014.

INVESTIGATING AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation – San Diego Field Office

San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force

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

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Gregory J. Gerber, 55, of Port Clinton, Ohio, with 51 counts of distribution of controlled substances and two counts of health care fraud. According to the indictment, the Defendant was a licensed medical physician practicing in Sandusky, Ohio, specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation and anesthesiology with a sub-specialty in pain medicine.

“The Northern District of Ohio, like many districts throughout the country, continues to combat a staggering opioid crisis," said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan. “A common theme in this crisis is that many who now struggle with opioid use disorder do so because of a physician who unlawfully prescribed medically unnecessary opioid prescriptions or, in some cases, over-prescribed in a medically unnecessary way.  Physicians alleged to have engaged in such conduct will be held accountable."

"Healthcare fraud impacts the cost of medical care and more importantly, puts patients at risk," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. " Dr. Gerber allegedly abused his oath by prescribing unnecessary medications, causing harm to his patients, and over billed medical visits.   "Dr. Gerber is accused of contributing to the growing opioid epidemic thru his dangerous, criminal behavior and will now be held accountable.

“Issuing prescriptions outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose only aggravates the ongoing opioid epidemic,” said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “Medical professionals are relied upon to perform appropriate physical exams, establish evidence-based, objective diagnoses, and prescribe medications only in a manner that will aid their patients. The OIG continues to investigate instances of alleged improper prescribing that potentially harms patients and wastes vital taxpayer dollars.”

“More Ohioans are dying from opioid overdoses than at any point in this devastating epidemic and this doctor helped put us here one prescription at a time,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Ending this scheme was vital to an area that has been devastated by the opioid crisis.”

The indictment states that the Defendant repeatedly prescribed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, including powerful painkillers such as fentanyl, oxycodone, oxymorphone and other drugs.  It further alleges that from January 2010 through August 2018, the Defendant devised a scheme to defraud federal health care benefit programs by causing insurers to pay for medically unnecessary controlled substance prescriptions. 

As part of the scheme, Defendant improperly performed patient physical and historical examinations, failed to establish evidence-based, objective diagnoses, and used these diagnoses to prescribe excessive doses of controlled substances for long periods of time without evidence of efficacy and while ignoring signs of addiction and drug abuse among his patients.  It is also alleged that the Defendant improperly sought reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers using billing codes that reflected a service more costly than what was performed.

The indictment states that as part of the scheme, the Defendant wrote over approximately 835 prescriptions for Subsys, a fentanyl-based cancer pain treatment medication manufactured by Insys Therapeutics, Inc. According to the indictment, some of the prescriptions written for Subsys were medically unnecessary and for patients who did not have cancer pain. It is alleged that the Defendant received compensation from Insys by participating in the company’s speakers bureau, a program that paid representatives to engage with other medical professionals and promote the Subsys medication.

While working as an Insys speaker, it is alleged that the Defendant received between approximately $1,500 and $3,700 per engagement, totaling approximately $175,000 in payments and other items of value.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the Defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the Cleveland Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Ohio Attorney General’s Healthcare Fraud Section and Ohio Board of Pharmacy. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller.

CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been indicted on a federal firearm charge for allegedly straw purchasing handguns in a suburban store on behalf of another individual.

On July 15, 2020, DARIUS BROWN purchased three handguns from a licensed firearms dealer in Mokena, Ill., and falsely certified on federal forms that he was the actual buyer, according to an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  In reality, Brown purchased the guns on behalf of another individual, the charges allege.

Brown, 24, is charged with one count of making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of firearms.  He pleaded not guilty today during his arraignment in federal court in Chicago.  A status hearing was set for April 30, 2021, before U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee.

The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ankur Srivastava.

“Straw purchasers too often play a grave role in enabling the unlawful possession of guns and the violence that can follow,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch.  “Our office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of guns to individuals who cannot legally purchase them.”

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

The charge in the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Crime Stoppers, and the Family Safety Center join communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18-24, 2021, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. The week promotes victims' rights, celebrates progress made in the field, and honors crime victims. This year’s theme is “Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities”.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma stands with victims of crime and their families. We also recognize the unwavering support and vital work that our law enforcement and community partners perform every day to secure victims’ rights and support survivors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This week my office and our partners invite the public to join us as we encourage and show support to victims of crime."

* Throughout the week, the public is invited to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners virtually as we observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s social media sites (FB: @usaondok; Twitter: @USAO_NDOK). Starting Sunday, April 18, Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson will kick off the week-long virtual awareness event. Also, Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum will share a proclamation in support of crime victims. Throughout the week, messages of support and resource information will be shared by law enforcement, victim services agencies, and faith-based organizations from northeastern Oklahoma. The public is encouraged to share and comment in support of victims.

* Sunday at dusk, also look for the sky to be illuminated pink, purple, or yellow by several Tulsa businesses in honor of victims of crime.  Businesses include ONEOK, ONE GAS, Oklahomans for Equality, and KJRH Ch. 2. Other businesses are also welcome to join in support.

* Also, an in-person public event, “A Community Day of Hope,” will be held Friday, April 23, from 10 am to 2 pm at Tulsa’s Promenade Mall west parking lot, (4107 South Yale Ave.) The event will be held outside due to COVID-19 considerations. Approximately 35 law enforcement, victim services and community agencies will share public safety and victim resource information. The Tulsa Fire Department will also distribute 200 backpacks to the public.

* Nationally, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding service in supporting victims. The 2021 National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on April 23, 2021, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm eastern time. Learn more and register to watch the ceremony live. #NCVRW2021 https://go.usa.gov/xH3zv

Some 3.3 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime in 2018, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey.  The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory.  Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs, and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda.  He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims.

Agencies participating in “A Community Day of Hope” on April 23 at Tulsa’s Promenade Mall include:

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma

Tulsa Crime Stoppers

Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry

Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office

Family Safety Center

Counseling & Recovery Services of Oklahoma

AAA

American Dream Center

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Family Violence Prevention Program

CASA

Oklahoma Department of Human Services - Adult Protective Services

Tulsa Fire Department

Traffic Safety Division/Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office/Oklahoma Highway Safety Office

FBI

Sand Springs Police Department

Tulsa Police Department Victim Witness Unit

Tulsa Police Department Community Engagement Unit

LIFE Senior Services

Oklahoma Highway Patrol

The Coffee Bunker

Surayya Anne Foundation Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office/Victim Witness Center

Wyandotte Nation Family Violence Prevention Program

SANE Program/Forensic Nursing

211 Eastern Oklahoma, Community Service Council

Marsy's Law of Oklahoma

Camp Hope

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma

Cherokee Nation One Fire Victim Services

The Tristesse Grief Center

Equality Center of Oklahoma

YWCA

Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic

Ascension St. John Medical Center

DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services)