News from July 2023
Orlando Man Who Destroyed Hard Drive Pleads Guilty To Distributing And Possessing Child Sex Abuse Materials
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: Orlando, Florida - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christopher Tristan McKie (38, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of child sex abuse material. McKie faces a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for the distribution offense and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession offense. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 19, 2023.
Felon sentenced for illegal possession of firearm after offering to sell pistol, illegal switches for gun conversion
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: BILLINGS - A California felon who was identified offering to sell an undercover agent a pistol and switches used to convert guns from semi-automatic firearms to fully-automatic was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U. S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Attorney and Former U.S. Congressional Candidate Indicted for Defrauding Clients of More Than $5 Million in Escrow Funds
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: BOSTON - An attorney and former candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives was arrested today in connection with a scheme to defraud a business-to-business supply company based in India of millions of dollars and using client funds for business and personal expenses, including the purchase of a $2.7 million home in Boca Raton, Fla.
Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Charges of Enticement, Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: PROVIDENCE - A Waterbury, CT sex offender admitted to a federal judge in U.S. District Court in Providence, RI, that in March 2019, he engaged in a series of sexually explicit online communications with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl living in Rhode Island; that he attempted to arrange...
Mescalero Man Charged with Sexual Abuse
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced today that Garrick Richard Shendo-Herrera made an initial appearance in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with sexual abuse. Shendo-Herrera, 34, of Mescalero, will remain in custody pending trial.
USDOJ-OJP-BJA offers new grant application process starting July 3
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
BJA FY23 Invited to Apply Solicitation for Law Enforcement Operations grant opened on July 3.
Albany Man Receives 64 Months for Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: ALBANY, NEW YORK - Carlos Hernandez, age 54, of Albany, was sentenced today to 64 months in prison for distributing heroin and fentanyl on at least five occasions in April and May 2021. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney Announces Participation in Coordinated National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: Louisville, KY - U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett announced criminal charges against four defendants in connection with two health care fraud and opioid abuse scheme cases prosecuted in the Western District of Kentucky, as part of the Department of Justice’s 2023 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement...
Tampa Drug Trafficking Leader Sentenced To More Than 21 Years In Federal Prison
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: Tampa, FL - United States District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Edward Verdi-Bruno, (31, Tampa) to 21 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy and delivery of controlled substances. Verdi-Bruno had pleaded guilty on March 29, 2023.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Misuse of a Social Security Number and Aggravated Identity Theft in an Attempt to Steal the Identity of a Syracuse University Graduate
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Gregory William Hill, age 38, of Georgia, whose many aliases include Gregory Allen Davis, Gregory William Davis, Gregory Davis Dutton, and John Martin Hill, pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to misuse of a social security number and aggravated identity theft. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Injured Workers Pharmacy to Pay $10 Million to Resolve Allegations of Improper Dispensing and Submitting False Claims
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: BOSTON - Injured Workers Pharmacy (IWP) - which has been one of the largest purchasers of opioids in the United States, among pharmacies - has agreed to pay $10 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act by improperly filling prescriptions for controlled substances...
New Orleans Man Sentenced in Armed Bank Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery Case
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - On June 27, 2023, New Orleans resident, DEVIN CHANEY (“CHANEY"), age 33, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 188 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. CHANEY had previously pled...
Jacksonville Man Charged With Federal Drug Offenses
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: Jacksonville, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Diandre Murel (29, Jacksonville) with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it. If convicted, Murel faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years...
Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty To Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - EMILY HUCKABEE, age 23, a resident of Yuma, Arizona, pled guilty on June 22, 2023 before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to a superseding bill of information charging her with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon In Road Rage Confrontation
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: Defendant Pointed Firearm at Mother and Daughter.
Canadian Man Sentenced to Lengthy Federal Prison Sentence for Scheme to Operate Illicit Online Gift Card Marketplace
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Richard Verret, age 41, of Quebec, Canada, to 57 months in federal prison following his conviction for operating a scheme to sell more than 500,000 stolen gift card account numbers over the internet. The Court also ordered Verret to forfeit more than $810,000 in proceeds from his crime.
Former Police Officer Sentenced To 37 Months For Possession Of Child Pornography
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: ANCHORAGE - A Wasilla man was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography in his home. According to court documents, Matthew William Schwier, 39, knowingly possessed over 100 still images and multiple videos depicting children being sexually abused. Schwier pled guilty...
Missouri Man Sentenced to 12 ½ Years in Prison for National Forest Arsons, Assault of Forest Service Employee
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: CAPE GIRARDEAU - U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Wednesday sentenced a man who committed arsons in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri and assaulted a U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer to 12 and one-half years in prison.
Two Texas Medical Practices to Pay More Than $500,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability for Fraudulently Billing Medicare for P-Stim Devices
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: SAN ANTONIO - U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas announced Wednesday, separate civil settlements totaling $513,168.10 to resolve allegations that two area medical practices violated the False Claims Act (“FCA") by improperly billing Medicare for P-Stim devices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas has now obtained more than $2 million related to improperly billed P-Stim devices since June 2021.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Deaths in Human Smuggling Operation
By DOJ Newswire | Jul 3, 2023
News Release: ALPINE, Texas - A Guatemalan national was sentenced in federal court in Pecos Monday to 63 months in prison for one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death.