News from May 2023
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance to an Individual Under 21 Years of Age, was sentenced on May 1, 2023, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Man Sentenced to Almost Six Years in Prison For Illegally Distributing Fentanyl
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: WASHINGTON - Gary Vaughn, 55, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for Unlawful Distribution of Fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered 36 months of supervised release.
Network of Transnational Fraudsters Charged in Racketeering Scheme to Steal Millions from American Consumers’ Bank Accounts
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: LOS ANGELES - Authorities have arrested five defendants - including several Southern California residents - for their alleged participation in a years-long scheme to steal millions of dollars from American consumers’ bank accounts, the Justice Department announced today.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve 30 Months in Federal Prison for Lying During Firearms Transactions
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: OKLAHOMA CITY - Today, a federal judge sentenced NEMORY ZAHID RAMOS CASTRO, 22, of Oklahoma City, to serve a total of 30 months in federal prison for lying during firearms transactions, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on Judicial Ethics Processes at the Judicial Conference of the U.S.
By DOJ Newswire Report | May 17, 2023
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights hearing entitled, “Review of Federal Judicial Ethics Processes at the Judicial Conference of the United States.”
WALKER MAN SENTENCED TO 36 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR COUNTERFEIT MANUFACTURING
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Thor Teal, age 32, of Walker, Louisiana, to 36 months in federal prison following his convictions for manufacturing and possessing counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes. The Court further sentenced Teal to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered all instrumentalities used in the commission of this crime to be forfeited.
Whatcom County contractor sentenced to two years in prison for failing to pay more than $1 million in employment taxes on employees
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: Seattle - A 64-year-old Everson, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison for failing to pay over taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Between 2013 and 2019, Jay Howard Prather owned and operated Heritage General Building Contractors. He had as...
Union County Man Charged with Distribution of Child Pornography
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: NEWARK, N.J. - A Union County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged with distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
California man sentenced to five years in prison for assisting in the transportation a person to Billings for prostitution
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: BILLINGS - A California man who was convicted in a commercial sex investigation in which a woman brought a minor girl to Billings to engage in prostitution was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Husband and Wife Charged in $1.16 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: CHICAGO - The husband-and-wife operators of a suburban Chicago company schemed with a social worker to fraudulently obtain more than $1.16 million from Medicare, according to a federal indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois.
Plymouth Man Indicted on Federal Civil Rights, Arson Charges
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: ST PAUL, Minn. - A Plymouth man has been indicted on one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Foreign National Sentenced for Using Stolen Identity During COVID-19 Relief Prosecution
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: A foreign national was sentenced today to an additional year and nine months in prison for using a stolen identity during her earlier prosecution for her role in the submission of fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $9.2 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Seattle-area man arrested six times for armed drug dealing sentenced to ten years in prison
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: Seattle - A Seattle-area man who was arrested for drug trafficking by multiple law enforcement agencies six times over a two-year period was sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Steven Eric Strauss, 56, was charged federally...
Durbin Calls on Senate Colleagues to Support Efforts to Protect Children’s Safety Online
By DOJ Newswire Report | May 17, 2023
Over the last two weeks, Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced out of Committee a package of four bipartisan bills that would require social media companies to adhere to new online safety standards for children – or pay a price
Springdale Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: FAYETTEVILLE - A Springdale man was sentenced today to 168 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
Durbin Meets with Improve the Dream to Discuss Impact of Green Card Backlog on Documented Dreamers
By DOJ Newswire Report | May 17, 2023
Despite growing up in the U.S., many Documented Dreamers face risk of deportation at age 21 if their parent does not receive the green card they are eligible for
Russian National Charged with Ransomware Attacks Against Critical Infrastructure
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: The Justice Department today unsealed two indictments charging a Russian national and resident with using three different ransomware variants to attack numerous victims throughout the United States, including law enforcement agencies in Washington, D.C. and New Jersey, as well as victims in healthcare and other sectors nationwide.
Durbin Statement on Ethics Investigations of U.S. Attorney Rollins
By DOJ Newswire Report | May 17, 2023
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, On May 17 released the following statement regarding the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General’s (IG) final report and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC) final report on the ethics investigations into U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins
Red Water Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Assault on a Federal Officer
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: Jackson, Miss. - A Red Water man was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison for assault on a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
Cheyenne Man Convicted of Unlawful Possession of Firearm
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: Devon Jonathan Souza, a/k/a/ Devon Jonathan Swan, age 29, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was convicted on May 10, 2023, by a federal jury for being a felon and a drug user in unlawful possession of a firearm. The trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson.