News from 2023


Readout of Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta and Access to Justice Director Rachel Rossi’s Trip to Iowa

News Release: Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta joined Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) in Des Moines, Iowa, today as part of the Department’s National Public Defense Day Tour to recognize the 60th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, which held that criminal defendants are entitled to counsel when facing felony charges and celebrate the role of public defenders in the American legal system.


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Water Act discussed on March 15 by Justice Department

The US Justice Department published a one page notice on March 15, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.


Jelly Bean Communications Design and its Manager Settle False Claims Act Liability for Cybersecurity Failures on Florida Medicaid Enrollment Website

News Release: Jelly Bean Communications Design LLC (Jelly Bean) and Jeremy Spinks have agreed to pay $293,771 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they failed to secure personal information on a federally funded Florida children’s health insurance website, which Jelly Bean created, hosted, and maintained.


Michigan Nonprofit Organizations Agree to Pay $225,887 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program Loans

News Release: Two Michigan nonprofit organizations, the Michigan Education Association (MEA) and the Michigan Education Special Services Association (MESSA), have agreed to settle allegations that the organizations violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by applying for and obtaining loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for which they knew or should have known they were ineligible.


U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and Memphis Police Department Capture Pennsylvania Homicide Fugitive

News Release: Memphis, TN - Jerbrell Westmoreland, 30, has been captured in Memphis by the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) and Memphis Police Department. Westmoreland was wanted out of Pennsylvania for Homicide, Conspiracy to Commit Homicide and Attempted Criminal Homicide.


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the System Unit Resource Protection Act discussed on March 14 by Justice Department

The US Justice Department published a one page notice on March 14, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.


Connecticut Fugitive Wanted Since 2012 Captured in Texas

News Release: New Haven, CT - The U.S. Marshals in Texas on Monday arrested a man wanted in Connecticut on child sex charges dating back to 2008.


Federal Jury Finds Kentucky Woman Guilty of Mailing Threatening Communications to Neighbors Because of Their Race

News Release: A federal jury convicted a local woman on Friday of mailing communications containing threats to injure others in November and December 2020.


Sterling Bancorp, Inc. to Plead Guilty to $69M Securities Fraud

News Release: A Southfield, Michigan-headquartered bank holding company has agreed to plead guilty to securities fraud for filing false securities statements relating to its 2017 initial public offering (IPO) and its 2018 and 2019 annual filings.


Tennessee Man Wanted for Rape of a Child Captured by U.S. Marshals in Kentucky

News Release: Carroll County, TN - Damian Daniel Campos, 20, who was wanted by the Carroll County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office for multiple counts of Rape of a Child and Aggravated Sexual Battery was captured yesterday in Kentucky after a joint investigation by U.S. Marshals in Western Tennessee and Kentucky.


USDOJ-OJP-BJA offers new grant application process starting March 16

BJA FY 23 Adult Treatment Court Planning, Training, Technical Assistance, and Resources Center Initiative grant opened on March 16.


United States Files Complaint Alleging that Rite Aid Dispensed Controlled Substances in Violation of the False Claims Act and the Controlled Substances Act

News Release: The Justice Department announced today that the United States has filed a complaint in intervention in a whistleblower lawsuit brought under the False Claims Act (FCA) against Rite Aid Corporation and various subsidiaries (collectively Rite Aid) alleging that Rite Aid knowingly filled unlawful prescriptions ...


Pennsylvania Owners of Landscape and Excavation Firm Charged with Conspiring to Defraud the IRS and Employment Tax Crimes

News Release: A federal grand jury in Philadelphia returned an indictment charging a Pennsylvania man and woman with conspiring to defraud the IRS and other tax crimes, including failing to pay employment taxes to the IRS.


USDOJ-OJP-OVC offers new grant application process starting March 16

OVC FY 2023 Human Trafficking Fellowship Program grant opened on March 16.


Detroit-area Software Developer Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax Crimes

News Release: A Michigan business owner was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for failing to collect and pay over to the IRS employment taxes withheld from his employees’ wages.


Two Men Arrested by U.S. Marshals for Akron Homicide From July of 2021

News Release: Akron, OH- This morning, members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) located and arrested Desean Williamson, 23, and Teion Thompson, 21. Both were wanted by the Akron Police Department. Williamson was wanted for murder and Thompson was wanted for complicity to commit murder and obstructing justice.


U.S. Marshals Task Force Apprehends Homicide Suspect

News Release: Milwaukee, WI -Members of the U.S. Marshals Service’s Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force (GLRFTF) captured on March 9 a fugitive wanted on a homicide charge.


U.S. Marshals Arrest 2 Murder Fugitives in King of Prussia, PA

News Release: Philadelphia, PA - Today, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, along with Montgomery County SWAT and Upper Merion Police, arrested Halim Evans, 20, and Jamel King, 29, in the 500 block of Dekalb Pike in King of Prussia, PA. Both men were wanted for murder in relation to a September 2022...


Woman Wanted in Connection With Akron Homicide Arrested in Mexico

News Release: Akron, OH - This morning, the United States Marshals Service in collaboration with Mexican authorities arrested Leslie Lopez, 26. Lopez was wanted by Summit County Sheriff’s Office for failure to appear for aggravated murder.


USDOJ-OJP-BJA grant application closes on May 8

BJA FY 23 National Training and Technical Assistance: Capital Case Litigation Initiative grant opened on March 16.