Category: Legal Issues

Source: United States Attorneys General 2

     LITTLE ROCK—A Jonesboro woman was sentenced to prison for misusing more than $143,000 in disability payments intended for her injured veteran husband. Brandi Goldman, 49, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.

     In 2013, Goldman was married to a United States Army Reservist who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a service-connected accident. As a result of this injury, her husband had many serious physical challenges, and Goldman was appointed as his guardian. Her husband began receiving disability payments, and Goldman signed a fiduciary agreement with Veterans Affairs (VA) detailing the terms of her management of his finances.

     In part, the agreement stated that funds were to be used for the beneficiary and that Goldman was not permitted to borrow, loan, or gift money belonging to the beneficiary. When Goldman officially took over her husband’s accounts in April 2015, through November 2017 after her activity was reported to authorities, she received $258,613.54 in VA disability payments and $36,000 in Social Security payments. During that timeframe, she withdrew $199,649.30 in cash and accrued about $900 in ATM and overdraft fees.

     Goldman admitted to spending much of the cash to fund her methamphetamine habit, spending $150 on methamphetamine two to three times per week. She also admitted that five other people moved into the residence with her and her husband, none of whom paid rent or contributed to expenses, some of whom she regularly gave cash. Goldman also admitted paying $68,000 in cash for another home, furnishings for the home, a vehicle, and a motor home. She told investigators she purchased vehicles for several people and gave money to her daughters as well as her husband’s parents.

     “To steal from a veteran who is incapacitated is an egregious crime. However, that this crime was committed by a fiduciary is particularly pathetic,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s South Central Field Office.  “Today’s sentence should send a clear message that the VA OIG will vigorously investigate those who would exploit our nation’s most vulnerable veterans.”    

     A grand jury indicted Goldman in July 2020 with one count of misappropriation by a fiduciary and one count of theft of government funds. In June 2022, she pleaded guilty to misappropriation by a fiduciary in exchange for the other count being dismissed. In addition to prison, Judge Moody sentenced Golden to 3 years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $143,000 in restitution.

     The case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs – Office of the Inspector General and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Liza Brown prosecuted the case for the United States.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

Twitter:

@EDARNEWS

Source: United States Attorneys General 2

      LITTLE ROCK—Five defendants were sentenced yesterday for their involvement in crimes carried out on behalf of a white supremacist gang. Each defendant previously pleaded guilty to various crimes associated with the New Aryan Empire (NAE), a white supremacist organization that began as a prison gang and functioned as a drug trafficking organization.

      Russell Robinson, 35, of Dover, Arkansas, was sentenced to 204 months imprisonment for kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and maiming in aid of racketeering. The remaining four defendants were sentenced for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Jeffrey Howell, 38, of Russellville, was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment, Richard Hampton, 42, of Pottsville, and Tiffany Parker, 42, of Russellville, were both sentenced to 96 months imprisonment, and April Teeter, 40, of Russellville, was sentenced to 90 months imprisonment. In addition to prison time, United States District Judge Brian S. Miller also sentenced each defendant to five years of supervised release following their terms of imprisonment.

      The investigation began in 2016, when local and federal agencies initiated a joint investigation to identify, infiltrate, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations in Russellville. Agents identified multiple individuals who were trafficking methamphetamine in the Pope County area. 

      In June 2017, NAE members and associates kidnapped two individuals that they suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, which violated the rules of NAE. One victim was held against their will and subsequently beaten and stabbed multiple times. While the victim was held to the ground, another NAE member heated a knife with a torch and burned the victim’s cheek, leading to permanent disfigurement. Another victim was kidnapped at the same time and restrained and repeatedly beaten.

      The overall indictment in this case charged more than 50 people from the Pope County area with violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering, and numerous gun and drug violations. The case is named “To The Dirt,” a reference to the NAE slogan referring to the rule that members must remain in the NAE until they die. The charges allege acts involving attempted murder, kidnapping, maiming, and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Of the 55 total defendants charged in “Operation ‘To The Dirt,’” 53 defendants have pleaded guilty, 1 defendant was found guilty at trial, and 35 of those defendants have already been sentenced to prison terms: Courtney Talley 94 months; Corey A. Ford 45 months, Henri T. Keener, II 84 months, Jared Dale, 84 months; Britanny Conner, 120 months; Keith Savage, 120 months; Joseph Pridmore, 150 months; Daniel Adame, 262 months; Justin Howell, 155 months; James George, 70 months; Amos Adame, 121 months; and Skippy Don Sanders, 262 months; Andrew Syverson 151 months; Amanda Rapp 262 months; Jayme Short 90 months; Cory S. Donnelly 188 months; Wesley Pierson 120 months; Ralph Ross 36 months; Jeffrey L. Knox 180 months; Robert Chandler 65 months; Timothy Ferguson 180 months; Paula S. Enos 180 months; Heath Kizer 96 months; Christopher S. Helms 102 months; David D. Singleton 131 months; Kathrine R. Ross 60 months BOP; Courtney Talley 94 months; Corey A. Ford 45 months; Henri T. Keener, II 84 months; April Howell 198 months; Kevin M. Long 369 months; James Scott Oliver 327 months; and Wesley S. Gullett 420 months. The remaining defendant, Troy L. Loadholt, remains a fugitive.

      The investigation was conducted by ATF, DEA, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pope County Sheriff’s Office, Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Russellville Police Department, with assistance from the FBI.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

Twitter:

@EDARNEWS

Source: United States Attorneys General 4

            WASHINGTON – An arraignment was held today for Edward Steven Monge, 22, of Beltsville, Maryland, on charges connected to his alleged role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. Monge and his co-conspirator, Jennifer Echeverria Flores, 26, of Silver Spring, Maryland, are named in an indictment charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Echeverria Flores is further charged with unlawful distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

            According to the charging documents, on five different occasions between February 17, 2023 and July 19, 2023, Echeverria Flores — who allegedly used Monge as her source of supply — sold a total of approximately 4,500 pills containing fentanyl to undercover agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. The pills are blue, marked “M” on one side, and “30” on the other side. DEA laboratory testing has confirmed that the pills contain fentanyl.

            Echeverria Flores was arrested on July 31, 2023, and has been ordered held without bond pending trial. On August 3, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Monge in Hyattsville, MD, pursuant to an outstanding arrest warrant for him from Fairfax County, VA. Upon a search of Monge, officers found approximately 1,102 pills on his person, which field tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Monge was arrested on a federal arrest warrant on September 11, 2023.

            The conspiracy charge carries a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The distribution charge carries a statutory minimum sentence of five years in prison with a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The minimum and maximum statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Field Division and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Javier Urbina and Jordan Leiter of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Attorneys General 4

            WASHINGTON – An Idaho woman was sentenced in the District of Columbia today on two felonies and four misdemeanors related to her actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. Her actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

            Yvonne St Cyr, 55, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John D. Bates to 30 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution and fines. 

            St Cyr was found guilty by a jury on March 10, 2023, of the six charges filed against her, including two counts of obstructing and interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder, both felonies. In addition to the felonies, St Cyr was convicted of several misdemeanor charges, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

            According to the evidence presented at trial, St Cyr, a former Marine Corps drill instructor, traveled from Idaho to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally on Jan. 6, 2021. After leaving the rally, St Cyr went to the U.S. Capitol building, where she joined a crowd of rioters who occupied the Lower West Plaza. When she arrived at the Capitol, St Cyr forced her way to the front of the crowd and pushed her body against the police line barricades on the Lower West Plaza. Despite orders from police, St Cyr remained there for more than fifteen minutes, disobeying police commands to move.

            When the crowd ultimately overwhelmed the police officers in that area, St Cyr was one of the first rioters to break through the fence line. She then marched forward, eventually making her way into the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, where she witnessed vicious acts of violence against police officers. St Cyr entered the Tunnel twice and eventually climbed onto a ledge overlooking the crowd of rioters, which she filmed with her phone and shouted at the crowd, “We need fresh people” and “Push, push, push.”

            After leaving the Tunnel, St Cyr climbed through a broken window, entering a Senator’s hideaway room adjacent to the Tunnel. Once inside, St Cyr helped another rioter enter and made a livestreamed video of herself while occupying the room.

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

            This case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City, Boise Resident Agency, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            In the 32 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 396 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: United States Attorneys General 11

A Texas entity that manages and operates dermatology practices, surgical centers, and pathology laboratories across the United States has agreed to pay the United States $8.9 million to resolve allegations, which were self-reported, of potential violations of the Physician Self-Referral Law (the Stark Law) and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.  The United States contends that these potential violations resulted in liability under the False Claims Act.

Per the terms of a civil settlement executed on September 12, 2023, Oliver Street Dermatology Management LLC will pay the government $8,892,079.72 – including $5,928,053.15 in restitution—within 10 days of the settlement. The settlement credits Oliver Street for its self-disclosure and collaboration with government investigators. The self-reported conduct was unknown to the United States at the time of the self-disclosure, and was specific as to the nature of the potentially problematic transactions, the personnel involved, and the potential financial impact on the Government.

According to the settlement agreement, from January 2013 to July 2018, Oliver Street – doing business as U.S. Dermatology Partners (USDP) — acquired numerous dermatology practices across the United States.

In September 2021, the company voluntarily self-disclosed to the Department of Justice that it had discovered credible evidence suggesting that former senior managers had offered (or agreed) to increase the purchase price of 11 acquired dermatology practices in exchange for an agreement by the provider at the practice to refer services to USDP-affiliated entities following the acquisition.  Claims for certain of those referred services were later submitted to Medicare for payment.

The United States contends that this conduct violated the AKS and the Stark Law, and resulted in the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare.  The AKS prohibits offering or paying remuneration to induce the referral of items or services covered by Medicare and other federally funded healthcare programs.  The Stark Law prohibits healthcare entities from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the entity has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions.  Both the AKS and the Stark Law are intended to ensure that medical judgments are not compromised by improper financial inducements.

“Decisions about where medical specimens are analyzed should be made with the best interests of patients, not providers, in mind,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We applaud this company for self-reporting its potential violations and cooperating with government investigators, allowing us to reach a swift settlement.”

This resolution is the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.  This matter was handled by Civil Chief Kenneth Coffin.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

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For more information, please contact NDTX Public Affairs Officer Erin Dooley at 214-659-8707 or erin.dooley@usdoj.gov.

Source: United States Attorneys General 4

            WASHINGTON — An Oregon man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Ryan Wilson, 40, of Athena, Oregon, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon. Wilson is also charged with several misdemeanors, including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

            Wilson was arrested today in Portland, Oregon, and will make his initial appearance in the District of Oregon.

            According to court documents, Wilson was identified among the crowd of rioters in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel on Jan. 6, 2021. Wilson wore a distinctive plaid button-down shirt and, at times, a black balaclava. Wilson was captured on Capitol building surveillance footage outside the tunnel entrance, standing next to his father, Duke Wilson, at approximately 2:56 p.m.

            Court documents say that Wilson and his father made their way into the Tunnel toward the police line and, at about 2:58 p.m., Wilson threw a water bottle at the police. By approximately 3:00 p.m., Wilson was standing directly in front of the police line, separated only by shields that the police officers were using to defend themselves. At that time, a rioter behind Wilson began to thrust a pipe toward the police. Wilson then grabbed the pipe and rammed it toward the police repeatedly and forcefully. Wilson then took steps to re-position himself and used the pipe to thrust near the heads and faces of the officers.

            The police then deployed OC spray, which hit Wilson. He then threw the pipe toward the police line, turned around, and exited the Tunnel.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Portland and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 32 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 396 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: United States Attorneys General 4

            WASHINGTON – Michael Otis-Currie, 27, of Adelanto, California, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 121 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for accessing and viewing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Otis-Currie pleaded guilty on September 11, 2022. According to court documents, on October 1, 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer (“UC”) entered the “you.ngshare” KIK group, a group that was designed for members to discuss the sexual abuse of children, and to  trade child pornography. The UC continued to monitor activity in the group over the next several days. Between October 1, 2020 and November 17, 2020, approximately 400 users joined the “you.ngshare” group. On October 18, 2020, a user later identified as the defendant posted a link to the group that contained approximately 2,250 image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of children. Many of these videos depicted the rape and physical torture of several young children. The folder shared by the defendant also contained a subfolder entitled “Incest,” which contained approximately 250 additional videos and images depicting child erotica and child pornography.

            Otis-Currie was previously convicted in California in 2019 of possession or control of child pornography and was on supervised probation when he committed the instant offense. A law enforcement search of the defendant’s phone revealed additional saved video and image files depicting the sexual abuse of children. The defendant admitted that he was a member of different online groups in which child pornography was discussed and shared.

            This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

            This investigation also received valuable assistance from Los Angeles Field Office – Victorville Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Forman, of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.