Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section Press Releases, Speeches and Testimony for 2008
November 19, 2008
Press Release
Civilian Contractor Charged with Second Degree Murder (DSS)
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Don Michael Ayala, a civilian contractor stationed in Afghanistan, has been charged with second degree murder in the death of Abdul Salam while on patrol in Chehel Gazi, Afghanistan, on Nov. 4, 2008, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dana J. Boente. (Read more)
October 30, 2008
Press Release
Roy Belfast Jr. A/K/A Chuckie Taylor Convicted on Torture Charges (DSS)
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Miami today convicted Roy M. Belfast Jr. of crimes related to the torture of people in Liberia between April 1999 and July 2003, the Department of Justice and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced. (Read more)
Monday, September 22, 2008
Press Release
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Alien Smuggling Charges (DSS)
WASHINGTON – A Ghanaian man pleaded guilty today to charges of conspiracy and alien smuggling in connection with his role in smuggling East Africans into the United States, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeffrey A. Taylor and Assistant Secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Julie L. Myers announced. (Read more)
Friday, September 5, 2008
Press Release
Appeals Court Affirms Decision to Revoke the U.S. Citizenship of Detroit-Area Man Who Shot Jewish Civilians While Serving as a Nazi Policeman (OSI)
WASHINGTON – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a March 2007 ruling by the U.S. District Court in Detroit revoking the U.S. citizenship of John (Ivan) Kalymon, 87, of Troy, Mich., because of his participation in violent acts of persecution while serving during World War II as an armed member of the Nazi-sponsored Ukrainian Auxiliary Police (UAP) in German-occupied L’viv, Ukraine, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced today. (Read more)
August 25, 2008
Press Release
Defense Contractor Indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse (DSS)
United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced the indictment of Jorge J. Thornton on charges of aggravated sexual abuse. (Read more)
August 22, 2008
Press Release
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Alien Smuggling Charges (DSS)
WASHINGTON – A Ghanaian man pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and alien smuggling in connection with his role in smuggling East Africans to the United States, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeffrey A. Taylor, and (Read more)
July 17, 2008
Press Release
Fifteen Individuals Charged in Contraband Cigarette Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Identification Fraud and Identity Theft Schemes (DSS)
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA – Fifteen individuals have been charged in nine separate criminal complaints involving overlapping contraband cigarette trafficking, money laundering, and identification fraud and identity theft schemes. Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Edgar A. Domenech, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Stan Barry, Sheriff, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, and Colonel David M. Rohrer, Chief, Fairfax County Police Department, made the announcement today following the arrest of all 15 of the defendants. (Read more)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Press Release
Justice Department Moves to Revoke U.S. Citizenship of Former Member of Nazi Killing Unit (OSI)
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice has requested that a federal court in Seattle revoke the U.S. citizenship of a Bellevue, Wash., resident based on evidence of his role in a Nazi unit that participated in the mass murder of more than 17,000 Serbian civilians during World War II, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich and U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Sullivan for the Western District of Washington announced today. Most of the victims of this mass murder were Jewish men, women and children. (Read more)
Monday, June 16, 2008
Press Release
Deportation Order Upheld Against Wisconsin Man Who Participated in 1943 Nazi Massacre of 8,000 Jews (OSI)
WASHINGTON – The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) affirmed an order directing the removal of Josias Kumpf, 83, due to his participation in Nazi-sponsored crimes of persecution during World War II, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division announced today. (Read more)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Press Release
Appeals Court Affirms Decision to Revoke U.S. Citizenship of Pittsburgh-Area Man Who Served as Nazi Concentration Camp Guard (OSI)
WASHINGTON – The Third Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday affirmed a ruling by the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh revoking the U.S. citizenship of Anton Geiser of Sharon, Pa., due to his participation in Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution while serving during World War II as an armed SS guard at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and other places of persecution, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania announced today. (Read more)
April 22, 2008
Press Release
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Alien Smuggling Charges (DSS)
WASHINGTON – A Ghanaian man pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and alien smuggling in connection with his role in smuggling East Africans to the United States, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeffrey A. Taylor, and (Read more)
April 17, 2008
Press Release
Fifteen Individuals Charged in Contraband Cigarette Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Identification Fraud and Identity Theft Schemes (DSS)
ALEXANDRIA - Gons Gutierrez Nachman, 42, a U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography as well as misusing his U.S. diplomatic passport, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and Chuck Rosenberg, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia announced today. (Read more)
April 9, 2008
Testimony
Statement of Sigal P. Mandelker Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice, Before the Committee on Foreign Relations United States Senate Concerning Closing Legal Loopholes (DSS)
Chairman Nelson, Ranking Member Vitter, and distinguished Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting the Department of Justice to testify at this hearing. Sexual assault cases often involve the most vulnerable victims and must be treated with the utmost seriousness. (Read more)
February 29, 2008
Press Release
Foreign Nationals Sentenced in Alien Smuggling and Conspiracy to Support the FARC (DSS)
WASHINGTON – Five foreign nationals have been sentenced by a federal judge in Miami for their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle purported terrorists to the United States from Colombia, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida R. Alexander Acosta announced today. (Read more)
February 26, 2008
Press Release
Florida Man Sentenced for Smuggling Aliens to Work in Florida Resorts (DSS)
WASHINGTON – Justin Eric King, 27, of Chipley, Fla., has been sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by three years supervised release resulting from his conviction on charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, visa fraud and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and United States Attorney Gregory R. Miller of the Northern District of Florida announced today. (Read more)