Press Releases for March 2008

Monday, March 31, 2008

Department of Justice Settles Sex Discrimination Lawsuit against North Carolina A & T State University (08-258)

The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a consent decree with the University of North Carolina and its constituent institution, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, that, if approved and entered by the Court, will resolve a complaint of employment discrimination that was filed by the United States against the University under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. (Read more)

Justice Department Files Lawsuit against Wal-mart Stores, Inc., to Defend Employment Rights of Air Force Veteran (08-257)

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Sean Thornton, a former airman with the United States Air Force, against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., (Wal-Mart) alleging violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). (Read more)

Indiana Man Indicted and Arrested in Child Pornography Case (08-256)

William Travis Brown, 37, of Georgetown, Ind., has been indicted by a federal grand jury on transportation and possession of child pornography charges, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Timothy M. Morrison and Indianapolis Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Resident Agent in Charge Daniel T. Dill announced today.  (Read more)

MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison on Racketeering Charges (08-255)

A member of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for his participation in a racketeering enterprise, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Edward M. Yarbrough for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today. (Read more)

Two Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for Medicare Fraud (08-254)

The owners of two Miami-based healthcare corporations were sentenced to 63 and 56 months for their roles in separate Medicare fraud schemes, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of the Southern District of Florida announced today.  (Read more)

Imprisoned Missouri Tax Preparer Permanently Barred from Preparing Federal Tax Returns (08-253)

A federal court has permanently barred Sharon Hubbard of Kansas City, Mo., from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Hubbard consented to the permanent injunction order, which was entered by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. In 2006 Hubbard pleaded guilty to one count of federal criminal charges relating to assisting in the preparation and filing of fraudulent tax returns. She is currently serving a two-year prison sentence.  (Read more)

Defense Department Official Pleads Guilty to Espionage Charge Involving China (08-252)

Gregg William Bergersen, age 51, of Alexandria, Virginia, pled guilty today to a one-count criminal information charging him with conspiracy to disclose national defense information to persons not entitled to receive it, in violation of 18 U.S.C., Sections 793(d) and (g). Bergersen was arrested on February 11, 2008 on a criminal complaint charging this same offense.  (Read more)

Friday, March 28, 2008

Federal Court Bars Hialeah, Florida Woman from Preparing Tax Returns for Others  (08-251)

Lilia A. Gomez of Hialeah, Fla., was barred by a federal court today from preparing federal income tax returns for others. Gomez operated tax return preparation businesses under the names Tax Prep Inc., 1 Tax Prep Inc. and TFD Services Inc. Judge Patricia Seitz of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued the permanent injunction order against Gomez and her businesses. Gomez consented to the court order. (Read more)

Fresno Man Barred from Promoting Tax Scheme (08-250)

A California-based tax scam promoter, Steven Hempfling, has been permanently barred by a federal court in Fresno, Calif., from selling a tax fraud scheme that falsely claims to give customers a legal defense against criminal prosecutions for income tax evasion, the Justice Department announced today.  (Read more)

Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison (08-248)

A child sex offender with multiple prior convictions for offenses against children has been sentenced to life in prison on both counts for which he was convicted, to run concurrently, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and Timothy J. Fuhrman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI‘s Salt Lake City Division, announced today. (Read more)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Federal Corrections Officer Indicted on Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault (08-247)

A federal grand jury in Orlando, Fla., indicted a Bureau of Prisons corrections officer today on charges related to a fatal assault on an inmate in March 2005, the Justice Department announced. Erin Sharma was charged with one count of conspiring with others to violate the federal civil rights of inmate Richard Delano and one count of violating Delano‘s civil rights by arranging for another inmate to assault Delano. (Read more)

Fact Sheet: the Department of Justice Public Corruption Efforts (08-246)

At every level of government, the Justice Department is committed to enforcing the laws that protect the integrity of our government. Because of this commitment to the rule of law, ordinary citizens are able to rely on and expect the honesty and integrity of government officials and other holders of the public's trust.  (Read more)

Interagency Cooperation Facilitates Capture of Interpol Fugitive Wanted for Rape  (08-245)

Collaboration among U.S. law enforcement facilitated the March 18th capture of Amaro Ligorio Rodigues at Miami International Airport. (Read more)

Otsuka to Pay More than $4 Million to Resolve off-label Marketing Allegations Involving Abilify (08-244)

Otsuka American Pharmaceutical Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturer Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., has agreed to pay more than $4 million to resolve allegations that it marketed Abilify, an atypical antipsychotic drug, for "off-label" uses, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Governor of Puerto Rico and Twelve Others Indicted for Election Related Crimes (08-243)

Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá and 12 associates in Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and the Philadelphia-area have been charged in a 27-count indictment unsealed today and returned by a grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 24, 2008, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico announced today.  (Read more)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Former Health Care Financing Executive and Associate Found Guilty of Conspiracy, Witness Tampering and Obstruction (08-241)

A federal jury has found two men guilty of all charges in a witness tampering scheme related to a major fraud trial held in Columbus, Ohio, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory G. Lockhart of the Southern District of Ohio announced today.  (Read more)

Federal Court Dismisses Multi-billion Dollar Telephone Excise Tax Cases (08-240)

Judge Ricardo M. Urbina of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has dismissed three cases against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) where the plaintiffs asked for, among other things, billions of dollars in additional telephone excise tax refunds to telephone users nationwide, the Justice Department announced today. In the three separate class-action lawsuits that had been consolidated for pretrial purposes, 14 individuals and two companies had raised numerous challenges to the IRS‘s procedure for refunds of long-distance telephone excise taxes. (Read more)

Fact Sheet: Department of Justice Comprehensive Efforts to Fight Gang Violence (08-239)

The Department of Justice has enacted a comprehensive plan across its many components to effectively fight and limit the impact of gang violence nationwide. This plan includes two primary elements: Prioritize prevention programs to provide America‘s youth, as well as offenders returning to the community, with opportunities that help them resist gang involvement; and ensure robust enforcement policies when gang-related violence does occur. This approach also recognizes the critical need for the Department to continue to work hand-in-hand with state and local law enforcement and local community groups.  (Read more)

Three Men Indicted for Federal Civil Rights Violations in Arson of Islamic Center in Tennessee (08-238)

A federal grand jury in Nashville returned a five-count indictment today charging three men for their role in the arson of the Islamic Center in Columbia, Tenn., on Feb. 9, 2008, the Justice Department announced. Eric Ian Baker, Jonathan Edward Stone and Michael Corey Golden were charged with a conspiracy to violate civil rights, destroying a house of worship, possession of a destructive device, use of fire to destroy a building and use of fire to commit a felony.  (Read more)

Attorney General Mukasey Announces Charges Against 13 “Grape Street Crips” Gang Members and Associates and the Formation of an Additional Safe Streets Task Force to Combat Gang Violence  (08-237)

Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, joined today by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Los Angles Police Chief William J. Bratton and U.S. Attorney Thomas O‘Brien, announced the results of a joint law enforcement operation targeting gang activity in the Central District of California as well as the formation of an additional FBI-sponsored Safe Streets Task Force to combat gang violence in communities north of Los Angeles.  (Read more)

National Air Cargo to Pay U.S. $28 Million to Resolve Allegations of Defrauding the Department of Defense (08-236)

National Air Cargo (NAC) has agreed to pay the United States $28 million to settle both criminal and civil allegations that it defrauded the Department of Defense, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Long Island, N.Y. Defense Firm Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging on Department of Defense Contracts (08-234)

A Long Island, N.Y. defense firm pleaded guilty and has agreed to pay a $275,000 criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to rig bids on U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) contracts for military tiedown equipment and cargo securing systems, the Department of Justice announced today.  (Read more)

Warren County, Virginia Man Indicted for Role in Multi-state Child Pornography Production Ring (08-233)

A federal grand jury sitting in Charlottesville, Va., returned a 13-count second superseding indictment charging Michael Wayne Anderson, 34, of Warren County, Va., with multiple offenses arising from his involvement in a multi-state crime ring in which members produced, distributed and received child pornography over the Internet, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia John L. Brownlee announced today. (Read more)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

President George W. Bush Grants Pardons and Commutation (08-231)

On March 24, 2008, President George W. Bush granted pardons to 15 individuals and a commutation of sentence to one individual. (Read more)

Final two Defendants in “Operation Lively Green” are Sentenced (08-228)

Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today that two former public officials were sentenced for their roles in a widespread bribery and extortion conspiracy which operated from January 2002 through March 2004. The defendants were sentenced in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona by the Honorable Cynthia K. Jorgenson. (Read more)

Monday, March 24, 2008

Chinese Agent Sentenced to Over 24 Years in Prison for Exporting United States Defense Articles to China (08-229)

An engineer who conspired with family members to export United States sensitive military technology to the People‘s Republic of China was sentenced today to 293 months in federal prison.  (Read more)

Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on its Decision to Close its Investigation of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.‘s Merger with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.  (08-226)

"After a careful and thorough review of the proposed transaction, the Division concluded that the evidence does not demonstrate that the proposed merger of XM and Sirius is likely to substantially lessen competition, and that the transaction therefore is not likely to harm consumers. The Division reached this conclusion because the evidence did not show that the merger would enable the parties to profitably increase prices to satellite radio customers for several reasons, including: a lack of competition between the parties in important segments even without the merger; the competitive alternative services available to consumers; technological change that is expected to make those alternatives increasingly attractive over time; and efficiencies likely to flow from the transaction that could benefit consumers."  (Read more)

Friday, March 21, 2008

Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Making False Statements in Attempt to Import Big Game Leopard Trophy (08-225)

Mark Booth, of Shippensburg, Pa., was sentenced today to pay $10,000 fine, $5,000 community service payment and to serve three years probation, by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Babcock in the District of Colorado for making false statements in connection with his attempt to import the trophy parts of a leopard illegally killed in South Africa in 2003, the Justice Department announced. During the probationary period, Mr. Booth is prohibited from hunting anywhere in the world and must take steps to notify the trophy-hunting community of the need to comply with laws and regulations related to that activity.  (Read more)

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Massachusetts Man Sentenced in Child Pornography Case (08-224)

Donald Banker, 65, of Methuen, Mass., was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to all counts of a three-count indictment which charged him with receipt and possession of child pornography, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Michael J. Sullivan and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) New England Field Office Special Agent in Charge Bruce M. Foucart announced today. Banker is the most recent defendant to be convicted in “Operation Emissary,” an ICE nationwide investigation which targeted a Web site that offered images and movies of hardcore child pornography.  (Read more)

Justice Department Settles Sexual Harassment Case against Apartment Complex Maintenance Worker (08-223)

The Justice Department today announced a $95,000 settlement to resolve a lawsuit, filed in 2006 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, alleging sexual harassment of female tenants by Ersil James, a former maintenance worker at three Missouri apartment complexes in Platte City and Smithville.  (Read more)

Two Illinois Men Indicted on Federal Hate Crime (08-222)

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Grace Chung Becker and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois A. Courtney Cox announced today that Joseph L. Brown of Collinsville, Ill., and William Charles Bowen of O'Fallon, Ill., were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiring to drive an African-American couple out of their home, and for vandalizing that home with racist graffiti. Brown is also charged with making false statements to a federal investigator. (Read more)

U.S., Brazilian Law Enforcement Dismantle $50 Million Securities Fraud Organization (08-221)

A federal grand jury in Miami today returned a 16-count indictment charging Rodrigo Molina, 32, of Miami, and Marcos Macchione, 31, of Aventura, Fla., for their alleged involvement as money laundering service providers for a sophisticated international securities fraud organization, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of the Southern District of Florida announced.  (Read more)

AB Volvo to Pay $7 Million Penalty for Kickback Payments to the Iraqi Government under the U.N. Oil for Food Program (08-220)

AB Volvo has agreed to pay a $7 million penalty as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding charges brought in connection with an ongoing investigation related to the U.N. Oil for Food program, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today.  (Read more)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Former Education Consultant Sentenced to 7 ½ Years in Prison for Fraud and Bid Rigging in The Federal E-Rate Program (08-219)

A former education consultant from California was sentenced to serve 7½ years in prison for rigging bids and defrauding the E-Rate program, the Department of Justice announced. Judy N. Green, of Temecula, Calif., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in San Francisco after a jury found her guilty on 22 counts of fraud, bid rigging, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to technology projects funded by the E-Rate Program.  (Read more)

Statement by Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey on the Appointment of Kenneth L. Wainstein as Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (08-218)

Ken Wainstein has served in the Justice Department with great distinction for almost twenty years. He began his career as a line prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York, and subsequently served as a homicide prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. He has held several critical leadership positions in the Department, including serving as the General Counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia; and, most recently, as the Department's first Assistant Attorney General for National Security. I am grateful for Ken's extraordinary service to the Department, and I am especially appreciative of his leadership in successfully managing the establishment and operations of the Department's National Security Division, which has helped make the American people safer. (Read more)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Former Intermune CEO W. Scott Harkonen Indicted for Wire Fraud and FDA Violations (08-217)

W. Scott Harkonen, M.D., the former CEO of InterMune Inc., was indicted on wire fraud and felony Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act charges for his role in the creation and dissemination of false and misleading information about the efficacy of InterMune‘s drug Actimmune (Interferon gamma-1b) as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the Justice Department announced today.  (Read more)

Justice Department Announces Memorandum of Agreement with Town of Mattawa, Washington, and Mattawa Police Department (08-216)

The Department of Justice today announced a Memorandum of Agreement under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, with the town of Mattawa, Wash., and the Mattawa Police Department (MPD). The memorandum and accompanying language assistance plan reflect the efforts of the town‘s mayor, police chief, legal counsel, and town council to ensure that the town and the MPD take reasonable steps to provide limited English proficient (LEP) persons with meaningful access to town and MPD services.  (Read more)

Business Owner Indicted in $132 Million Scheme to Defraud Clients of Funds Allegedly Held in Trust (08-215)

Edward H. Okun, 57, of Miami was arrested today and charged in an unsealed indictment with mail fraud, bulk cash smuggling and making false statements, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Chuck Rosenberg announced. The indictment stems from Okun's scheme to defraud and obtain millions of dollars in client funds held by The 1031 Tax Group, LLP, (1031TG) a qualified intermediary company owned by Okun.  (Read more)

CVS Caremark Corp. to Pay $36.7 Million to U.S., 23 States, & D.C. to Settle Medicaid Prescription Drug Fraud Allegations (08-214)

CVS Caremark Corp. has agreed to pay $36.7 million to settle claims that the company from 2000 to 2006 improperly switched patients from the tablet version of the prescription drug Ranitidine (generic Zantac) to a more expensive capsule version in order to increase Medicaid reimbursement, the Justice Department announced today. CVS Caremark, based in Woonsocket, R.I., operates more than 6,000 retail pharmacies nationwide.  (Read more)

Monday, March 17, 2008

Justice Department Settles Voting Rights Case with Georgetown County, South Carolina, Board of Education (08-213)

The Justice Department announced that it has settled a Voting Rights Act lawsuit against the Georgetown County, S.C., Board of Education. The Justice Department simultaneously filed a complaint and negotiated consent decree pertaining to the method of election for the Georgetown County Board of Education.  (Read more)

Sarasota, Florida-based Lab Company & its President/Owner to Pay U.S. $461,000 for Alleged False Claims to Medicare (08-212)

Acculab Laboratories and its president/owner, Joseph T. DeGregorio, have agreed to pay the United States $461,000 to settle allegations that Acculab submitted false claims to Medicare, the Justice Department announced today. The settlement resolves allegations that the Sarasota, Fla.-based company, at the direction of DeGregorio, submitted claims to Medicare for laboratory services that were not ordered, were not provided, were not medically necessary or were improperly unbundled.  (Read more)

Former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Health Sentenced for Theft of Government Funds (08-211)

Dr. Lucien A. Moolenaar II, DDS, former acting commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Health, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after having been found guilty on charges of stealing government funds, grand larceny and making false statements, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Jenkins of the District of the Virgin Islands announced today.  (Read more)

Ship Pilot Charged in San Francisco Bay Oil Spill Case (08-210)

John Joseph Cota, the pilot of the Cosco Busan, the 65,131-ton container ship that collided with the San Francisco Bay Bridge resulting in the discharge of approximately 58,000 gallons of oil, was charged today with violations of the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, announced Ronald J. Tenpas, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division and Joseph P. Russoniello, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California.  (Read more)

Friday, March 14, 2008

Former Corrections Officers Convicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges (08-209)

WASHINGTON — A federal jury in New Bern, N.C., today found former federal corrections officers Willie Powell and Marquis Young guilty of a felony federal civil rights offense for assaulting an inmate in their custody, and of three related charges for attempting to cover up their illegal use of force, the Justice Department announced. The defendants face a maximum potential punishment of 25 years imprisonment. A sentencing date has not yet been determined. (Read more)

Leader of New York-Connecticut Sex-Trafficking Ring Pleads Guilty (08-208)

WASHINGTON - Corey Davis, also known as “Magnificent,” pleaded guilty today in federal court in Bridgeport, Conn., to a federal civil rights charge for organizing and leading a sex-trafficking ring. A co-conspirator previously pleaded guilty to a related charge of conspiring to violate the Mann Act, which prohibits the interstate transport of individuals for prostitution. Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2008. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Davis faces up to 296 months imprisonment. (Read more)

Lexington, Ky., Agrees to Major Sewer System Upgrades (08-207)

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) in Kentucky has agreed to make extensive improvements to its sewer systems, at a cost estimated to exceed $290 million, to eliminate unauthorized overflows of untreated raw sewage, and to reduce pollution levels in urban storm water. In addition, LFUCG will pay a civil penalty of $425,000 to the United States and implement two federal and two state environmental projects valued at $2.73 million that will provide additional environmental benefits to the Lexington community.  (Read more)

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Co-Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Former Wrestler‘s Sex Trafficking Ring (08-206)

Aimee Allen, 37, formerly of Cartersville, Ga., and now of Williamsville, N.Y., and Cedric Jackson, 41, of Atlanta, Ga., were sentenced today in the Northern District of Georgia on charges of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, the Justice Department announced today.  (Read more)

Former National Century Financial Enterprises Executives Found Guilty on all Charges in $3 Billion Securities Fraud Scheme (08-205)

WASHINGTON — A federal jury has found five former executives of National Century Financial Enterprises (NCFE) guilty of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering, following a six-week trial and less than two days of deliberation, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher and U.S. Attorney Gregory G. Lockhart of the Southern District of Ohio announced today.  (Read more)

Businessman Pleads Guilty to Supplying Indian Government with Controlled Technology (08-204)

The owner of an international electronics business has pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information arising from a conspiracy to illegally export controlled microprocessors and electronic components to government entities in India that participate in the development of ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles, and fighter jets.  (Read more)

Justice Department Seeks to Bar Massachusetts Resident from Preparing Federal Tax Returns for Others (08-203)

The United States has brought suit against Massachusetts resident Domingo J. Dominguez, seeking to bar him from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The government alleges in its complaint that Dominguez operates DJD Professional Tax Services in Salem and Peabody, Mass., that provides tax return preparation services and e-filing, even though Dominguez‘s electronic filing privileges have been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service.  (Read more)

DOJ Statement Regarding OIG Report on Section 215 Orders (08-201)

The Justice Department appreciates the diligent work of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) in completing its review of the FBI‘s use of Section 215 orders in 2006 and is pleased that the OIG report recognizes the critical importance of these tools to the FBI‘s conduct of national security investigations.  (Read more)

DOJ Statement Regarding OIG Report on National Security Letters (08-200)

“We are pleased with the Office of Inspector General‘s (OIG) positive assessment of the many actions taken by the Justice Department and FBI to improve oversight of the use of National Security Letters (NSLs) since the first OIG review of NSLs was issued in March 2007. (Read more)

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Man Sentenced to 10 Years For Role in San Antonio Sex-trafficking Ring (08-202)

Timothy Michael Gereb was sentenced today in federal court in San Antonio to 10 years imprisonment for his role in a sex trafficking ring involving at least one teenage girl, the Justice Department announced today. After his release from prison, Gereb will be on lifetime federal supervised release. Gereb is one of five defendants named in an indictment filed in San Antonio in June 2007 following a federal sex trafficking investigation.  (Read more)

Illinois Corporation Pleads Guilty to Illegally Dealing in Falsely Labeled Fish from Vietnam (08-199)

True World Foods Chicago, LLC, was sentenced on March 11, 2008, to pay $60,000 for its role in purchasing and re-selling falsely labeled frozen fish fillets in violation of the Lacey Act, the Justice Department announced today. The Lacey Act prohibits, among other things, the receipt, acquisition or purchase of fish that was taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of U.S. laws or regulations.  (Read more)

Uranium Processing Company Pleads Guilty to Poisoning Migratory Birds (08-198)

Cotter Corp., headquartered in Denver, Colo., pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado for its role in the poisoning deaths of migratory birds at its uranium processing facility near Cañon City, Colo., the Justice Department announced. (Read more)

Seventh Defendant Pleads Guilty in Turtle Smuggling Case (08-197)

Martin Villegas Terrones, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Denver for his role in an illegal smuggling operation that trafficked in protected turtle species, the Justice Department announced today.  (Read more)

New York Man Sentenced on Child Pornography and Obstruction of Justice Charges  (08-196)

Greg Burnell, 50, of Sarasota Springs, N.Y., was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possessing child pornography and obstructing the federal investigation into his crimes, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York Glenn T. Suddaby, and Albany, N.Y., Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Resident Agent in Charge Patrick Coultry announced today. Burnell, a former executive with Delmar Learning in Clifton Park, N.Y., is the latest defendant to be convicted in “Operation Emissary,” an ICE nationwide investigation targeting a Web site that offered images and movies of hardcore child pornography.  (Read more)

Justice Department Seeks to Bar Illinois Tax Preparer from Preparing Federal Tax Returns for Others (08-191)

The United States today sued Irma Melendez, a Mundelein, Ill., tax return preparer, to stop her from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced. The government alleges that Melendez, who operated a business called “Income Tax Service,” prepared federal income tax returns claiming inflated deductions for her customers.  (Read more)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Muncie, Indiana, Man Convicted of Federal Civil Rights Violations After Burning Cross (08-195)

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Grace Chung Becker and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Timothy Morrison announced today that Kyle Milbourn of Muncie, Ind., was convicted by a federal jury for a hate crime stemming from a cross-burning last year that was directed at a woman and her three biracial children.  (Read more)

W.R. Grace to Pay for Cleanup of Asbestos Contamination in Libby, Montana (08-194)

W.R. Grace, a global supplier of specialty chemicals, has agreed to pay $250 million, the highest sum in the history of the Superfund program, to reimburse the federal government for the costs of the investigation and cleanup of asbestos contamination in Libby, Mont., the Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today.  (Read more)

The City of Jacksonville Agrees to Clean up two Superfund Sites  (08-193)

The city of Jacksonville, Fla., has agreed to clean up two Superfund Sites located within the city limits at an estimated cost of $94 million, the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. In addition, the settlement requires the city to reimburse all costs incurred by EPA. (Read more)

United States and Germany Agree to Share Fingerprint Databases and Information on Known and Suspected Terrorists (08-190)

Officials from the United States and Germany today initialed a bilateral agreement related to sharing access to biometric data and spontaneous sharing of data about known and suspected terrorists. At a bilateral ceremony in Berlin, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff joined the German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble and Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries in initialing the agreement. (Read more)

Monday, March 10, 2008

D.C. Grocery Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes Involving over $500,000 in Unpaid Payroll & Sales Taxes (08-189)

Stephen B. Cohen of Washington, D.C. pleaded guilty today to a two-count information charging violations of tax crimes for his willful failure to collect and pay over $500,000 of payroll and sales taxes, the Justice Department announced. Cohen owned several businesses in the D.C. area, including Washington Park Gourmet, a delicatessen and grocery store.  (Read more)

Hyattsville, Maryland, Man Convicted of Coercing 14 Year-old Foreign Girl into Prostitution (08-188)

Javier Miguel Ramirez, 35, of Hyattsville, Md., pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking of a minor girl, announced Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, and Rod J. Rosenstein, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.  (Read more)

Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Mississippi (08-187)

The Justice Department today announced that on Tuesday, March 11, 2008, it will monitor elections in Bolivar, Jefferson Davis, and Madison Counties, Miss., to ensure compliance with federal voting rights statutes.  (Read more)

Justice Department Reaches Settlement with University of Michigan Concerning Football Stadium‘s Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (08-186)

The Justice Department announced today that it has resolved a lawsuit against the University of Michigan under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Justice Department and the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans Association brought suit to challenge the lack of accessible seating in the university‘s football stadium. Today, the federal district court in Detroit entered a consent decree resolving the lawsuit. (Read more)

Friday, March 7, 2008

Brothers Sentenced for Selling More than $6 Million in Pirated Software (08-184)

Two brothers were sentenced today in federal court to 30 months and three years in prison for selling massive amounts of pirated computer software, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Chuck Rosenberg announced today.  (Read more)

Miami Jury Convicts Physician and Three Business Owners of Medicare Fraud (08-183)

A federal jury in Miami convicted a physician and the owners and operators of two durable medical equipment companies and a home health care agency of Medicare fraud, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of the Southern District of Florida announced today. (Read more)

Michigan Attorney and Client Charged with Tax Crimes along with Four Promoters of Fraudulent Insurance Tax Shelter (08-182)

A federal grand jury sitting in Grand Rapids, Mich., has returned a six-count superseding indictment, charging a Kalamazoo, Mich., attorney, his client, and four alleged tax shelter promoters with tax crimes, the Justice Department announced today.  (Read more)

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Former Franklin County, Alabama, District Attorney Sentenced for Civil Rights Violations (08-181)

John Pilati, the former district attorney for Franklin County, Ala., was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama on five civil rights offenses related to sexual assaults on young men during his tenure as district attorney, the Justice Department announced. Pilati was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment and will be monitored on federal supervised release for one year following his release from prison. The sentence also requires him to pay a fine of $12,500 and to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison. (Read more)

Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Bar Mississippi Woman from Preparing Tax Returns for Others (08-179)

The United States sued a New Hebron, Miss., woman today to stop her from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced. According to the government‘s complaint, Hazel Harris (also known as Hazel Buckley) targets elderly customers who receive Social Security benefits and generates fraudulent income tax refunds on their behalf.  (Read more)

Commercial Refrigeration Company and Executive Plead Guilty to Participating in Bid-rigging Conspiracy (07-178)

An Arizona commercial refrigeration company and one of its executives pleaded guilty today for their role in a conspiracy to rig bids on contracts for the installation of commercial refrigeration equipment in Safeway Inc. grocery stores in the Phoenix metropolitan area, the Department of Justice announced. (Read more)

Gary, Indiana Police Chief, Deputy Chief, and Sergeant Indicted for Federal Civil Rights Violations (08-177)

Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, announced today that Chief Thomas Houston, Deputy Chief Thomas Branson, and Sergeant Thomas Decanter of the Gary, Ind. Police Department were indicted March 5, 2008, by a federal grand jury in Hammond for multiple civil rights violations against four victims.  (Read more)

International Arms Dealer Charged in U.S. with Conspiracy to Provide Surface-to-Air Missiles and other Weapons to a Foreign Terrorist Organization ()

Michael J. Garcia, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michele M. Leonhart, the Acting Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA"), announced today the unsealing of charges against Viktor Bout, a/k/a "Boris," a/k/a "Victor Anatoliyevich Bout," a/k/a "Victor But," a/k/a "Viktor Budd," a/k/a "Viktor Butt," a/k/a "Viktor Bulakin," a/k/a "Vadim Markovich Aminov," an international arms dealer, and his associate Andrew Smulian for conspiring to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (the "FARC") — a designated foreign terrorist organization based in Colombia. Bout was arrested yesterday by Thai authorities in Bangkok. (Read more)

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Cheyenne Firearms Dealer Convicted of Tax Evasion and Harassment of Federal Officials (08-176)

Michael John Smith, a commemorative firearms dealer, was convicted today following a jury trial in Cheyenne, Wyo., on federal tax and fraud charges, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Smith, formerly of Cheyenne, was indicted on May 16, 2007, on one count of obstructing the IRS, one count of tax evasion, and three counts of submitting fictitious obligations. He was also charged with two counts of submitting false statements relating to a bankruptcy petition. (Read more)

Former Guatemalan Government Official Convicted of U.S. Drug Charges (08-175)

A former police officer in the Guatemalan government was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on drug charges, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today. (Read more)

Jury Finds Former Member of U.S. Navy Guilty of Terrorism and Espionage Charges (08-174)

Kevin J. O‘Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and other federal officials today announced that a federal jury in New Haven, Connecticut, has found Hassan Abu-Jihaad, formerly known as Paul R. Hall, 32, of Phoenix, Arizona, guilty of providing material support of terrorism and disclosing previously classified information relating to the national defense. The verdict was returned this afternoon. The trial before United States District Judge Mark R. Kravitz began on February 25. (Read more)

New Jersey Healthcare Consulting Firm to Pay U.S. $2.875 Million to Resolve Allegations of Medicare Fraud (08-173)

Besler & Company, Inc., a healthcare consulting firm; and its principal, Philip Besler, have agreed to pay the United States $2.875 million, plus interest, to settle allegations of fraud against the federal Medicare program, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Requires Mill Divestitures in Proposed Merger of Altivity and Graphic Packaging (08-172)

The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Altivity Packaging LLC (Altivity) and Graphic Packaging International Inc. (Graphic) to divest two paperboard mills—one in Indiana and the other in Pennsylvania—in order to proceed with their proposed $1.75 billion merger. The Department said that the merger, as originally proposed, would have substantially lessened competition in the production and sale of a type of paperboard used to make folding cartons for consumer and commercial packaging, including cereal boxes. (Read more)

Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Justice Release New Guidance on “Reasonable Modifications” under the Fair Housing Act (08-171)

New guidance released this week by the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Justice (DOJ) reinforced the right of persons with disabilities to make “reasonable modifications” to their dwellings if a structural change to their dwelling or to a common area of the building or complex in which they live is needed so that they can fully enjoy the premises.  (Read more)

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Chief of Staff to Former Governor of Alaska Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud (08-170)

James Clark, chief of staff to the former governor of Alaska, has pleaded guilty to soliciting and accepting nearly $70,000 in illegal polling and consulting expenses for the governor's re-election campaign in 2006, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today. The illegal payments were provided by VECO Corporation, formerly an oil field services company headquartered in Alaska. (Read more)

Three Miami-Area Residents Found Guilty of Federal Human Trafficking and Smuggling Charges (08-168)

A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., today found three Miami-area residents guilty of felony federal civil rights offenses related to forcing a young Haitian woman to work as a domestic servant in their home. Evelyn Theodore and Maude Paulin were convicted of one count of conspiring to violate the victim‘s civil rights and a second count of compelling the victim to perform forced labor. Theodore, Paulin and Paulin‘s ex-husband, Saintford Paulin, were also found guilty of harboring an illegal alien. A fourth defendant, Claire Telasco, was acquitted of the conspiracy and forced labor charges. Theodore and Maude Paulin each face a maximum punishment of thirty years imprisonment, criminal fines and restitution for their victim. Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2008.  (Read more)

Cathedral Healthcare System to Pay U.S. $5.3 Million to Resolve Allegations Involving Inflated Charges to Obtain Higher Medicare Reimbursement (80-167)

Cathedral Healthcare System Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $5.3 million, plus interest, to settle allegations that it defrauded the federal Medicare program, the Justice Department announced today. (Read more)

Members of Vast Child Exploitation Enterprise Indicted in the Northern District of Florida (08-166)

A federal grand jury in Pensacola, Fla. has returned a 35-count indictment against 12 individuals who engaged in a criminal enterprise involving the advertisement, transportation and shipment of child pornography over a two-year period, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Gregory R. Miller, and FBI Executive Assistant Director J. Stephen Tidwell announced today. (Read more)

Justice Department Requires a Divestiture in Cookson's Acquisition of Foseco (08-165)

The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement that will require Cookson Group plc and Foseco plc to divest Foseco‘s U.S. carbon bonded ceramic (CBC) business in order to proceed with Cookson‘s proposed $1 billion acquisition of Foseco. The Department said that the transaction, as originally proposed, would substantially lessen competition in the United States for certain CBCs used in the continuous casting steelmaking process, resulting in increased prices and reduced service and innovation.  (Read more)

Justice Department Files Lawsuit Alleging Gender Discrimination and Retaliation by the Puerto Rico Police Department (08-164)

The Department of Justice announced today the filing of a lawsuit yesterday against the Policía de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Police Department or PRPD) alleging the PRPD discriminated against female officer Jeannette Caraballo Lopez (Caraballo) on the basis of her sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  (Read more)

Monday, March 3, 2008

Federal Court Permanently Bars Michigan Man from Preparing Tax Returns for Others (08-163)

A federal judge in Kalamazoo, Mich., issued an order permanently barring Donald A. Gray from preparing federal income taxes for others, the Justice Department announced today. The court found that Gray has been preparing tax returns for his customers based on the frivolous theory that wages are not income for federal tax purposes. Judge Paul L. Maloney noted that federal courts have “emphatically and repeatedly rejected” this argument.  (Read more)

Justice Department to Monitor Elections in Texas (08-162)

The Justice Department today announced that on Tuesday, March 4, 2008, it will monitor elections in Brazos, Fort Bend, Galveston and Waller Counties, Texas, to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights statutes. (Read more)

Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Act as an Illegal Agent of the Venezuelan Government (08-161)

Carlos Kauffman, 35, one of five foreign nationals accused of acting and conspiring to act as an agent of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ("Venezuela") within the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General of the United States, pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiring to act as an unregistered Venezuelan agent before U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lenard in Miami.  (Read more)

Jury Convicts Former Fresno County Sheriff‘s Employee on Child Pornography Charges (08-160)

On Feb. 29, 2008, a federal jury in Fresno, Calif., convicted Ronald B. Vaughn Jr., 42, of Fresno, Calif., on two counts of possessing and attempting to possess child pornography, as well as one count of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California McGregor W. Scott announced today.  (Read more)