Authorities Charge Soccer Player In Brazil With Attempted Murder For Kicking Referee In Head

by The Daily Caller October 7, 2021

By: The Daily Caller

Police charged Brazilian soccer player William Ribeiro with attempted murder for attacking a referee during a match on Monday, CNN reported.

William Ribeiro kicked a referee, Rodrigo Crivellaro, in the head during a Monday match in Venancio Aires, Brazil, knocking him unconscious, CNN reported. Crivellaro was taken to a hospital in an ambulance and was discharged Tuesday.

“I don’t really remember (what happened). My refereeing colleagues told me that I gave him a yellow card. He punched me in the face, I fell to the ground, got kicked, and passed out,” Crivellaro told a local radio station, CNN reported.

“This player needs treatment because he is totally out of control. He deserves to be arrested for a long time,” the referee added.

Rio Grande do Sul, the state containing Venancio Aires, announced it opened an investigation into the attack in a statement on Monday, CNN reported. Sport Club Sao Paulo, the soccer team Ribeiro was playing for, said it was “deeply ashamed” of his behavior and ended his contract.

“The aggressor athlete’s contract is summarily terminated. Furthermore, all possible and legal measures in relation to the fact will be taken,” the team announced, CNN reported.

Ribeiro was released from jail on Tuesday, Venancio Aires’ police chief, Vinicius de Lourenco de Assuncao, told CNN. No lawyer came to defend Ribeiro, Assuncao said, and a public defender has now taken his case.

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October 7, 2021 0 comments

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Schumer Says Deal Reached To Lift Debt Ceiling, Avoid Nationwide Default

by The Daily Caller October 7, 2021

By: The Daily Caller

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Thursday that a deal was reached to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a nationwide default.

The deal extends the debt ceiling through early December, giving lawmakers more time to raise the ceiling after extreme partisan gridlock killed any agreement on the pivotal issue.

“We have reached agreement to extend the debt ceiling through early December, and it’s our hope that we can get this done as soon as today,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

The agreement was reached less than a day after Minority Leader Mitch McConnell offered a compromise that allowed Democrats to raise the ceiling until December under regular order. McConnel previously insisted that Democrats use the reconciliation process to lift the ceiling, which Democrats still refuse to do.

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October 7, 2021 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

19 Defendants Charged With Defrauding The National Basketball Association Players’ Health And Welfare Benefit Plan

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Dermot Shea, Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud the National Basketball Associations (“NBA’s”) Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of nearly $4,000,000. TERRENCE WILLIAMS is also charged with aggravated identity theft in connection with the same scheme. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “The defendants’ playbook involved fraud and deception. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, their alleged scheme has been disrupted and they will have to answer for their flagrant violations of law.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “Today we’ve charged 18 former NBA players and one spouse for their alleged participation in a health care fraud scheme that resulted in nearly $2 million in losses to the National Basketball Association’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan. The health care industry loses tens of billions of dollars a year to fraud. Thanks to the work of our dedicated FBI agents and partners alike, cases like this demonstrate our continued focus in uncovering health care fraud scams that harm both the industry and the consumers of their services.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “Today’s federal indictment represents the NYPD’s long-term commitment, working with its law enforcement partners, in making sure those accused of health care related fraud are held accountable. I commend those involved in the investigation, the FBI, and the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District in New York for its work in ensuring there is justice in this case.”

TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, GREGORY SMITH, and ANTHONY WROTEN were arrested today.

WILLIAMS and WROTEN will be presented in the Western District of Washington. DAVIS will be presented in the Central District of California. SMITH will be presented in the Eastern District of California. PATTERSON will presented in the Northern District of Ohio. MOON will be presented in the Northern District of Alabama. BYNUM and ELY will be presented in the Northern District of Illinois. MILES will be presented in the Middle District of Florida. ANDERSON, WATSON, and WRIGHT will be presented in the District of Nevada. BROWN will be presented in the Northern District of Georgia. DESIREE ALLEN will be presented in the Western District of Tennessee. TELFAIR will be presented in the Southern District of New York before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.

ANTHONY ALLEN, DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, and ROBINSON remain at large.

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today[1]:

The National Basketball Association Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan (the “Plan”) is a health care plan providing benefits to eligible active and former players of the NBA. From at least in or about 2017, up to and including at least in or about 2020, TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud the Plan by submitting and causing to be submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement of medical and dental services that were not actually rendered. Over the course of the scheme, the defendants submitted and caused to be submitted to the Plan false claims totaling nearly $4 million.

WILLIAMS orchestrated the scheme to defraud the Plan. WILLIAMS recruited other Plan participants to defraud the Plan by offering to provide them with false invoices to support their fraudulent claims. WILLIAMS provided ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, BROWN, BYNUM, DAVIS, DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, ELY, MOON, MILES, PALACIO, PATTERSON, ROBINSON, SMITH, TELFAIR, WATSON, WRIGHT, and WROTEN with false provider invoices, which those defendants then submitted and caused to be submitted to the Plan for reimbursement of fraudulent claims.

WILLIAMS provided the other charged defendants fake invoices from a particular Chiropractic Office in California, which were created by individuals working with WILLIAMS. In addition, WILLIAMS obtained fraudulent invoices from a dentist affiliated with dental offices in Beverly Hills, California, and from a doctor at a Wellness Office in Washington State. The fraudulent invoices purported to document that ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, BROWN, BYNUM, DAVIS, DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, ELY, MOON, MILES, PALACIO, PATTERSON, ROBINSON, SMITH, TELFAIR, WATSON, WRIGHT, and WROTEN, and, in some cases, members of their families, had been recipients of expensive medical and dental services. But the defendants had not received the medical or dental services described in the invoices WILLIAMS provided them. In many instances, the defendants were not even located in the vicinity of the service providers on the dates the invoices stated they received medical or dental services. In particular, GPS location information and/or documents, such as flight records, show that the defendants were in locations other than the vicinity of the medical or dental offices falsely claimed as the providers of services.

In return for his provision of false supporting documentation for their fraudulent claims, many of the defendants paid WILLIAMS kickbacks, totaling at least approximately $230,000. WILLIAMS also used the personal identifying information of an employee of the Administrative Manager, which managed the Plan, in the course of the fraud scheme.

* * *

TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. TERRENCE WILLIAMS is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI/NYPD Health Care Fraud Task Force, which is composed of agents, detectives, and investigators from the FBI, the NYPD, and other law enforcement entities. Ms. Strauss additionally praised the work of the FBI’s Seattle, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Birmingham, Chicago, Sacramento, Memphis, Tampa, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Portland, and Detroit Field Offices.

The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristy J. Greenberg and Ryan B. Finkel are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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October 7, 2021 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

Essex County Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Steal Mail and Commit Bank Fraud

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to steal check books and credit cards from the postal system, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Tashon Ragan, aka “Ta,” 21, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence by videoconference.

Three of Ragan’s conspirators, Jeffrey Bennett, 27, of Irvington, New Jersey, and Jahaad Flip, 22, and Janel Blackman, 42, both of Newark, pleaded guilty before Judge Wigenton earlier this year to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and are awaiting sentencing. Blackman also pleaded guilty to filing fraudulent applications with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From February 2019 to May 2020, Ragan conspired to fraudulently obtain money from victim financial institutions by depositing counterfeit checks and checks stolen from the mail into accounts at victim financial institutions and withdrawing funds from those accounts before the fraudulent checks were identified and further withdrawals were blocked. Ragan and his conspirators arranged for USPS employees to steal credit cards and blank check books from the mail in exchange for cash payments. USPS employees provided the checks to Ragan and his conspirators. Ragan and his conspirators forged the signatures of the accountholders and negotiated the checks by making them payable to individuals, some of whom were New Jersey high school students and who had given Ragan and his conspirators access to their accounts, also in exchange for cash. Ragan and his conspirators created counterfeit checks, including counterfeit pandemic relief checks. Ragan and his conspirators deposited the fraudulent checks online and at various bank ATMs throughout New Jersey and later withdrew funds from the bank accounts before the victim financial institutions identified the checks as fraudulent and could block further withdrawals. Ragan and his conspirators obtained and attempted to obtain approximately $366,000 from victim financial institutions.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton also sentenced Ragan to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $61,438.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Raimundo Marrero; special agents with the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi; special agents with IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez; and special agents with the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked the Summit Police Department, the New Providence Police Department, the Piscataway Police Department, the Newark Police Department, the South Orange Police Department, and the Little Falls Police Department for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Fayer and Elaine K. Lou in Newark.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Dozens of Firearms From Kentucky to Chicago

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to eight and a half years in federal prison for trafficking dozens of guns from Kentucky to Chicago.

From 2016 to 2018, JOHN PHILLIPS schemed with others to purchase rifles and semi-automatic handguns from private sellers in Kentucky and re-sell them in the Chicago area. Many of the guns were sold to convicted felons whom Phillips knew could not legally purchase or possess firearms. Several of the guns trafficked by Phillips were later discovered by law enforcement at crime scenes in Chicago.

Phillips, 26, of Lyons, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of unlawfully dealing firearms in interstate commerce. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the 102-month prison sentence Tuesday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.

The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen De Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Louisville (Ky.) ATF Field Division, Chicago Police Department, Illinois State Police, and Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.

“The breadth and extent of defendant’s firearms trafficking operation is staggering,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth R. Pozolo and Kalia Coleman argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “As a result of defendant and his co-conspirators illegally selling guns, violence ensued involving real victims and disrupting community safety.”

Two other defendants were charged and have pleaded guilty to federal firearm charges as part of this investigation. CHRISTOPHER HENDERSON, 26, of Louisville, Ky., was sentenced in 2019 to five and a half years in federal prison. JAIQAIL WRIGHT, 27, of Chicago, is set to be sentenced today by Judge Chang.

Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF, CPD, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes. While this investigation began prior to the launch of the strike force, the initiative is designed to enhance efforts to investigate and prosecute similar cases.

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October 7, 2021 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

For The Third Time, Nashville Man Convicted Of Being A Convicted Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

NASHVILLE – A federal jury yesterday, convicted Davian M. Greenlee, 40, of Nashville, with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart.

This conviction arose from an incident which occurred on March 16, 2018, when Greenlee and Darius Gustus, 28, broke into a home in Antioch, Tennessee. Officers with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to a call from a neighbor and found Gustus on the roof of the home, trying to escape and Greenlee was found inside hiding under a pile of clothes in a closet.

A stolen, loaded .40 caliber Glock, taken from an earlier burglary, was found next to Greenlee, which he claimed belonged to the homeowner and a loaded 9mm pistol was found on the roof where Gustus was hiding. The homeowners testified that they did not own or possess a firearm.

Greenlee was previously charged in December 2002 with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty in July 2003. He was charged again with the same offense in May 2008 and also pleaded guilty to that charge. Greenlee was on supervised release when he committed the latest offense.

Sentencing in this case is set for February 14, 2022. If the Court finds that Greenlee is an Armed Career Criminal, he faces up to life in prison.

Darius Gustus previously pleaded guilty and will be sentenced early next year.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert E. McGuire and Kathryn W. Booth prosecuted the case.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Cut Bank man sentenced for strangulation, assault charges

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

GREAT FALLS — A Cut Bank man convicted of strangling and assaulting a woman on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced on Wednesday to 42 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said today.

Gordon Lee Connelly, 20, pleaded guilty in June to strangulation, assault resulting in substantial bodily injury and interstate violation of a protection order.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris also ordered $1,800 restitution.

In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that on Feb. 16, Connelly strangled and assaulted the victim, identified as Jane Doe, near Cut Bank, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, causing her substantial injuries. The government further alleged that on March 25, Connelly traveled from the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in order to violate a portion of a protection order that prohibits violence, threats and communication with another person.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Dual United States-Colombian Citizen Indicted For Producing And Possessing Child Sex Abuse Materials And Engaging In Child Sex Tourism

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

Tampa, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Hugo Espinosa Chavez (58, Tampa) with the production and possession of child sex abuse materials as well as foreign travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor child. If convicted on all counts, Espinosa faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. On October 5, 2021, Espinosa made his initial appearance in Tampa and was ordered detained pending trial.

According to the indictment, from May until December 2020, Espinosa employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor victim to produce depictions of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Moreover, on December 12, 2020, Espinosa traveled from the United States to the Republic of Colombia for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with this minor.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa, with substantial assistance from HSI Bogota, the Colombian National Police, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.

This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Remembering a hero, and a family’s gratitude toward witnesses

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

ST. LOUIS – On October 7, 2002, Robert L. Bolden, Sr., and two other men attempted to rob the Bank of America located in the Halls Ferry Circle in St. Louis City. Bolden, armed with a revolver, contacted Nathan Ley, 25, the security guard stationed outside one of the bank entrances. Ley refused to surrender his firearm to Bolden. Bolden shot Ley in the jaw and incapacitated him. Bolden then stepped back and as Ley was going down, Bolden shot him in the head a second time. Ley died as a result of the second gunshot wound to his head.

Investigators located three witnesses who identified Bolden as the shooter. One of the witnesses also identified Bolden’s vehicle at the scene of the bank robbery. Bolden’s DNA was recovered from a head covering seized at the crime scene. The murder weapon was recovered outside Bolden’s residence.

In May 2006, after a lengthy trial, a federal jury found Bolden guilty and recommended sentences of death for the offenses of attempted bank robbery resulting in the death of Nathan Ley, and for using a firearm to murder Nathan Ley.

During the sentencing phase of the proceedings, a witness at the scene with a law enforcement and military background recounted his efforts to comfort Nathan as he was dying on the parking lot of the bank. The citizen comforted and prayed with Nathan. The citizen, who was inside the bank during the shooting, also said that Nathan was a hero for having kept the robbers out of the bank. After the crime, the citizen kept a photograph of Nathan over his family’s fireplace because he and his wife viewed Nathan as their hero. Bank of America also honored Nathan Ley by placing an engraved memorial stone at the bank that recognized him as a hero.

On September 22, 2021, Bolden’s counsel and the U.S. Attorney’s Office argued one of Bolden’s appeals before the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals. Within the next week, Bolden died of natural causes while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons.

Tom, Linda, and Clint Ley recently released the following statement to the U.S. Attorney’s Office: On October 7, 2002, our hearts were shattered when our son and Clint’s brother Nathan was shot and killed by Robert Bolden. Nathan was kind, funny, responsible, and hard-working. He wanted to go into law enforcement to help people and make life safer for everyone. He was 25 years old.We will be forever grateful to the witnesses who identified his killer, the police who investigated, the U.S. Attorney’s Office who prosecuted the case … and the jurors who found justice for Nathan. We were fortunate that his killer was brought to justice. Too many families are not so fortunate. And until witnesses step forward and cases are tried, this terrible scourge of violence will continue.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

South Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Consecutive Health Care Fraud Conspiracies

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

Tampa, FL – Patsy Truglia (53, Parkland) has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of making a false statement in a matter involving a health care benefit program. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, beginning in January 2018 and continuing into April 2019, Truglia and other conspirators, including co-defendant Ruth Bianca Fernandez (who worked under Truglia’s supervision), generated medically unnecessary physicians’ orders via their telemarketing operation for certain orthotic devices—i.e., knee braces, back braces, wrist braces, and other braces—referred to as durable medical equipment (“DME”). Through the telemarketing operation, federal health care program beneficiaries’ (i.e., Medicare beneficiaries’) personal and medical information was harvested to create the unnecessary DME brace orders.

The brace orders were then forwarded to purported “telemedicine” vendors that, in exchange for a fee, paid illegal bribes to physicians to sign the orders, often without ever contacting the beneficiaries to conduct the required telehealth consultations. The fraudulent, illegal brace orders were then returned to Truglia’s telemarketing operation, which used the orders as support for millions of dollars in false and fraudulent claims that were submitted to the Medicare program. To avoid Medicare scrutiny, Truglia and Fernandez spread the fraudulent claims across five DME storefronts operated under Truglia’s ownership and control, and Fernandez’s day-to-day management. In all, through their five storefronts, Truglia, Fernandez, and other conspirators caused approximately $25 million in fraudulent DME claims to be submitted to Medicare, resulting in approximately $12 million in payments.

On April 9, 2019, multiple federal law enforcement agencies participated in a nationwide action referred to as “Operation Brace Yourself.” The Operation targeted ongoing schemes, such as Truglia’s, in which companies were paying illegal bribes to secure signed physicians’ DME brace orders for use as support for fraudulent claims that were submitted to the federal programs. In the Middle District of Florida, the Operation included, among other efforts, the execution of search warrants at several of Truglia’s DME storefronts and a civil action which, among other ramifications, enjoined Truglia and (by extension) his five storefronts from engaging in any further health care fraud conduct. Undeterred by this action, beginning in or around April 2019, and continuing into July 2020, Truglia and other conspirators—some who had worked with Truglia in the earlier conspiracy, as well as some new conspirators—carried out a similar conspiracy using three new DME storefronts and different “telemedicine” vendors. Through this conspiracy, Truglia and his conspirators caused an additional approximately $12 million in fraudulent DME claims to be submitted to Medicare, resulting in approximately $6.3 million in payments.

This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office. The criminal case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jay G. Trezevant, Tiffany E. Fields, and James A. Muench. The civil action is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn B. Tapie and Sean P. Keefe.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Toledo Man Charged with Escape from Custody

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jermell Toney, 35, of Toledo with one count of escape.

According to court records, on September 17, 2021, the Defendant is accused of failing to report to a re-entry program required to complete the service of a 13-month federal prison sentence imposed for violation of supervised release. The Defendant surrendered himself to the United States Marshals Service on September 28,2021.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the Defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the Defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation was conducted by United States Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deyana Unis.

October 7, 2021 0 comments

Department of Justice Press Releases

New Orleans Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents in Order to Defraud Insurance and Trucking Companies

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that AISHA THOMPSON (“THOMPSON”), age 43, of New Orleans, Louisiana, entered a plea of guilty on October 6, 2021 to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans.

According to the guilty plea, THOMPSON, along with her co-defendants, Dewayne Coleman, Erica Lee Thompson (“Erica Lee”), Donisha Lee, Passenger A, and Donreion Lee, conspired to commit mail fraud in connection with a staged accident with Cornelius Garrison, occurring on September 6, 2017. Today’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants convicted in “Operation Sideswipe” to twenty-eight (28).

THOMPSON falsely claimed that on September 6, 2017, on the I-10 near the Almonaster exit, she was a passenger in co-defendant Erica Lee’s 2015 RAV4 being driven by their former co-defendant, when he intentionally crashed into a tractor-trailer owned by Averitt Express. After the staged accident, the driver exited the RAV4 and told Erica Lee to get behind the wheel of the RAV4 to make it appear that Erica Lee was driving the vehicle at the time of the staged accident. The defendants contacted the NOPD and falsely claimed that Erica Lee was the driver at the time of the collision. Passenger A falsely claimed to the NOPD that she was THOMPSON.

Approximately one or two days after the staged accident, Coleman, Donisha Lee, Donreion Lee, Erica Lee, and THOMPSON went to an attorney’s office for the purpose of collecting money from the insurance and trucking company. Coleman, Donisha Lee, Donreion Lee, Erica Lee, and THOMPSON sought medical treatment from doctors and healthcare providers. THOMPSON was treated despite not being in the RAV4 at the time of the staged accident. THOMPSON retained counsel and made a claim for damages. The total settlement for the Averitt accident was $30,000.

On March 26, 2019, Coleman, Donisha Lee, and Donreion Lee each provided false testimony in depositions taken in conjunction with the Thompson Lawsuit. On April 9, 2019, THOMPSON provided false testimony in a deposition taken in conjunction with the Thompson Lawsuit. In these depositions, THOMPSON, Coleman, Donisha Lee, and Donreion Lee, lied about the September 6, 2017 accident including, but not limited to, who was driving the RAV4 and the extent of their injuries.

THOMPSON faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years of incarceration. Upon release from prison, THOMPSON also faces a term of supervised release up to (3) three years, and/or a fine of $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for February 16, 2022 before United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera; Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Repeat Offender Sentenced to Over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Violating Court Supervision

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

Spokane – Today, Joseph H. Harrington, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Randy D. McReynolds, age 51, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced after having been convicted by a jury on June 30, 2021 of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Senior United States District Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentencing McReynolds to a 92-month term of imprisonment, to be following by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison. Judge Nielsen also imposed an 18-month term of imprisonment, to run consecutive to the sentence imposed in the firearm case, after finding that McReynolds violated court supervision stemming from previous federal drug-related convictions.

According to court documents, after receiving a tip, federal probation officers conducted a search of McReynolds’ residence and found a .357 revolver and multiple rounds of ammunition. McReynolds was under federal court supervision at the time.

Acting United States Attorney Harrington said, “To keep our neighborhoods safe, it is essential that we keep firearms out of the hands of criminals. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington will prosecute aggressively individuals who illegally possess firearms. I commend the law enforcement officers with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who investigated this case.”

This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Michael J. Ellis and Timothy J. Ohms, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Columbia Man Indicted for Distributing Methamphetamine

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, KY returned an indictment on October 5, 2021, charging a Columbia, KY man with distributing greater than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on September 10, 2021, Trey Williams, 25, of Columbia, KY, sold approximately six pounds of crystal methamphetamine to another person. The sale price was $23,300.00. Following the sale, FBI and local law enforcement conducted surveillance at the apartments where the drug deal took place. Law enforcement was able to locate Williams and arrested him.

Williams is charged with Distribution of a Controlled Substance. He is scheduled for arraignment on October 27, 2021 before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Williams is currently in federal custody. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen made the announcement.

The FBI, Kentucky State Police, and the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Two Canonsburg Residents Indicted on Fentanyl Possession and Distribution Charges

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

PITTSBURGH, PA – Two residents of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotic laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

The six-count Indictment, returned on Sept. 21, 2021, and unsealed yesterday following their arrests, named Troy Terrell, age 32, and Angel Barton, age 36, as the defendants.

According to the Indictment, from in and around April 2020 and continuing thereafter until in and around June 2020, Terrell and Barton possessed and distributed fentanyl.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years, a fine of $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin J. Risacher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Canonsburg Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Pittston Man Sentenced To Prison For Failing To Pay Taxes

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John T. Stuchkus, age 59, of Pittston, Pennsylvania was sentenced yesterday to 18 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for failing to pay federal income and payroll taxes.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Stuchkus is the owner and operator of The Chicken Coop, a restaurant located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The Chicken Coop employed several people during tax years 2013 through 2017. Although Stuchkus deducted and collected F.I.C.A. and other taxes from his employee’s payroll checks, Stuchkus failed to pay the collected taxes to the United States as required by law. Stuchkus also paid employees cash “under the table” and failed to withhold federal employment and F.I.C.A. taxes. Stuchkus was ordered to pay $397,406.91 in restitution, representing the tax loss to the United States.

The case was investigated by the IRS and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Involvement in Fentanyl Conspiracy

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced yesterday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

Daniel Barbosa, 26, of Pawtucket, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to one year in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 12, 2021, Barbosa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine.

The charge arises from Barbosa’s delivery of a substance containing fentanyl in October 2017. Barbosa was charged as part of an investigation into a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances in the greater Boston area.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey Steinberg and John Mulcahy of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

New York Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

BOSTON – A New York man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for heroin and fentanyl possession and distribution charges.

James De La Cruz, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 7, 2021, De La Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

In September and October 2019, De La Cruz spoke with a cooperating witness several times and met with the cooperating witness to arrange a large drug shipment from New York to the Boston area. On Oct. 21, 2019, De La Cruz and his co-defendant Juan Santos Roque drove from New York to Peabody, Mass. with approximately 10 kilograms of fentanyl and six kilograms of heroin in a hidden compartment in Santos Roque’s vehicle. After meeting with the cooperating witness, law enforcement agents arrested both men.

Santos Roque pleaded guilty in October 2020 and was sentenced on May 12, 2021 to 63 months in prison and two years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Peabody Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Assault on Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

A Pennsylvania man was arrested yesterday for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

Michael James Dickinson, 30, of Philadelphia, is charged with federal offenses that include assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; civil disorder; and engaging in physical violence on restricted grounds. Dickinson made his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on yesterday afternoon.

According to court documents, Dickinson was at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 where he was captured on Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) body-worn camera (BWC) and open source video footage throwing items at law enforcement. Specifically, the footage shows Dickinson throwing what appears to be a coffee tumbler at law enforcement. Later video shows Dickinson picking up a large bucket filled with liquid and throwing the liquid and the bucket at law enforcement officers who appeared to be attempting to clear rioters from Capitol grounds.

The 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 Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and FBI’s Washington Field Office.

In the eight months since Jan. 6, more than 600 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including at least 185 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Cumberland County Man Charged with Manufacturing an Explosive Device and with Possessing Multiple Bombs and Precursor Materials

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

NEWARK, N.J. – A Cumberland County, New Jersey, man will make his initial appearance today on charges related to his explosive devices and the materials used to manufacture them, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Thomas Petronglo, 63, of Vineland, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with one count each of unlawful possession of a destructive device, unlawful making of a destructive device, and unlawful storage of explosive materials. He is scheduled to appear by videoconference later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen.

According to documents filed in this case:

On March 12, 2021, Petronglo was found in possession of one destructive device, a 5 ¾-inch diameter metal can, containing a quantity of an explosive mixture of potassium perchlorate and aluminum, with a fuse sticking out of the device.

Petronglo also possessed multiple intact improvised explosive devices and explosive materials, including:

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews in Newark; the Vineland Police Department, under the direction of Chief Pedro Casiano; the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The counts of possession of a destructive device and making of an explosive device each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of unlawful storage of explosives carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean C. Sovolos of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Former SCANA CEO Sentenced to Two Years for Defrauding Ratepayers in Connection with Failed Nuclear Construction Project

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

Columbia, South Carolina — Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Kevin B. Marsh, 66, former SCANA Corporation (SCANA) Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Evidence presented to the Court showed that Marsh intentionally defrauded ratepayers while overseeing and managing SCANA’s operations – including the construction of two reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station – so the company could obtain and retain rate increases imposed on its rate-paying customers and qualify for up to $2.2 billion in tax credits. In late 2016, confronted with information that the project was delayed and that the tax credits were at risk, Marsh and others withheld that information from regulators in an effort to keep the project going. Marsh’s false and materially misleading statements, as well as other false and materially misleading statements made by his coconspirators, allowed SCANA to obtain and retain rate increases imposed on SCANA’s rate-paying customers.

“Due to this fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney DeHart. “an $11 billion nuclear ghost town, paid for by SCANA investors and customers, now sits vacant in Jenkinsville, S.C. Hopefully, this prosecution will deter other corporate fraud in the future.”

“Kevin Marsh deceived regulators and customers to financially benefit SCANA,” said Susan Ferensic, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Unfortunately, Marsh’s and other executive’s actions resulted in South Carolinians bearing the financial brunt of the failed Summer Nuclear Station. This sentence should serve as a reminder to any corporation and their executives that there is a price to pay for those who conspire to commit fraud.”

According to evidence presented to the Court, Marsh has no prior criminal history, and has cooperated with federal and state investigators for more than a year in the ongoing investigation into criminal wrongdoing related to the V.C. Summer nuclear project. Marsh’s sentence reflects credit for his assistance in the ongoing investigation and prosecution of wrongdoing related to the failed nuclear construction project.

Marsh is the first defendant in the case to be sentenced in the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office has additionally obtained felony guilty pleas from Stephen Byrne, former Executive Vice President of SCANA and former Chief Operating Officer of South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G), and Carl Churchman, former Westinghouse Electric Corporation Vice President and the Project Director of the V.C. Summer Nuclear project. The United States Attorney’s Office has also executed cooperation agreements with Dominion Energy and Westinghouse Electric Company, which together provide over $4 billion in ratepayer relief; and it has charged Jeffrey Benjamin, former Westinghouse Electric Company Senior Vice President, in a sixteen-count felony criminal indictment.

United States District Judge Mary Lewis sentenced Marsh to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Lewis also imposed a fine of $200,000. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Marsh paid $5 million in federal forfeiture prior to his sentencing.

This sentencing is the result of an exhaustive and multi-year joint investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Brook Andrews, Winston Holliday, Emily Limehouse, and Special Assistant United States Attorney John O’Halloran are prosecuting the case.

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Department of Justice Press Releases

Hudson County Man Arrested for Scheme to Defraud Investors

by DOJ Press October 7, 2021

By: DOJ Press

NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man will make his initial appearance today on charges that he defrauded victims by promising to invest their money in a ticket purchase and resale business, when in fact he diverted their investments for his own personal use and benefit and to pay back prior investors, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Michael J. Clarke, 62, of Jersey City, New Jersey, is charged by superseding indictment with two counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From October 2015 to October 2016, Clarke, who was a licensed municipal securities trader, represented to his victims that he separately operated a ticket brokering business that purchased tickets to entertainment and sporting events and then resold those tickets for a profit. Clarke also represented that he had access to permanent seat licenses for the U.S. Open Tennis Championships that could be purchased and resold for a profit. The victims relied on his misrepresentations and invested money with Clarke, believing that they would receive a share of the profits from the sales of those tickets or U.S. Open seat licenses. Instead of using the victims’ money as promised, Clarke used their investments for his personal expenditures or to pay back prior investors in his ticket brokering business. In total, Clarke obtained approximately $617,400 from the victims over the course of the fraudulent scheme.

The counts of wire fraud are punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Kozar of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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D.C. News Police Blotter

Suspects Sought in D.C. Burglary

by Kristen Harrison-Oneal October 7, 2021

By: Kristen Harrison-Oneal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fifth District seek the public’s assistance in identifying suspects in reference to a Burglary Two offense that occurred on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, in the 600 block of Florida Avenue, Northeast.

At approximately 3:20 am, the suspects forcibly gained entry to an establishment at the listed location. One inside, the suspects took property then fled the scene.

The suspects were captured by a surveillance camera.

Anyone who can identify these individuals or who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411. Crime Solvers of Washington, DC currently offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in the District of Columbia.

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D.C. News Police Blotter

Additional Arrest Made in D.C. Armed Carjacking

by Kristen Harrison-Oneal October 7, 2021

By: Kristen Harrison-Oneal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sixth District announced an additional arrest has been made in reference to an Armed Carjacking (Gun) offense that occurred on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in the 4100 block of Gault Place, Northeast.

At approximately 1:38 am, the suspects approached the victims, who were seated in their vehicle, at the listed location. One of the suspects brandished a handgun and demanded the victims to exit the vehicle. The victims complied and the suspects fled the scene in the vehicle.

On Wednesday, October 6, 2021, pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant, 20 year-old Marquon Da John Martin, of Northeast, DC, was arrested and charged with Armed Carjacking (Gun).

Previously, on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, a 14 year-old juvenile male, of Southeast, DC, was arrested and charged with Armed Carjacking (Gun)

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Murphy says “No New Taxes” after new business tax kicks in, Testa isn’t buying it

by Breaking Local News Report October 7, 2021

By: Breaking Local News Report

Governor Phil Murphy said yesterday he won’t raise taxes any further. Senator Michael Testa isn’t buying it.

Testa, a Republican member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, said there is no excuse for Murphy’s insistence on the series of economy-crushing increases that will materialize over the next few years, including one on employers and one on employees in just three months’ time.

“I don’t know how he can say that with a straight face,” said Testa (R-1). “Murphy’s middle name is ‘Tax Increase.’ He’s poised to implement no less than five unnecessary and preventable tax hikes on New Jersey residents over the next few years totaling approximately $2 billion annually.”

On October 30, struggling employers across New Jersey will be hammered by the first of three different tax increases of more than $1.3 billion. Indirectly, the increases will be passed on to consumers, and will cost jobs.

“He says he won’t raise taxes, but that is exactly what he is doing,” Testa said. “The Senate Republican Caucus proposed a plan to stop the massive unemployment fund tax. Governor Murphy has more than $6 billion in American Relief Plan funds sitting in the bank collecting dust. We’re calling for him to use a small portion of the billions in funds he has available to replenish the UI fund, stop an unnecessary tax increase, and save jobs, something almost 40 other states have already done.”

A $600 million tax increase on the state’s largest health insurer is set for June 30. The massive assessment on Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will impact families with health coverage.

“He is ignoring obvious solutions, preferring instead to pile tax after tax on the backs of New Jersey families at a time when the economy cannot withstand the additional pressures,” said Testa.

In addition, a regressive increase will hit low-income workers in the state with up to a 10% higher payroll tax deduction from their paychecks next year to cover the cost of a 10% increase in unemployment benefits on January 1, 2022. The boost will cost employees hundreds of millions of dollars.

“Imagine that. No-tax-increase-Murphy is raising taxes on people who work to give a sizable raise to people who don’t,” Testa noted.

“Governor Murphy will be responsible for $2 billion in avoidable tax increases. He refuses to take the easy steps to prevent them. Whether he admits it or not, Murphy owns every dollar of these tax hikes.”

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