Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement today to resolve the United States’ claims against RealPage Inc. as part of its ongoing enforcement against algorithmic coordination, information sharing, and other anticompetitive practices in rental housing markets across the country. The proposed settlement would help restore free market competition in rental markets for millions of American renters.

“Competing companies must make independent pricing decisions, and with the rise of algorithmic and artificial intelligence tools, we will remain at the forefront of vigorous antitrust enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.

RealPage is a provider of commercial revenue management software and services for the conventional multifamily rental housing industry. As alleged in Plaintiffs’ complaint, RealPage’s revenue management software has relied on nonpublic, competitively sensitive information shared by landlords to set rental prices. RealPage’s software has also included features designed to limit rental price decreases and otherwise align pricing among competitors. In addition, RealPage has hosted meetings attended by competing property management companies where competitively sensitive information was shared.

If approved by the court, the proposed consent judgment would require RealPage to:

• Cease having its software use competitors’ nonpublic, competitively sensitive information to determine rental prices in runtime operation;
• Cease using active lease data for purposes of training the models underlying the software, limiting model training to historic or backward-looking nonpublic data that has been aged for at least 12 months;
• Not use models that determine geographic effects narrower than at a state level, which is broader than the markets alleged in the complaint;
• Remove or redesign features that limited price decreases or aligned pricing between competing users of the software;
• Cease conducting market surveys to collect competitively sensitive information;
• Refrain from discussing market analyses or trends based on nonpublic data, or pricing strategies, in RealPage meetings relating to revenue management software;
• Accept a court-appointed monitor to ensure compliance with the terms of the consent judgment; and
• Cooperate in the United States’ lawsuit against property management companies that have used its software.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.

RealPage is a provider of revenue management software and services headquartered in Richardson, Texas.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Moreno-Anaya had 8 previous deportations.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Yoan Mateo-Cardona, 24, a citizen of Guatemala illegally residing in Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to 15 months’ imprisonment in federal court in Sioux City.

At the plea hearing on July 14, 2025, Mateo-Cardona admitted he was a citizen of Guatemala and had been previously removed from the United States on one previous occasion in 2022.  Mateo-Cardona further admitted that his status as an illegal alien and domestic violence abuser prohibited him from possessing firearms.  Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on November 7, 2024, Sioux City Police officers were called to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino parking lot after security observed an individual displaying a firearm.  Security footage confirmed Mateo-Cardona was the individual with the gun, and he was arrested for public intoxication and possession of a firearm by a domestic abuse perpetrator.  Mateo-Cardona had previously been convicted of being an alien present without admission or parole, operating while intoxicated, domestic abuse assault, and possession of a controlled substance.  

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Mateo-Cardona was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of 1 year of supervised release following imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Mateo-Cardona remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.  

The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department, Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino security staff and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-4088.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TOLEDO, Ohio – A Canadian citizen has been sentenced to prison after admitting to having possession of 90 pounds of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), or ecstasy, a Schedule I controlled substance that is typically used as a party drug and intended for distribution.

Dontavius Forbes, 27, was sentenced to 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick after pleading guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Judge Helmick imposed the sentence Nov. 21. Forbes will be deported to Canada upon completion of his prison sentence.

According to court documents, on Aug. 7, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent observed a compact sport utility vehicle with Canadian license plates parked in a service plaza parking lot near the interstate 80/90 Ohio turnpike in Sandusky County. After further investigation, the agent proceeded to have an encounter with Forbes who was the driver of the vehicle. During a consensual search of the SUV, agents observed what appeared to be modifications to a section of the cargo area. Agents discovered two hidden compartments packed with vacuum sealed packages of suspected illegal drugs. A field test of one of the packages tested positive for MDMA. Agents also seized nearly $3,000 in U.S. currency from the vehicle.

The remaining packages recovered from the vehicle were submitted to a forensic laboratory for analysis which confirmed the accuracy of the field test indicating the presence of MDMA.

This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.

Source: United States Department of Justice

Operation Not Forgotten Surged 64 FBI Personnel to 10 FBI Field Offices to Support Investigations of Indian Country Violent Crimes

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

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For further information contact:

Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero                                                         

(414) 297-1700

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

LAREDO, Texas – A 50-year-old Honduran national has been charged with smuggling more than four dozen people in a refrigerated tractor-trailer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Greibein Alexis Pinot-Duarte is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga Nov. 25 at 9:30 a.m.

On Nov. 22, Pinot-Duarte allegedly drove a refrigerated tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Freer where authorities noticed his nervous behavior. The charges allege a K-9 alerted to the presence of humans or narcotics at the rear doors.

At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered the temperature inside the trailer was 55 degrees and held numerous boxes of produce, according to the complaint. They also allegedly observed the silhouette of a person through a plywood compartment under the boxes.

The charges allege a subsequent search revealed 51 illegal aliens, including two juveniles, concealed in the cramped, hidden compartment. Many of the individuals did not have jackets or means to stay warm and complained of numbed or cramped limbs due to the tight space, according to the complaint.

The compartment was small and allegedly allowed only one person to exit at a time. Each produce box weighted approximately 30-40 pounds, preventing anyone from escaping, according to the complaint.

If convicted, Pinot-Duarte faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 maximum fine.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Justin Dixon was sentenced by Judge William F. Kuntz, II, to 15 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Dixon operated as a “pimp,” using violence and threats of violence to compel the commission of commercial sex acts, including by minors as young as 14 years old.  Dixon pled guilty to the charges in November 2024.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

“Today’s sentencing holds the defendant accountable for the violence and cruelty to women and children caused by his unthinkable actions,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “It is the hope of our Office that Dixon’s extensive prison sentence brings some measure of comfort to his victims.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance during the investigation.

“Justin Dixon forced multiple women, including a 14-year-old minor, to engage in sexual acts for his own financial gain, wielding threats of violence to maintain control,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “Dixon repeatedly violated his victims’ autonomy through degrading and manipulative grooming techniques designed to entrap them into his servitude.  May today’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s commitment to continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable any sexual predator who targets and uses others for personal financial enrichment.”

“Today’s sentencing further affirms the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to protecting the survivors of sex trafficking,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “And the message is clear: Anyone who would seek to profit through the abuse and exploitation of other people – especially our youth – will be held fully accountable.  I thank and commend our NYPD investigators, as well as our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District, for their tireless work in bringing this criminal to justice.”  

As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum and other court documents, in January 2023, Dixon forced his victims to commit commercial sex acts and used violence and threats of violence to ensure compliance with his orders.  Specifically, he compelled the commission of commercial sex acts by a 14-year-old minor victim (“Jane Doe”) for his financial benefit.  Dixon transported the minor victim—as well as other women—to a small geographical area off of Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, which is known as the “Penn Track” or the “Blade.”  Dixon then forced Jane Doe and other women to engage in prostitution and demanded that the proceeds of prostitution be turned over to him. Any resistance from the victims was met with violence.

Dixon used social media and other internet applications to recruit Jane Doe and other potential victims, groom them and manipulate them into working for him as prostitutes.  In or about January 2023, law enforcement officers rescued Jane Doe from a house in Staten Island where she, along with other adult females, was being held against her will by Dixon.  At the house on Staten Island, the defendant used force and threats of force against Jane Doe to maintain control over her.  Dixon forced Jane Doe and the other adult females residing in the house to cook, clean and bathe him.  The defendant would not allow the women to be clothed inside the house and would physically punish the women if they disobeyed any of these rules.  Furthermore, despite being previously convicted of a felony, Dixon possessed firearms and brandished these firearms in front of Jane Doe and the other victims.

Dixon further abused Jane Doe, calling her “tiny” and overfeeding her to attempt to make her appear older than her age.  He forced her to take unidentified pills to increase her appetite and stated he was arranging for Jane Doe to have plastic surgery to make her look older.  At the Penn Track, Dixon directed when, where and with whom commercial sex acts would be performed.  Dixon collected and kept to himself all payments for the commercial sex acts.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney Lorena Michelen is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

JUSTIN DIXON
Age:  34
Staten Island, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-090 (WFK)

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

MIAMI – A Chinese national pleaded guilty on Sept. 23 in Fort Pierce federal court for participating in a fraud scheme targeting grocery stores across South Florida, including St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.

According to court records, between Jan. 14 and Dec. 17, 2024, Cao Yuan Liu, 22, and a co-conspirator traveled to grocery stores throughout Florida and tampered with gift cards. Investigators discovered cards in which the packaging had been carefully opened, serial numbers and PINs exposed or removed, and the packaging resealed to appear intact. Once unsuspecting customers purchased and activated the compromised cards, Liu and his co-conspirator illicitly accessed the funds for their own use.

“Gift card fraud schemes like this prey on unsuspecting consumers and erode trust in our everyday retail systems,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Liu’s conviction sends a clear message: those who tamper with gift cards and steal from innocent consumers will be held accountable. Our Office is committed to protecting South Florida communities from these sophisticated fraud operations and ensuring justice for those affected.”

Surveillance footage captured Liu and his co-conspirator leaving multiple stores in a black Bentley SUV with a New York license plate. On Dec. 17, 2024, law enforcement located Liu and his co-conspirator, executed a search warrant at their shared Jensen Beach apartment, and recovered multiple tampered gift cards. Six days later, after seizing the Bentley SUV, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the vehicle and located additional gift cards linked to the scheme.

In total, investigators have identified approximately 42 grocery stores across Florida that were targeted.

Liu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. He faces up to five years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.

HSI Fort Pierce and Martin County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.

Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger is prosecuting this case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-14043.

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