Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Peter Gerace, 59, of Clarence, NY, was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo after a jury convicted him of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, drug trafficking and defrauding the United States, along with witness tampering, maintaining a drug involved premises and bribing a public official.
Source: United States Department of War
The Department of War and South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense held the 28th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue in Washington, with U.S. and South Korean officials exchanging perspectives on policy directions that enhance the alliance’s combined defense posture.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, the defendant Jordan Khammar pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering for his role in a decade-long scheme to defraud a multinational media, brand management, and consulting company and steal over $7.9 million. When sentenced, Khammar faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment as well as restitution of at least $7.9 million in addition to $7.9 million in criminal forfeiture.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dan Sohail pleaded guilty to damaging religious property. The proceeding was held before U.S. District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. When sentenced, Sohail faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and mandatory restitution.
“The defendant’s dangerous conduct was a targeted attack on the religious liberty and peace of worship to which every American is entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s conviction sends a clear message: the Department of Justice will not tolerate acts of hatred and violence against religious institutions.”
“By pleading guilty today, the defendant admitted that he intentionally damaged the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters, a globally significant Jewish religious institution, by repeatedly crashing his vehicle into the building’s entrance,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “At a time when acts of violence directed at Jewish institutions have dramatically increased, this prosecution underscores our Office’s commitment to ensuring that worshippers can gather safely and those who threaten religious institutions will be held accountable.”
According to court filings and statements made during the plea hearing, on the evening of Jan. 28, Sohail drove to the Chabad Headquarters located on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. The Chabad Headquarters was hosting an event marking the anniversary of the death of the movement’s leader. After arriving at the side entrance of the building, Sohail exited his vehicle and moved barriers that had been set up to protect the building, which includes a synagogue and religious gathering spaces. After gesturing for congregants to move away, Sohail returned to his vehicle and drove his car into the building’s side entrance. He then reversed his vehicle and accelerated into the entrance four additional times, knocking the entrance door off its hinges.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights and General Crimes Sections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Silverberg for the Eastern District of New York and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brachah Goykadosh are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Marlane Bosler.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Jamil Whitley, 38, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in D.C. Superior Court, for charges related to the shooting death of 32-year-old Kevin Redd in the alley behind 4722 Jay Street, Northeast, on June 11, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department this week announced the settlement of litigation alleging that the Biden administration induced Twitter to suppress disfavored speech by an American citizen. The lawsuit alleged that coercing the social media company to suppress disfavored speech violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The settlement implements President Trump’s Executive Order, entitled “Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship,” acknowledging that “the previous administration trampled free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms, often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on third parties, such as social media companies, to moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that the Federal Government did not approve.” 90 Fed. Reg. 8243 (Jan. 28, 2025).
“The Biden Administration engaged in blatant viewpoint discrimination, wielding power over social media to kick conservatives off Twitter completely,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “Today’s settlement proves such injustices are over under President Trump’s leadership.”
“This Department will continue working to undo past abuses of the First Amendment,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, of the Civil Division. “Unlawful government coercion of social media companies has no place in our country or under our Constitution.”
“This settlement is an important milestone in the battle for free speech in our country, concerning a time when social media censorship encouraged by state and federal government actors suppressed wide swaths of protected speech,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, of the Civil Rights Division. “The proper antidote to speech one doesn’t like, is more speech.”
The Department’s agreement with plaintiff avoids the need for continued litigation in this case. Berenson v. Biden, No. 25-2709 (2d. Cir.).
Securing the right of the American people to engage in constitutionally protected speech is a priority of the Department of Justice. Additional information about the Civil Division is available at www.justice.gov/civil.
Source: United States Navy
YOKOSUKA, Japan — U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC) completed a key maintenance period for the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), returning the ship to the fleet on time April 6.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Trey Alexander Giles, 21, of Springfield, Mo., who was closely associated with a local street gang known as “All Family No Friends,” was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a Glock pistol outfitted with a machine gun conversion device (MCD), a device designed to turn a firearm into a fully automatic weapon.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with drug trafficking and weapons crimes. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Dominick Mackall, 37, of Lexington Park, to 110 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
BRYAN JOYCE, 40, of Southington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 90 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for offenses related to his selling privately made AR-15-style firearms, ammunition, and marijuana.