Category: MIL-OSI

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—A Paragould man who admitted to shooting at police officers was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky, the maximum sentenced allowed by law.

      On February 7, 2021, Paragould police officers observed Taj Harris, 23, walking near the area of Walnut Street and Second Street in Paragould. Officers knew Harris had an active warrant for his arrest. As an officer attempted to take Harris into custody, Harris pulled out a firearm and began shooting at the officer, forcing the officer to dive to the ground to avoid being shot. A second Paragould officer saw Harris shoot at the first officer and saw that officer dive to the ground. Believing the first officer had been hit, the second officer fired multiple shots at Harris, who then returned fire at the second officer.

      Officers then pursued Harris on foot, who fled the scene. A civilian trapped Harris between a house and a fence by threatening him with a golf club and flagged down officers to make the arrest. Officers then located a stolen firearm with a large capacity magazine next to Harris’s feet. Harris is a convicted felon. The next day, in a phone conversation with his mother from the Greene County Jail, Harris admitted to his mother that he shot at police officers, and that he intended on shooting them if they tried to put their hands on him.

      On July 6, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Harris for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge that carries a maximum of 120 months’ imprisonment. Harris pleaded guilty to the charge on November 15, 2022. In addition to the 10 years in prison Harris must serve, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.

      The case was investigated by the Paragould Police Department and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney J. William Crow prosecuted the case for the United States.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

Twitter:

@EDARNEWS

Source: US FBI

FORT SMITH – A Lavaca, Arkansas, man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $29,835,825.99 in restitution for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering.

Billy Joe Taylor, age 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering on October 27, 2022. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators submitted more than $134 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare in connection with diagnostic laboratory testing, including urine drug testing and tests for respiratory illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, that were medically unnecessary, not ordered by medical providers, and not provided as represented. Taylor and his co-conspirators obtained medical information and private personal information for Medicare beneficiaries, and then misused that confidential information to repeatedly submit claims to Medicare for diagnostic tests. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators received more than $38 million from Medicare on those fraudulent claims.

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson, of the FBI’s Little Rock division; Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Dallas Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office, made the announcement

The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elser of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas and Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section’s National Rapid Response Strike Force prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Source: US FBI

FAYETTEVILLE –A Midway, Arkansas, man was sentenced on June 7, 2023, to 240 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing for the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court documents, on September 8, 2022, investigators with the State of Arkansas 14^th Judicial District Drug Task Force assisted Arkansas Department of Community Corrections Parole Officers with a search of the residence of Bobby Joe Amescua Gray, II, age 34, in Midway, Arkansas.  Upon the arrival of investigators, Gray attempted to flee out of the rear of the residence but was quicky apprehended.  Gray’s vehicle was searched, resulting in the discovery of 4.467 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine, a firearm, packaging and scales associated with methamphetamine sales and over $5,000 in United States Currency derived from methamphetamine sales.

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The State of Arkansas 14^th Judicial District Drug Task Force and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Carter prosecuted the case for the United States.

Today’s announcement is part of the Western District of Arkansas’ Operation Home on Ice, which is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.  The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy.  OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.  Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov , WDAR Case No. 3:22 CR 30013-001.

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON — A Washington State man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Thomas Hodo, 47, of Snohomish, Washington, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony civil disorder and misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct in a capitol building or grounds.

            The FBI arrested Hodo on Aug. 20, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona, and he made his initial appearance in the District of Arizona.

            Codefendant Derek Noftsger was previously charged for his role in the events of January 6, 2021.

             According to court documents, Noftsger and Hodo were identified in open-source video standing near a line of police officers on Jan. 6, 2021, on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol grounds.  At approximately 1:37 p.m., Hodo allegedly joined with a group of rioters who attempted to pull a bike rack barricade away from police as Noftsger stood nearby and watched. About one minute later, Hodo walked over to Noftsger and appeared to place a flag in Noftsger’s backpack. Hodo then appeared to take an item from Noftsger bag and threw the item in the direction of the police line.

            About six minutes after throwing an item in the direction of officers, Hodo approached the police line and began to speak using a megaphone. In part, Hodo stated, “it is our constitutional duty, we have to stand up to a tyrannical government, we are not supposed to secede to a tyrannical government,” then went on to claim that he supported the police, before proclaiming that “every treasonous traitor will be hung . . . . we will take our country back.” After handing off the megaphone to another rioter, he looked at the officers on the police line and said, “you guys are a f— disgrace.”

            At approximately 2:26 p.m., multiple rioters began to push against the police line near the two defendants. Officers on the police line pushed the rioters back, and, in response, it is alleged that Noftsger picked up a police officer’s riot shield from the ground and faced a Metropolitan Police Department officer. When officers pushed back a rioter near Noftsger, he allegedly lifted the riot shield above his head with both hands and threw it at the officers.

            It is then alleged that Hodo picked up an object off the ground that appeared to be a canister of pepper spray and attempted to spray it at the officers; however, the canister was not deployed. Hodo then allegedly threw the canister in the direction of the police officers.

            At about 2:28 p.m., rioters on the West Plaza overran the police line and Noftsger and Hodo climbed onto the Southwest Scaffolding. The two men then made their way to the Lower West Terrace and unfurled the flag that they had been carrying. In an open-source video, Hodo can be heard stating, “It could get a lot worse, we came in peace this time, it could get a lot worse, believe me we are well armed if we need to be.”

            This 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 Western District of Washington.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Seattle and Washington Field Offices. Hodo was identified as Bolo (Be on the Lookout) #421 on its seeking information images. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

            In the 43 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,488 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 550 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

            A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Michael Lee Tomasi, 37, of Rio Verde, Arizona, pleaded guilty yesterday to making threats against federal officials. 

From May 2021 through November 2023, while living in Colorado and Arizona, Tomasi used a social media platform to express a desire to incite violence and threaten a variety of individuals and groups, including a city district attorney, a state court judge, a member of Congress and other federal officials and law enforcement officers. Tomasi pleaded guilty to posting a threat on Aug. 26, 2023, to kill FBI agents in order to impede, intimidate, or interfere with FBI agents’ performance of their official duties. Specifically, Tomasi admitted that, on that day, he posted: “Shoot the FBI first and ask questions later. . . .  Any FBI [] have a problem with that[,] come to my house and see what happens. Shoot before they even pull their guns out of their trunk and you shoot to kill.” 

“Threats of violence against elected officials, judges, and FBI agents pose immense danger to the physical safety of individual victims and undermine our very system of government,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will hold to account anyone who targets public servants with illegal threats of violence.”

“Threatening law enforcement officers and elected officials strikes at the heart of our communities and our democracy,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly every day to defend our homeland and protect the American people. I am proud of their selfless spirit — putting themselves in harm’s way to keep others safe — and we will hold accountable anyone who threatens them.”

“This disgruntled defendant threatened officials from all three branches of government,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “Moreover, he was prepared to carry out his threats: when arrested he had a loaded handgun in his vehicle, as well as other firearms and body armor in his home. The prosecution of threats offenses makes Americans safer.”

Tomasi pleaded guilty to making threats against federal officials. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Abbie Broughton Marsh for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-23-01751-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-112_Tomasi

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

2024-109_Mohamed, et.al.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Guadalupe Fermin Ramirez, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ramirez pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer on May 9, 2024.

On November 30, 2023, the Pascua Yaqui Police Department (PYPD) received a 911 call from an individual who reported that his vehicle had been stolen from his residence by Ramirez. The investigation revealed that, after stealing the vehicle, Ramirez drove it to a gas station on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation and subsequently attempted to steal another vehicle, a delivery truck. Ramirez took the delivery driver’s personal belongings from inside the truck, and then fled from the area in the originally stolen vehicle.

During PYPD’s pursuit, Ramirez deliberately collided into the driver’s side of a police car while driving approximately 45 mph. The victim officer was able to disengage his seatbelt and tuck toward the center console of his vehicle before being struck to avoid injury, but the vehicle sustained substantial damage. After hitting the police vehicle, Ramirez sped away and ran several stop signs, causing two other vehicles to collide. Ramirez was apprehended shortly thereafter and arrested.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Brandon Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Russell E. Boatwright from the Pascua Yaqui Prosecutor’s Office.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-02362-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-108_Ramirez

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, Ariz. – He Tehila Brave Heart, 41, originally of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, but living in Sacaton at the time of the offense, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Brave Heart is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

On April 4, 2023, Brave Heart and his wife, Jacqulyn Brave Heart, beat and threatened to kill two victims, causing serious bodily injury. Brave Heart also stabbed one of the victims in the neck with a knife and hit her in the head with an axe. Brave Heart pleaded guilty on April 22, 2024, to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. Jacqulyn Brave Heart was sentenced to six years in prison on April 10, 2024, after pleading guilty to the same two charges on January 22, 2024.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-01247-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-105_Brave Heart

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

Across more than seven FBI field offices in the last two weeks, nearly 200 people have been charged as part of a series of arrests targeting large-scale drug-trafficking organizations operating throughout the United States and North America.

“As demonstrated by the sweep of arrests and criminal charges filed nationwide over the last two weeks alone, the FBI will never stop until violent criminals are taken off the streets and brought to justice, making our communities safer,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “The FBI works relentlessly day and night alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement partners across the country to arrest and neutralize the most dangerous violent offenders and dismantle the criminal enterprises behind them. This is a snapshot of the work our dedicated personnel are committed to doing 24/7, and the community impact occurring each and every day.”

FBI Los Angeles: On January 30, ten people were arrested in multiple North American cities in relation to two federal indictments charging members of an organized crime syndicate who allegedly conspired to traffic and import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and other controlled substances from Mexico through Los Angeles for export to Canada or redistribution throughout the U.S.

The indictments allege illicit drug trafficking activity cumulatively involving approximately 845 kilograms (1,860 pounds) of methamphetamine, 951 kilograms (2,092 pounds) of cocaine, 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of fentanyl, and 4 kilograms (nearly 9 pounds) of heroin. Over $900,000 in cash was seized during the investigation. The estimated wholesale value of the narcotics seized was between $16 and 28 million.

“Until today, the organized members of this conspiracy operated with impunity throughout the many thousands of miles that comprise the North American continent, poisoning communities along the way,” said Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “The strength of this partnership cannot be overstated. The agents and detectives on this case did an outstanding job of pooling resources and worked seamlessly across borders toward a mutual goal of putting this massive drug pipeline out of business.”

FBI Columbia: On January 29, the FBI Columbia Field Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, and other local and state law enforcement agencies announced that more than a dozen individuals were charged in federal court in connection with narcotics, firearms, and conspiracy offenses after a targeted violent crime reduction initiative in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding areas. The indictments are a result of a series of coordinated arrests made following a targeted multiagency investigation that spanned several months.

Over the last year, the FBI Columbia Field Office assisted local and state law enforcement agencies in an advanced, intelligence-based, multifaceted law enforcement operation to identify communities in Myrtle Beach that were experiencing high levels of gang- and narcotics-related violence. The joint investigation has led to 13 defendants facing federal charges. Agents seized multiple firearms, ammunition, and various dangerous drugs, such as fentanyl.

FBI Anchorage: On January 25, Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office, the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, and a multitude of local, state, and federal partners announced that 53 people have been charged through nine indictments in connection with a large-scale organized crime ring operating within the state of Alaska. Charges include drug trafficking, violent crime, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death, continuing criminal enterprise, and money laundering. Court documents identified at least 76 separate money-laundering transactions as part of the investigation, including some made internationally to Mexico.

From February 2022 to July 2023, law enforcement intercepted roughly 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 27.3 kilograms of meth, 11.3 kilograms of heroin, and 118 grams of cocaine connected to the enterprise, with the majority destined for various communities across the state of Alaska. According to the indictments, the enterprise mainly used high-level suppliers to send drug packages through the U.S. Postal Service from Oregon and California to Alaskan communities, from the most populous cities to some of Alaska’s smallest villages.

FBI Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Richmond: On January 24, 82 people were indicted by a federal grand jury for a drug trafficking operation that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine as a result of a collaborative investigative effort by the FBI Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Richmond field offices.

“In a coordinated effort across three states, the FBI and our partners worked seamlessly to degrade the capabilities of a criminal enterprise that endangered the lives of our children and neighbors by pedaling illegal narcotics into our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Mike Shanahan of the FBI Pittsburgh Division. “Today, their illicit activities came to an end.”

The investigation yielded 10 kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, firearms, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets, with individuals from Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia being charged with drug trafficking.

FBI Omaha: On January 23, an operation led by the FBI Omaha Field Office and the Nebraska State Patrol led to the arrest of 19 people and the unsealing of at least nine indictments for their roles as part of a methamphetamine distribution ring operating throughout Nebraska with ties to Kentucky and California. Those arrested face a variety of charges to include conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The investigation and prosecution of these cases are part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations, which aim to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multiagency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Source: US FBI

A former project manager for a government contractor pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to inflate project costs by over $200,000 and receive kickbacks related to contracts for commercial flooring services at a U.S. Army facility in Fairbanks, Alaska. 

Kevin Mahler pleaded guilty to a six-count felony information filed on Jan. 29, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. According to the plea, from March 2016 to March 2021, Mahler conspired to receive kickbacks from Benjamin McCulloch, the owner of a commercial flooring services company, related to construction contracts administered by the U.S. Army at Fort Wainwright. Mahler pleaded guilty to conspiring with McCulloch to inflate the costs of flooring construction subcontracts and receiving half of the proceeds as kickback payments from McCulloch. During the five-year scheme, Mahler received over $100,000 in kickbacks. As a part of his plea, he has agreed to pay restitution. According to the information, Mahler also failed to report his income from the scheme to the IRS, in violation of federal tax laws. McCulloch previously pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy.

“Taking advantage of U.S. taxpayers by defrauding U.S. Army facilities is a crime and will not be tolerated,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Manish Kumar of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force will hold accountable individuals who conspire to illegally profit — through kickbacks or otherwise — at the expense of the public.”

“We are very pleased with today’s announcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office. “This is a true testament to our continued commitment to work closely and seamlessly with our outstanding fellow law enforcement agencies to help bring those to justice who attempt to defraud the U.S. Government and U.S. Army.”

“The FBI and our partners are committed to protecting the integrity of the government’s competitive contracting practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This outcome demonstrates that those who engage in fraudulent kickback schemes, harming American taxpayers in the process, will be held accountable for their crimes.”

“This plea marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and uphold integrity within government contracting processes,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryan D. Denny of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “Mahler’s actions, which involved a calculated scheme to defraud the U.S. Army and exploit American taxpayers, were brought to light thanks to the diligent work and collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies.”

“‘Be all you can be’ is a resounding call by the U.S. Army for excellence, dedication and bravery. It is not a call for fraudsters to fill their coffers illegally at the Army’s expense,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) Seattle Field Office. “Mahler’s disregard and theft from those who serve our country is being brought to light today, and this guilty plea emphasizes IRS:CI’s commitment to fighting fraud no matter where it is found.”

Mahler faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The fine for the anti-kickback conspiracy charge may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.

The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, FBI Anchorage Field Office, DCIS’s Western Field Office in Seattle and IRS:CI Seattle Office are investigating the case.

Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to contact the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office at 415-934-5300, Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html or the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441.

In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government – federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to federal government contracts, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.