Category: MIL-OSI

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Eighth Defendant Pleads Guilty in TRICARE Scheme

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—An eighth defendant has pleaded guilty in connection with a $12 million scheme to generate prescriptions for expensive compounded drugs paid for by TRICARE. Blake Yoder, 39, of Scott, entered his guilty plea Wednesday afternoon before United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.

      Yoder joins seven others who have pleaded guilty: Albert Glenn Hudson, 40, of Sherwood; Derek Clifton, 39, of Alexander; Donna Crowder, 66, of North Little Rock; Jennifer Crowder (formerly Bracy), 38, of Little Rock; Keith Benson, 50, of North Little Rock; Keith Hunter, 52, of Little Rock; and Angie Johnson, 49, of North Little Rock. Remaining defendants Joe David May a.k.a. Jay May, 40, of Alexander, and Kenneth Myers, Jr., 42, now of Alpharetta, Georgia, await trial on December 6, 2021, also before Judge Baker.

      Charges were first filed in January 2020. A superseding indictment followed in September 2020. Hudson admitted paying Benson, Hunter, Johnson, Myers, and Yoder to recruit TRICARE beneficiaries to receive expensive compounded drugs and then paying Bracy and Clifton to get Crowder and May to rubber stamp medically unnecessary prescriptions. Hudson, Bracy, and Crowder admitted Crowder’s signature was secured by payments to her daughter (Bracy). Additionally, Clifton admitted giving cash to May in exchange for his signature, a fact also known to Hudson. After federal agents began investigating, Hudson and Clifton acknowledged helping Crowder and May fabricate medical records to make it seem as if patients were examined before receiving prescriptions.

      May and Myers are charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, violating the anti-kickback statute, and lying to the FBI. May faces additional charges for falsifying records and aggravated identity theft, while Myers faces additional charges for witness tampering and obstruction of justice. An indictment contains only allegations; May and Myers are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

      All eight co-conspirators pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Together they agreed to forfeit over $3.2 million in illicit proceeds. Sentencing will follow at a later date.

      Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office, and Miranda Bennett, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the guilty plea.

      The investigation was conducted by the FBI and HHS-OIG. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander D. Morgan.

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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

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Grand Jury Indicts Two Brothers and Their Father in Narcotics, Obstruction of Justice Conspiracies

Source: US FBI

DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted two brothers and their father, charging them with crimes related to conspiracies to distribute narcotics and obstruct justice. 

Chase Alexander Crump, 34, of Centerville, Colin Tanner Crump, 32, of Centerville, and Mark Crump, 56, of Englewood, were arraigned in federal court Monday and today.

Chase and Colin Crump are charged in a narcotics conspiracy punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.

According to court documents, the brothers conspired to distribute more than two kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 100 grams of fentanyl analogue, and cocaine. It is alleged the drug trafficking took place between November 2023 and January 2024 in Miamisburg, Englewood, Franklin, Centerville and Cincinnati.

The brothers are also charged with maintaining a drug premises on River Downs Drive in Centerville. Law enforcement agents discovered approximately half a kilogram of fentanyl analogue at the residence. While executing a search warrant at the defendants’ parents’ house near Oberer Field in Englewood, agents discovered additional fentanyl and a firearm.

After the FBI arrested Chase and Colin Crump in January 2024, it is alleged they conspired with their father, Mark Crump, on jail calls to obstruct the investigation. For example, they allegedly conspired to destroy Chase Crump’s burner phone. All three defendants are charged with conspiring to obstruct justice, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Cheryl Mimura, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Detroit; and members of the Warren County Drug Task Force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi is representing the United States in this case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Bay Area Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison

Source: US FBI

Defendant Robbed a Bank Only Nineteen Days After His Release from Custody for a Previous Bank Robbery

SAN FRANCISCO – Brandon Elder was sentenced to 63 months in prison for bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), San Francisco Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. James Donato, United States District Judge.

Elder, 29, of Antioch, pleaded guilty to the charge on December 14, 2023. According to court filings, Elder walked into a bank in the Marina District of San Francisco on September 20, 2022, wearing a black hoodie, black facemask, and blue gloves. He approached the teller window, stated “this is a robbery,” and demanded “50s” and “100s.” The teller handed over $10,000 in cash to Elder, who ran out of the bank and back to his getaway car in a nearby parking garage. Elder was arrested two days later in Pleasant Hill, Calif., while shoplifting a PlayStation from a Target with $7,867 cash in his pocket. A grand jury indicted Elder on November 1, 2022, charging him with one count of bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a). Elder pleaded guilty to the charge without a written plea agreement.

Elder committed this bank robbery while still on post-release community supervision. He had been released from state custody only 19 days earlier after serving a custodial sentence related to the robbery of a bank he committed on January 26, 2022, in Brentwood, Calif. In addition, Elder already had been convicted of 11 other thefts in state court, including a violent incident during which he slashed a loss prevention officer with a box cutter.

“Repeat offenders like Brandon Elder should not be allowed to continue terrorizing the community,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “Enough is enough. This Office will ensure that criminals like Mr. Elder face serious repercussions for their actions.”

“Elder used threats and intimidation to terrorize the employees of the bank he robbed,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “His complete disregard for the law demanded justice, and justice he received with this sentence. The FBI will not waver when it comes to preserving the peace of our community by taking dangerous criminals off the streets.”

In addition to sentencing Elder to prison, Judge Donato ordered the defendant to serve a year of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lakisha Holliman. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

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Arkansas Couple Sentenced to a Combined Four Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Mail Fraud

Source: US FBI

El Dorado, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Patrick Wayne Watson, age 24, now of Conway, Arkansas, and Kennan Dane O’Bier, age 24, now of Nash, Texas, were sentenced in Federal Court for their roles in a Mail Fraud and Identity Theft scheme in Magnolia, Arkansas.  O’Bier was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and Watson was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, both on one count of Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.  They were each ordered to pay $200 in special assessments and to pay restitution in the amount of $42,113.12.  The Honorable Susan O. Hickey, Chief United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in El Dorado, Arkansas.

According to court records, between August of 2018 through January 31st of 2019, Watson, who was employed at a local bank, used his position at the bank to review personally identifiable information and banking information of customers.  While doing so, Watson took photographs of the personally identifying information of over one hundred bank customers on his cellular phone.  Watson and O’Bier together then used at least six (6) of those customer’s information to open PayPal, Amazon, and Wayfair accounts in the names of the unsuspecting bank customers.

Over the six months of the scheme, Watson and O’Bier then used those accounts to order thousands of dollars in products from Amazon and Wayfair and had them delivered to multiple addresses, to include their home in Magnolia, Arkansas.  On April 23, 2019, a federal search warrant was obtained by the FBI and executed on their Magnolia home.  Many of the shipped items were found as well as additional evidence of the Mail Fraud and Identity Theft scheme.  Subsequent to this search warrant, a search of Watson’s cell phone resulted in law enforcement discovering the photographs of additional bank customers’ information which were not, to date, used in the scheme.   

Watson and O’Bier were indicted on the scheme in August of 2019.  Watson entered a plea to Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft charges on June 22, 2020.  O’Bier entered his plea to Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft on July 20, 2020.   

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Hot Spring County Sheriff’s Office, the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office and the Miller County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wulff prosecuted the case for the United States.

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White Supremacist Leader Pleads Guilty in Racketeering Case

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK-A Russellville man pleaded guilty today to his involvement in a racketeering and narcotics conspiracy based on his role as president of a white supremacist organization. Wesley Gullett, 31, was president of New Aryan Empire (NAE), a white supremacist group founded by inmates in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Gullett entered a guilty plea today before United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.

      Prosecutors alleged that from 2014 to 2016, Gullett and NAE associate Marcus Millsap repeatedly offered money to other NAE associates to kill Bruce Wayne Hurley, an individual who had purchased methamphetamine from Millsap. According to the charging document, NAE members believed Hurley had provided information about Millsap to law enforcement, and NAE members allegedly carried out other retaliatory acts against those who they believed had provided information to law enforcement.

      In addition to the violent acts, law enforcement officials investigated the NAE’s methamphetamine trafficking organization. During the coordinated federal and state investigation, law enforcement agents made 59 controlled purchases of methamphetamine, seizing more than 25 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as 69 firearms and more than $70,000 in drug proceeds.

      Gullett was originally charged in October 2017, and a federal grand jury charged him along with 51 other defendants in a Second Superseding Indictment in September 2019. Gullett pleaded guilty today to two counts of the Second Superseding Indictment: conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. 

      After Gullett’s plea, six remaining defendants are awaiting trial, which is currently set for September 7, 2021. All other defendants have pleaded guilty. As part of Gullett’s plea, he and prosecutors agree to jointly request a sentence of 35 years in the Bureau of Prisons. Judge Miller will determine whether to accept the plea agreement and sentence Gullett at a later date. There is no parole in the federal system.

      Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, together with Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fisher and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Acting Resident Agent in Charge Clayton Merrell, announced today’s guilty plea.

      The investigation was conducted by FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, in partnership with the Pope County Sheriff’s Office, Fifth Judicial District Drug Task Force, Russellville Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Conway Police Department, and United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys in the Eastern District of Arkansas with assistance from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

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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

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Eureka Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

Source: US FBI

Defendant Possessed Hundreds of Images and Videos Depicting Child Pornography and Used Social Media to Send Child Pornography to Another Individual, According to Government’s Sentencing Memorandum

SAN FRANCISCO – William Wood has been sentenced to 120 months in prison following his conviction on a charge of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was imposed by the Hon. Trina L. Thompson, United States District Judge, on May 17, 2024.

Wood, 62, of Eureka, California, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). He was originally indicted on that charge by a federal grand jury in December 2022.

According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, the defendant possessed more than 300 images and videos depicting child pornography on his electronic devices, including approximately 24 images depicting infants or toddlers and hundreds more depicting prepubescent children. The government further argued in its sentencing papers that the defendant used social media to send child pornography to another individual, including images depicting infants or toddlers and prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

In addition to sentencing Wood to prison, Judge Thompson ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed and to pay $35,000 in restitution.

Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey Davidson is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.

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David DePape Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison After Conviction on Assault and Attempted Kidnapping Charges

Source: US FBI

DePape Attempted to Kidnap Nancy Pelosi and Assaulted Paul Pelosi on Account of Her Official Duties as Then-Speaker of the House of Representatives

SAN FRANCISCO –David DePape was sentenced today to 360 months in prison following his conviction on assault and attempted kidnapping charges in connection with his Oct. 28, 2022, intrusion into the home of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. District Judge. U.S. Attorney Ramsey recorded a video statement commenting on today’s sentence that is available here: https://youtu.be/3o9EH157Ffk

“This sentence is a warning: violence against those who serve the public and their families will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who target public servants and their families with violence. In a democracy, people vote, argue, and debate to achieve the policy outcome they desire. But the promise of democracy is that people will not employ violence to affect that outcome.”

In an additional statement, U.S. Attorney Ramsey said, “David DePape, when he planned his attempted kidnapping, claimed he intended to punish the Speaker Emerita and teach Congress as a whole a lesson. He then violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi. Today’s sentence is a stern reminder to those who pursue violence against public officials and institutions that significant punishment will follow. I want to thank the FBI, the San Francisco Police Department, the U.S. Capitol Police and the members of my prosecution team—including Helen Gilbert, Laura Vartain and Maddie Wachs —for bringing this matter to a swift and decisive conclusion. We hope that the conclusion of the federal case brings a measure of healing to Mr. Pelosi and his family.”

“Today’s sentencing of David DePape to a significant prison term sends a clear message that violence and intimidation have no place in our community nor our political discourse. DePape’s attack, fueled by misguided ideology, underscores the dangers posed by extremist beliefs,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “The FBI is committed to protecting all citizens and ensuring that our democracy remains strong and resilient against those who seek to harm it.”

The evidence at trial established that weeks before the attack, DePape, 44, of Richmond, California, targeted Nancy Pelosi, who was then Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and collected personal information about her, including her home address. DePape kept the information in a computer file he labeled “favorite politicians.” DePape intended to kidnap the then-Speaker, hold her hostage, and break her kneecaps.

The evidence at trial demonstrated that on the night of the assault, DePape used public transportation to travel from the East Bay to San Francisco while carrying two backpacks that contained a hammer, sledgehammer, duct tape, rope, zip ties, and electronic items, among other items. After arriving at the Pelosi residence, DePape used the hammer to break the window of a glass door and enter the home. Then-Speaker Pelosi was not home and her husband, Paul Pelosi, was sleeping on the third floor of the home. DePape roamed the home until he found Mr. Pelosi in the third-floor bedroom.

The trial evidence demonstrated that DePape woke Mr. Pelosi and, while standing three to four feet from him holding the hammer and restraints, made various threats including, “I will take you out.” Mr. Pelosi managed to walk to his bathroom and call 9-1-1, during which he carefully used language to alert the emergency operator to the situation without agitating DePape.

Mr. Pelosi convinced defendant to go downstairs to the first floor and continued talking to DePape. When the police arrived, Mr. Pelosi opened the door and the police ordered DePape to drop the hammer he was holding. Instead, DePape struck Mr. Pelosi three times with full force, fracturing his skull. The responding officers immediately tackled Depape and took him into custody.

On November 9, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted DePape, charging him with one count of assault upon an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the official while engaged in the performance of official duties or with intent retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, and one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties. A jury convicted DePape of both charges.

The Honorable Jacqueline Corley sentenced DePape to the statutory maximums on each count, which were 30 years in prison for the assault charge and 20 years in prison for the attempted kidnapping charge, the two sentences to run concurrently.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Corley ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release, to begin after the prison term and ordered that DePape will receive credit for the little over 18 months that he has been in custody since his crime.

In sentencing DePape, Judge Corley stated that DePape may still be dangerous, that his use of violence was “gratuitous,” and that because he entered the home of a politician, future would-be leaders now must consider whether entering public service through politics is worth the risk. “Because of your actions,” said Judge Corley, “we will never know what we lost.”

The National Security and Cyber Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case. FBI San Francisco, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the San Francisco Police Department are investigating the case.

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Little Rock Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Extortion and Production of Child Pornography

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK— A Little Rock man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for extortion and production of child pornography. Devion Cumbie, 25, was sentenced today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. The sentencing is announced by Acting United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross and FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Diane Upchurch.

      In June 2020, in the first federal criminal jury trial in the state since the coronavirus pandemic began, a federal jury found Cumbie guilty on all seven counts for which he was indicted: production of child pornography, two counts of attempted production of child pornography, and four counts of extortion.

      Testimony during the trial established that in late 2018, a 16-year-old girl in Colorado sent a Facebook message to “Chink Capone,” the online persona of an actor named Alex Drummond. However, the Facebook page actually belonged to Cumbie, posing as Drummond’s online persona. The two began talking, and Cumbie told the minor he might like to meet her soon but would first need to see some photographs of her in her underwear. Cumbie eventually convinced the minor to send him a partially nude photograph. Cumbie then threatened the minor that he would post the photo to her Facebook page unless she sent him a video of herself naked. The minor told her mother, and they reported the conduct to police.

      Investigation revealed that Cumbie had conducted a similar scheme with numerous other victims, some of whom were minors. Additionally, Cumbie was on pretrial release awaiting trial on federal gun charges while he engaged in the conduct that led to the child pornography and extortion charges. Cumbie was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2019, and his first trial in February 2020 ended in a hung jury. His second trial resulted in his October 2020 conviction. Cumbie is still awaiting trial on the separate firearms charge.

      In addition to the 300 month prison sentence, Judge Moody sentenced Cumbie to 15 years of supervised release. The statutory penalty for production of child pornography, as well as attempted production of child pornography, is not less than 15 years imprisonment, not more than 30 years imprisonment, and not less than five years of supervised release. The statutory penalty for extortion is not more than two years imprisonment and not more than one year of supervised release. All offenses of conviction include a potential penalty of not more than a $250,000 fine.

      The investigation was conducted by the FBI, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Erin O’Leary.

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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

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Sumter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Multi-State Drug Trafficking Investigation

Source: US FBI

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Seneca Moore, 43, of Sumter was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.

Evidence presented to the court showed that on July 28, 2020, Moore sold 112 grams of methamphetamine to FBI agents during an undercover operation. The initial meeting took place at Moore’s trucking business in Mayesville. Moore later left the location and texted the buyer to meet him in the parking lot of a local gas station where he sold 112 grams of meth with 99 percent purity to the FBI. During the sale, Moore spoke of the prices the meth could be sold for and of other drugs he could provide.

Further information presented to the court revealed that April 28, 2021, Moore conducted a second drug transaction at his trucking business. Law enforcement became aware of this transaction after the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI received information that a drug courier was headed to Sumter County from Alamance, N.C. to purchase a large amount of cocaine from Moore at his trucking business. Agents with the FBI contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, who established surveillance in the area. Agents observed the courier arrive at Moore’s trucking business in a blue sedan and interact with Moore before leaving the location. DEA and Sumter County reported the information back to North Carolina and the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team, NCSBI, and DEA established surveillance in North Carolina and observed the same car arriving back in Alamance County. The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and searched the vehicle after a narcotics K-9 alerted to the presence of drugs. Officers found 16.04 kilograms of cocaine in the trunk of the vehicle.

As a condition of Moore’s guilty plea, he was required to forfeit his interest in nine properties, 31 items of personal property, including vehicles, and his business inventory. Moore has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Moore to 144 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Alamance Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sumter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall is prosecuting the case.

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Former Sulphur Springs Office Administrator Sentenced to More Than Two and One Half Years in Federal Prison for Theft of Government Funds

Source: US FBI

Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Codi Dannell Bates, age 34, of Gravette, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 32 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by three years supervised release and ordered to pay $184,934.06 in restitution  on one count of Theft from an Agency Receiving Federal Funds. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks, United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court records, from 2017 through 2019, while Bates was employed as the Office Administrator for the city of Sulphur Springs, she stole funds from the city in a variety of means.  She obtained the signatures of city officials under false pretenses, then wrote those checks to herself and her husband.  She also used cash funds paid to the city for water services to pay for her personal expenses.  Bates’s criminal conduct was initially uncovered in detail by the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Audit.  Bates was arrested on state charges in May of 2019.  The investigation was then referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the investigation, Bates converted $184,934.06 from Sulphur Springs for her own personal use during her period of employment from August of 2017 through March of 2019.  In 2018, the city of Sulphur Springs received over $180,000 from FEMA alone.  

Bates waived formal Indictment and pled guilty to an Information filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on September 18, 2020. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Benton County Sheriff’s Department and the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Audit.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wulff prosecuted the case for the United States.