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U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Election Day Program to Protect Election Workers and Voting Rights

Source: US FBI

NEWARK, N.J. – Federal law protects elections against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today that the public can call the office’s Election Day Hotline at 888-636-6596 to report voting rights concerns, threats against election officials, or any other activity that would interfere with the right to vote in the District of New Jersey. This number will be active Oct. 26, 2024, through Nov. 8, 2024, and will be staffed live on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.

“We are committed to ensuring that every citizen in New Jersey is able to vote without interference or discrimination, and to have that vote counted. In coordination with the Department’s Election Day Program, our office will do everything in its power to protect voters and election workers throughout New Jersey.”

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (when voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

In addition to the Election Day Hotline, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI can be reached by the public at 973-792-3000.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws, or any civil rights violation, can be made at any time to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Hotline, 855-281-3339, or by submitting an online complaint here, or to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form here.

In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Millenky, Mark McCarren, and Joseph McFarlane will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election.

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Anchorage Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Minors, Child Pornography, and Illegal Possession of a Firearm

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 35 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release by Senior U. S. District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline on five counts of sex trafficking minors, three counts of production of child pornography and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. In handing down the sentence, Judge Beistline noted the defendant’s complete lack of respect for the law as well as the absence of any remorse or empathy for the victims whom he controlled and were significantly damaged by his conduct.

According to court documents, between October and December 2018, Tristan Jamal Grant, aka “Goo,” 35, conspired with another person to traffic two minors, a 15-year-old female and a 17-year-old female. Both minors were runaways who stayed with Grant at his co-conspirator’s apartment. While at the apartment, they created online advertisements that were used to market the minors. Grant then trafficked his victims by persuading them to perform sex acts for money; serving as protection for the minors; and driving one of the minors to a date to perform commercial sex acts. Additionally, Grant produced child pornography with one of the minors on two separate occasions.

Grant was arrested by Anchorage Police Department following a shooting on December 12, 2018. When arrested Grant was in possession of two weapons. Because Grant had previously been convicted of a felony, possession of those guns was illegal.

Grant remained in custody and was indicted by a federal grand jury. He escaped from custody during a court ordered release to meet with his attorney at the attorney’s office. Grant was captured and later sentenced to three years of imprisonment for charges relating to his escape, which he will serve consecutively to the above sentence. Grant was convicted of the charges following a bench trial in April 2021.

“The sex trafficking of minors is a horrific crime, often wreaking terrible physical and emotional harm upon vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. of the District of Alaska. “The facts in this case reflect an unfathomable disregard for the welfare of the minors involved.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to bring to justice anyone who exploits children, and we will seek fitting punishments to deter this tragic crime and protect the most vulnerable members of our society.”

“Tristan Grant used violent, manipulative means to force minors into performing commercial sex acts, while at the same time producing CSAM online and terrorizing our communities with other egregious acts of violence,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shawn Peters of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “His conduct caused immeasurable harm to the survivors and to the community of Anchorage, and for that, he will now spend over 35 years in federal prison. The FBI is grateful for our collaborative partnerships across the state as we continue to combat violent crime and crimes against Alaska’s youth.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Anchorage Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, working together through the FBI’s Safe Streets/Crimes Against Children/Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children through sex trafficking, as well as to identify and recover victims.

This case was 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visitwww.justice.gov/psc.

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Bank Manager Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Coordinating Multistate COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Scheme

Source: US FBI

CAMDEN, N.J. – A former branch manager of a national financial institution was sentenced to 65 months in prison for using his position to organize a conspiracy to help individuals obtain at least 38 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling approximately $5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Tommy Hawkins, 61, of Philadelphia, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to one count of bank fraud conspiracy. Judge Williams imposed the sentence on Oct. 18, 2024, in Camden federal court. A codefendant, Sieff Robert Sargeant, 44, of Island Park, New York, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Williams to one count of money laundering and was sentenced on Oct. 2, 2024, to six months in prison and six months of home confinement.

According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court: 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). To obtain a PPP loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation.

In 2020 and early 2021, Hawkins worked as the branch manager of the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, branch of a national bank that was accepting Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)  loan applications. Hawkins worked with Eric Rivera, Lisa Smith, and others to recruit individuals who owned companies with little or no operations to open bank accounts at Hawkins’ branch and apply for PPP loans. Hawkins helped the recruited individuals submit PPP loan applications that contained materially false representations about the companies’ number of employees and payroll expenses. The applications also included false documentation, including tax forms. Based on these applications, Hawkins’ bank approved at least 38 PPP loans and disbursed approximately $5 million. Hawkins received incentive compensation through the bank for opening business bank accounts for the companies that received fraudulent PPP loans and also had an agreement with Rivera and Smith for them to pay Hawkins $5,000 of the loan proceeds for each PPP loan that Hawkins helped to obtain.

In April 2021, Sargeant’s business received a PPP loan based on a fraudulent application that was submitted through Hawkins’ branch. Sargeant then paid another individual, James Wessels, to create fake payroll checks. Sargeant distributed fake payroll checks to a friend, who cashed the checks and returned the majority of the cash to Sargeant. This was done to conceal that the proceeds actually were being spent on non-payroll expenses.

In addition the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Hawkins to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $5.3 million.

Lisa Smith has pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme. Charges remain pending against Rivera and Wessels, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Patricia Tarasca; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman and Attorney-in-Charge Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.

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Ex-Husband of ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ Star Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering and Obstruction of Justice

Source: US FBI

NEWARK, N.J. – The ex-husband of a former star of the Bravo reality television show “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for hiring, then assisting, a soldier in the Lucchese Crime Family to assault his ex-wife’s current husband, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Thomas Manzo, 59, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, was convicted on June 4, 2024, after a two-and-a-half week trial before Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court. The jury convicted Manzo of one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering, and one count of falsifying and concealing documents related to a federal investigation.

 “Whether you’re actually in the Mafia or not, hiring the mob to assault someone because of your marital problems is abhorrent. Covering up the role you played only makes it worse. The jury’s verdict, and today’s sentence, make clear that this office will spare no resources to hold accountable anyone who commits such crimes.”

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

In the spring of 2015, Manzo, a co-owner of The Brownstone, a Paterson, New Jersey, catering hall, hired Lucchese Crime Family soldier John Perna to assault his ex-wife’s then-boyfriend, paying for the assault with a free wedding reception. Perna, a “made man” with his own crew, worked with them to carry out the assault on July 18, 2015. The Perna wedding, held in August 2015 at the Brownstone, was attended by approximately 330 people, many of whom also were members of the Lucchese Crime Family. Four years later, Manzo concealed and falsified documents related to the Perna wedding in response to a grand jury subpoena.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Manzo to three years of supervised release and ordered him immediately remanded.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the conviction. U.S. Attorney Sellinger also thanked special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Officers with the Lyndhurst Police Department, Officers with the Totowa Police Department, Investigators with the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office, Investigators of the New Jersey State Police, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office for their substantial assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall R. Randolph of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Bruce P. Keller, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney. 

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Alaska Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Threatening U.S. Senators

Source: US FBI

FAIRBANKS – A Delta Junction, Alaska, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two counts of threatening to murder a U.S. official, specifically Alaska’s two U.S. Senators.

According to court documents, Jay Allen Johnson, 65, left a voicemail message on September 2, 2021, at the Washington D.C. office of Senator Lisa Murkowski containing several threats, including a threat to “burn” the Senator’s properties. The investigation revealed that the call originated in Delta Junction from a cellular telephone number linked to Johnson. On September 29, Johnson left another voicemail threatening to hire an assassin to kill the U.S. Senator. Johnson also left threatening voicemail messages for Senator Dan Sullivan between April 2021 and September 2021, including one in which he threatened to get his “.50 caliber out,” hold a “GoFundMe page for the …shells,” and to come “with a vengeance mother*cker.” In total, Johnson admitted to leaving 17 threatening voicemails for the two Senators over a five-month period and said that the messages were intended to retaliate against the Senators for performing their official duties.

As part of the plea agreement, Johnson has agreed to the issuance of a three-year federal protective order following his release from federal prison. The protective order will prohibit Johnson from contacting either U.S. Senator, their family or staff members. Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each charge as well as forfeiture of seven firearms, which the FBI discovered in Johnson’s residence during execution of a search warrant. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“Threatening public officials in an attempt to interfere with the performance of their duties is antithetical to our democratic system of governance,” said U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. of the District of Alaska. “To protect the functions of our government institutions and our public officials themselves, the Department of Justice will work to ensure our elected officials can serve without fear of harm.

“The FBI remains steadfast in addressing threats in our communities, including violent threats made against those who are performing their official duties,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shawn Peters of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This case underscores the swift efforts by the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners as we worked together to address these threats before any potential acts of violence occurred.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Capitol Police are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey is prosecuting the case.

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Indiana Man Admits $500,000 Wire Fraud Scheme

Source: US FBI

TRENTON, N.J. – An Indiana man admitted defrauding dozens of victims by fraudulently negotiating the sales of valuable and rare items that he did not own or possess, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Brian Combs, 49, Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court on Oct. 15, 2024, to an information charging him with three counts of wire fraud.

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

From April 2018 through December 2023, Combs fraudulently obtained $581,605 from dozens of victims by fraudulently negotiating sales of valuable and rare items – which he did not own or possess – with unsuspecting victims, who believed Combs would deliver these items once they paid Combs. The items included rare bottles of whiskey, precious metals, silver coins, and a rare, collectable Mickey Mantle baseball trading card. Combs frequently requested that the victims wire payment for these valuable and rare goods to him directly, rather than through the e‑commerce website where he advertised the sale of these goods, to make it more difficult for the victims to recover payment for the items Combs fraudulently failed to deliver to them.

The wire fraud charges each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Super Pitts of the Criminal Division in Trenton.

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Anchorage Man Sentenced to More Than 23 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking and Drug Offenses

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE – An Anchorage man was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Kindred to 285 months in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for sex trafficking and drug offenses.

Davon Smith, 29, was found guilty by a federal jury in August this year on three counts of sex trafficking and one count of drug distribution. The trial lasted six days and the jury reached its verdicts after one day of deliberation.

According to court documents, Smith, was charged with one count of sex trafficking a minor, one count of benefitting from a sex trafficking enterprise, one count of sex trafficking an adult by force, fraud or coercion and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to evidence presented at trial, he trafficked an adult and a runaway juvenile victim in early 2019. Smith had a previous felony drug conviction and was on federal supervised release at the time he committed the offenses. His total sentence represented 22 years for substantive offenses plus 21 months for committing those offenses while on supervised release.

“It is impossible to overstate the trauma done by trafficking minors and other vulnerable persons,” said U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. “And trafficking deadly opioids unleashes other terrible harms. By working so hard to see that justice was done in this case, the FBI, Anchorage Police Department, and the prosecutors of the U.S. Attorney’s Office have made Alaska safer.” 

“Through manipulation and abuse, the defendant coerced adults and minors to perform commercial sex acts for his own financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office.  “With a victim-centered approach, the FBI and our partners on the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, will continue investigating and holding accountable those who commit such reprehensible crimes.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Anchorage Police Department investigated the case. The task force marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children through sex trafficking, as well as to identify and recover victims.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.

This case was 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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Kotzebue Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a Minor

Source: US FBI

FAIRBANKS – A Kotzebue man was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for charges relating to the repeated sexual abuse of a minor.   

According to court documents, Wally Carter, 62, was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2021 and pleaded guilty in July to one count of human trafficking. Carter became the subject of a federal investigation in December 2020 when the FBI received a tip alleging a minor had been sexually abused by Carter approximately 15 times between 2015 and 2017. The first instance of sexual abuse occurred when the victim was only 10 years old. As part of his plea, Carter admitted to sexually abusing the minor victim multiple times, giving her money after each instance and often giving her alcohol and marijuana before or after the sexual abuse. The sexual abuse happened in Carter’s home, his vehicle and on one occasion, Carter took her by boat to a cabin, where the victim tried to escape from him at least five times.

“The defendant’s actions are unconscionable and robbed his victim of her trust and innocence at a young age,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson of the District of Alaska. “This sentence sends a strong message that crimes against children in rural Alaska will not be tolerated and those who perpetrate such crimes will be held accountable.”

“Treating children as sexual commodities is appalling. The FBI will vigorously investigate these matters to protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This case exemplifies the ongoing efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to combat human trafficking in both urban and rural Alaska, while using a victim-centered approach to vindicate the survivors impacted by these crimes.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) Task Force Officers investigated this case collectively as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers (AST) and Kotzebue Police Department (KPD).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Doty prosecuted the case.

The investigation is 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc

Under the Rural Alaska Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAAVEN), the U.S. Attorney’s Office is increasing engagement, coordination, and action on public safety in Alaska Native communities.

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Somerset County Man Admits Federal Hate Crime in Connection with Breaking Into Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University and Destroying Property

Source: US FBI

Video Statement:

https://youtu.be/eBEn8v-pD10

NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man admitted committing a federal hate crime for breaking into the Center for Islamic Life (CILRU) at Rutgers University in New Brunswick and destroying property, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and New Jersey State Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced today.

Jacob Beacher, 24, of North Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court on Oct. 9, 2024, to an information charging him with damage to religious property.

“The free exercise of religion is a fundamental right of all Americans. Jacob Beacher admitted he intentionally broke into the Center for Islamic Life during the holy Eid-al-Fitr holiday and damaged and destroyed religious artifacts because of the Islamic faith of those associated with the facility. This office will not tolerate the use of force or threats to intimidate people and put them in fear of worshipping as they see fit.”

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger

“This defendant is being held accountable for Islamophobic-fueled acts of hate, interfering with the religious freedom of university students and staff during a sacred holiday for those of the Islamic faith,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department stands ready, along with our state and local partners, to hold accountable people who use force, or threats of violence, in order to intimidate people from exercising their religious beliefs. Islamophobic hate crimes have no place in our society today. We will continue to enforce the laws that make it safe for people of all faiths to engage in religious observance, including at educational institutions.”

“When we learned of this vandalism back in April, we immediately engaged with our law enforcement partners and Rutgers University,” FBI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado said. “Within days, we tracked down and arrested Beacher. We want our actions and the speed with which we responded to illustrate our commitment and resolve to protect houses of worship in New Jersey. We all have the right to practice whatever religion we choose, without fear of hate marring the physical and spiritual place where we do it.”

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

On April 10, 2024, during the Eid-al-Fitr holiday, Beacher broke into the CILRU around 2:41 a.m., where he damaged the CILRU’s property, including several religious artifacts, such as Turbah prayer stones, which are clay stones on which Muslims prostrate during prayer, and numerous other items that contained holy language from the Qur’an, Islam’s sacred scripture. Beacher also stole a Palestinian flag and a charity box belonging to the CILRU. He caused damage and destruction of property in excess of $5,000.

The charge of damage to religious property carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 11, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Branchburg Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark; prosecutors and detectives from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin; detectives from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone; the Rutgers University Police Department-New Brunswick Division, under the leadership of Chief of University Police Kenneth Cop; and the New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the General Crimes Unit, and R. Joseph Gribko, Deputy Chief of the Civil Rights Division, with assistance from the National Security Unit for the District of New Jersey, as well by Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. 

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FBI Seeking Information to Identify Anchorage Bank Robber

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, AK—The FBI Anchorage field office is seeking information regarding a bank robbery that took place on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at approximately 5:00 p.m. at the Northern Skies Federal Credit Union branch located at 1000 O’Malley Road, Suite 109, in Anchorage.

An unknown suspect entered the bank, presented a demand note to a bank employee, and threatened use of a firearm. The suspect was last observed walking out of the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.

The suspect is described as a caucasian male with blonde hair, brown eyebrows, green/gray eyes, and approximately 6’2” with a slim build, about 140 pounds. He was described as wearing a dark blue or black sweatshirt, a blue beanie hat, and a blue surgical mask.

If the public has any information concerning the bank robbery, please contact the FBI Anchorage field office at 907-276-4441 or online at tips.fbi.gov.