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Source: US FBI

Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GARRETT SANTILLO, 45, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to one day of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for mailing numerous threatening letters to individuals in Connecticut and elsewhere.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately December 2021 and June 2022, Santillo mailed more than 100 letters containing threatening and hateful statements, including threats of violence, to journalists, judges and other public officials and individuals in Connecticut and elsewhere, including a Justice of the United States Supreme Court and a United States Supreme Court Justice Nominee.  Several letters mailed by Santillo contained this or similar language:  “If you don’t obey what this letter says, you along with others including [name redacted] and people in Washington DC and everywhere and you.  You all will be killed!!”

Santillo was arrested on July 6, 2022.  On June 1, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of mailing threatening communications to a United States Judge.

This is Santillo’s fourth federal prosecution for mailing threatening letters.

Judge Bolden ordered Santillo to continue his mental health treatment while on supervised release, and to allow the U.S. Probation Office to monitor his electronic devices.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Hamden, Milford, Ridgefield, and New Haven Police Departments.  The investigation has also been assisted by the offices of the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney, the New Haven State’s Attorney and the Litchfield State’s Attorney.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.

Source: US FBI

Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ZAQUAWN ARRINGTON, also known as “Dreads,” 25, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 14 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2022, Arrington began serving a three-year term of supervised release, which followed a federal conviction for a crack cocaine distribution offense.  Between October and December 2022, investigators made controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Arrington and his associates. 

Arrington was arrested on February 17, 2023.  On March 20, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, controlled substances.  He has been detained since January 2, 2025, when his bond was revoked.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and the New Haven Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.

Source: US FBI

Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DARYL TODD, 44, of Vernon, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a child exploitation offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force revealed that Todd used Snapchat to communicate with minor girls and entice them to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, sometimes in return for money that Todd sent the victims using the mobile payment service Cash App.  Todd also sent sexually explicit images of himself to the minor victims.

After Todd was arrested on March 7, 2024, analysis of his cellphone revealed sexually explicit images of minor females.

Todd pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1.

Todd is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Source: US FBI

Mark H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL W. LANDON, 38, of Groton, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to child exploitation offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 4, 2023, law enforcement seized Landon’s iPhone.  Forensic analysis of the phone revealed a video of Landon engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor under the age of 12, and other videos depicting child sexual abuse.

Landon pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for July 2.

Landon has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 28, 2023.

This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Town of Groton Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the New London State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Source: US FBI

Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that ONAI KEDAR WILBUR WRIGHT, 25, of Bridgeport, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.

Wright appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford.  He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 14, 2025.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 14, 2025, an Online Covert Employee (OCE) with the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Cleveland, Ohio, monitored a live video stream on the internet application “Fambase” and observed Wright engaging in sexually explicit activity with a 16-year-old female (“minor victim”).  Analysis of mobile communications and geo-location data, and information from AirBnB, led investigators to a residence located in Norwich, Connecticut, where they took Wright into custody.  The minor victim and two adult females were also present in the residence.

The complaint charges Wright with sexual exploitation of children, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years of imprisonment, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI in New Haven and Cleveland, with the assistance of the Norwich Police Department, the New London State’s Attorney’s Office, the Vermilion (Ohio) Police Department, and the Norwalk (Ohio) Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.

Acting U.S Attorney also acknowledged the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

Source: US FBI

        WASHINGTON – A Wyoming man was sentenced to prison today after he was previously convicted of multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses, including assaulting law enforcement with a flagpole during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His 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.

        Douglas Harrington, 69, of Bedford, Wyoming, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to 40 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

        Harrington was previously convicted of two felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and five misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

        According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021, Harrington arrived on the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C., wearing a cowboy hat, painter’s respirator mask, a military-style backpack, and carrying American and Trump 2020 flags attached to a flagpole. Court documents describe the flagpole as a long metal pipe with a silver ball flagpole topper.

        At approximately 3:42 p.m., Harrington approached a line of police officers on the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol grounds and challenged them with provocative gestures. Harrington then used the bottom portion of his flagpole to swiftly strike in the direction of an officer on the line. In response, an officer deployed chemical irritants at Harrington.

        Simultaneously, another rioter approached the police line near Harrington, and police officers concentrated their efforts to push the other rioter away. While the officers’ attention was directed at the other rioter, Harrington raised his flagpole to strike at the distracted officers. A police officer quickly intervened, moved towards Harrington, and extended a police baton. Harrington swung the flagpole at this officer, striking the officer near the left hand and wrist and on the helmet. Harrington continued to swing the flagpole towards the police line two more times before retreating into the crowd.

        After the flagpole attack, Harrington and other rioters lifted a large, flat, opaque piece of material in front of the police line and walked with it held up in front of the officers, thereby blocking the officers’ view and impeding their ability to defend from the advancing crowd. When officers pushed back the crowd, the defendant grabbed at an officer’s baton, and he tried to shove an officer by pushing on a riot shield.

        Additional officers soon arrived and reinforced the police. Officers then began to remove rioters from the Capitol; however, Harrington resisted. Harrington sat on the short row of steps in front of the police line as the officers began to move closer to the crowd and forcibly pressed his back into the officers. Police eventually removed Harrington from the Capitol grounds less than 15 minutes before the D.C. Mayor’s Curfew order went into effect.

        The FBI arrested Harrington on Aug. 8, 2023.

        This case  was 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 District of Wyoming.

        This case was investigated by the FBI’s Denver and Washington Field Offices. Harrington was identified as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #470. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

        In the 46 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,561 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 590 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.

Source: US FBI

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Derrick Bernard Jr., 35, Ashely Blackcloud, 40, and Deanna West, 38, were indicted by a federal grand jury for maliciously conveying false information about a threat made by means of fire: a burning cross in front of a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur.

According to the indictment, the three defendants were charged for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about the threat. The 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral run-off election involved Candidate 1, who was Black, and Candidate 2, who was white.  After the initial election but before the run-off, Bernard sent a message in which he explained he was “mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother.” He also sent messages referencing a desire to prevent “the klan” from gaining political control of the city. Bernard then worked with Blackcloud and West to stage, at an intersection in the City of Colorado Springs in the early hours of April 23, 2023, a cross burning in front of a campaign sign for Candidate 1 defaced with a racial slur. The three then allegedly spread false information about the event through an email from an anonymous source to various news and civic organizations.

All three defendants made their initial appearances in front of Magistrate Judge Timothy P. O’Hara.  

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with substantial assistance from the Colorado Springs Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Rebecca Weber.

Case Number: 24-cr-00320-RMR