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Source: US FBI

SANTA ANA, California – Law enforcement officials today arrested six Orange County residents charged in three indictments alleging, among other crimes, they stole identities to defraud California’s unemployment insurance (UI) system and to fraudulently apply for lines of credit from a lender, using the identity theft victims’ homes as collateral.

In total, seven defendants are charged in the three indictments, which were returned by a federal grand jury. The defendants arrested today are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana.

The first indictment, returned on June 12, contains 31 counts, alleges the following defendants participated in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained debit cards through the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the state’s UI system:

• Tien Vo, 43, of Westminster;
• Crystal Nguyen, 35, of Garden Grove, who is a fugitive;
• Thao Nguyen, 46, of Westminster; and
• Michelle Strange, 40, of Midway City.

All four of these defendants are charged with 22 counts of bank fraud, and each has been charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft. Vo also is charged with one count of possession of unauthorized access devices.

From May 2020 to January 2022, the defendants allegedly obtained UI debit cards, which fraudulently had been obtained by submitting UI applications in the names of identity theft victims. During this time, EDD also administered Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits, which Congress authorized in 2020 to provide to individuals who were unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants then used these debit cards to withdraw unemployment insurance benefits. In total, the defendants withdrew approximately $15,650 in UI benefits from the debit cards.

The second indictment, returned on August 7, contains seven counts, alleges the following defendants schemed to defraud banks by using stolen identities – including by stealing mail – to fraudulently obtain lines of credit secured by the identity theft victims’ actual homes – and were secured without the victims’ knowledge or consent:

• Chien Khang Bui, 36, a.k.a. “Catfish” and “Tommy,” of Anaheim;
• Nangialey Nick Wardak, 54, of Santa Ana; and
• Mandy Lynn McGrew, 35, of Santa Ana.

From February 2020 to March 2022, Bui allegedly obtained debit card numbers, bank account numbers, credit cards, home addresses, telephone numbers, and other personal identifying information belonging to identity theft victims. He then submitted online applications for home equity lines of credit (HELOC) with a mortgage-lending company by using the victims’ stolen information. Bui linked each HELOC application to a bank account that he and other conspirators controlled.

The defendants allegedly lied to the mortgage company that they were the person associated with each application and that they were the owner of each of the houses used as collateral. In total, the conspiracy received approximately $502,806 in fraudulently obtained HELOCs.

All three of these defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and each of them is charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Bui also is charged with three counts of bank fraud for allegedly using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 jobless benefits from EDD in July and August of 2020.

“These indictments allege an organized criminal campaign of identity theft targeting banks, California’s unemployment insurance program, and homeowners alike,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Sophisticated fraud schemes, such as the ones alleged in these indictments, cause real damage to victims, and we will be diligent in rooting them out.”

“I am proud of the extensive investigation conducted by the FBI’s Orange County Asian Organized Crime Task Force,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Through their hard work and dedication, we were able to dismantle an organization responsible for causing significant financial harm to individuals and public funds designated to assist those in need. The FBI is committed to protecting our communities, financial institutions, and public assistance programs from criminal enterprises that exploit them for personal gain.”

In a third and separate indictment, also returned on August 7 and containing three counts, Bui is charged with two counts of distribution of methamphetamine stemming from alleged incidents in December 2022 and February 2023, and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Bui is not legally permitted to possess firearms or ammunition because of his criminal history, which includes felony convictions in Orange County Superior Court for theft by false pretenses, second-degree commercial burglary, identity theft, identity theft with prior conviction, unlawful taking of a vehicle, and grand theft.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each bank fraud-related count, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison for each aggravated identity theft count. Vo would face up to 10 years in prison for the unauthorized possession of access devices count and Bui would face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the methamphetamine distribution counts and up to 15 years in federal prison for the count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The FBI’s Orange County Asian Organized Crime Task Force is investigating these cases. This task force is comprised of the FBI; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Westminster Police Department; the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Gambling Control; the Orange County District Attorney’s Office; the California Employment Development Department; and the United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department provided substantial assistance.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Y. Fu of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting the Vo case. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani, also of the Santa Ana Branch Office, is prosecuting the Bui cases.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Eastern Districts of California to jointly head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A former resident of Huntington Beach who has been linked to a white supremacy extremist group pleaded guilty today to planning and engaging in riots at political rallies across California.

Robert Paul Rundo, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Riot Act.

“This defendant sought to incite riots to promote a white-supremacist agenda and impede the constitutional rights of others,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada.  “Safeguarding civil rights goes to the core of my office’s mission and we will continue to unite with our community against those who promote hate and divisiveness.”  

“Mr. Rundo’s cowardly and unprovoked acts of violence were unjustly carried out upon his victims, leaving those who were victimized, their families, and our community torn by hate,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that if a crime is motivated by bias, it will be investigated, and the perpetrators held responsible for their actions. We encourage everyone to report such crimes to the FBI.”

According to his plea agreement, between March 2017 and May 2018, Rundo and others participated in an organization that ultimately was rebranded as the “Rise Above Movement” (RAM). RAM representing itself as a fighting group of a new nationalist and white supremacy identity movement. As part of their membership in RAM, Rundo and others attended rallies with the intent to provoke and engage in violence.

To prepare for violent physical conflicts, Rundo and others held hand-to-hand and other fighting training sessions, which they organized through telephone calls, social media, and text messages. Rundo organized and attended several such training sessions in 2017. On various social media platforms, Rundo and others posted messages and photographs of themselves preparing for or engaging in violence, accompanied by statements such as “#rightwingdeathsquad.”

In March 2017, Rundo and other RAM members held a training in San Clemente to prepare to engage in violence at political events, including a rally on March 25, 2017, in Huntington Beach. At the Huntington Beach rally, Rundo and other RAM members pursued and assaulted other persons, including one protestor whom Rundo tackled and punched multiple times. Following the event, Rundo and his co-conspirators posted online photographs and videos celebrating the assaults they had committed.

Rundo also helped organize training for RAM members in anticipation of a rally scheduled to occur on April 15, 2017, in Berkeley. At the Berkeley rally, there were several violent clashes throughout the day. In one such instance, Rundo and several of his co-conspirators crossed a police barrier erected to separate opposing groups. They then punched and kicked several people. Following the event, Rundo and his co-conspirators again posted online photographs and videos celebrating the assaults they had committed.

On June 10, 2017, Rundo and others attended a rally in San Bernardino, at which they confronted and pursued protesters.

In the months following these events, Rundo and his accomplices continued to publicly celebrate their assaults, including through online posts with photos and videos of RAM members assaulting people.

United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a December 13 sentencing hearing, at which time Rundo will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

Two other defendants have been charged in this case:

• Robert Boman, 31, of Torrance, who is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Riot Act and one count of rioting; and
• Tyler Laube, 28, of Redondo Beach, who pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of interfering with a federally protected right and later was fined $2,000 and sentenced to time already served in custody.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated this case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kathrynne N. Seiden and Anna P. Boylan of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

      HELENA-WEST HELENA-The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas have announced their increased focus on prosecuting violent crime in Helena-West Helena. United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross announced today that 25 defendants in the Helena-West Helena area have been charged in federal indictments alleging various violent crimes including felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen bank funds, and interstate travel to have sex with a minor.

        The most recent of these indictments, handed down by a federal grand jury on March 2, 2022, charges Michael Rogers with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rogers is being investigated for the shooting that took place at the Helena-West Helena Christmas parade last year, cancelling the parade.

        In addition to Rogers, 20 other defendants in the Helena-West Helena area have been charged since 2020 with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Three defendants have already been convicted and are awaiting sentencing: Walter Thornton, Jr.; Raymond Clark; and Carlton Otey. Frank Norton has been convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison, which is the statutory maximum. Nicholas Dismuke has been convicted of both being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and sentenced to more than 18 years in prison. The remaining defendants, listed below, are awaiting trial.

        In addition to felon in possession of a firearm cases, three additional defendants are charged with other crimes. Fleming Ivory has been convicted of interstate travel with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with a minor and is awaiting sentencing. Vann Bragg has been indicted for conspiracy to possess stolen bank funds and is awaiting trial, and Dedrick Bragg has been convicted of the same charge and is awaiting sentencing.

        “These cases signify the presence of federal law enforcement in Helena-West Helena and the surrounding communities,” stated Ross. “Local communities deserve to be free from the effects of violence, and we will swiftly and forcefully respond to make communities in our district safer. There will be more prosecutions to come, and criminals in the Delta should know that we will not tolerate their violence and disregard of the law.”

        “The FBI is working closely with local and state police agencies to combat the scourge of violent crime,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson. “To the criminals operating in the Delta, be warned— an arsenal of federal resources now opposes you. Alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we will bring the full weight of the federal government down on the violent gangs terrorizing our Delta communities.”

        The FBI is working these cases with the assistance of the Helena-West Helena Police Department. The cases are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

        The defendants awaiting trial for being a felon in possession of a firearm are:

–   Michael Rogers;

–   Demario Richardson;

–   Xavier Hudson;

–   Antonio Dolphin;

–   Donterious Troope;

–   Demarico Hay;

–   Tylin Ezell;

–   JC Watson;

–   Macon Carter, Jr.;

–   Macon Carter, Sr.;

–   Treavie Shears;

–   Deonta Miller;

–   Timothy McNeely;

–   Keith Taylor;

–   Kenneth Page; and,

–   Shannon Williams.

# # #

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

      LITTLE ROCK—Former Craighead County Clerk Jacob Kade Holliday pleaded guilty today to taking more than $1.5 million in county money for his personal use.  Holliday, 33, of Jonesboro, entered his guilty plea before United States District Court Judge James M. Moody, Jr., who will sentence Holliday at a later date.

      In June 2020, Craighead County officials reported that a theft had occurred from the Craighead County Clerk’s office. The bank that managed the Clerk’s office account had flagged suspicious activity, and auditors concluded that approximately $1,579,057.03 was missing and had been moved to Holliday’s personal banking accounts.

      Law enforcement interviewed Holliday, who admitted to taking the money to fund his businesses: Holliday Development and Management, LLC, and Total Healthcare, LLC, both of which operated restaurants and coffee shops in Jonesboro. Holliday told investigators he planned to pay the money back, but once the COVID-19 pandemic caused most of his businesses to close, he could not replace the money.

      At today’s hearing, Holliday acknowledged that his method was to make a transfer from the county account to one of his personal accounts and then get a cashier’s check from his personal account for the same amount. He pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the indictment, which charged him with wire fraud for his first fraudulent transfer of $101,782.97 on January 29, 2020. In his plea agreement, Holliday agreed to pay $1,579,057.03 in restitution to Craighead County.

      The indictment, which was returned by a grand jury on December 1, 2020, charged Holliday with 11 counts of wire fraud. In exchange for Holliday’s guilty plea to Count 1, the remaining charges were dismissed. The full loss amount of over $1.5 million will be submitted to the court for consideration at Holliday’s sentencing hearing.

      Judge Moody will sentence Holliday at a later date. The FBI, Arkansas State Police, and Craighead County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Allison W. Bragg is prosecuting the case.

# # #

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

      LITTLE ROCK—A Little Rock man was sentenced late Thursday on one count of possession of child pornography. United States District Court Judge Kristine Baker sentenced Bryan Shannon, 54, to 135 months in federal prison.

      In February 2019, an undercover FBI agent posted an online advertisement targeted at people seeking children for sexual purposes. The FBI agent received a response through an online messaging platform from an individual with the username “taboojunkie,” later identified as Bryan Shannon. The FBI agent and Shannon engaged in sexually explicit conversation, and Shannon told the FBI agent that he had engaged in sex acts with a five-year-old and an eight-year-old child.

      The FBI learned that Shannon was a registered sex offender with prior convictions for lewd or lascivious act in the presence of a child in 1995, lewd or lascivious molestation in 1999, unlawful possession of a photograph or representation of sexual conduct by a child in 2000, and knowingly showing obscene materials to minors in 2000. The FBI executed a federal search warrant at Shannon’s residence, where they located Shannon’s phone and laptop computer, both of which contained videos and images of child pornography.

      In May 2019, Shannon was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of child pornography. The defendant pleaded guilty to the indictment on July 15, 2020.

      In addition to the prison term, Shannon was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release following his imprisonment. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.

# # #

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

LITTLE ROCK, AR—On January 12, 2022, FBI Little Rock was involved in a joint operation with the Jonesboro Police Department and Craighead County Sheriff’s Office. The goal of the operation was to arrest Michael Neuman, a 31-year-old resident of Arkansas, on a felon-in-possession charge and conduct searches of his personal vehicle and his Brookland, Arkansas residence.

Before the operation, investigators received credible information that Neuman was anti-law enforcement, had a felonious criminal history, and carried multiple firearms at all times. In an effort to safely conduct an arrest and search of Neuman’s vehicle and residence, FBI tactical personnel were used during the operation.

On January 12th, at approximately 4:15 p.m., FBI agents executed an arrest warrant of Michael Neuman in the area of his workplace, located at Falls Street in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Clearly marked FBI agents approached Neuman in vehicles with flashing lights and sirens and issued lawful commands to him. Instead of following the agents’ commands, Neuman moved to cover, produced a firearm, and fired multiple shots in the direction of the agents. In response, FBI agents returned fire, defending themselves and their colleagues. Neuman was pronounced deceased at the scene and no FBI agents were injured.

Immediately after the shooting scene was declared secure, FBI Evidence Response Team (ERT) members deployed to the site and began processing the scene. Simultaneously, Neuman’s Brookland residence was searched by another investigative team. Searches of both Neuman’s vehicle and his residence uncovered multiple firearms. An FBI Shooting Incident Review Team (SIRT) is conducting a thorough, factual, and objective investigation of this shooting incident. As this remains an ongoing investigation, no further information will be provided at this time.

Source: US FBI

FAYETTEVILLE – A Florida dentist, formerly of Arkansas, was sentenced today to 12 months and a day in prison followed by one year of supervised release and a $157,500 fine on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court documents, between February of 2014 through November of 2016, Benjamin Gray Burris, age 50, was the owner of several orthodontic clinics and practiced as an orthodontist through Arkansas.  On February 27, 2014, Burris, State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson, and others met for a dinner at a Little Rock restaurant and discussed Burris’s legislative objectives and hiring Hutchinson as Burris’s corporate legal counsel.  Jeremy Hutchinson, who then represented state Senate District 33, comprised of portions of Pulaski and Saline County, Arkansas, stated that as part of any arrangement there needed to be “real legal work.”  In his plea agreement, Burris admitted that part of his intent in hiring Hutchinson was to enable Burris to influence and request official action from Hutchinson.   Throughout the course of their arrangement, Burris’s legal entities paid Hutchinson Law Firm a total of $157,500 at a rate of approximately $5,000 per month as a general retainer and Hutchinson was assigned legal work.

Specifically, Burris sent Hutchinson an email outlining Burris’s “Legislative Objectives” in late February of 2014 in which Burris stated that he wanted specialty restrictions on orthodontists removed.  On January 26, 2015, Hutchinson filed a shell bill in the Arkansas Senate entitled “An Act to Clarify the Laws Governing Dental Practice.”  Later on, April 6, 2015, Hutchinson filed a related Interim Study Proposal with the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor.  On September 22, 2015, Hutchinson filed another Interim Study Proposal (ISP-2015-154) on the subject.  This ISP, among other things, proposed to remove the specialist restriction for orthodontists.  According to text messages cited in Burris’s plea agreement, in 2016 Burris texted Hutchinson complaining about a lack of “ROI” also known as “return on investment” in his arrangement with Hutchinson and he requested specific updates on legislative matters.    ISP-2015-154 was eventually filed as House Bill 1250 on January 23, 2017, after Hutchinson claimed a belated conflict, passed in the 91^st General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, and was later signed into law on or about March 15, 2017. 

Burris sold his businesses and moved to Florida in the spring of 2017 and has not practiced in Arkansas since that time.

Burris plead guilty on September 13, 2021.  

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas and U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross of the Eastern District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The FBI and the IRS investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Aaron Jennen, Ben Wulff, Stephanie Mazzanti, Allison Bragg and Kenneth Elser prosecuted the case for the United States.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – On December 14, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 40-count indictment against Kevin McKenzie, 47, and Corina Martinez, 41, of Tucson. McKenzie and Martinez were charged with Conspiracy to Embezzle from an Indian Tribal Organization; Embezzlement; Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds; Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering; and Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity. McKenzie was also charged with Attempted Tampering with a Witness. 

The indictment alleges that, from 2015 through July 2023, McKenzie, first as Chief Operating Officer and then as CEO of Apache Behavioral Health Services (ABHS), engaged in a scheme to defraud millions of dollars from ABHS. ABHS is organized by and under the laws of the White Mountain Apache Tribe to provide behavioral health services to its members. McKenzie used two contracts as a front to funnel money from ABHS to himself. Under the first contract, ABHS paid over $32 million to Helping Everyday Youth (HEDY). Thereafter, based on an agreement with McKenzie, HEDY funneled over $14 million in fraudulent proceeds to a shell company McKenzie owned. McKenzie concealed this backdoor financial arrangement from ABHS. McKenzie made significant efforts to hide his scheme through money laundering and attempted to persuade a witness to lie to investigators.  

The indictment also alleges that McKenzie, again as CEO for ABHS, and Martinez through her company Evolved, LLC, entered a phony “referral” contract to embezzle additional money from ABHS. Using this agreement, McKenzie caused ABHS to pay $15 million to a second Martinez company, Evolved Healthcare Inc. (EHI). Portions of the fraudulent proceeds were split amongst McKenzie and Martinez. Martinez gave McKenzie large sums of money, paid at least $800,000 of his personal credit card bills, and purchased other luxury items, including a $128,000 Rolls Royce Ghost and a $952,000 home for McKenzie’s family. EHI and Evolved LLC did not perform any services for ABHS.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Section, is handling the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-02258-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER:    2023-205_McKenzie/Martinez

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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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

The FBI and IRS-CI seek additional unidentified victims of Sowerby’s investment fraud schemes after third indictment

Source: US FBI

Michael Lee Tomasi, 37, of Rio Verde, Arizona, was arrested on Friday after a grand jury indicted him on three counts of threats against a federal official and three counts of making interstate threats.

According to court documents, 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 elected officials, a judge, and federal officials and law enforcement officers. The charges against Tomasi relate to threats he made in Arizona to federal law enforcement agents and employees.

“The threats of violence against public officials alleged in this indictment are abhorrent,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The defendant is specifically charged with threatening to kill FBI agents and other FBI employees just for doing their jobs. I am deeply proud of the work the FBI does every day; its personnel should not have to deal with threats against themselves as they work to protect the American people. The Justice Department will not stand for such heinous behavior and will prosecute threats against its employees to the fullest extent of the law.”

“In this country, there’s a right way and a wrong way to express your views under the Constitution, and violence or threats of violence is not it,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The men and women of the FBI work tirelessly and selflessly to protect others every day, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable those who make violent threats against them or any of our colleagues in law enforcement.”

“Threats against law enforcement personnel like those alleged in this indictment are not just polemics, they are illegal under federal law and corrosive to civic life and dialogue,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona.

If convicted, Tomasi faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of making threats against a federal official, and a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of making interstate threats.

The FBI is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is handling the prosecution.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.