MIL Security Engine-1

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—An Oklahoma man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy that resulted in the trafficking of firearms to Mexican cartels. Andrew Scott, Pierson, 46, of Jay, Oklahoma, was sentenced this afternoon by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.

      In May 2017, an Arkansas resident received a shipment of firearm components that had been sent to him for cerakoting, a process in which a polymer-ceramic coating is added to a firearm or its parts to improve durability. The parts appeared to be 80% Colt lower receivers, and this individual recognized these firearm parts as counterfeit. He contacted law enforcement. The counterfeit receivers were traced to an organization in Laredo, Texas, which was transporting firearm parts to Pierson in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Pierson assembled the parts into functioning weapons for the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).

      Pierson was arrested at the southern United States border on December 10, 2018. Pierson admitted to ordering and receiving firearm parts from the United States and manufacturing automatic weapons in Mexico for the CDN and CJNG cartels. Law enforcement later confirmed cartel firearm availability was impaired following Pierson’s arrest.

      On September 3, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Pierson and seven others for their involvement conspiracies to traffic in counterfeit goods and to violate the Arms Export Control Act. Five codefendants have previously pleaded guilty, and one co-defendant remains a fugitive. In November 2021, Pierson pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Fourth Superseding Indictment, conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act. 

      “Mr. Pierson’s participation in the exportation and manufacturing of illegal firearms to Mexican cartels is an inexcusable contribution to the violence carried out by these groups,” said United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “We are committed to prosecuting any case that will help prevent violent criminal organizations from obtaining firearms.”

      “Our Special Agents worked diligently on this investigation to intercept illegal weapon components being trafficked to criminal organizations in Mexico,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “Our goal is to disrupt and dismantle the illegal activity and this sentencing sends a message to those who seek to aid violent criminals that it will not be tolerated.  ATF works aggressively to identify and investigate individuals who arm the ruthless organizations that are responsible for a majority of the extreme violence in Mexico.”

      “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas who helped bring this investigation to a successful conclusion,” said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the Fort Worth Division. “Illegal shipments of weapons threaten the safety of all our communities. These crimes are a priority for Postal Inspectors and demonstrate the importance of our mission that includes the safeguarding of the Postal Service, its customers, and preventing the illegal use of the U.S. Mail.” 

      This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

      Essential support and coordination for Operation Thor’s Hammer was supplied by Special Operations Division (SOD) personnel, including assigned agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and attorneys from the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pine Bluff Police Department were also instrumental in the investigation, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anne Gardner.

# # #

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 Monticello man has been convicted of selling methamphetamine three different times in 2018 following a two-day trial that featured videos of all three sales. A federal jury convicted Ramien “Rambo” Collins, 40, on all three counts for which he was indicted.

      The jury returned their verdict Wednesday morning after deliberating for approximately 30 minutes. United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr., presided over the trial, and Judge Moody will sentence Collins at a later date. Collins, based on his charges, criminal history, and the jury’s verdict, faces a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment, and an anticipated recommended sentencing range of 360 months to life in federal prison.

      A grand jury indicted Collins on September 5, 2019, on three counts of distribution of more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine for transactions that occurred in September and November 2018. Testimony during the trial established that in 2018 the FBI developed a confidential informant who was being supplied with multiple pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine by Collins. The informant then made three purchases directly from Collins three different times—one-quarter pound of methamphetamine on September 12 and September 26, and three ounces of methamphetamine on November 7.

      At trial the jury heard evidence that Collins had previously been convicted of a federal drug trafficking crime and was on federal supervised release when he was selling methamphetamine in 2018.

      All of Collins’s offenses of conviction, in addition to the imprisonment ranges, include a potential penalty of not more than a $10,000,000 fine and not less than five years of supervised release.

      The investigation into Collins was part of the larger “Quack Attack” operation that resulted in the arrests of 15 defendants. During the course of Operation Quack Attack, investigators conducted 58 controlled purchases of drugs and executed two search warrants. Authorities seized more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 229 grams of cocaine, 200 grams of crack cocaine, 128 grams of marijuana, and 6 firearms, as well as almost $17,000 in cash.

      This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

      The investigation into Collins was conducted by the FBI, the 13^th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Arkansas State Police, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters and Chris Givens.

# # #

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

FBI Little Rock has noted an increase in sextortion schemes targeting children. The FBI has received numerous reports of predators posing as young girls on social media to coerce young boys into sending sexual videos of themselves and then extorting money from these victims.

Here’s how this disturbing scheme works:

1. A predator (posing as a young girl on social media) uses deception and manipulation to convince a young male, usually 13 to 17 years old, to engage in explicit sexual activity over video chat.
2. The video is secretly recorded and saved by the predator.
3. The predator then reveals they have saved the recordings and attempts to extort money from the juvenile victim by threatening to post the videos on various social media pages.
4. To receive money, the predator may ask for bank account login information or request gift cards.

Sextortion is a crime. The coercion of a child by an adult to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) carries heavy penalties, including life sentences for offenders. To make the victimization stop, children typically notify someone—normally a parent, teacher, caregiver, or law enforcement. The embarrassment children feel from the activity they were coerced to engage in is what usually prevents them from coming forward. Sextortion offenders frequently have dozens of victims around the world, so coming forward to help law enforcement identify a predator may prevent countless future incidents of sexual exploitation.

Here are some tips to protect adults and children online:

• Parents should be selective about what they share online. If social media accounts are open to everyone, offenders can easily learn about parents and their children, and then use that information for predatory purposes.
• Be wary of anyone you encounter online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
• People can pretend to be anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that a person is who they claim to be.
• Be highly suspicious if someone you meet on a game or app asks you to start communicating with them on a different platform.
• Encourage children to report suspicious behavior to a trusted adult.

If you know someone who may be a victim of sextortion in Arkansas:

1. Contact FBI Little Rock at 501-221-9100 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-THE-LOST).
2. Do not delete anything before law enforcement is able to review it.
3. Tell law enforcement everything about the online encounters. It may be embarrassing, but it is necessary to find the predator.

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—A Little Rock man has been convicted of four sex offenses at the conclusion of a three-day trial. A federal jury found KeShawn Boykins, 27, guilty on all four counts for which he was indicted: two counts of sex trafficking, distribution of child pornography, and production of child pornography.

      The jury returned their verdict this afternoon after deliberating for just under three hours. United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr., presided over the trial, and Judge Moody will sentence Boykins at a later date. 

      “This defendant physically abused his victims in order to maintain control over them and profit from the sexual acts he forced them to perform,” said Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “Today’s verdict sends a clear message to those who engage in these violent acts: you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent available to us under federal law.”

      Testimony during the trial established that in October 2018, a 19-year-old female identified as H.E. notified employees at Walmart in Maumelle, Arkansas, that she needed to escape from the man she was with. The employees contacted police, and H.E. told law enforcement she had met Boykins five days earlier and exchanged numbers. H.E. had been kicked out of her parents’ home, and Boykins offered for her to live with him, which she agreed to do.

      When H.E. arrived at Boykins’ apartment, she learned he was living with a 17-year-old female, identified as T.M., an adult woman, and others. The defendant made a profile for H.E. on an online dating website. Two days after moving in, the defendant told H.E. she had two “dinners” to attend. T.M. had already told H.E. that these dates meant H.E. would be expected to have sex for money. H.E. testified at trial that when she told Boykins she did not want to go, he threw her on the floor, choked her, and continued to physically abuse her. H.E. escaped during a trip to Walmart the following day.

      T.M. testified at trial that the defendant used an online dating website to arrange dates for her, and that if she came back with less money than Boykins expected, he would hit her. He never allowed her to keep any of the money and, due to her repeated attempts to leave, he routinely physically abused her.

      Evidence at trial indicated that Boykins’ phone contained multiple messages in which he arranged dates for both T.M. and H.E. He sent sexually explicit photos of both T.M. and H.E. while attempting to set up dates. The photos of T.M., taken when she was a minor, led to Boykins’ conviction on the child pornography charges.

      “Mr. Boykins produced child sexual abuse material and lured a vulnerable minor into the reprehensible world of sex trafficking,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson. “His abominable actions highlight the pervasive threat Arkansas children and families face on a daily basis. FBI Little Rock will continue to work with our local police partners and federal prosecutors to protect our communities from vile child predators.”

      The statutory penalty for sex trafficking ranges from not less than 15 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment. The statutory penalty for distribution of child pornography is not less than five years and not more than 20 years imprisonment. The statutory penalty for production of child pornography is not less than 15 years imprisonment and not more than 30 years imprisonment. All offenses of conviction include a potential penalty of not more than a $250,000 fine and not less than five years of supervised release.

      The investigation was conducted by the FBI, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Benecia Moore.

# # #

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—Ten defendants have been indicted for their roles in a bank fraud conspiracy that involved theft of pandemic unemployment funds. Khi Simms, 27, of Alexander, Arkansas, was ordered to remain in federal custody late yesterday afternoon after a detention hearing held before United States Magistrate Judge J. Thomas Ray.

      Three other defendants, Brelyn London, 27; Karl Harris, 26; and Deuntae Diggs, 26; all of Little Rock, are also in custody awaiting trial. The remaining six defendants, Madison Clark, 24, of Alexander; Keshoun Coleman, 23; Derrick Harris, 19; Terence Holman, 27; Brandon Shavers, 29; and Quentin Watson, 27; all of Little Rock, have been released on bond to await trial, which is scheduled for April 18, 2022.

      The indictment alleges that the defendants used unemployment debit cards, which were designed to distribute pandemic unemployment assistance made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), to withdraw funds to which they were not entitled. According to the indictment, Madison Clark worked as a contract employee with a bank who had a role in distributing these unemployment debit cards for the state of California’s Employment Development Department.

      The indictment alleges that Clark used her access to issue debit cards, remove fraud blocks, and add credits to unemployment debit card accounts, resulting in approximately $2.7M in losses as calculated to this point in the investigation. Clark and Simms, and others Simms recruited, then used fraudulent debit cards to withdraw the funds Clark made available.

      All ten defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1M, and not more than five years of supervised release. All ten defendants are also charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and not more than five years of supervised release. The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Allison W. Bragg.

      An indictment contains only allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.

# # #

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

FAYETTEVILLE – Four men were charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Western District of Arkansas for an alleged $16 million wire fraud and money laundering scheme involving fake investment offerings.

According to court documents, John C. Nock, 53, of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Brian Brittsan, 65, of San Marcos, California; Kevin Griffith, 66, of Orem, Utah; and Alexander Ituma, 55, of Lehi, Utah, allegedly engaged in an investment fraud scheme between 2013 and 2021 through their firm, The Brittingham Group, by falsely representing the nature of their investment offerings and promising large returns they could not and did not produce. The indictment further alleges that Nock and Brittsan directed victims to send their funds to bank accounts controlled by Griffith, Ituma, and others, and the defendants then transferred the money through a complex web of bank accounts throughout the world. 

The defendants are each charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, Nock is charged with money laundering. The defendants made their initial appearances in federal court today in the Western District of Arkansas. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Additionally, Nock faces up to 10 years in prison for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

IRS-CI and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Mohlhenrich for the Western District of Arkansas and Trial Attorneys Philip Trout and Vasanth Sridharan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

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

Source: US FBI

           WASHINGTON – An Arizona man was sentenced on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, on two felony charges related to his conduct during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 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.

           Jacob Zerkle, 51, of Bowie, Arizona, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton. Zerkle pleaded guilty to civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, both felonies, on Oct. 30, 2023.

           According to court documents, Zerkle traveled with his brother from his home in Arizona in order to protest “election integrity” in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. On the morning of January 6th, Zerkle traveled to the National Mall and joined a vocal group of approximately 75 to 100 individuals that included Proud Boys leaders Joe Biggs, Charles Donohoe, Ethan Nordean, and Zachary Rehl. While former President Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally was still underway, Zerkle walked with the group east from the Ellipse area adjacent to the White House, past the Washington Monument, to the west front of the U.S. Capitol building.

           The group circled the north side of the Capitol, proceeding to the large plaza on the east side before returning to the Peace Circle, though Zerkle split from the group at some point before this. Between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m., Zerkle entered the restricted area of the Capitol grounds via the Pennsylvania Walkway, crossed onto the grass lawn on the northwest portion of Capitol grounds, and joined other rioters. There, he and others watched as rioters began scaling the nearby Northwest Staircase toward the first floor of the Capitol building. During this period, Zerkle joined the crowd in chanting, “Hang ’em high” toward the Capitol building.

           Later, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Zerkle assaulted a group of Metropolitan Police Department officers who had arrived at the Northwest edge of the grounds as the unit made its way toward the Capitol building to assist and reinforce U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), who were outnumbered by the amassing crowd on the West Plaza of the Capitol.

           Court documents say that between 1:59 and 2:04 p.m., as the officers attempted to navigate through the crowd to the West Plaza, Zerkle, as well as other individuals in the crowd, physically engaged with the officers and intentionally made physical contact with at least three officers, which included placing his hands on the officers and forcibly pushing. Zerkle also yelled at the officers that they were “traitors.” Because of Zerkle’s and other rioters’ conduct, the officers were delayed in responding to the Capitol Building as ordered.

           The FBI arrested Zerkle on March 15, 2022, in Arizona.

           The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona provided valuable assistance.

           The FBI’s Phoenix and Washington Field Offices investigated this case. The Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police provided valuable assistance.

           In the 37 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,313 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 469 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

TUCSON, Ariz. – Esteban Terrazas, 56, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 87 months in prison. Terrazas pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on October 27, 2023.

On August 10, 2021, law enforcement officers stopped Terrazas for a traffic violation and found approximately one pound of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun in his possession. Terrazas admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine and that he was prohibited from possessing a gun. Terrazas has multiple prior felony convictions, the most recent being for manslaughter, that prohibit him from possessing firearms.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR 21-2360-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-019_Terrazas

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

Source: US FBI

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 22, 2024

SAN DIEGO – William Hyde of San Diego was arrested in San Diego today for allegedly leaving a voicemail containing a violent threat on the personal cell phone of an election official in the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona.

Hyde, 52, is scheduled to make his initial appearance tomorrow at the federal courthouse in San Diego.

According to an indictment unsealed today, on or about November 29, 2022, Hyde allegedly left the following voicemail message on the personal cell phone of the victim election official: “Run, [expletive].”  Approximately one minute later, Hyde allegedly left a second voicemail message for the same election official: “You wanna cheat our elections? You wanna screw Americans out of true votes? We’re coming, [expletive]. You’d better [expletive] hide.” This followed a Special Meeting held by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors a day earlier to certify the election results in Maricopa County for the November 8, 2022, general elections for federal and state officeholders.  The election official was present at this Special Meeting, which received nationwide media coverage.

“Intimidation of election officials strikes at the very heart of our democracy,” said United States Attorney for the Southern District of California Tara McGrath. “Even just one case can have a ripple effect. This Office will aggressively prosecute any attempt to intimidate, threaten, or frighten election officials as they engage in these critical duties.”

“As alleged in the indictment, the defendant left threatening messages on a Maricopa County election official’s personal cell phone the day after county officials certified the 2022 election results. The indictment alleges that the defendant accused the official of cheating the election and told the official to ‘run’ and ‘hide,’” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division is committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting individuals who threaten election officials. We will not tolerate criminal intimidation of those who administer and safeguard our elections.”

“Election integrity starts with protecting those we entrust to administer elections,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “We appreciate the admirable efforts of the Recorder’s Office and Elections Department in Maricopa County to efficiently register Arizonans as eligible voters, and to accurately and transparently tabulate their votes.”

“Individuals who work to ensure the integrity of our elections should not have to worry about their safety while working for the American people,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “We will continue to collaborate with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to protect election officials and prosecute anyone who threatens to harm them.”

Hyde is charged with one count of communicating an interstate threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.  The FBI San Diego Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Phoenix Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins for the Southern District of California and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier for the District of Arizona.

This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers – whether elected, appointed, or volunteer – are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.

Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.

To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.

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

DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 22cr0276-BAS                                       

William Michael Hyde                                   52                    San Diego

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Interstate Threatening Communication – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 875(c)

Maximum penalty:  Five years in prison and $250,000 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, AZ—Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office is taking this timely opportunity to warn Arizonans about confidence fraud – also known as “romance scams.”

Romance scams occur when someone believes he or she is in a relationship and is tricked into sending money, personal and financial information, or items of value to the fraudster. This includes any scheme in which the perpetrator preys on the victim’s “heartstrings”.

According to the most recent available statistics, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reports 680 Arizona victims reported losses of more than $25.4 million in connection with confidence fraud/romance scams in 2022. Of that number, 379 victims suffering $17.7 million in losses were senior citizens.

Romance scams can happen to anyone at any time. The FBI cautions everyone who may be romantically involved with a person online to proceed carefully and stay alert to warning signs.

The FBI suggests these tips if someone develops an online relationship with another person:

• Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the material has been used elsewhere.
• Never provide your financial information or loan money to someone online. Never send money to anyone you don’t personally know.
• Beware if the suitor seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or Facebook to go “offline.”
• Beware if the person attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
• Beware of promises to meet in person but that promise is always broken for one reason or another. If no face-to-face meeting has occurred after a few months, there is good reason for suspicion.
• If a meeting is arranged, meet in a public place, and let others know of the plans.

If anyone suspects an online relationship is a scam, all contact should be stopped immediately. Victims who have already sent money are urged to report the incident to their financial institution and then inform local law enforcement. Victims are also encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI at ic3.gov. For more information on romance scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/romance-scams.