Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
The Christchurch Southern Motorway is closed near Curletts Road following a crash.
The crash involved a truck and was reported around 11:30am.
The driver of the truck has sustained serious injuries.
Traffic is being diverted off the motorway at Curletts Road off-ramp.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible, and expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police can now name the person who died in a single-vehicle crash on Nuhaka Opoutama Road on Friday 28 February.
He was 43-year-old Nolan Maru, of Wairoa, and was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Police extends our condolences to Nolan’s family and friends.
The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Territorians interested in a career in firefighting will have the chance to try before they apply, ahead of the next recruitment drive in June 2025.
The NT Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) is hosting Come and Try days in Darwin at 9am on 22 March at Foskey Pavilion Darwin Show Grounds and in Alice Springs at 9am on the 29 March at St Phillips College.
The events offer those considering a career with NTFRS an opportunity to experience components of the recruitment Physical Aptitude Test (PAT) and receive expert tips on preparing to become a firefighter from those who live the role every day.
The PAT combines both fitness assessments and on the job tasks, making it a reliable indicator of an applicant’s ability to carry out the physically demanding tasks required of operational firefighters during an emergency and at incidents.
While challenging, the PAT is achievable with proper training and preparation. The Come and Try day is designed to give participants valuable insight into what’s involved and allow time to start their training ahead of the upcoming recruitment.
A career as a Firefighter in the Northern Territory is both rewarding and challenging, with no two days being the same. As a firefighter, you’ll be on the frontline, working as a close-knit team helping to serve and protect the community by:
Future firefighters have two weeks to register their interest in the come and try day. Register now for Darwin https://tinyurl.com/v4atu66s and Alice Springs https://tinyurl.com/33m8sfzc
Registrations are essential.
Fore more information about a career in firefighting visit Careers in Firefighting | NT Police, Fire & Emergency Services
Quotes attributable to Chief Fire Officer, Stephen Sewell AFSM:
“Becoming a Firefighter can be a challenging process, so our Come and Try days are designed to give prospective applicants an insight into the fitness components. It also provides them with enough time to ramp up their training and set new goals ahead of the next recruitment round in June.”
“Firefighters must work in confrontational and high-pressure situations, especially when responding to incidents involving injury or loss of life. This role is physically and psychologically demanding, requiring critical thinking and teamwork in every incident response – which is why we need to ensure we get the right people in the roles.”
Being a Firefighter is more than just a job – it’s a calling, dedicated to service and community. We’re seeking individuals passionate about making a difference in the Northern Territory, particularly in remote and regional areas.
The recent formation of NT Fire and Emergency Services, combining the NT Fire and Rescue Service, NT Emergency Service, and Bushfires NT, enhances our ability to respond to emergencies while prioritising community resilience.
Media Contact:
Rickie Abraham
Phone: 8923 980
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse. The sentencing took place on February 10, 2025.
Kaleb Mills, a/k/a Kayleb Mills, age 31, was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
A federal grand jury indicted Mills in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 2, 2024.
The conviction stems from Mills sending a Facebook message to a 17-year-old female asking her if she wanted to hang out. She agreed and Mills found her a ride from her house to his house at Pine Ridge. That evening, he injected the female with methamphetamine. While she was under the influence of the methamphetamine and unable to consent to sexual activity, Mills engaged in sexual activity with her. Mills was previously convicted of a similar charge in 2013.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Mills was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – The former girlfriend of a cryptocurrency fraudster who dubbed himself “The Godfather” has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal tax charge for failing to report more than $2.6 million in ill-gotten gains she obtained via her then-boyfriend’s criminal activities, the Justice Department announced today.
Iris Ramaya Au, 35, of Irvine, is charged in a single-count information with subscribing to a false tax return.
Au has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge and is expected to make her initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming days.
According to Au’s plea agreement, from 2020 to 2024, Iza committed a series of crimes, including fraudulently obtaining access to advertising accounts and lines of credit provided by Facebook Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. and selling access to those accounts. Iza obtained millions of dollars of unreported income as a result of these schemes.
Separately, Iza engaged active Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputies to provide private security for him and caused the deputies, among other things, to obtain court-authorized search warrants and confidential law enforcement information targeting people with whom Iza had financial and personal disputes.
At Iza’s direction, Au created shell corporations and opened bank accounts in the names of those entities. She then used the illicit funds placed into those accounts to pay approximately $1 million to the deputies, mostly in cash, purchase or lease luxury real estate, cars, jewelry, and clothing, pay for recreational activity for Iza and herself valued at nearly $10 million, and acquire approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency for Iza.
Au admitted in her plea agreement that she transferred more than $2.6 million from these various accounts to her personal bank accounts during the period 2020 through 2023, income that she willfully failed to report to the IRS on her federal tax returns.
After pleading guilty, Au will face up to three years in federal prison.
On January 30, Iza appeared before a federal judge and pleaded guilty to a first superseding information charging him with conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 16, at which time he will face up to 35 years in federal prison. Iza has been in federal custody since September 2024.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. O’Brien and J. Jamari Buxton of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
JACKSON, MS – Torrence Donell Mayfield, of Raymond, a former Jackson Police Department officer was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for making a false statement to a firearms dealer in the acquisition of a firearm. Mayfield was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements in open court, Mayfield, 53, purchased a firearm for another person on October 26, 2021. That purchase was made at a pawn shop which is a Federal Firearms Licensee. Mayfield was required to complete a certain written form to purchase the firearm. On that written form, Mayfield indicated that he was purchasing the firearm for himself, not someone else. That statement was false. It is against federal law to make a false statement to a firearm dealer to acquire a firearm.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Herbert S. Carraway and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police is seeking witnesses to a series of scrub fires across Port Waikato and Tuakau this year.
Counties Manukau South CIB are investigating seven fires that have been deemed suspicious.
Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor says this series fires first began in January this year.
“Police are working with Fire and Emergency New Zealand to understand the scope of the series of fires,” he says.
“We will consider all investigative opportunities to hold those responsible to account.
“At this stage we are keeping an open mind as to whether these fires are linked or not.”
There were five suspicious fires that occurred in February alone.
Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says it is fortunate there have been no injuries or loss of life as a result.
No arrests have been made at this stage of the investigation.
“The dry weather, and at times proximity to the Port Waikato township, causes significant concern and risk for the township,” Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says.
Police urge anyone with information about those involved, or who have witnessed suspicious activity surround the time fires occurred, to report this.
You can update Police online now or call 105 using the reference number 250227/2905.
“If you see any suspicious activity occurring, please call Police on 111,” Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says.
Fires under investigation:
– 11 January
– 9 February
– 17 February
– 26 February
– 27 February
– 27 February
– 4 March
Keeping yourself safe:
Fire and Emergency’s Counties Manukau Community Risk Manager Thomas Harre says there are some simple steps people can take to keep themselves, and their homes, safe from wildfire.
“Things like keeping your grass short, keeping gutters clear and removing highly flammable plants from around your property can help.
“Longer term, planting low flammability plans before next summer reduces your risk.”
For more information on low flammability plants and advice on when wildfire threatens, people can visit this link.
Thomas Harre encourages anyone with information to come forward to help the Police investigation.
“These fires are causing a lot of anxiety in the community, so we want them to stop.
“Our fire brigades have had to spend a lot of time responding to these fires, and that has put pressure on them if there are other incidents to attend to in the area.
“Most of the crews have been volunteers, so this means time away from family or from their place of work to fight these fires.”
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: US State of New York
EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the conviction and sentencing of Frank Whittaker, 56, of Kingston, NY, and his daughter Christine Ellsworth, 39, of Accord, NY, for stealing more than $230,000 from a vulnerable elderly victim in Ulster County. Whittaker and Ellsworth gained the trust of the elderly victim by providing lawn maintenance and assisting with household tasks, and eventually gained access to the then 92-year-old’s checkbook and finances. Whittaker had himself appointed as a Power of Attorney (POA) over the elderly victim’s finances and from July 2021 through August 2022, Whittaker and Ellsworth stole over $230,000 by writing themselves checks and illegally transferring funds from the victim’s bank and investment accounts into an account in Whittaker’s name. Whittaker was sentenced today to five years of probation and must pay restitution to the elderly victim. Ellsworth was sentenced today to three years of probation during which she is prohibited from working with the elderly.
“Scamming vulnerable seniors out of their savings that took a lifetime of hard work to earn is heartless,” said Attorney General James. “Frank Whittaker and Christine Ellsworth maliciously gained the trust of an innocent, elderly woman and stole her life savings in order to treat themselves to a new car and visits to restaurants and casinos. I thank the New York State Police and our partners in law enforcement for their continued assistance in this investigation. Anyone who attempts to defraud New Yorkers to line their own pockets will be brought to justice.”
“I want to thank the Attorney General’s Office for their strong partnership that has led to the sentencing of these two individuals and their dishonest act,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “This joint investigation found that Mr. Whittaker and Ms. Ellsworth preyed on a vulnerable victim who entrusted them to provide care for her, but instead chose to financially profit off her situation. The New York State Police will continue to put an end to these crimes and ensure innocent victims will not be taken advantage of.”
Beginning in 2021, Whittaker and Ellsworth gained the trust of the victim, who needed assistance caring for herself and her home. Whittaker convinced the victim to grant him POA over her affairs and added himself as the POA on multiple bank and annuity accounts belonging to the victim, with Ellsworth named as the successor POA. Though he had POA, Whittaker was not legally allowed to spend the victim’s money for his and his daughter’s personal benefit.
Over the next year, Whittaker and Ellsworth stole over $230,000 from the victim and used the stolen funds to purchase a new 2021 GMC Sierra pickup truck costing $57,500, and also spent thousands of dollars at local restaurants and stores, including Walmart, a jeweler, and florists, among other personal expenses. They also made numerous cash withdrawals, including at ATMs located in Turning Stone Casino and Resort in Verona, and the Saratoga Casino Hotel in Saratoga Springs.
In August 2024, Whittaker and Ellsworth were charged by an Ulster County Grand Jury with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony). Simultaneous with their arrests, the Office of the Attorney General executed a search warrant to seize the remaining funds in Whittaker’s bank account, recovering over $92,000 of the victim’s stolen money.
On November 12, 2024, before Judge Bryan Rounds in Ulster County Court, Whittaker pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a Class D felony) and Ellsworth pleaded guilty to Petit Larceny (a Class A misdemeanor). Whittaker was sentenced today to five years’ probation, and must pay $192,000 in restitution to the elderly victim, including forfeiture of the $92,000 that OAG seized from his bank account. Ellsworth was sentenced to three years’ probation and as a condition of her probation, she is prohibited from working with the elderly for three years.
Attorney General James thanks the New York State Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit, the Ulster County Department of Social Services, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office for their valuable assistance in this matter.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Cheryl J. Lee of the Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau (CEFC). Analytical work was provided by Legal Analyst Kai Tsurumaki, under the supervision of Supervising Analyst Paul Strocko and Deputy Supervising Analyst Jayleen Garcia. Forensic accounting was performed by Forensic Auditor Kirven Bashiri, under the supervision of Chief Auditor Kristen Fabbri and Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro of the Forensic Audit Section. CEFC is led by Bureau Chief Stephanie Swenton and Deputy Bureau Chief Joseph G. D’Arrigo.
The criminal investigation was conducted by Detectives Eamon H. Murphy and Jason Johnston, under the supervision of Assistant Chief Samuel Scotellaro and Deputy Chief Juanita Bright of the Major Investigations Unit. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Investigator Oliver Pu-Folkes. Both CEFC and the Investigations Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jose Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Intervenes in Lawsuit Against Illinois for Unlawfully Requiring Nonprofits to Publicly Post Race Based Data
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi moved to intervene in American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Bennett. The lawsuit challenges Illinois’ first in the nation law that requires nonprofits to publicly disclose demographic information, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, of its officers and directors.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MICHAEL HABIB, an associate of the Canadian criminal organization known as the Wolfpack Alliance, was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison for trafficking narcotics. HABIB pled guilty on December 20, 2023, before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan, who imposed today’s sentence. HABIB’s sentencing follows the imposition of sentences of 18 years, 17 and a half years, and four and half years on his co-defendants, SURINDER SINGH CHEEMA, BHUPINDER SINGH VIRK, and CHRISTOPHER BURGOS, on December 19, 2024, July 17, 2024, and December 16, 2024, respectively.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Wolfpack and its associates have spread drugs and violence in the United States and in Canada. Michael Habib and his co-conspirators are responsible for transporting thousands of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine across our northern border, ordering drug-related shootings and kidnappings, and attempting to smuggle wanted international hitmen into the United States from Canada. Today’s prison sentence will help protect the public from wanton violence and dangerous narcotics, and demonstrates our resolve to root out transnational criminal organizations like Wolfpack.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “The associates of the Wolfpack Alliance have all been rightly sentenced for establishing an international drug trafficking route to assist the flow of thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine through our country into Canada. This conspiracy caused significant amounts of dangerous drugs to enter the United States, endangering the public’s safety. The FBI will continue to dismantle and hold accountable any criminal enterprise member, regardless of their origin, which utilizes our nation as an economic foothold and throughfare for their illegal operations.”
According to the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court proceedings:
From at least in or about February 2022 through at least in or about November 2022, HABIB, CHEEMA, VIRK, BURGOS and others conspired to distribute narcotics by shipping thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine across the U.S. and into Canada. In or about March 2022, law enforcement seized approximately 400 kilograms of cocaine shipped by the conspirators from a warehouse in New Jersey, and approximately 96 kilograms of cocaine and 86 kilograms of methamphetamine in the vicinity of Kansas City, Kansas. In connection with their guilty pleas, HABIB admitted to conspiring to distribute at least approximately 400 kilograms of cocaine; CHEEMA admitted to conspiring to distribute at least approximately 1.3 metric tons of methamphetamine and 764 kilograms of cocaine; VIRK admitted to conspiring to distribute at least approximately 1.1 metric tons of methamphetamine and 480 kilograms of cocaine; and BURGOS admitted to conspiring to distribute at least approximately 400 kilograms of cocaine.
The defendants engaged in additional criminal activities. HABIB and BURGOS, on behalf of the Wolfpack Alliance, assisted two Wolfpack-aligned hitmen, Gene Lahrkamp and Duncan Bailey, in their attempt to escape Canada and evade Canadian law enforcement, until Lahrkamp and Bailey were killed in an accidental plane crash in Canada on or about April 30, 2022. CHEEMA, in or about the spring of 2024, subsequent to his guilty plea and while awaiting sentencing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, directed his confederates in the greater Toronto, Canada area to conduct shootings and issue threats of violence in connection with drug debts. VIRK was arrested in or about November 2022 in California with three unregistered “ghost” guns and approximately $487,900 in cash.
* * *
In addition to their prison terms, HABIB, 38, of Toronto, Canada; CHEEMA, 31, of Brampton, Canada; VIRK, 31, of Fresno, California; and BURGOS, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, were sentenced to five, four, four, and three years of supervised release, respectively, and were ordered to forfeit $487,900 and a 2020 Mercedes Benz AMG GT63.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Mr. Podolsky further thanked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Peel Ontario Regional Police for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Burnett, Jane Y. Chong, and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging VADIM KOMISSAROV, the former Chief Executive Officer of Trident Acquisitions Corp. (“TDAC”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), with engaging in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information. KOMISSAROV was arrested yesterday evening and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Vadim Komissarov, the former CEO of Trident Acquisitions Corp., engineered sham transactions and reported false and misleading revenue, all to ensure his SPAC merger went through and to make himself wealthy. To make matters worse, he tried to cover up his crimes by lying to the SEC under oath. This Office, and our partners at the FBI, will continue to pursue executives of public companies, including executives of SPACs, who defraud unsuspecting investors.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Vadim Komissarov allegedly tried to secure a winning ticket by developing an elaborate scheme comprised of inflated profits, falsified transactions, and perjurious statements to sell company shares. Komissarov allegedly abused his authority as the company’s CEO to conjure a façade of success and interfere with an investigation into his suspected misconduct. The FBI will never permit any individual who attempts to unlawfully cash out at the expense of their investors’ money and trust.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
From November 2020 through May 2022, KOMISSAROV engaged in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information about a prospective acquisition target and by profiting from the effect of the deception by selling shares of Lottery.com before other market participants realized the true state of the company (the “Revenue Scheme”).
The Revenue Scheme arose from an effort by KOMISSAROV to identify a suitable target for TDAC before TDAC reached a deadline to either use or return investor funds that had been raised to support an acquisition. In November 2020, KOMISSAROV settled on AutoLotto, Inc., d/b/a Lottery.com as a target for TDAC. To deceive TDAC shareholders about the nature of AutoLotto’s business, and to thereby secure their approval for TDAC’s acquisition of AutoLotto (the “Business Combination”), KOMISSAROV worked with others to improperly and misleadingly inflate AutoLotto’s revenue and to report those inflated figures to TDAC’s shareholders through public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which KOMISSAROV signed or caused to be filed as the principal executive, financial, and accounting officer of TDAC.
The Revenue Scheme created the false appearance of revenue-generating business activity for AutoLotto and later for Lottery.com through a series of sham transactions, including a fraudulent $9 million roundtrip transaction that KOMISSAROV engineered using the alias “Vlad.”
In April 2022 and May 2022, KOMISSAROV sold almost 300,000 Lottery.com shares for more than $600,000, months before Lottery.com disclosed to investors that it had identified errors in the company’s reported revenue and available cash.
By June 2023 and August 2023, the enforcement staff of the SEC had begun to investigate TDAC and Lottery.com. After receiving a subpoena from the SEC for documents and testimony in connection with the SEC’s investigation, KOMISSAROV schemed to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. For example, during a call with two Lottery.com executives, KOMISSAROV said he wanted to “sync” his “clock[]” with them and align on a false and misleading narrative that concealed his involvement in some of the sham transactions that were part of the Revenue Scheme. KOMISSAROV warned the Lottery.com executives, “guys, you do understand, you say that I was involved with this transaction . . . . if Trident and me specifically knew about it, then I am in deep, deep, deep, deep water . . . . So, if you come out and say that I was involved, then I am in deep shit.”
KOMISSAROV also personally tried to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. On November 20, 2024, KOMISSAROV provided sworn testimony to the SEC in connection with the SEC investigation into TDAC and Lottery.com. During his testimony, KOMISSAROV gave false and misleading answers about his prior communications with the Lottery.com executives and his involvement in the $9 million fraudulent roundtrip transaction that was part of the Revenue Scheme.
* * *
KOMISSAROV, 53, of New York, New York, was charged in the Indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, to make false and misleading statements in proxy statements, and to make false filings with the SEC; one count of securities fraud; five counts of making false and misleading statements in proxy statements; one count of obstruction of justice; and one count of perjury. The conspiracy charge and the perjury charge each carry a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. The charges of securities fraud, making false and misleading statements in proxy statements, and obstruction of justice each carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Source: Tasmania Police
Two men charged with firearms trafficking
Wednesday, 5 March 2025 – 9:14 am.
Two men have been charged with firearms trafficking and other offences following an investigation by Bridgewater Criminal Investigation Branch.
Police were called to an alleged aggravated robbery in Bagdad on Tuesday, 18 February after two men reportedly assaulted a resident and rammed their car when attempting to leave the scene.
On Tuesday, 4 March police attended an address in Brighton and arrested two men, a 22-year-old and a 31-year-old.
A search warrant was then executed, with police locating a stolen firearm, illicit drugs and other stolen property.
Both men were charged with firearms trafficking, possession of stolen firearms, motor vehicle stealing, and other offences.
The 31-year-old was also charged with aggravated robbery and will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court this morning.
Source: US State of Missouri
MARCH 4, 2025
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Kehoe announced judicial appointments to the 21st and 9th Judicial Circuits.
Ellen W. Dunne, of Des Peres, was appointed as the Circuit Judge in the 21st Judicial Circuit.
Judge Dunne currently serves as Associate Circuit Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit, a position in which she has held since 2017. She earned her Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Missouri. Prior to her judicial service, she practiced law for over two decades, representing clients in all types of civil matters. In addition to her judicial duties, Judge Dunne is an active member of the Missouri Bar Association, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Lawyers Association of St. Louis, Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater St. Louis, and St. Louis County Bar Association. Judge Dunne will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Nancy M. Watkins McLaughlin from the circuit bench.
Adam Warren, of Chillicothe, was appointed as the Associate Circuit Judge for Sullivan County in the 9th Judicial Circuit.
Mr. Warren currently serves as the Livingston County prosecuting attorney, a position he has held since 2011. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Science in hospitality and restaurant administration from Missouri State University. Mr. Warren built a successful private practice as the owner of Warren Law Office, LLC. He also served in the Missouri Army National Guard from 2004 to 2011 before receiving a honorable discharge. Mr. Warren will fill the vacancy left by the recent passing of Judge Tracey Mason-White.
###
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
McALLEN, Texas – A 19-year-old Alamo resident has been sentenced for utilizing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J Ganjei.
Emiliano Cabriales pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now handed Cabriales a 60-month term of imprisonment immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On May 29, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Cabriales was a passenger. During a routine search, they discovered a firearm concealed beneath the seat where Cabriales had been sitting.
Further investigation revealed 14 grams of cocaine, packaged in individual baggies, hidden inside his pants. Cabriales admitted to possessing the cocaine and that he had the firearm in case he had to protect himself and the drugs.
Cabriales has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Alamo Police Department conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – Tywan J. Cummings, 44, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 204 months in federal prison for an armed carjacking spree in May 2020 that led to a car chase with police, his firing shots on police officers, and his burglarizing an occupied residence where he was eventually caught hiding.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., for the District of Columbia, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Cummings pleaded guilty August 18, 2023, in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to carjacking; using, possessing, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and assaulting, resisting, or interfering with a police officer with a dangerous weapon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Cummings to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on the morning of May 17, 2020, in the Trinidad neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C., Cummings pointed an AR-style rifle at a man who was putting air into his tire of his BMW 325i on the 1200 block of Raum Street. Cummings took the vehicle at gunpoint. Cummings then drove the BMW, with the valve of the pump still attached to the tire, into Maryland and, minutes later, carjacked a nurse of her Hyundai Tucson at gunpoint outside a hospital in Prince George’s County. In the early morning hours of May 18, 2023, multiple Maryland law enforcement agencies from the Bowie, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County Police Departments pursued Cummings—who was by this time driving a stolen Honda Ridgeline—into Southeast Washington, D.C. MPD officers were also on scene to assist.
At the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue SE and Alabama Avenue SE, Cummings crashed the Honda into another car near a gas station. On foot with police in pursuit, Cummings fired multiple shots on Maryland and MPD police officers with a handgun. Shortly after 2 a.m., Cummings broke into an occupied residence on the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE and hid in an upstairs bedroom. Police declared a barricade at 2:28 a.m.
Members of the MPD’s Emergency Response Team responded and apprehended Cummings. Officers recovered a .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun, the AR-style rifle from the stolen vehicle, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. No victim sustained physical injuries during the spree. Cummings has been in custody since his arrest.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department with valuable assistance provided by the Bowie Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emory V. Cole and Paul V. Courtney.
20cr0115
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging JAMES DINNIGAN, a/k/a “Charlie Ward,” and MARTIN MAUGHAN, a/k/a “Lawrence Rogers,” with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their participation in a multi-year, multi-state organized construction fraud scheme that targeted at least 24 victims, including numerous elderly and vulnerable victims. MAUGHAN was transferred from state custody to federal custody this afternoon and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Robyn Tarnofsky. DINNIGAN is in federal immigration custody and will be transferred to the Southern District of New York.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, these defendants and their co-conspirators carried out a brazen scheme to defraud vulnerable members of our community by posing as legitimate home repair contractors and tricking homeowners into paying for thousands of dollars in unnecessary and unwanted home repairs. Today’s charges should serve as a reminder that this Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who seek to enrich themselves by victimizing vulnerable members of our community.”
Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies said: “James Dinnigan and Martin Maughan allegedly enticed prospective consumers with illegitimate home improvement advertisements before intentionally destroying their property to extort unanticipated additional costs. These illegal foreign nationals allegedly laid the foundation to prey upon a vulnerable population across the northeast, ultimately stealing a significant sum from elderly victims. The FBI remains committed to protecting our citizens from any fraudulent company attempting to cement false promises to garner illicit profits.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
Between at least in or around October 2023 through at least in or about February 2025, DINNIGAN and MAUGHAN participated in a construction fraud scheme involving dozens of victims in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and several other states. Participants in the scheme were usually foreign nationals from Ireland and the United Kingdom who were illegally in the U.S. and falsely posed as legitimate home repair contractors.
The scheme generally proceeded as follows: To get hired by the victims, members of the scheme made false statements to victims about their operation of legitimate home repair businesses, their occupation as contractors or engineers, and about home improvement and construction projects the victims needed to obtain. After being hired, members of the scheme tricked victims into paying for additional unwanted or unnecessary home repairs and other construction, including by purposefully damaging or destroying the victims’ property. The perpetrators of the scheme then forced victims, including through threats, into paying them tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
DINNIGAN, MAUGHAN, and other perpetrators of the scheme communicated with victims using cellphones and email. The victims frequently wrote checks and transferred money to bank accounts controlled by members of the scheme, including into an account at a particular financial institution in Manhattan, New York. The perpetrators of the scheme also operated websites in the names of at least two purported construction companies: Local Masonry and Construction and Pine Valley Home Improvements, Inc. Below are screenshots from websites that the perpetrators used to lure victims into the scheme:
The FBI has identified more than two dozen victims—many who are elderly individuals—who have lost at least $1 million as a result of this scheme.
DINNIGAN entered the U.S. on or about April 4, 2023, using a tourist visa. A review of relevant records has revealed no known documentation showing that DINNIGAN departed the U.S. as required, or that DINNIGAN applied for and received authorization to legally remain in the U.S. On or about February 25, 2025, DINNIGAN was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) in Champlain, New York.
On or about August 9, 2023, MAUGHAN was encountered by CBP officers in the vicinity of Laredo, Texas. MAUGHAN was subsequently ordered removed from the U.S. to the United Kingdom on or about October 30, 2023. According to MAUGHAN’s order of removal, he was prohibited from reentering or attempting to reenter the U.S. for a period of five years. On or about February 7, 2025, MAUGHAN was found inside the U.S. when he was arrested at the Boston Logan International Airport moments before departing on a flight to Dublin, Ireland.
If you believe that you have additional information about this scheme or if you believe you have been a victim of the defendants or their co-conspirators, please contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov, and reference this case.
* * *
DINNIGAN, 27, of Ireland, and MAUGHAN, 31, of the United Kingdom, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York and Philadelphia field offices. Mr. Podolsky also thanked CBP; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Lower Merion Police Department; Cheltenham Police Department; Bernards Township Police Department; and Lambertville Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon D. Harper is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialist William A. Coleman IV.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact descried therein should be treated as an allegation.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
TREVON WRIGHT, also known as “Tre,” 23, was sentenced today U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 300 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang, multiple shootings, and his murder of a rival gang member in 2020.
Today’s announcement by Marc. H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents, statements made in court, and the evidence presented during a month-long trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Wright has been a member of the “East End gang,” which began as a local street gang based in the East End of Bridgeport, but currently has members and associates who are either incarcerated or living throughout Bridgeport and surrounding towns. The East End gang has been aligned with other groups, including the PT Barnum Gang, the East Side gang and 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport. These groups were aligned against rival organizations in Bridgeport, including the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”) and the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End.
Due to the level of gun violence Bridgeport was experiencing, the investigation commenced shortly before East End members shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang, on January 26, 2020. The next day, in retaliation for these shootings, GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. members attempted to kill East End gang members and associates in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a state courthouse on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport that resulted in four victims being shot while sitting inside a car.
Wright and other East End members distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; and committed at least six murders and other acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals. East End members celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube, and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.
The investigation determined that on August 23, 2019, Wright shot and wounded an associate of the GHB/Hotz gang and a female companion; on September 15, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Marquis Isreal, also known as “Garf” or “Gbaby,” a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang; on December 8, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Arvan Smith, also known as “Arv Barkley,” an associate of the O.N.E. gang; and on January 26, 2020, Wright shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang.
On December 5, 2023, a jury found Wright and three associates guilty of conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Wright has been detained since January 21, 2021.
Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has and solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, Rahul Kale, and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: United States Attorneys General 1
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi moved to intervene in American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Bennett. The lawsuit challenges Illinois’ first in the nation law that requires nonprofits to publicly disclose demographic information, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, of its officers and directors.
The intent of the statute is to encourage nonprofits to discriminate under the guise of making nonprofit boards more “diverse.” President Trump and Attorney General Bondi are dedicated to ending DEI and restoring merit-based opportunity nationwide, and in all sectors.
Today’s intervention is an early step toward eradicating illegal race and sex preferences across the government. “The United States cannot and will not sit idly while a state denies its citizens equal protection under the guise of diversity,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Discrimination in all its forms is abhorrent and must be eliminated. The Department of Justice will continue to exercise its statutory right to intervene in cases whenever a state encourages DEI instead of merit.”
“This is a case of immense public importance because, as the Supreme Court recognized, ending ‘discrimination means eliminating all of it,’” said Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle. “This intervention seeks to eliminate discrimination via DEI and ensure the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection is enforced.”
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BIRMINGHAM Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz.
U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Keundre Levelle Brown, 25, of Birmingham, to 57 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on October 11, 2023, a Birmingham Police Officer responded to a 911 call regarding a shooting at a motel in Birmingham. Brown was found alone inside of a motel room that showed evidence of gunfire, with the shots appearing to have been fired from within the room. The officer searched Brown and found a loaded Taurus G2C pistol in his waistband. The pistol had been reported stolen about a year earlier in Birmingham. Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama, Bessemer Division, for Theft of Property, Burglary and Robbery.
ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Lee Gilmer prosecuted the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
GRAND RAPIDS – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that Ethan Eversman, 25, of Ionia, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for the distribution of child pornography.
In May 2024, at Eversman’s request, a 15-year-old child in New York created several sexually explicit videos and sent them to Eversman. A month later, Eversman sent two of those videos to another person online. Eversman was a corrections officer for the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office at the time.
“Today’s sentencing of Ethan Eversman, a former Corrections Deputy, reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to enforcing the highest standards of integrity in law enforcement,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. Members from the FBI’s Lansing Resident Agency, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners at the Michigan State Police, worked tirelessly throughout this investigation, in an effort to halt Mr. Eversman’s predatory actions. I also want to express my gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Michigan for their vital role in ensuring this child predator faces justice.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
The FBI and Michigan State Police investigated this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Roth.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Silvester Barcenas, 23, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 12, 2024, Barcenas arrived in Charleston, West Virginia, with approximately 3.9 kilograms of methamphetamine in a vehicle he had driven from South Carolina, where he was living at the time. Barcenas admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine, that a co-conspirator directed him to deliver the methamphetamine to another individual in Charleston, and that he delivered the methamphetamine to the individual as instructed.
Barcenas is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Barcenas and two other Mexican nationals were indicted by a federal grand jury as the result of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. The indictment against co-defendants German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 40, Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 31, remains pending. The indictment alleges the three Mexican nationals conspired to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area from in or about March 2024 to in or about October 2024. Trial is scheduled for April 15, 2025. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Israel Chaires-Villa, 22, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty on February 13, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine as a result of the joint investigation and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-176.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Schiff, Colleagues to Trump: Fire Elon Musk, Reinstate Agency Leaders and Federal Watchdogs
Democratic lawmakers demand Trump reinstate fired Senate-confirmed officials and address Musk’s conflicts of interest, cite officials’ investigations and prosecutions of Musk’s companies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) joined 40 of their Congressional Democratic colleagues in raising concerns about President Donald Trump’s unlawful firings of dozens of independent agency heads and Inspectors General (IGs), and calling attention to how many of these firings appear to benefit Elon Musk. The lawmakers also urged Trump to immediately reinstate the illegally fired individuals and remove Musk from his government role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), on which there are still very few details, unless he addresses his conflicts of interest.
Musk and his companies have been the subject of at least 20 recent government investigations or prosecutions, including for possible violations of federal safety and labor laws. President Trump and Elon Musk’s removals of agency heads and career civil servants have affected at least 11 federal agencies that are conducting over 32 ongoing investigations, complaints, or enforcement actions against Musk’s companies.
The lawmakers warned that failing to hold Musk accountable hurts American citizens and threatens the democratic system of checks and balances.
“Nearly all of your decisions you made about who to fire appear to benefit Mr. Musk, and many target individuals and agencies that are currently investigating or prosecuting Mr. Musk or his companies for unlawful behavior,” wrote the lawmakers. “Many of these individuals have legal protections dictating why and how they can be removed from office. … Altogether, these firings either directly benefit Mr. Musk and his companies or remove guardrails that would hold them accountable to the rule of law.”
“These firings have removed the exact individuals in our government who would hold Mr. Musk and his companies accountable for following the law and protect everyday Americans from threats to their health, welfare, safety, and economic well-being,” continued the lawmakers.
The lawmakers’ letter lists several agency heads and watchdogs who were improperly fired while involved in oversight surrounding Musk, including but not limited to: National Labor Relations Board Chair Gwynne Wilcox, Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chair Ellen Weintraub, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Commissioners Jocelyn Samuels and Charlotte Burrow, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong.
Several of Trump’s orders contradict legal protections for the relevant officials. For example, federal law requires the president to notify Congress before removing an inspector general, but Trump did not do so before firing over a dozen IGs. Shortly after the terminations, Senators Padilla and Schiff joined a letter to President Trump demanding that the IGs be reinstated. President Trump has violated federal law with respect to numerous other agency officials, including the Office of the Special Counsel, the head of the Merit Service Protection Board, and a member of the National Labor Relations Board. Federal courts have already intervened against many of these presidential actions.
The letter was led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.-11) and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08). In addition to Padilla and Schiff, the letter is also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), as well as Representatives Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Donald Beyer (D-Va.-08), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.-09), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.-05), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.-09), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.-04), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.-07), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Summer Lee (D-Pa.-12), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.-02), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.-01), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai’i-02), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.-20), and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43).
Senators Padilla and Schiff have fought against the Trump Administration’s federal workforce cuts and Inspectors General firings. Last month, Padilla, Schiff, and all other Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats demanded answers from Trump Administration nominees and acting officials on the removal or reassignment of career law enforcement officials across the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Padilla condemned Trump’s attempt to unlawfully fire more than a dozen Inspectors General during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. He previously sounded the alarm on concerning reports that DOGE will make wide-ranging, harmful cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) workforce and programs, hampering HUD’s ability to support vulnerable communities and combat the housing and homelessness crises. As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Padilla also denounced the illegal firing of FEC Chair Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind this decision.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear President Trump:
We are concerned that you have engaged in an unlawful firing spree that includes dozens of Senate-confirmed government officials. Many of the individuals you have targeted lead federal agencies and offices that are investigating or prosecuting companies belonging to Elon Musk, one of your top advisors, for violations of a wide swath of federal safety, labor, intelligence, and other rules and laws. The firings of these officials threaten our democratic system of checks and balances and fail to hold Mr. Musk accountable for actions that may have hurt workers, endangered national security and citizens’ and small businesses’ data, ripped off taxpayers, damaged the environment, and broken federal election rules.
You have fired scores of Senate-confirmed government officials over the past three weeks, including many individuals who have legal protections dictating why and how they can be removed from office. For example, federal law requires the president to notify Congress before removing an inspector general (IG) from office, but you did not do so before firing over a dozen IGs during your first week in office. You also failed to set forth the specific and substantive rationale for each IG’s firing. Members of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) can be removed “for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause,” and you removed an NLRB member with no justification. These and other firings are illegal.
Nearly all of your decisions you made about who to fire appear to benefit Mr. Musk, and many target individuals and agencies that are currently investigating or prosecuting Mr. Musk or his companies for unlawful behavior. The fired individuals directly involved in pending or previous actions related to Mr. Musk and businesses include:
NLRB Chair Gwynne Wilcox. In January 2024, the NLRB charged Mr. Musk’s astronautics company SpaceX with engaging in unfair labor practices; the NLRB also currently has at least a dozen unfair labor practices cases open against Mr. Musk’s automotive company Tesla;
FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub. In 2024, the FEC adjudicated cases that alleged Mr. Musk may have violated campaign finance laws;
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioners Jocelyn Samuels and Charlotte Burrows. In September 2023, the EEOC sued Tesla for racial harassment and retaliation;
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) IG Phyllis Fong. In December 2022, the USDA IG investigated potential animal welfare violations at Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink; and
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) IG Paul Martin. The USAID IG was inspecting the use of Starlink terminals to support Ukraine.
You also fired three other IGs from agencies that were investigating or had punished Mr. Musk’s companies.
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) IG Eric Soskin. In January 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an agency under the DOT, opened an investigation into Tesla over safety concerns in its remote and self-driving vehicles, and in September 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration, which is also part of DOT, proposed fining SpaceX $630,000 for failing to follow license requirements during rocket launches;
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) IG Robert Storch. In December 2024, the DoD IG reportedly opened an investigation into repeated failures by Musk and SpaceX to disclose their meetings with foreign leaders; and
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) IG Larry Turner. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, part of the DOL, “has opened probes into and fined SpaceX, Tesla and Boring Company for worker injuries or unsafe working conditions.”
You have also fired numerous other agency leaders and IGs who would have provided a check on potential wrongdoing by Musk and his companies. These federal watchdogs could have held Musk and his associates accountable for future violations of the law. These individuals include:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) IG Sean O’Donnell. In 2019 and 2022, the EPA settled lawsuits with Tesla over Clean Air Act and hazardous waste law violations;
U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) IG Mark Greenblatt. DOI had reviewed Musk’s rocket launch facility Starbase;
U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Director David Huitema. OGE is an independent agency responsive for preventing conflicts of interest among federal officers and employees;
U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) Member Cathy Harris. MSPB is an independent agency that protects civil servants against partisan political and other prohibited practices;
Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) Chair Susan Tsui Grundmann. FLRA is an independent agency that oversees labor-management relations for federal employees; and
U.S. Office of the Special Counsel (OSC) Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger. OSC is an independent agency that protects whistleblowers and enforces restrictions on partisan political activity by government employees.
Altogether, these firings either directly benefit Mr. Musk and his companies or remove guardrails that would hold them accountable to the rule of law. The firings also hurt everyday Americans. The individuals you have fired served important watchdog roles in our government. IGs “protect taxpayer money by rooting out corruption, fraud, waste and mismanagement.” Minority commissioners on multi-member commissions of independent agencies provide dissenting opinions to the majority and allow for balanced decision-making over significant issues. In addition to removing agency leadership, you and Mr. Musk are removing career civil servants who would conduct investigations and enforcement actions against lawbreakers. The impacts are vast: in total, your removals of agency heads and career civil servants have affected at least eleven federal agencies with more than thirty-two ongoing investigations, complaints, or enforcement actions on Mr. Musk’s companies.
Mr. Musk has failed to address conflicts of interest related to his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency while serving as CEO of multiple companies that have significant interests before the federal government. Musk is required to comply with federal conflict of interest prohibitions (18 U.S.C. § 208) that prohibit him “from personally and substantially participating in any particular matter that would have a direct and predictable effect on his financial interests,” but the White House has stated that he will be in charge of policing his own compliance with the law, and he has provided no indication of whether he is doing so. Now, these firings have removed the exact individuals in our government who would hold Mr. Musk and his companies accountable for following the law and protect everyday Americans from threats to their health, welfare, safety, and economic well-being. We urge you to immediately reinstate the illegally fired individuals and remove Mr. Musk from his government role unless he addresses his massive and glaring conflicts of interest as required by law.
Sincerely,
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ST. LOUIS – A man from Overland, Missouri on Tuesday admitted possessing child sexual abuse material and engaging in sexual contact with a teen he’d met online.
James Donald Goings, 36, pleaded guilty to one felony count of receipt of child pornography. He admitted that investigators were alerted by CyberTipline Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after Goings uploaded child sexual abuse material to a Google account. On July 21, 2022, St. Louis County Police Department officers conducted a court-approved search of Goings’ house and recovered computer equipment. Investigators then learned that Going traveled to Illinois and engaged in sexual contact with a 15-year-old that he met via Grindr and was in contact with another teen from Georgia that he’d also met on Grindr, Goings’ plea says. The second victim told investigators that on multiple occasions he had video calls with Goings during which Goings directed him to perform specific sexual acts on video, the plea says.
Goings also possessed 2,500 images containing child sexual abuse material on a computer and 190 images in his Google account.
Going is scheduled to be sentenced in June. The charge is punishable by five to 20 years in prison. He has also agreed to forfeit cell phones, computer equipment and storage devices.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the Edwardsville (Illinois) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Seattle – A 30-year-old citizen of Mexico was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jose Gerardo Rodriguez-Montoya was encountered twice by law enforcement – the first time while they were investigating a drug distribution ring bringing narcotics to the area from Arizona. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “These offenses are serious. You had large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs… Dealing in fentanyl is dealing in death.”
According to records in the case, in March and April 2023, Rodriguez-Montoya was identified as a drug supplier by someone working as a confidential informant. Law enforcement learned that the trafficking organization was expecting a new shipment of narcotics from Arizona, and they saw Rodriguez-Montoya unload a large duffel-bag from a car with Arizona plates and take it into his Federal Way apartment. When law enforcement moved in, they recovered three kilograms of fentanyl powder as well as three kilograms of heroin and various smaller amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills. They also found a .45 caliber pistol in the apartment.
Seven months later he was arrested coming out of Snoqualmie Casino after being linked to a burglary and car theft. At the arrest Rodriguez-Montoya was found to have a handgun in his right front pocket.
Rodriguez-Montoya pleaded guilty to the two federal felonies in November 2024.
In asking for the five-year sentence prosecutors noted for the court the latest statistics on fentanyl overdose deaths in our community. “In 2023, the King County Medical Examiner’s office reported 1,085 confirmed overdose deaths related to fentanyl, 778 deaths in 2024, and 99 fentanyl-related deaths in King County so far this year. Fentanyl is estimated to be fifty times stronger than heroin. Even a tiny amount of fentanyl can kill. And Rodriguez-Montoya knows personally the devastating impact of fentanyl. In 2021, his father passed away from an accidental fentanyl overdose while living here in Seattle.”
Rodriguez-Montoya has been in federal custody since his arrest in February 2024.
Judge Whitehead imposed 4 years of supervised release to follow prison should Rodriguez-Montoya return to the U.S.
The case was investigated by Seattle Police department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erika Evans.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – Juwon Anderson, 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 5, 2025. The defendant was arrested on December 15, 2023, and has been detained ever since.
Others charged in the conspiracy are: Vincent Lee Alston, aka “Vedo,” 22, and Niquan Odumn, aka “Stickz” and “Debo,” 22, all of Washington, D.C., and Cy’Juan Hemsley, aka “Juan,” 18, of District Heights, Maryland, and Tyjuan McNeal, 28, of Washington, D.C
According to the court documents, on December 13, 2023, the defendant and at least four co-conspirators drove from Washington, D.C. to the A & D pawn shop in Maryland in two vehicles. Once at the A & D pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate covering the entrance to the A & D Pawn Shop. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door to the A&D Pawn Shop. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door to the A & D pawn shop. After breaking into the A & D pawn shop, the defendant and four other co-conspirators then entered the store, grabbed firearms from the store’s shelves and display racks, and left the store with firearms. In total, the defendant and his co-conspirators stole at least 34 firearms from the A & D Pawn shop. Anderson and his co-conspirators then used social media to advertise the sale of the stolen firearms. Two days after the burglary, on December 15, 2023, Anderson was arrested with two of the stolen firearms.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar and Ryan Lipes.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A previously convicted sex offender who sexually exploited two minor females and forced one of the girls to engage in commercial sex acts with men at hotels pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today.
Anthony Sims, 56, of Columbus, was scheduled to begin trial on March 17. He pleaded guilty today to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of sex trafficking a minor.
The guilty plea includes a sentencing recommendation of 25 to 50 years in prison.
Sims admitted that he raped a 12-year-old girl 40 to 50 times over the span of six months in 2020. Sims provided the girl marijuana and alcohol and talked her into getting high and drinking. At times, during the sexual assaults, Sims would hold down the victim’s arms or hold her in place. He also forced the girl to pose for photos in sexual positions either while nude or while wearing lingerie.
Likewise, Sims convinced another, a 13-year-old girl, to smoke marijuana with him, and once she was high, Sims raped her. He also held down this victim. Sims would take nude photos of her and made her pose with stuffed animals or pillows.
Sims also took the 13-year-old to various hotels to force her to have sex with men who paid Sims. The victim was forced to have sex with approximately 50 different men. Sims sold pornographic photos of the victim and coordinated the dates at the hotels.
At the time of his most recent crimes, Sims was a registered sex offender with two convictions out of Michigan.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Tyler J. Aagard are representing the United States in this case.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Defendant had just been illegally smuggled into U.S. and traveled from Southern California to Bellevue to collect smuggling debts
Seattle– A 33-year-old citizen of China, who was residing in Los Angeles, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in prison for kidnapping, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Ji Wang was arrested on May 13, 2024, in the Los Angeles area. Wang was identified as one of the kidnappers linked to the May 27, 2023, abduction and assault of a worker at a hot pot restaurant in Bellevue, Washington. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robert said, “They not only kidnapped the victim, but brutally assaulted him… It did serious injuries and permanent damage…. It’s about as callous a set of circumstances and as malicious an assault short of actually killing someone.”
According to records filed in the case, Ji Wang was connected to a ring smuggling people across the southern border into the U.S. for a fee. Wang had been illegally smuggled into the U.S. less than two weeks before the kidnapping. The investigation revealed that the victim referred people from China who wanted to cross into the U.S., for the smuggling services. The victim was supposed to collect and transfer smuggling fees from those who used the smuggling services. The victim did not collect as high a fee as the smuggling group anticipated. Wang and a co-schemer traveled to Bellevue in May and physically removed the victim from his work and forced him into a sedan.
The men beat the victim and smashed his face into the cement and dragged him down a set of stairs. Witnesses quickly alerted Bellevue Police. Officers worked with the victim’s girlfriend who placed a video call to the victim’s cellphone. Wang answered the call and showed his face. Police recorded the call and were able to identify Wang.
Wang and his associate dropped the victim at a service station in Bellevue. The victim was critically injured and needed emergency surgery for swelling of the brain. The victim was in a coma for six weeks. He has had four skull surgeries. He spent five months in Overlake hospital. He has lasting physical and cognitive damage from the assault. The medical bills from the assault are more than $1 million.
In asking for the 8-year sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “the sentence should also be long enough to deter similarly situated defendants from engaging in such brazen and violent conduct to collect illegal smuggling debts.”
Wang was not legally present in the United States and will likely be deported following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Bellevue Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), and the U.S. Marshal’s Service Task Force.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced four individuals to federal prison terms for their roles in conspiring to distribute kilograms of cocaine in central Florida. Each previously pleaded guilty. The conspirators also forfeited $464,031 in cash seizures in the case.
|
Name (age, city of residence) |
Sentence Imposed |
|
Israel Miranda (36, Kissimmee) |
10 years in federal prison |
|
Abiezer Laboy Lozada (36, Orlando) |
10 years in federal prison |
| Jorge Antonio Gonzalez de la Fuente (31, St. Cloud) | 7 years, 3 months in federal prison |
|
Carlos Antonio Garcia Garcia (35, Kissimmee) |
5 years in federal prison |
According to the plea agreements, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identified a group of individuals working to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine and the proceeds of those sales during 2022. On May 1, 2023, the DEA surveilled Miranda as he distributed drugs to Laboy Lozada in a parking lot. In this and similar meetings during the conspiracy, Laboy Lozada admitted to obtaining 20-30 kilograms of cocaine from Miranda. On October 4, 2023, Miranda delivered a shoe box to Gonzalez de la Fuente, who delivered it to Garcia Garcia. When law enforcement stopped Garcia Garcia’s vehicle, he was found to be carrying that same box containing a kilogram of cocaine.
Over the course of the conspiracy, Gonzalez de la Fuente met with his conspirators two or three times a month and was involved in distribution of 15 – 50 kilograms of cocaine. Gonzalez de la Fuente continued to engage in drug distribution after being charged federally and was detained when this was discovered.
On October 13, 2023, Miranda delivered drug proceeds to an individual who was found to be transporting $262,257 in a brown paper bag. At the same time, Miranda texted a conspirator an image of the stacks of bills he was distributing with the message “should be 110k.” Similar enforcement actions resulted in the seizure of $51,989 from Miranda on November 7, 2023, and $149,785 from Miranda on March 6, 2024. Over the course of the conspiracy, Miranda distributed drugs or drug proceeds reflecting distribution of more than 89 kilograms of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Secret Service, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Defendant Was Released Under Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA) While Serving Time for Another Homicide
WASHINGTON – Darrell Moore, 47, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today, by a Superior Court jury, of first-degree murder while armed and other related firearm charges, in connection with the April 2021 murder of Julius Hayes, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Moore faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:50 p.m. on April 3, 2021, Moore drove to the 300 block of 18th Street, NE, in a black sedan. There, Moore approached Mr. Hayes. The two began to argue, but Mr. Hayes walked away from the confrontation. Moore, however, ran at Mr. Hayes, pulled out a handgun and shot Mr. Hayes multiple times in the middle of the street. Moore then went back to the sedan where he paused for a bit, but decided to return to Mr. Hayes to continue the attack. Moore left the area driving south on 18th Street. Officers and medics responded to the scene and discovered Mr. Hayes lying between two parked cars. Mr. Hayes was pronounced dead after he was rushed to the hospital. Moore was arrested on May 11, 2021 and has been in custody since.
In 1995, at the age of 16, Moore was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder while armed, felony murder, and other charges for the brutal home invasion-killing of a child and the attempted murders of the child’s mother and aunt. Moore committed this crime with his twin brother, who was also convicted and remains incarcerated. On August 7, 2020, Moore was released, over the government’s objection, after receiving a sentence reduction under the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA). Nine months after his release, Moore executed Mr. Hayes in broad daylight in the middle of the street.
Moore was arrested on May 11, 2021 and has been in custody since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin commended the work of those investigating the case from the MPD, United States Attorney’s Office, ATF Washington Field Division, FBI Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences, DC Department of Corrections, and the United States Marshals Service. Finally, the U.S. Attorney commended Assistant United States Attorneys Nebiyu Feleke and Michael C. Lee for their work in prosecuting this case.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) and six other Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker, urging the organization to clarify its stance on the participation of biological males in female sports. For the past four years, Democrats have waged a war against female athletes – allowing over 900 men to compete in women’s sports, share their locker rooms, and earn scholarships designed for women. In February, President Trump signed a historic Executive Order banning men from competing in women’s sports. Following the President’s Executive Order, the NCAA updated its policy to prevent men from competing in women’s sports. However, aside from competition, it is unclear what biological males have access to under the NCAA’s new policy.
“In response to President Trump’s order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its student-athlete participation policy to bar biological male students from participating in women’s sports. We commend the NCAA’s quick action to comply with President Trump’s order and write to encourage the NCAA to take additional steps to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes nationwide.
There is an opportunity to clarify that these guarantees do not include access to facilities that would undermine the privacy and safety of female athletes–such as women’s locker rooms or other female-only spaces— which the President’s order made clear should be protected,” they added. “We ask that the NCAA consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports,” wrote the Senators.
Joining Senators Tuberville and Justice are U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID, and Jim Banks (R-IN) in sending the letter.
Read full text of the letter below or here.
“Dear President Baker,
On February 5, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order-Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports- to strengthen Title IX and protect opportunities for biological female athletes to compete in safe and fair sports. After the Biden-Harris administration’s assault on Title IX in its efforts to allow biologically male athletes who identify as female to compete in women’s sports, this order came as a sigh of relief to millions of female athletes across the country who desire equal opportunity to engage in competitive athletics.
In response to President Trump’s order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its student-athlete participation policy to bar biological male students from participating in women’s sports. We commend the NCAA’s quick action to comply with President Trump’s order and write to encourage the NCAA to take additional steps to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes nationwide.
The NCAA’s new policy makes clear that biological male student-athletes may not compete on a women’s team. We could not be more supportive of this essential policy change. The NCAA’s policy guarantees that biological male athletes who practice with female athletes will “receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes who are otherwise eligible for practice.” There is an opportunity to clarify that these guarantees do not include access to facilities that would undermine the privacy and safety of female athletes–such as women’s locker rooms or other female-only spaces— which the President’s order made clear should be protected. We ask that the NCAA consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports.
We also applaud the NCAA’s policy defining “sex assigned at birth” as the male or female designation that doctors assign to infants at birth, which is marked on their birth records—e.g. birth certificate. Publicly, the NCAA has affirmed that biological male athletes may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or by other documentary means. The NCAA’s public stance on this issue is commendable, and its policy could go a step further and explicitly state that amended birth certificates are prohibited.
We stand in support of President Trump’s unparallel actions to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes across the country. The NCAA’s efforts are likewise respectable, and we look forward to working with you to ensure women and girls have equal opportunity in athletics.
Sincerely,”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.