Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CATHERINE SEEMER, a nurse practitioner who stole the identities of 12 medical doctors and orchestrated an $11.2 million disability loan fraud scheme, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “Today, Catherine Seemer has been held accountable for defrauding a federal loan forgiveness program created to help ease the financial burden of those who suffer from permanent physical or mental disabilities, including military veterans who endure service-related disabilities. Seemer used the stolen identities of a dozen medical doctors to falsify disabilities and cause more than $11.2 million in loans to be fraudulently discharged. This Office remains dedicated to rooting out fraud and abuse of taxpayer-funded government programs.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, Information, and statements made in court:
From June 2017 through March 2022, SEEMER orchestrated a scheme to cause the fraudulent discharge of millions of dollars’ worth of student loans for borrowers who did not qualify for relief under the federal Total and Permanent Disability Discharge Program and its private analogue. As part of the scheme, SEEMER deceived over 125 borrowers into believing they qualified for various forms of student loan relief and charged them fees to facilitate their loan discharge process. She then used the personal identifying information of the unsuspecting borrowers to submit fraudulent applications for student loan discharge on the basis of non-existent permanent physical and mental disabilities. In support of these applications, SEEMER used the stolen identities, medical license numbers, and forged signatures of over a dozen medical doctors to falsify medical diagnoses and disability certifications. The scheme resulted in the wrongful discharge of over approximately $11.2 million in loans under the disability-based relief programs.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, SEEMER, 44, of Elmsford, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $635,352.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Qais Ghafary is in charge of the prosecution.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on February 3, 2025, Nitin Mishra, 33, of Jaipur, India, was sentenced for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and distributing controlled substances, including the opioids Tapentadol and Tramadol, in connection with his involvement in an international drug trafficking operation. Mishra had been extradited from Albania to the United States to face these charges. United States District Judge William K. Sessions III sentenced Mishra, who had already spent approximately 28 months in custody, to time served and ordered the defendant to pay $7,300 in forfeiture.
According to court records, from around the beginning of 2019 through about June 2021, Mishra, who was based in India, conspired with two Vermont residents, among other individuals, to send multiple shipments of controlled substances, including opioids and misbranded drugs, into the United States. Mishra then worked with his co-conspirators to reship and distribute these drugs to individuals located throughout the United States. The investigation revealed that the conspiracy involved tens of thousands of pills, and included the Schedule II controlled substance Tapentadol, as well as the Schedule IV controlled substances, Tramadol, Carisoprodol, and Zolpidem.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Rutland City Police Department.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Mishra is represented by Robert L. Sussman, Esq.
Four pharmacy owners have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
Pharmacist Raef Hamaed, of Maricopa County, Arizona, was sentenced on Jan. 8 to 10 years in prison; pharmacist Tarek Fakhuri, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, was sentenced on Jan. 13 to seven years in prison; pharmacist Ali Abdelrazzaq, of Macomb County, Michigan, was sentenced on Jan. 15 to two years in prison; and pharmacist Kindy Ghussin, of Greene County, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hamaed, Fakhuri, Ghussin, and Abdelrazzaq billed Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for prescription medications that they did not dispense at five pharmacies they owned and operated: Eastside Pharmacy, Harper Drugs, and Wayne Campus Pharmacy in Michigan, and Heartland Pharmacy and Heartland Pharmacy 2 in Ohio. The defendants collectively caused over $13 million of loss to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
On Sept. 5, 2024, a federal jury convicted Hamaed, Fakhuri, Ghussin, and Abdelrazzaq of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. The jury also convicted Fakhuri of one count of health care fraud. Hamaed was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at all five pharmacies; Fakhuri was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at Harper Drugs, Wayne Campus Pharmacy, and Heartland Pharmacy; Ghussin was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at Wayne Campus Pharmacy and both Heartland pharmacies; and Abdelrazzaq was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at Wayne Campus Pharmacy.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Detroit Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Claire Sobczak Pacelli, Kelly M. Warner, and S. Babu Kaza of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced this week to 8 years and 1 month for conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Roger Bailey, 42, was sentenced to 8 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Between April 9, 2024, and May 29, 2024, Bailey conspired with other persons to possess with intent to distribute cocaine by selling cocaine on four occasions. On May 29, 2024, a residential search warrant was executed on Bailey’s residence located at 441 South 29th Street, Louisville, Kentucky. During the search, cocaine, a Mossberg, Model MMR, 5.56 caliber rifle, a Glock, Model 19, 9-millimeter pistol, an American Tactical Imports, Model Omni Hybrid, multi-caliber pistol, and ammunition were found and seized.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case is 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.
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Allen, age 38, of Rosenberg, Texas, was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Allen was the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy, selling methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine hydrochloride, fentanyl, and heroin in Monongalia County. Allen was operating the organization from a townhouse in Morgantown and a storage unit in Star City. Allen’s drug supply came from California and was shipped via FedEx and USPS. The shipments totaled nearly 66 pounds of methamphetamine. Investigators also seized packages sent from California to Houston containing cocaine and fentanyl.
Allen will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The FBI’s Northern West Virginia Drug Task Force in partnership with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The Task Forces have members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; and the Morgantown, WVU, Granville, and Star City Police Departments. The investigation was also assisted by the following law enforcement partners: the Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI in Houston, Texas; the Houston Police Department’s Multi-Agency Gang Initiative; the United States Postal Inspection Service in Houston; and the FBI and DEA in Los Angeles, California.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
BOSTON – An Indian national living in Chelsea, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for making false statements in an application for a U.S. passport and making false statements to federal agents.
Sharn Parzival, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns to time served (approximately five months) and one year of supervised release. Parzival is subject to deportation. In December 2024, Parzival pleaded guilty to an Information.
On Jan. 31, 2023, Parzival submitted an application for a U.S. passport at a post office in Somerville, Mass. In the application he claimed to have been born in Maryland and declared under penalty of perjury that he was a citizen or national of the United States. As proof of identity and citizenship, Parzival submitted copies of a Massachusetts driver’s license and a purported Maryland birth certificate. The investigation revealed, however, that Parzival had entered the country in 2021 from India on a non-immigrant student Visa but had thereafter been expelled by the school he was attending. Further investigation revealed that the birth certificate was fraudulent and that Maryland had never issued a birth certificate in Parzival’s name.
On April 26, 2023, Parzival went to the office of the U.S. Department of State (DOS) in Boston to inquire about the status of his passport application. He agreed to be interviewed by DOS agents and made a number of false statements, including that he had been born in Maryland, that he had no affiliation with India and that he had never applied for a Visa. A fingerprint analyst subsequently compared Parzival’s fingerprints to fingerprints that he provided when he applied for the Visa in India and concluded that they matched.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Four pharmacy owners have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
Pharmacist Raef Hamaed, of Maricopa County, Arizona, was sentenced on Jan. 8 to 10 years in prison; pharmacist Tarek Fakhuri, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, was sentenced on Jan. 13 to seven years in prison; pharmacist Ali Abdelrazzaq, of Macomb County, Michigan, was sentenced on Jan. 15 to two years in prison; and pharmacist Kindy Ghussin, of Greene County, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hamaed, Fakhuri, Ghussin, and Abdelrazzaq billed Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for prescription medications that they did not dispense at five pharmacies they owned and operated: Eastside Pharmacy, Harper Drugs, and Wayne Campus Pharmacy in Michigan, and Heartland Pharmacy and Heartland Pharmacy 2 in Ohio. The defendants collectively caused over $13 million of loss to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
On Sept. 5, 2024, a federal jury convicted Hamaed, Fakhuri, Ghussin, and Abdelrazzaq of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. The jury also convicted Fakhuri of one count of health care fraud. Hamaed was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at all five pharmacies; Fakhuri was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at Harper Drugs, Wayne Campus Pharmacy, and Heartland Pharmacy; Ghussin was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at Wayne Campus Pharmacy and both Heartland pharmacies; and Abdelrazzaq was sentenced for his role in the conspiracy at Wayne Campus Pharmacy.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI Detroit Field Office and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Claire Sobczak Pacelli, Kelly M. Warner, and S. Babu Kaza of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
The Dassault Falcon 2000EX Aircraft Was Used by Venezuela’s State-Owned Oil and Natural Gas Company and Illegally Maintained and Serviced Using Parts from the United States
The Justice Department announced today that Dominican Republic authorities seized a Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, at the request of the U.S. government based on violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
“The use of American-made parts to service and maintain aircraft operated by sanctioned entities like PdVSA is intolerable,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, along with its federal law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard our national security by identifying, disrupting, and dismantling schemes aimed at procuring American goods in violation of our sanctions and export control laws.”
“Today’s announcement — the seizure of a sanctioned aircraft used by the Maduro regime — clearly shows that sanctions and export control laws have teeth,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “BIS will continue to aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who violate our regulations.”
“The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft provides yet another example of this office’s commitment to enforcing America’s export control laws against Venezuelan-owned PdVSA and other sanctioned entities,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Asset forfeiture is a powerful law enforcement tool, which we will continue to use aggressively to deter, disrupt, and otherwise combat criminal activity.”
“This seizure demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export control and sanctions laws around the globe,” said Edwin F. Lopez, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Santo Domingo Country Attaché. “By working closely with our partners in the Dominican Republic and across the U.S. government, we successfully prevented the violation of U.S. laws designed to protect national security and foreign policy interests. HSI will continue to use its global reach and investigative expertise to target those who seek to evade justice and undermine the rule of law.”
In August 2019, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 13884, which, among other things, prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with persons who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of PdVSA. Pursuant to the EO, on Jan. 21, 2020, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified 15 aircraft as blocked property of U.S. law that generally prohibit transactions by U.S. persons within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in blocked property.
According to the U.S. investigation, in July 2017, PdVSA purchased the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft from the United States and exported it to Venezuela where it was registered under tail number YV-3360. Following the imposition of sanctions on PdVSA and identification of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft as blocked property of PdVSA, the aircraft was serviced and maintained on multiple occasions using parts from the United States. The servicing included a brake assembly, electronic flight displays, and flight management computers: all in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
According to a public statement issued by OFAC, since at least January 2019, the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft has transported Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, who is also sanctioned by the U.S. government, to an Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in the United Arab Emirates and has been used to transport senior members of the Maduro regime in a continuation of the regime’s misappropriation of PdVSA assets.
The Justice Department previously announced in September 2024 the seizure of a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft in the Dominican Republic that was owned and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros and persons affiliated with him in Venezuela.
The BIS Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from HSI Santo Domingo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorge Delgado and Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Stratton and Ajay J. Alexander for the Southern District of Florida also provided assistance.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance. The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.
The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
Hickenlooper: “It’s time to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt what Mr. Vought and his Project [2025] are trying to do.”
Senate Democrats held the Senate floor overnight to oppose Vought’s nomination
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor against the nomination of Russell Vought, President Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Budget and Management (OMB). Hickenlooper’s remarks come ahead of the final confirmation vote, where he will vote “No” on Vought.
“If confirmed, Mr. Vought and Project 2025 could have devastating consequences for Colorado,” Hickenlooper said on the Senate floor.
“…At a time when grocery prices are rising on everything from eggs to meat, Project 2025 is going to make life harder for Colorado farmers and ranchers – and more risky,” he continued. “Project 2025 would cut safety nets for our Ag producers when they have a bad season…Hanging small farmers out to dry does nothing to lower grocery prices for [Americans].”
“…I will oppose every nominee that poses a genuine threat to Coloradans. That’s why I’m here on the floor and will vote “No” on Mr. Vought today.”
“…It’s time to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt what Mr. Vought and his Project [2025] are trying to do.”
The OMB oversees the performance of federal agencies and administers the federal budget. Vought previously served as acting OMB director during President Donald Trump’s first term and was a primary architect of Project 2025, which details MAGA Republicans’ far-right agenda to dismantle the federal government under a Trump administration.
Last week, in response to an executive order from President Trump, the OMB ordered a freeze on all federal grants and loans. The pause threatened hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, which would have impacted thousands of organizations in Colorado and hurt millions of Americans.
On Monday, a federal court issued a restraining order against the Trump administration, extending a temporary pause on the President’s plan.
More information about how a freeze would impact Coloradans is available HERE.
Yesterday, Hickenlooper posted a video to social media where he commits to use every tool at his disposal, including opposing any nominees who will harm Colorado, to disrupt the administration’s illegal actions. This morning, Hickenlooper joined Democrats in holding the Senate floor overnight to oppose Trump’s nominee.
To download a full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks is available below:
“Mr. President,
“I take to the floor today to urge my colleagues to vote “No” on President Trump’s nominee to the Office of Budget and Management, Russell Vought.
“Some remember Mr. Vought from when he served as the head of the same agency during President Trump’s first term. He is one of the very few “repeat” appointments – clearly a reflection of his loyalty.
“You may also know him for his leadership – his authoring – of Project 2025, that far-right agenda that the President – during the campaign – swore up and down he had no idea about.
“And I believe that, although I think he understood many discussions, perhaps outlined the framework.
“Project 2025 would gut our longstanding and globally admired framework of checks and balances. It would gut them. It would ensure civil servants would be hired and fired on the basis of political loyalty – something that this country has struggled for many decades to get rid of.
“It would truly weaponize our system of justice. Again something that almost everyone works towards keeping nonpartisan.
“It lays out in detail a plan to dramatically change our American system of government – perhaps for a very long time.
“It’s really not a question of “if” anymore. The plan and the people putting it in place are disregarding laws and norms dating back to the Constitution. They are throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
“This means firing or pushing out vast swaths of the federal workforce of civil servants. These are career civil servants, many of whom have devoted their lives to keeping our government running – from processing social security checks, and keeping our weather systems afloat, or helping to stop waste, fraud and abuse.
“Some would say our federal workers don’t do anything. But they are honest, hard-working Americans.
“Project 2025 is just getting started. If confirmed, Mr.Vought and Project 2025 could have devastating consequences for Colorado.
“Deep in Project 2025 are plans to heavily restrict access to contraceptives and abortion medication, denying women and families the freedom to make their own reproductive decisions.
“Plans to make health care more expensive by repealing policies that empower Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and drive down the cost of health care for seniors.
“Plans to make Colorado less resilient to these increasingly frequent disasters caused by extreme weather.
“And they’re already reinstating cruel immigration policies, and threatening to come after the LGBTQ+ community.
“At a time when grocery prices are rising on everything from eggs to meat, Project 2025 is going to make life harder for Colorado farmers and ranchers – and more risky.
“Project 2025 would cut safety nets for our Ag producers when they have a bad season. It includes plans to gut essential crop insurance. Project 2025 even wants government to get involved in the specific techniques our ranchers use to farm.
“Now, our Colorado farmers know their land better than anyone else. Hanging small farmers out to dry does nothing to lower grocery prices for America.
“We’ve been hearing in our offices from producers across the state who are very concerned about what this Project 2025 means to them. We have over 38,000 farm operations in Colorado. Some harvest wheat, some raise meat or poultry, some specialize in dairy. All of them help support our rural communities and play an essential role in feeding families really all across the country.
“We don’t have to speculate about what Mr.Vought would do to the Office of Management and Budget – he’s really laid it all out in Project 2025. He wrote Project 2025 to a large extent himself.
“One of his finest contributions: a section championing the Executive Branch’s ability to overreach and “impound funds.”
“Let’s not mince words: This is, by all historic measures, blatantly unconstitutional.
“Congress alone has the authority to decide how the government spends its money.
“This isn’t an opinion. It says explicitly in Article I, Section 9, Clause 7: “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.”
“Made by law, designated by Congress.
“And again in Article I, Section 8, Clause 1: “Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.”
“We got a taste of how Mr. Vought would attempt to execute something like this last week.
“In a truly chaotic late-night, two-page memo, the Trump administration halted all federal grants and loans. We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in federal spending for a staggering number of programs. Programs that provide Americans health care, food, nutrition, housing, child care, so much else.
“The memo stemmed from an executive order calling on federal agencies to review and eliminate spending on “woke” ideologies or “The [Green New] Deal” – both things that aren’t clearly defined and don’t in any specific way exist.
“In this rush to create chaos and jumbled policy, the implementors didn’t bother to specify which programs would continue and which programs would end.
“Our office and staff were immediately flooded with calls. Hundreds and then thousands of calls. We heard from folks in every corner of Colorado – big cities, small towns – asking ‘what does this mean’ for them and their families. There was real fear, real worry, and for good reason.
“The Trump administration tried to walk back the original memo to clarify that the freeze wouldn’t affect individual payments, like Social Security or food stamp benefits.
“But that didn’t clear up too much. And it certainly didn’t help that the White House Press Secretary couldn’t answer specific questions like pertaining to specific government programs like Medicaid, whether they were going to be affected. Frustrating as it is – and I get how frustrating it is – there are reasons why government moves slowly.
“All of this, if implemented as requested, would’ve had a devastating impact on Colorado. A devastating impact.
“Federal programs and funds make up roughly 25 percent of our state’s effort to build transportation and infrastructure, provide needed services for the most needy in our state.
“Head Start, a truly vital service for over 9,000 low-income kids in Colorado, would be forced to shutter its operations that provide for these low-income kids of all communities with the early childhood education, health, and nutrition that they need. Even as we speak, there are reports that Head Start providers around the nation are not able to access funds.
“If implemented it would cut off 83,000+ low-income Colorado families from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps heat their homes in the cold winter. These are folks that in many cases are unable to pay their heating bills or wouldn’t be able to heat their homes without this assistance.
“Our public safety and law enforcement would be weakened. The pause would strip funding that helps our local agencies prevent terrorism, helps them crack down on drug trafficking, and prevent crimes and provide services for those who have been victimized by crime.
“Colorado has one of the largest veteran populations in the country, something we’re very proud of. But this funding [pause] would cut resources for those vets. It would cut resources for community-based suicide prevention efforts, organizations that provide care for veterans experiencing homelessness, and services for veterans living with disabilities – many of them taken in the defense of our nation. Hard to be cruel to those who have given their country so much.
“Before entering public service, I was in the restaurant business. At our brewpub in downtown Denver, we’d cook, pack, and donate meals every year to Meals on Wheels to feed seniors throughout the Metro Denver area. I’ve seen firsthand the difference this makes, the relief it provides to seniors who need it. Many of them don’t leave the house, and are so grateful to have someone come and they can talk to as they get their meal.
“But the federal funding freeze left Meals on Wheels in Colorado, but all across the country, unsure of how and whether they’ll be able to continue serving meals. Over 25,000 Coloradan seniors everyday rely on Meals on Wheels to access food. Why would we leave our seniors hungry and unsure of where their next hot lunch is going to come?
“Our office also heard directly from a Colorado rural health organization about how this federal funding freeze would have life-or-death effects on Coloradans in 47 rural counties.
“When we’re in towns like Cortez or Hugo or Julesburg, we hear all the time about how our rural hospitals, clinics, and community health centers are already strained by workforce shortages, by rising costs.
“These medical providers are on the frontlines of dealing with our nation’s mental health and opioid crisis. And we’re cutting their ability to provide these services.
“These folks in rural Colorado, and in suburbs around every city in Colorado, are watching their friends, family, and neighbors struggle with mental health issues that rose up after the pandemic.
“This funding freeze wouldn’t just strip funding from these programs. It would force our critical rural hospitals to lay off staff or turn away patients at a time when they need it the most.
“We should be fighting to increase access to quality, affordable health care no matter where people live – not take it away.
“The federal funding freeze has already been blocked by the courts several times because it is blatantly illegal. It makes no sense.
“But make no mistake, Mr. Vought and the Trump administration will keep poking and prodding our courts and our Constitution until they get their way.
“All of these actions serve a sinister purpose: to completely transform our government into one that gives enormous, enormous tax cuts, largely directed at those who don’t need them – and in many cases in Colorado don’t want them – and puts working-class Americans out to pasture.
“The federal funding freeze is just one of many chaotic actions that Mr.Vought and the administration are pushing. We see Project 2025 come into clarity in this administration’s illegal attempts to dismantle agencies without congressional approval, or their attempts to access Americans’ sensitive data.
“Look, I’m all for cutting government waste. If you want to seriously look at how we spend money and where we can cut actual fraud, waste, and abuse – I’m game. A more efficient government will help us all, but that’s not what’s happening.
“I’ve worked as hard as I could to find ways to work across the aisle, and that’s not going to change. When I was Mayor of Denver, when I was Governor of Colorado, we balanced the budget every year and we worked hard to try and streamline government processes. Just like every mayor and every governor in this country.
“You can’t just shove working families under the bus or violate the law to do it.
“We’ll fight these attempts in the courts, on the floor of the Senate – like now – and everywhere else we can to defend Colorado and the Constitution.
“It’s time to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt what Mr. Vought and his Project [2025] are trying to do. We’ve supported these lawsuits, opposed executive actions, and voted against nominees.
“But if we need to hold the Senate floor like we’re doing now, vote all night, disrupt business as usual, we’ll do that too.
“I will oppose every nominee that poses a genuine threat to Coloradans. That’s why I’m here on the floor and will vote “No” on Mr. Vought today.
“Coloradans sent us to Washington to solve problems, not to create more. Project 2025, it’s a brutal plan to wreak havoc on our nation, and really change the way our government operates, the way our democracy functions.
“I hope people all over the state emulate that old movie “Network”, that they can shout out on every corner, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to stand for it!”
“Let’s hope they get so loud that they can’t be drowned out.
On February 1, 2025 at approximately 2:20 p.m., Yorkton RCMP received a report of a serious assault at a residence on Waterloo Road in Yorkton.
Officers and EMS responded. Investigation determined an adult male assaulted a child, who is under the age of 6, who was transported to hospital with serious injuries. We are unable to provide an update on the child’s condition, due to privacy considerations.
The adult male was arrested at the scene.
As a result of continued investigation, 41-year-old Frederick Stewart from Saltcoats, SK is charged with:
– one count of attempted murder, Section 239(b), Criminal Code;
– one count, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;
– one count, assault by choking, Section 267(c), Criminal Code; and
– one count, fail to comply with probation order, Section 733.1(1).
He is scheduled to appear in Yorkton Provincial Court on February 7, 2025.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led thirteen of her colleagues in introducing the Carried Interest Fairness Act to eliminate a tax loophole that benefits wealthy money managers on Wall Street. The current carried interest loophole allows investment managers to often pay almost half the tax rate compared to most other Wisconsin workers.
“Wall Street investors should not be paying less in taxes than Wisconsin firefighters, teachers, and small business owners. But right now, the wealthiest Americans are gaming our tax system to get out of paying their fair share, passing their tax burden onto working Wisconsinites,” said Senator Baldwin. “Closing the carried interest loophole will ensure super-wealthy Americans do their part, reducing the deficit and increasing fairness in our tax code. As President Trump has previously said, this loophole is ‘unfair to American workers’ and I look forward to working with him to finally close it.”
The carried interest loophole allows investment managers to pay the lower 23.8 percent capital gains tax rate on income received as compensation, rather than the ordinary income tax rates of up to 40.8 percent that they would pay for the same amount of wage income. The Carried Interest Fairness Act requires carried interest income to be taxed at ordinary wage rates. According to the Treasury proposal, closing this loophole will raise $6.5 billion in revenue over 10 years.
Despite President Donald Trump previously saying, “…we will eliminate the carried interest deduction and other special interest loopholes…” during the 2016 election, his 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “failed to eliminate [the] key deduction used by wealthy investment firms that Trump had vowed to kill,” leading PolitiFact to rate this a “Promise Broken.” Senate Republicans rejected an amendment to the tax bill by Senator Baldwin to close the loophole, which all Senate Democrats supported in 2017.
The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI). Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03) also introduced this bill today in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The legislation is endorsed by Communications Workers of America, Americans for Tax Fairness, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Public Citizen, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Alliance for Retired Americans, Americans for Financial Reform, Take on Wall Street, Patriotic Millionaires, 20/20 Vision, Main Street Alliance, American Federation of Government Employees, Small Business Minority, Economic Policy Institute, and the National Women’s Law Center.
“The carried interest loophole is an expensive subsidy of the billionaire executives who are raiding the public purse right now to pay for their next private island,” said Porter McConnell, Senior Director of Take on Wall Street at Americans for Financial Reform. “We commend Senator Baldwin for her leadership on closing this egregious loophole so that working families can stop subsidizing ultra wealthy hedge fund and private equity executives.”
“The carried interest loophole is an unfair Wall Street tax break that enriches billionaires who end up paying lower tax rates than teachers, nurses, and firefighters.” said Oscar Valdés Viera, research manager at Americans for Financial Reform. “We applaud Senator Baldwin for her unwavering leadership in introducing the Carried Interest Fairness Act and urge the Senate to swiftly move on this legislation.”
“The carried interest loophole gives a class of the wealthy elite – hedge fund managers and executives – an enormous and unfair advantage by allowing them to pay a significantly lower tax rate on their compensation than working- and middle-class Americans. Senator Baldwin’s Carried Interest Fairness Act would work to close this loophole, enhancing tax fairness, narrowing the growing wealth gap, and providing crucial revenue for investments in the American people,” said Casey Conroy, Senior Fiscal Policy Analyst at 20/20 Vision.
“Small business owners work hard every day to keep their doors open, staff on payroll and shelves stocked. Meanwhile, investment managers pay a lower tax rate than Main Street because of a ridiculous loophole. Main Street Alliance and our 30,000 members strongly support Senator Baldwin’s Carried Interest Fairness Act. Our tax code should focus on supporting the 20 million new small business owners who have started since 2020, not glitzy hedge funds,” said Richard Trent, Main Street Alliance Executive Director.
“There are a lot of economically and morally unjustifiable tax loopholes that disproportionately benefit wealthy people like me, but the carried interest loophole may just take the cake. Ultra-wealthy hedge fund managers should not receive a tax break on the income they earn managing other people’s money, as the last time I checked, nurses don’t get a tax break on the money they make ‘managing’ people’s lives with their blood, sweat, and tears. It’s time for lawmakers to pass the Carried Interest Fairness Act and close this egregious loophole once and for all,” said Morris Pearl, Chair of the Patriotic Millionaires and a former Managing Director at BlackRock.
“The carried interest tax loophole stands as one of the most glaring examples of how the ultra-wealthy exploit and rig our broken tax system to their advantage,” said David Kass, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness. “It’s common sense—Wall Street hedge fund managers shouldn’t pay lower federal tax rates than nurses, teachers, and most working Americans. This change is long overdue and represents a critical step toward a fairer tax system that ensures these uber-wealthy individuals pay their fair share like everyone else.”
“There is no reason that private equity managers, some of the wealthiest people in the country, should get away with paying lower tax rates than average families, especially as the care crisis continues to strain family budgets. Closing the carried interest loophole is an important step towards making sure the wealthiest are paying their fair share and that our tax code works for all of us, not just those at the top,” said Melissa Boteach, Vice President for Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning at the National Women’s Law Center.
A one-pager on this legislation is available here. Bill text of this legislation is available here.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Judiciary Democrats Condemn Trump’s Unfit Nominee for FBI Director Kash Patel
WATCH: Padilla urges Republicans to reject Patel based on alarming and radical record
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined his Democratic colleagues on the Committee in speaking out against Kash Patel’s dangerous nomination to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). During this morning’s Judiciary Committee business meeting, Padilla objected to Patel’s nomination and urged his Republican colleagues to do the same ahead of the Committee’s vote next week.
Padilla raised significant concerns regarding Patel’s lack of judgement, independence, and preparedness — flaws made clear both during his nomination hearing and throughout his career. He highlighted Patel’s troubling record, including his publication of a political enemies list, threats to prosecute journalists, and his stated plan to “shut down the FBI Hoover Building on Day 1 and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state.’”
Padilla also denounced Patel’s reckless actions as Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council, where he put the lives of U.S. military personnel at risk by providing false information during a high-stakes hostage rescue operation. He also slammed Patel’s opposition to background checks and his apparent support for civilian ownership of machine guns.
The Senators reiterated calls for an additional hearing to address Patel’s misleading testimony and his involvement in the removals and investigations of career FBI employees. During Patel’s nomination hearing last week, Senator Padilla raised serious concerns about his fitness to lead the FBI independently.
Key Excerpts:
In addition to a lot of the specific concerns about Kash Patel and how he would be as an FBI director, I feel compelled to remind us of the moment that we are in right now in the first few weeks of the second Trump administration — the chaos that has been created.
In times of chaos and crisis like this, the public deserves to see trusted leaders in the most important positions of our federal government, trusted leaders who will stand up and say “no” to a president trying to blow through the very guardrails put in place by the Constitution. So it’s in that context that makes the nomination and potential confirmation of Kash Patel even more alarming.
When I asked him about his thoughts on what should be commonsense gun safety policies and protocols, what his position was on things like universal background checks, he either failed to answer or chose not to answer. Poor judgment, clear lack of preparation for the position of FBI director that oversees our background check system for a reason.
Let alone his lack of ability or lack of willingness to serve independently. It’s not just the Department of Justice. It’s been the FBI specifically that has performed at its best when it serves the people, when it honors the Constitution, and respects the rule of law. Clearly, Kash Patel puts that secondary to his loyalty to Donald Trump.
It’s up to the Senate to either confirm this nominee or not. It’s clear where Senate Democrats stand. I think my biggest question is, where are Senate Republicans going to stand at this important moment in history? Will they choose the rule of law? Will they choose the Constitution? Will they choose to stay loyal to the very oath of office they’ve taken and their important advice and consent role? Or will they choose loyalty to a reckless president?
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a man from the Slovak Republic who fraudulently obtained pandemic relief loans to 38 months in prison and ordered him to repay $738,118.
While in the Slovak Republic, Mark Ethan Jermain submitted three false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications from April 26, 2020, to July 16, 2021. Jermain used his prior legal name, Arsene Millogo. The April 26, 2020, application sought $80,000 for Crazyeats LLC, which Jermain established in Missouri in 2017. On May 13, 2020, Jermain sought $325,275 for a company he’d set up called Unimentors LLC. After the loan was approved, Jermain submitted a Second Draw PPP loan application for $325,275 on Feb. 5, 2021.
Jermain transferred the loan money to Slovakia. The PPP loans were intended to help struggling American businesses and jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jermain instead used the money for personal purchases and other unapproved purposes.
“Mark Ethan Jermain fraudulently applied for and received PPP loans for businesses that didn’t exist anywhere but on paper. Furthermore, he used the identity of a former business partner, unbeknownst to the partner, to defraud the taxpayer funded program out of nearly three quarters of a million dollars,” said FBI St. Louis Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson. “Jermain is being held accountable in timely fashion after FBI special agents nabbed him at the airport in New York before he tried to fly out of the country.”
Jermain returned to the U.S. on August 17, 2023. He was indicted on August 30 and arrested by FBI agents on September 7, the day he was scheduled to leave the country.
Jermain, now 42, pleaded guilty in June to three counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll prosecuted the case.
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted William Foster Alger, 75, of Hagerstown, Maryland, charging him with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of coercion and enticement of a child, and five counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel Paul Joey Kifer, Chief of Police of the Hagerstown Police Department (HPD); and Washington County State’s Attorney Gina Cirincion.
According to the indictment, between November 2023 and December 2024, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child sexual abuse material. Additionally, Alger allegedly enticed the minors to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. He also possessed child sexual abuse material in an internet-based account and on four digital devices.
If convicted, Alger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the seven counts of sexual exploitation of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a maximum of life imprisonment for each of the three counts of coercion and enticement of a child; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of the four counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI, HPD, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case.
Louisville, KY – An Evansville, Indiana, man was sentenced today to 13 years and 7 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons of the DEA Chicago Field Division, and Chief Billy Bolin of the Henderson Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Austin Jenkins, 26, of Evansville was sentenced to 13 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The distribution resulted in the death of a 17-year-old in Henderson, Kentucky, on October 16, 2022.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Henderson Police Department, with assistance from the Vanderburgh County, Indiana Prosecutor’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl prosecuted the case.
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Daniel Battenfield, 40, of Visalia, alleging the unlawful dealing of firearms without a license, making materially false statements to a federal agent, and lying on a federal firearms form.
According to court documents, Battenfield has purchased and resold hundreds of firearms since at least 2016, purchasing the firearms below market price because of his law enforcement status and then reselling them for a profit. On at least one occasion, he placed an order directly for a customer, lying on a federal firearms form about purchasing the firearm for himself. When confronted by federal agents, he made false statements to them about his activities. Battenfield was placed on leave by the Sanger Police Department because of these activities in July 2024.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Sanger Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of unlawful dealing in firearms or making false statement to a government agency, Battenfield faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of making materially false statement in purchase of firearms, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced this week to 3 months incarceration to be followed by 3 months home incarceration aiming the beam of laser at a Louisville Metropolitan Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
“This senseless act could easily have resulted in tragedy for the crew of the helicopter, other aircraft, and citizens on the ground,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively identify and charge anyone who engages in this type of criminal conduct. I commend the FBI and LMPD for their prompt investigative work in identifying and apprehending Mr. Freeman.”
According to court documents, Justin E. Freeman, 33, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced 3 months incarceration and 3 months home incarceration, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft. On or about September 30, 2023, Freeman directed the beam of a laser at an LMPD helicopter operating in Louisville, Kentucky.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Judd prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration.
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Taiwan Edwards, 29, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine intended for distribution. Edwards pleaded guilty to this charge on October 28, 2024.
In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a storage unit connected to Edwards. Officers recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine and $72,573. Officers also found six firearms, including two “ghost guns,” and ammunition. A “ghost gun” is a privately made firearm that does not have a serial number.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson described the storage unit as a “mini armory,” and noted that Edwards had engaged in a “very substantial” amount of drug trafficking.
The charge against Edwards was the result of an investigation conducted by the Janesville Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case.
Second man also convicted in one underlying offense involving 101 people in locked trailer
LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old Laredo man has admitted guilt in a multi-year conspiracy to smuggle aliens for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Since March 2023, Danny Nunez operated and coordinated an organization in Laredo that smuggled and harbored hundreds of aliens.
The investigation tied Nunez to coordinating numerous smuggling events such as one involving over 100 aliens Dec. 2, 2023. On that date, law enforcement observed several people being loading into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of 101 aliens locked inside the trailer, including 12 unaccompanied children. Multiple people reported they had difficulty breathing and feared for their life due to the conditions in the trailer.
Juan Manuel Aguirre, 49, Laredo, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle aliens in the United States, admitting his role in the transportation and smuggling of this group.
At the time of Nunez’s arrest, authorities also conducted a search of his residence resulting in the seizure of cell phones and ledgers documenting the aliens Nunez and others had smuggled over the course of the conspiracy. They also found over $36,000 in resulting proceeds and two illegal aliens on the premises.
“The road to a secure border runs through the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “Human smuggling is a terrible practice, one that the Department is focused on eradicating. My advice to those in the human smuggling business is to find a new line of work.”
Both Nunez and Aguirre face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to smuggle aliens in the United States. They could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines.
They will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety. and Border Patrol conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, the Laredo Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.
The Washoe County Lands Bill Would Protect Public Lands, Support Tribal Communities, Allow For Responsible Development, And Create New Opportunities To Lower Housing Costs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that she is reintroducing the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, also known as the Washoe County Lands Bill, to expand economic development opportunities and make more land available for housing in Washoe County, support local Tribal communities, increase access to outdoor recreation, and protect public lands . As the state with the highest percentage of public land in the nation, Nevada relies on federal legislation to make land available for development, like affordable housing, and to permanently protect outdoor spaces for future generations.
For years, Senator Rosen has been working with a wide range of stakeholders across Washoe County to develop this comprehensive legislation. In 2023, she unveiled a working draft of the bill and collected feedback from hundreds of Nevadans during a public comment period, which she then incorporated into this legislation, which was previously introduced last year with the support of local government officials, conservation advocates, and business leaders.
“As Nevadans continue to deal with high housing costs, I’m working to increase the amount of federal land available for housing development to bring down home prices and support sustainable growth for Washoe County,” said Senator Rosen. “My Washoe County Lands Bill will do that while also protecting hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands and supporting our state’s Tribal communities. I’ll keep working to ensure that this bill passes this new Congress to lower housing prices for hardworking Nevada families and help shape a better future for our state.”
“I’m so proud that the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners supported Senator Rosen’s Truckee Meadows Public Lands Bill,” said Alexis Hill, Chair of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners. “We are committed to preserving our natural resources while allocating appropriate land for affordable and workforce housing, local governmental and tribal interests. We are especially excited about the potential revenue opportunities for Truckee River investments. This Bill will be a game changer for the future of northern Nevada.”
“Thank you to Senator Rosen for taking this all-important step to introduce a Lands Bill, which I believe is the single largest federal priority for the City of Sparks, Washoe County, and Reno areas,” said Ed Lawson, Mayor of the City of Sparks. “It will have a significant impact for all of us as we address the affordable housing issues throughout the region.”
“With the collaborative effort from all stakeholders and Senator Rosen’s Office since 2017, a lands bill was created to greatly benefit the entire Truckee Meadows region,” said Daryl D. Gardipe, Chair of the Reno Sparks Indian Colony. “We are hopeful the re-introduction of this bill will pass unanimously as it represents all parties’ interests in an equitable fashion. Reno-Sparks Indian Colony is appreciative of all the support we received from all stakeholders to preserve our culturally important areas and our future growth.”
“This legislation is a milestone in the history of public lands conservation in Nevada,” said Shaaron Netherton, Executive Director of Friends of Nevada Wilderness. “Northern Washoe County is home to critical wildlife habitat, uniquely dark skies, priceless cultural resources, and amazing outdoor recreation opportunities. Because Senator Rosen and her team spent countless hours consulting with multiple stakeholders, we now have a widely supported bill that will protect these values. We thank the Senator for her persistent leadership and look forward to working with her to help move this bill through Congress.”
“The Nevada Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is pleased to support the Truckee Meadows Public Land Management Act as recently introduced by Sen. Rosen and we thank her for her leadership. We see this legislation as a good representation of compromise by many stakeholders and interests that took many years and many versions to achieve,” said Bryce Pollock, Vice Chair, Nevada Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “We are very appreciative of Sen. Rosen’s consideration to ensure that public land access would not be limited for hunters and anglers along the Truckee River. We look forward to the conservation of more than one million acres of public lands, including many valuable recreation areas in North Washoe County, and are excited for the addition of a public shooting range that hunters can utilize for many generations to come.”
“The Nevada Wildlife Federation thanks Senator Rosen for bringing all stakeholders together to create the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act,” said Russell Kuhlman, Executive Director of Nevada Wildlife Federation. “This legislation provides the county with the opportunity to balance our increasing human population while safeguarding our access to public lands, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation, which includes hunting and fishing.”
“EDAWN truly appreciates the dedication Senator Rosen has given this critical issue,” said Taylor Adams, President and CEO of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN). “In addition to safeguarding the natural beauty of Northern Nevada for future generations, this bill provides much-needed land that will ensure our region can continue to deliver sustainable growth of commercial development, housing, and the infrastructure required for both.”
“The Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce is pleased to support Senator Rosen’s land management legislation,” said Ann Silver, CEO of the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce. “The legislation provides a pathway for communities in the Truckee Meadows to develop much-needed affordable housing and expanded land uses that can be managed as we continue to grow. The legislation also conserves pristine areas in northern Nevada where residents, tribes, and visitors can explore and recreate.”
Senator Rosen’s Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act will:
Permanently protect more than 1,000,000 acres of public lands.
Promote sustainable growth and economic development by directing over 15,200 acres of public lands to be made eligible for sale, all of which must be assessed for its suitability for new affordable housing. An additional 33 acres are set aside to only be sold for affordable housing. Any land sold for affordable housing would have to be sold at less than fair market value.
Support local Tribal communities by expanding land held in trust by more than 8,400 acres for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, 11,300 acres for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, and over 1,000 acres for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.
Provide local governments over 3,700 acres for public purposes such as parks, water treatment facilities, and schools. Land is specifically conveyed to Washoe County, the City of Reno, the City of Sparks, the Incline Village General Improvement District, the Gerlach General Improvement District, the State of Nevada, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, the Washoe County School District, and the University of Nevada Reno.
Senator Rosen has been working tirelessly to pass her Washoe County Lands Bill. Last year, she successfully urged the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing on this legislation. After it passed out of committee, she took to the Senate floor to try to pass the legislation by unanimous consent, but was blocked by Washington politicians. She vowed to reintroduce the Washoe County Bill in her second term and is fulfilling that promise today.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, introduced a constitutional amendment to maintain a total of nine Supreme Court justices on the bench at a time.
Once approved by Congress, the amendment would go to the states for ratification.
Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “For years, Democrats have openly said they intend to pack the Supreme Court. They seek to use the Court to advance policy goals they can’t accomplish electorally. Such a move would be a direct assault on the design of our Constitution, which is designed to ensure the Supreme Court remains a non-partisan guardian of the rule of law. This amendment is a badly-needed check on their efforts to undermine the integrity of the Court.”
Sen. Grassley said, “Democrats’ radical court packing scheme would erase the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and destroy historic precedent. The Court is a co-equal branch of government, and our Keep Nine Amendment will ensure that it remains independent from political pressure.”
Sen. Cornyn said, “Democrats have turned the legal system into a vehicle for advancing policy goals they can’t achieve at the ballot box or in Congress. I’m proud to join Sen. Cruz in supporting this resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to prevent the Democrats from packing the Court and undermining the rule of law.”
Sen. Lee said, “It is vital that we protect the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court. Radical Democrats will not stop trying to rig the decisions they want through court packing, and this legislation would permanently take that dangerous option off the table.”
Sen. Crapo said, “Throughout our nation’s history, the Supreme Court has successfully safeguarded our Constitution. Packing the Court would unnecessarily increase partisanship within the institution, creating greater challenges in settling the pressing cases that matter to Americans in a constitutional and just way.”
Sen. Capito said, “A nine Justice court has worked for our country for more than 150 years. Increasing that number in a partisan effort to achieve a desired policy result is a never-ending proposition. If court-packing were pursued, respect for the Supreme Court would plummet and the checks and balances of our constitutional order would be threatened. We should preserve our independent judiciary by closing the door to the Democrats radical court packing proposals.”
Sen. Blackburn said, “The radical left wants to pack the Supreme Court to implement their socialist agenda. The number of justices on our nation’s highest court should stay the same regardless of which party is in power.”
Sen. Cassidy said, “Packing the courts to achieve a preordained outcome is not what our Founding Fathers had in mind. Nine justices has been a good number for 156 years; I’m sure it will be for another 156.”
Sen. Young said, “Though there is less talk about court packing these days from Democrats, adding to the Supreme Court remains a bad idea. I am again supporting this legislation to protect the constitutional credibility of the Supreme Court.”
Sen. Hyde-Smith said, “The Supreme Court was designed by our Founders to protect justice, not be used as a political pawn. We need to keep it that way. Packing the Court for political leverage destabilizes the integrity of the institution and is dangerous for our country. If this constitutional amendment is approved by Congress and the states, the issue will be settled for good.”
Sen. Banks said, “Americans forcefully rejected Democrats at the ballot box last year. Their backup plan is to override the will of the voters by packing the Court. This amendment crushes that plan.”
Sen. Risch said, “Democrats’ attempts to pack the Supreme Court with radical appointees undermines our democracy and American confidence in our judicial system. The Keep Nine Constitutional Amendment would ensure justices focus on upholding the rule of law rather than legislating from the bench.”
The proposed constitutional amendment was co-sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).
Read the complete text of the amendment here.
BACKGROUND
Sen. Cruz previously introduced this amendment in 2023 and 2020.
Over the past several years, top Democrats have pledged to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court when they are able to.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said “We are on the verge of a crisis of confidence in the Supreme Court […] We have to take this challenge head on, and everything is on the table to do that.” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) posted online “Mitch McConnell set the precedent. No Supreme Court vacancies filled in an election year. If he violates it, when Democrats control the Senate in the next Congress, we must abolish the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court.” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)called court-packing “long-overdue court reform.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said “I’m open. […] Actually, I mean, we could. […] Look, there are a lot of different ways to do it. The number of people on the Supreme Court is not constitutionally constricted.”
Meanwhile Democrats, including Joe Biden, falsely called Senate Republican’s efforts to confirm Judge Barrett “court-packing.” Sen. Cruz has said, “Court-packing does not mean nominating a justice to fill a vacancy. […] It is expanding the number of justices. And, you know, Joe Biden in 1983 said court-packing was ‘a bone-headed idea,’ and now that bone-headed idea I think is their agenda number one if they win on Election Day.”
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
CAMDEN, N.J. – A man from Dallas County, Texas admitted to a federal hate crime and for making interstate threats against the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced.
Bushan Athale, 49, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person. Sentencing is scheduled for June 3, 2025.
“Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said Vikas Khanna, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. “Every individual in this country must be free to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution. We will continue to ensure the safety of our communities by prosecuting those who threaten our basic American freedoms.”
“Every citizen has the right to feel safe, secure, and free from fear of violence or hate,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement and community partners who stand with us daily. Together, we remain steadfast in pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of the people we are sworn to protect.”
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
On or about September 17, 2022, Athale called the main number of an organization that advocates for the civil rights of Sikh individuals within the United States. Over the course of the next hour, Athale left seven voicemails expressing hatred toward Sikh individuals working at this same organization and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor.
Athale’s voicemails, which were filled with violent imagery and obscenity, contained references to places, people, and tenets that are particularly significant within the Sikh religion. Among other things, Athale stated his intention to “catch” the Sikhs at Organization 1, forcibly shave their “top and bottom hair,” use a “razor” to “cut” their hair and “make” them bald, “make” them smoke and eat tobacco, and “show [them] the heaven.”
On March 21, 2024, Athale again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemails. In these voicemails, Athale again used violent, sexual imagery to express his hatred toward Sikhs as well as Muslims, and spouted antisemitic rhetoric.
During his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to additional conduct reflecting his long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus. For example, Athale admitted that on November 6, 2021 and November 7, 2021, he had sent electronic messages to a former co-worker, in which he stated that he “hate[d] Pakistan” and “hate[d] Muslims.” Athale wrote, “I hate you, I just don’t know how to kill your whole family including you? Tell me??? I will figure it out […] Probably I will hire a Jew, they will be most happy.”
Athale also admitted that, from May 28, 2024 to May 31, 2024, he had sent threatening electronic messages to a recruiter who he believed to be a Muslim. Athale wrote statements such as “you will be dead, get out [expletive] Muslim” and “If you dont [sic] back off you are killed.”
The charge of interfering with federally protected activities carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison and the charge of transmitting an interstate threat carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine. The defendant also may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the special agents of the FBI of the Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the investigation leading up to this guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the Civil Rights Division in Camden, and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the Main Street Tax Certainty Act to permanently extend the 20 percent tax deduction for pass-through businesses. Should these tax cuts expire, small businesses will face an immediate and massive tax hike.
“Inflicting a 20% tax increase on Idaho’s small businesses would be damaging to our economy and local communities,” said Risch. “The Main Street Tax Certainty Actensures these establishments remain the driving force Idaho’s economy and thrive for generations to come.”
“As the son of a contractor, I’ve seen firsthand the hard work it takes to keep a small business flourishing- especially as Americans are still grappling with the effects of Joe Biden’s inflation. It’s absolutely crucial that we pass this legislation to prevent a 20 percent tax increase for hardworking Montanans and I’ll keep fighting for ways to support Montana small businesses, which provide the majority of jobs in our state,”said Daines.
The 20% small business deduction was created as a part of President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts to level the playing field between small businesses and large corporations. Without Congressional action, 9 out of 10 small businesses will be hit with a massive tax hike when this deduction is set to expire at the end of 2025.
Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Kennedy (R-La.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) joined Risch and Daines in introducing the legislation.
Recently, a new study from Ernst and Young (EY) highlighted the economic activity supported by this small and family-owned business tax deduction, including 2.6 million jobs and $325 billion of the GDP.?
Taylor Swift’s re-recordings rocked the music industry – can other artists reclaim their music too? A journal article explores the options.
Taylor Swift and her millions of fans may be disappointed by her 2025 Grammys ‘snub’, but the billionaire artist still has much to celebrate, most notably, her successful fight to take ownership of her music in an industry long dominated by influential record labels.
University of Auckland copyright expert Dr Joshua Yuvaraj says Swift significantly impacted the industry when she re-recorded several of her albums after the rights to her music were sold from under her.
In his paper, published in the Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice and presented at the University of Melbourne’s Taylor Swift-themed academic conference, Swiftposium, the senior law lecturer examines how re-recording can help artists gain control of their music. He compares this strategy with the primary mechanism available under US copyright law: statutory reversion. (ref. https://academic.oup.com/jiplp/article/19/12/884/7913103 )
His article looks at how reversion applies to sound recordings, focusing on the US copyright ‘termination’ provision, which lets creators reclaim copyright, typically after around 35 years. The size of the US recording market makes this scheme the most high-profile reversion system in the world. However, Yuvaraj argues that re-recording may offer a more accessible alternative to these legal processes.
“In theory, copyright reversion gives artists a second chance at controlling their recordings. But in practice, the US system has significant obstacles: a long waiting period, complex legal requirements, and uncertainty over whether sound recordings are even covered.”
Many artists simply don’t have the time or resources to navigate this legal quagmire, says Yuvaraj.
“There are considerable power imbalances between artists and record companies,” he says. “For example, copyright is often assigned before the true value of a song is even known.”
Re-recording, as Swift did, allows artists to sidestep these legal barriers. While the copyright in an original sound recording remains with the label, a newly recorded version, if produced independently, is treated as a separate work under copyright law – as long as the artist retained control, or had a license to reproduce the song itself, which has a separate musical copyright to the recording.
“Taylor Swift’s success put re-recording in the spotlight as a way for artists to regain control over their music without waiting decades for copyright reversion laws to take effect,” says Yuvaraj.
He says that unlike statutory reversion, re-recording requires much shorter waiting periods, allowing musicians to capitalise on market demand more quickly. There’s also less procedural complexity, and as long as artists comply with contractual waiting periods, they are unlikely to face legal action.
Despite Swift’s success – her re-recorded albums were critically praised and financially lucrative – Yuvaraj notes that re-recording isn’t a viable solution for everyone.
“It requires a strong fan base willing to embrace the new versions, and not all musicians have that level of market power,” he says.
And while Swift’s re-recording battle highlighted power imbalances in artist contracts, it also saw record labels tighten their grip. There are reports of extended re-recording restrictions in contracts from the standard three to seven years to 20 or 30 years, making re-recording a less accessible option for future artists.
Despite this roadblock, Yuvaraj says Swift’s case sparked important conversations about artist rights, and some musicians are now negotiating deals that allow them to retain ownership of their master recordings from the outset, eliminating the need for re-recording altogether.
“Swift’s case brought re-recording into the public eye, but it doesn’t replace the need for fairer contracts and stronger copyright protections.”
Taskforce targets retail theft and anti-social behaviour across Hobart
Friday, 7 February 2025 – 8:04 am.
Tasmania Police is launching a new taskforce in Hobart, proactively targeting crime reduction, retail theft and anti-social behaviour.Taskforce Reprisal will commence on Monday 10 February with members to be based out of Hobart Uniform Division.Hobart Acting Inspector Danny Jackson said police had seen success previously through Operation Swipe at Glenorchy, Taskforce Saturate in Hobart, Taskforce Scelus in the Western District, and most recently with the launch of Taskforce Raven in the Northern District.“Taskforces are just one of a number of strategies that should provide the community with reassurance that we are continuing to proactively target known offenders to make our community safer for everyone,” he said.“We know there are concerns about retail theft in particular across the Hobart Division, and this will be one of the areas of focus for this taskforce.”“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our community, and we know that there is a small number of people who are responsible for the majority of crime committed. This taskforce will actively those offenders.”
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced the Apprenticeship Pathways Act, legislation to create pathways to high-demand careers for high school students by expanding access to apprenticeships and technical education. Heinrich introduced the bill with U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).
Apprenticeships and technical education offer a direct path to acquiring in-demand skills, and early exposure to industries can encourage more students to pursue careers in those professions. Expanding apprenticeship programs for high school students can help address workforce shortages and ensure a sustainable workforce pipeline. This legislation particularly focuses on apprenticeship programs for occupations with high need, including the building trades, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, and early childhood education.
“If we want to set the next generation up for success, we need to go all in on expanding access to career-connected learning like apprenticeships as early as high school. By providing students with more preparation and job skills, we will ensure more New Mexicans have the opportunity to access careers in their own communities that they can build their families around, while strengthening New Mexico’s middle class and growing our state’s economy,” said Heinrich.
“Apprenticeships bridge the gap between education and production, providing hands-on learning opportunities that benefit both students and employers in technical fields,” said Moran. “Aligning tech training with industry demands will help meet the workforce needs in Kansas and expand high-paying career opportunities in the IT industry.”
The Apprenticeship Pathways Act would direct the U.S. Secretary of Labor to provide grants to industry intermediaries to develop and establish apprenticeship programs for high school students in the building trades, health care, early childhood education, technology, and manufacturing — based on local, regional, and national workforce trends. This model provides students on-the-job training and instruction, real-world experiences and responsibilities, and inspiring career pathways ahead of their entrance to the workforce.
“Thanks to Senator Heinrich, and this legislation, New Mexico will soon provide pre-apprenticeship opportunities to young people around the state, especially in our underserved communities. Pre-apprenticeship is an essential on-ramp for high schoolers and recent graduates to access in demand, high wage careers. It’s a critical step in making our communities more prosperous,” said Mike May, Director of Workforce Learning for Future Focused Education.
The text of the bill is here.
Heinrich’s Longtime Support for Workforce Training and Apprenticeships:
This week, Heinrich announced $1,350,000 in federal funding that he secured through the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process for the United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 412 (U.A. Local 412). The funding will support specialized journeyman training focused on filling jobs created by the CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act, including needs specific to semiconductor plants, hospitals, and heat pump installation, service, repair, and maintenance. Through his work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Heinrich has further supported the U.A. Local 412’s workforce development efforts by securing $1.2 million in the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bill.
In October 2024, Heinrich visited U.A. 412’s mobile training unit, which is creating more pathways to in-demand careers in the skilled trades and has already trained dozens of New Mexicans in Española, Taos, Las Vegas, Mora, Raton, and Santa Fe. Heinrich also participated in a training demonstration with U.A. Local 412 leadership and apprentices who are learning skills in the plumbing, pipefitting, and HVAC trades.
The U.A. Local 412 Mobile Training Unit was initially paid for by an Economic Development Administration (EDA) Good Jobs Challenge Grant, as part of a $6.4 million award to the Northern N.M. Workforce Integration Network. The Good Jobs Challenge funds were authorized by the American Rescue Plan, the critical economic recovery legislation that Heinrich was proud to pass in 2021.
Heinrich is continuing to press for passage of Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed bills last year that included an additional $870,000 CDS award that he secured within the Senate Appropriations Committee-passed Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Bill to sustain the U.A. Local 412’s mobile training unit’s operations past the original EDA funding, and to expand its reach to new communities including Grants, Gallup, Silver City, and Zuni Pueblo.
Heinrich has long championed proven workforce training programs like U.A. Local 412’s apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that are growing the middle class, creating and connecting New Mexicans to high-quality careers they can access in their communities, and continuing New Mexico’s leading role in the clean energy transition that is being built by union workers in the skilled trades.
Last year, Heinrich hosted a “Pro-Worker, Pro-Business Opportunities” roundtable to talk directly with New Mexicans about how federal legislation he helped pass into law, like the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Law, is creating careers in high-demand sectors and strengthening New Mexico’s health care, early childhood education, and skilled trades workforce.
In the last Congress, Heinrich introduced the bipartisan Apprenticeship Pathways Act, legislation to create pathways to careers for high school students by expanding access to apprenticeship programs for occupations with high need, including the building trades, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, and early childhood education. Last year, Heinrich also introduced the Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats (PATH) Act, legislation to strengthen the pipeline for careers in New Mexico, address rising workforce shortages, and grow the state’s economy through quality pre-apprenticeship programs.
Last Congress, Courtenay Eichhorst, Business Manager of U.A. Local 412 and President of New Mexico Building Trades, testified about the importance of apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships during a hearing that Heinrich convened as the Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee on “Job Training for the Clean Energy Transition.”
Eichhorst said during that JEC hearing, “In addition to our ‘gold standard’ apprenticeship programs, the UA and other Building Trades’ unions are also increasingly investing in pre-apprenticeship programs that can be designed to help prepare high school students or individuals from underrepresented communities for a career in the trades. These programs help fill the role that used to be filled by the ‘shop classes’ that were found in high schools but have become increasingly rare. Pre-apprenticeship programs also focus on the ‘soft skills’ that are necessary for success in any industry, such as showing up on time and other work etiquette.”
Also in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bills, Heinrich secured $1,200,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the SMART Local Union No. 49 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee to enhance and expand specialized HVAC apprenticeship training.
Last March, Heinrich introduced the Providing Resources and Opportunities for Health Education and Learning (PRO-HEAL) Act, legislation that will tackle the health care provider shortage in New Mexico and nationwide by expanding pathways to high-quality, in-demand health care careers that medical professionals can access in their communities. Specifically, the PRO-HEAL Act addresses medical provider shortages by incentivizing states and institutions of higher education to expand or create health care provider pipeline programs, particularly in underserved and rural communities. The legislation is inspired by the success of the Combined BA/MD Degree Program at the University of New Mexico, where over 65% of students who have graduated from their program practice medicine in New Mexico.
Heinrich previously introduced the Pathways to Health Careers Act, legislation that reauthorizes and modernizes the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program to help address health care shortages in New Mexico and across the country and create pathways to high-quality, in-demand health care careers. The HPOG program has a proven track record of successfully educating workers for jobs in the health care industry, while also providing career coaching, job placement, and a mix of other support services. The Pathways to Health Careers Act would restart and expand the HPOG Program, providing $425 million to make HPOG available nationwide from FY2024 through FY2028 and includes set asides for Tribes and U.S. Territories.
In 2021, Heinrich and Moran introduced the Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology (CHANCE in Tech) Act, bipartisan legislation to create earlier pathways to high-paying careers in the information technology (IT) industry. Heinrich previously introduced the bipartisan legislation in 2019 with former U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.).
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted possessing a machine gun and committing a drug robbery and a carjacking.
Walter C. Moore, 19, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, robbery, carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Moore admitted using Facebook to arrange for the purchase of $900 worth of the painkiller Oxycodone on April 25, 2024. The seller drove to Moore’s house and invited him to sit in her 2014 Mazda6 to complete the sale. Moore pulled out a handgun, grabbed the Oxycodone pills and ordered the seller out, threatening to shoot her. Moore then sped off in her car.
St. Louis County police located the car near the 1800 block of Chambers Road. Moore ran as police approached, but he was quickly located and arrested. He had discarded a Glock handgun equipped with a “switch,” or machinegun conversion device, rendering it a fully automatic weapon. It also had an extended magazine and a laser sight. Moore’s phone contained pictures of him with that gun and others. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing firearms.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced May 6. Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Moore’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 15 years in prison.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
This case is 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.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
Hattiesburg, MS – A Forrest County man and woman pled guilty to conspiring with each other to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Artista Garner, 36, of Hattiesburg, assisted her brother, Thaddieus Cooper, 31, in applying for benefits with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. As an inmate in the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), Cooper was not entitled to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Cooper was serving a sentence of six years in MDOC custody for armed robbery. Garner used the unemployment funds for her personal benefit and transferred some of the funds to Cooper via his commissary fund.
The unemployment insurance benefits were federally subsidized through the CARES Act in response to the pandemic.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Cooper and Garner on September 10, 2024. Both Cooper and Garner pled guilty on January 30, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025, and they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick A. Lemon, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Southeast Region made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF). In response to the unprecedented scope of Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud, the Department of Justice established the NUIFTF. The NUIFTF is a prosecutor-led multi-agency task force with representatives from FBI, DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DHS-OIG, USPIS, USSS, SSA-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and other agencies. Members of the NUIFTF are working with state workforce agencies, financial institutions, and other law enforcement partners across the country to fight UI fraud, and consumers should be vigilant in light of these threats and take the appropriate steps to safeguard themselves.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.