The offense occurred on May 25, 2020, according to court records, with an arrest date of Oct. 4, 2020. Irogho, Ekeocha, and their co-conspirators cashed out the cards soon after funds were added by depositing the money into bank accounts, and/or through ATM withdrawals or purchases of money orders. In a post-#MeToo era, will he fall? He was arrested after an investigation by the VA Inspector General's Office and the VA police. That makes it much more likely you will be released on some kind of bond or perhaps even on your personal recognizance. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Cartwright-Powers is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of fraud in connection with major disasterbenefits, and one count of mail fraud. Gregory Allen Foster, of Stanley, Va., was indicted on three felony charges, including a Class 5 felony for possession of a Schedule I/II drug, a Class 6 felony (direct indictment) for felony possession of a weapon (ammunition not gun), and an unclassified felony for accepting advance payment without performing related construction work (valued at more than $200). If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Lanier, as an owner or executive of two companies located in Dunsmuir, was hired by the Fire Chiefs Associations to administer these grants. The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of the Scott County Sheriffs Office, Lee County Sheriffs Office, Wise County Sheriffs Office, Dickenson County Sheriffs Office, Norton Police Department, Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Virginia State Police. Paul Mason Shifflett, of Shenandoah, Va., was indicted on a Class 5 felony for possession of a controlled substance. Clifford Keith Gwinn, 64, formerly the Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance, previously pled guilty in June 2018 to theft from a program receiving federal funds and failure to report and pay over payroll taxes. A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. Palo Alto resident Onofre Salas-Lozano, 40, appeared in federal court in San Jose on Friday, April 28 to face the three-felony-count indictment, according to the United States Attorney's Office and the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of the Inspector General have announced. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. ~ Submitted by the Page County Animal Shelter Page Valley News highlights adoptablepets from the Page County Animal Shelter to showcase their personality. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia, Indictment Includes Firearms, Witness Intimidation Charges, Grand Jury Indicts 21 in Federal Drug Conspiracy Case Centered in Wise and Lee Counties, Jury Convicts Major Southwest Virginia Drug Supplier, Southwest Virginia Pair Sentenced to 10 Years in Methamphetamine Conspiracy, Big Stone Gap Man Sentenced for Role in Methamphetamine Conspiracy. San Juan, PR., June 21, 2017 Former State Department Employee Stewart created fraudulent documents that stated he attained the rank of Corporal in the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged after receiving several awards and commendations, including the Rifle Expert Badge, Pistol Expert Badge, Meritorious Mast, National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Certificate of Appreciation, and the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. All rights reserved. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Whats happening around the Tri-Cities this weekend? The offense occurred on May 12, 2020, according to court records, with an arrest date of May 18, 2020. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Lee will prosecute the case for the United States. Jeremy Allen Montcalm, of Stanley, Va., was indicted on a Class 5 felony for possession of a Schedule I/II drug. It can potentially take years to learn of an indictment, although generally law enforcement officialsdo not sit around that long. Mobile site. During the time period covered by this indictment, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was responsible for providing emergency benefits and compensation for damage to victims who were affected by declared national emergency disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires. 0 Visitor Info, Send News Tips At their detention hearings today in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas M. DiGirolamo ordered that Irogho be detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday, August 5, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. Judge DiGirolamo ordered that Ekeocha be released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services. WebU.S. Postal Service (USPS) made the announcement. In addition to filing false disaster-assistance claims with FEMA, the indictment alleges that co-conspirators also filed false claims online for Social Security benefits, for IRS tax refunds, and for Department of Labor unemployment and disability benefits using the stolen identities of multiple additional individuals, including name, address, Social Security Number (SSN), and other personal identifiers. Stay informed on important crime news. WebThe mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to ensure the safety and health of American communities by combating criminal drug networks bringing harm, violence, overdoses, and poisonings to the United States. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 2023 Palo Alto Online. Salas-Lozano was arraigned in federal court in San Jose on April 28 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael M. Cousins. Beasley Roudabush is scheduled to appear in court again on July 14 for further proceedings. Circulation & Delivery, About Us Deputy Clerk III - Melissa B. Layman. This investigation was conducted under the auspices of Operation Checkmate, the Virginia Department of Corrections Inmate Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force. Extras could also be items like food, clothing, or even sometimes books or electronics. Fraudulently exploiting COVID-19 relief funds for personal gain is unconscionable, said Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security. Don't be snarky or belittling. Two counts occurred on March 15, 2021, with the same arrest date, according to court records. Gwinn admitted that from October 31, 2015 through April 30, 2017, while Gwinn was a responsible person for payroll taxes, Fire Department failed to account for and pay over approximately $61,421.31 in payroll taxes. It can also be used to buy items from the commissary. Charlottesville: (434) 293-4283. Abingdon: (276) 628-4161 Main Office: Address - Supreme Court of Virginia. Operational Information. You can: Money deposits can be made by phone at: 276-676-6252, 276-676-6000. Benjamin Lopez Jr., (no address listed), was indicted on a Class 6 felony for strangulation or wounding with an injury resulting, and an unclassified felony for obtaining a credit card number to commit larceny. WebThe Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) gives notice that the property listed below was seized for federal forfeiture for violation of federal law. The purpose of this site is to provide information from and about the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. During the pandemic, both the federal government and the Virginia Employment Commission expanded unemployment benefits both by increasing the monetary amount, and by making benefitsaccessible for the self-employed, contractors, and gig workers, who have not historically qualified for unemployment. He allegedly used force and fear to cause the victim to engage in a sex act at the hospital on July 2, 2021. Please make sure your comments are truthful, on-topic and do not disrespect another poster. Jacob Ryan Knight, of Luray, Va., was indicted on a Class 5 felony for possession of a Schedule I/II drug. The loss to the U.S. government from this fraud is approximately $261,500. Painter is scheduled to appear in court again on May 19 for a hearing. Deanis L. Simmons, Chief Judge; Hon. An indictment is merely an accusation. 9119 Church St, United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DHS OIG, the SSA OIG, the USSS, and TIGTA for their work in this investigation. Phone: (703) 940-1570, Steve Duckett, Attorney at Law DanvilleSanRamon.com, About Us Official websites use .gov WebLOS ANGELES (AP) Two former Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies are accused of violating the civil rights of a skateboarder in 2020 and perpetrating a coverup, federal prosecutors said Thursday. As part of his PPE scheme, Stewart falsely stated to procurement officials from FEMA and the VA that he was in possession of large quantities of PPE, including N95 masks. According to court documents, from approximately June 2013 to March 2018, Lanier engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States by submitting, or causing to be submitted, false reimbursement requests to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in connection with federal grants awarded to Siskiyou and Shasta County Fire Chiefs Associations to assist them in recruiting and training new firefighters. He also admitted that he structured withdrawals out of the Fire Departments accounts in a series of transactions below $10,000, to prevent the banks from filing Currency Transaction Reports. If there is an indictment handed down by a grand jury, then the government is going to start looking for you right away and that obviously is a triggering event. NORFOLK, Va. A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging four individuals with allegedly participating in a conspiracy to use the personal identifyinginformation of 35 Virginia prison inmates in order to fraudulently obtain over $300,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits. Trump also faces three other grand jury investigations: efforts to overturn his loss to Joe Biden in Georgia; his handling of classified information after leaving office; and his actions before and during the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. In a separate scheme, from January through May 2018, Brooks applied for and obtained 10 apartment leases in the names of identity theft victims. Each message that you send costs 50 cents. In order to encourage respectful and thoughtful discussion, commenting on stories is available to 2 plead guilty to charges 1:21-cr-5. Wesley Aaron Mitchell, of Luray, Va., was indicted on a Class 5 felony for possession of a Schedule I/II drug. #315 Richmond, VA 23219-1315. When Carroll broke her silence about Trump ina 2019 memoir, the then-president used the most powerful platform on earth to lie about what he had done, attack Ms. Carrolls integrity and insult her appearance,attorneyShawn Crowley told the newly selected jury. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years. Lock Using money put in their accounts, inmates from the Washington County Jail in Virginia can purchase extras. Daniel Lerchbacker, 35, of Conroe, Texas, was charged with three counts of theft for allegedly failing to pay three Canadian entities for expenses that the United States had already provided the funds to cover and for collecting federal funds to which he knew he was not entitled. The records contained sensitive, non-public information about refugee applicants, their family members, their employment and military history, their accounts of persecution or fear of persecution, the results of security checks, and internal assessments by U.S. officials regarding applications. Huffman is scheduled to appear in court again on May 26 for further proceedings. It is important to hold accountable those who would seek to defraud such programs, particularly when the crimes compromise our national security and public safety, when they impose such high costs on taxpayers, and when they negatively impact the prospects of qualified refugee applicants.. The actual sentence, however, will 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. FGE failed to supply any PPE to the VA and FEMA. Autumn Renee Morris, of Shenandoah, Va., was indicted on two Class 5 felonies for possession of a Schedule I/II drug. This indictment should serve as notice that the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to investigating illicit manipulations of IRS online systems, and bringing those involved to face justice, said J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Cartwright-Powers allegedlysubmitted successful applications for four inmates at one correctional facility. Refugee Admissions Program, which exists to identify and admit qualified refugees for resettlement in the United States, said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin for the District of Columbia. If you dont want to receive a phone call from an inmate, you can easily reject the phone call. When you are arrested by a federal agent, you will be taken to jail and your first opportunity to be heard on the issue of charges and bond is the next day. We thank our law enforcement partners for bringing Stewart to justice.. U.S. District Judge Lew Kaplan ordered that the names of prospective jurors be kept secret from the public. www.washcova.com/government/constitutional-offices/sheriff, Washington County Pistol Permits & Gun Licenses, Washington County Sheriff's Office Website, MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution. The offense and arrest occurred on July 30, 2020, according to court records. Uploaded: Mon, May 1, 2023, 3:01 pm The indictment, returned October 26, 2015, alleges that Pomrenke, through her position as chief financial officer with BVU, used her power to obtain things of value from vendors who were engaged in business relationships with BVU. A man who worked for a janitorial services company servicing the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital has been indicted on charges of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse and making false statements to a federal agent during an investigation, prosecutors said.Palo Alto resident Onofre Salas-Lozano, 40, appeared in federal court in San Jose on Friday to face the three-felony-count indictment, according to the United States Attorney's Office and the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of the Inspector General have announced. (571) 234-5960 FREE He remains in custody and will appear in court on Wednesday (May 3) for a detention hearing, according to the press release. A lock ( The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Benton allegedly submitted successful applications for Virginia unemployment benefits for 31 inmates across three Virginia correctional facilities. According to the indictment, Sad was employed in Amman, Jordan from 2007 to 2016 by U.S. News The offense date for both cases was listed as Oct. 20, 2020 in court documents, with an arrest date of Nov. 6, 2020 for the child abuse charge and Oct. 21, 2020 on the drug charge. Benton is charged with one count of conspiracy, three counts of fraud in connection with major disaster benefits, and three counts of mail fraud.
