Month: May 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice

Jeremy Gibson, 31, a former officer with the Muncie Police Department, in Muncie, Indiana, pleaded guilty today to civil rights and obstruction charges. Specifically, the defendant pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights offense for assaulting an arrestee, and to an obstruction offense for writing a false report to cover up the incident.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana and FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton made the announcement.

According to court documents and statements made during the change of plea hearing, on or about May 13, 2019, Gibson initiated a traffic stop of a car because one of the car’s headlights was out. When the driver stepped out of the car, Gibson attempted to physically take him to the ground, and punched him several times with a closed fist in the process. As other officers also used force against the driver, Gibson delivered a knee strike to the right of his head, causing his head to swing to the side, at which point another officer delivered another knee strike to the opposite side of the driver’s head. Shortly after the incident, Gibson authored a false report about the incident.

Gibson is one of four Muncie police officers who – along with Officer Chase Winkle, Officer Corey Posey and Sergeant Joseph Krejsa – were indicted in April 2021 in a 17-count superseding indictment for their roles in using excessive force against arrestees and attempting to cover up the misconduct. The other three officers are scheduled to stand trial in August 2022. A fifth Muncie police officer, Dalton Kurtz, previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 4, 2021, to one count of misprision of felony for concealing and failing to report inappropriate use of force by Officer Winkle during a separate incident.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Trial Attorneys Katherine G. DeVar and Mary J. Hahn of the Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Blackett for the Southern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Gulfport, Miss. – A Purvis husband and wife were sentenced to prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroine, and fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Jeremy Graham, 32, and Harley Graham, 26, were both sentenced to 236 months in prison.  

According to court documents, beginning in 2020, Jeremy Graham and Harley Graham conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing meth, 100 grams or more of a mixture containing heroin, and a mixture of fentanyl.  The investigation  showed the Grahams dealt large amounts of the serious drugs to numerous individuals in Lamar and Harrison Counties, including individuals that overdosed.  The Grahams were aware of the overdoses.  The conspiracy also involved the Grahams using a gun and flashlight to beat someone associated with the conspiracy.  Although the conspiracy involved several individuals, the Grahams were at the top of the pyramid.

Jeremy Graham pled guilty on February 10, 2022, and Harley Graham pled guilty on February 14, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Long Beach Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

The Department of Justice announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Richard and Mary Donahue, owners of rental properties in the Janesville, Wisconsin area, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, alleges that Richard Donahue, who manages the properties, sexually harassed numerous female tenants since at least 2000. According to the complaint, Donahue made repeated and unwelcome sexual comments to female tenants, entered the homes of female tenants without their consent, touched female tenants’ bodies without their consent, requested sexual contact, offered reduced or free rent in exchange for sexual contact and took adverse housing-related actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances. The lawsuit also names as a defendant Mary Donahue, Richard Donahue’s wife, who co-owns some of the properties.

Today’s lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, civil penalties to vindicate the public interest and a court order barring future discrimination. The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct; the allegations must be proven in federal court.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe at home, but sexual harassment in housing destroys that security,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce the Fair Housing Act against landlords who engage in this kind of predatory and illegal behavior.”

“No one should have to choose between having a place to live or enduring sexual harassment,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Those few Wisconsin landlords who exploit vulnerable tenants for sex violate federal law and will be held accountable.”

The Justice Department launched its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative in October 2017.  The department’s initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The goal of the initiative is to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department of Justice has filed 24 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $9.5 million for victims of such harassment. 

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt.

Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or managed by the Donahues, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, can contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, select a language, and select option number 2, then option number 4 to leave a message. Individuals may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin at (608) 264-5158. Individuals may also e-mail the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or submit a report online.

If you think you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord, or other forms of housing discrimination, you may contact the Justice Department by submitting a report online or contacting the U.S. Attorney’s Office at USAWIW-fairhousing@usdoj.gov.

Reports also may be made by contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 73 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.   

According to court documents, on November 22, 2019, while FBI agents were conducting surveillance on Robinson Road and Ellis Avenue, law enforcement officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Akoyea Jamere Clayton, 29, of Jackson.  Clayton refused to stop and fled through several residential areas.  A semi-automatic styled rifle was tossed from the passenger window loaded with several live rounds of ammunition.  Police units were able to bring the vehicle to stop, but the passenger fled.  Clayton was apprehended on scene. 

Clayton pled guilty on February 2, 2022, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson, Mississippi area. “Hailstorm” 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.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

A federal jury convicted a Florida woman today for laundering approximately $786,000 in money stolen from Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers as part of a sprawling health care fraud scheme in Miami.   

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jesmina Ramirez, 50, of Miami Gardens, laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud proceeds by cashing checks written from five fraudulent medical supply companies and returning that cash, minus a fee, to her co-conspirators. The five fraudulent medical supply companies for whom she laundered money – BF Distributors Corp.; Timely Medical Services Corp.; Ortho-Med Solution Inc.; Expedited Medical Supplies Corp.; and Prime Orthopedic Solutions Corp. – billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers more than $48 million for medical equipment the companies never actually purchased and never provided to any patients. Ramirez laundered the stolen money by cashing more than 120 checks from the fraudulent companies over more than two years.    

Ramirez was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering. She faces up to 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for July 13.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kyle A. Myles of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Atlanta Regional Office; and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody made the announcement.  

The FBI, HHS-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and Florida’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Alexander Thor Pogozelski and Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.