Month: June 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that a federal arrest warrant and criminal complaint was issued charging Charles T. Germany, age 66, of Walker, Louisiana, with interstate transmission of a threat to injure another.

The criminal complaint and supporting affidavit alleges that, on May 27, 2022, Germany, from his home in Walker, Louisiana, called U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy’s office in Washington DC and left a voice message threatening to kill the Congresswoman.  Germany called the Congresswoman’s office again later the same day and left another threatening message.  If convicted, Mr. Germany faces a sentence of up to five years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Gathe commended the outstanding actions and efforts of the law enforcement agencies who worked to quickly identify the suspect and bring this complaint, including the United States Capitol Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Kleinpeter. 

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.    

Source: United States Department of Justice News

HONOLULU – Maliu Tauheluhelu, 37, Maafu Pani, 37, and Touanga Niu, 21, were arrested Friday, June 3, in connection with an indictment charging drug trafficking, firearm, illegal gambling business, and money laundering offenses.  Desmond Morris, 38, is also charged in the  indictment and has not yet been apprehended. The indictment was unsealed earlier this morning.

Tauheluhelu, Pani, and Niu are expected to be presented in Hawaii federal court as early as Monday, June 6, 2022, before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Kenneth J. Mansfield.

A press conference was held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 6, 2022, at the Maui Police Department.

According to court documents, by the summer of 2020 and continuing until the date of the indictment, Tauheluhelu led a criminal organization that distributed methamphetamine and cocaine and operated illegal gambling businesses within the District of Hawaii. Pani oversaw the  criminal organization’s drug trafficking and illegal gambling activities on Maui. Niu assisted the criminal organization with the transportation of controlled substances from Oahu to Maui and the transportation of unlawful proceeds from Maui back to Oahu, including through flights on an airline for which there was no Transportation Security Administration screening. At certain times, Morris participated in the criminal organization’s illegal activities by distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances on Maui.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Task Force Officers from the Maui Police Department, with assistance from the Maui Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The prosecution is handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Smith. 

Source: United States Department of Justice News

The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Temple Beth El, a synagogue in Boca Raton, Florida, that employs teachers and other staff. The settlement resolves the department’s claim that the synagogue, in staffing its pre-school, discriminated against a non-U.S. citizen based on citizenship status when checking the individual’s permission to work in the United States. 

“Employers cannot discriminate against workers by asking them for specific documents to prove their permission to work based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Employers must allow all employees, regardless of their citizenship status, to provide any valid, acceptable document of their choice to prove their permission to work. We look forward to working with Temple Beth El to implement this settlement and ensure its staff understand the correct process to use to avoid potential discrimination.”

The department initiated the investigation to determine whether the company was violating the Immigration and Nationality Act’s (INA) anti-discrimination provision after receiving information from a member of the public. The department’s investigation revealed that the company discriminated on two separate occasions by asking a lawful permanent resident to present specific documents to prove their permission to work in the United States, while making no such request of U.S. citizens. All employees have the right to choose the valid documentation they wish to present when demonstrating that they have permission to work in the United States.

The INA’s anti-discrimination provision prohibits employers from asking for unnecessary documents — or specifying the type of documentation a worker should present — to prove their permission to work, because of a worker’s citizenship, immigration status or national origin.

Under the settlement, Temple Beth El will pay $4,144 in civil penalties, change their employment policies to comply with the anti-discrimination provision of the INA, and train its employees who are responsible for verifying workers’ permission to work in the United States. 

The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation. 

Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. IER’s website has more information on how employers can avoid discriminating when verifying a worker’s permission to work through the Form I-9 or E-Verify. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); email IER@usdoj.gov; sign up for a free webinar; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER. View the Spanish translation of this press release here.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A former mayor of a municipality in Puerto Rico was sentenced today to two years in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme in which he received monthly cash payments in exchange for awarding municipal contracts.

Luis Arroyo-Chiqués, 56, of Rincon, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to one count of conspiracy to engage in a bribery scheme. According to court documents and statements made in connection with his plea and sentencing, Arroyo-Chiqués was the mayor and highest-ranking government official in the municipality of Aguas Buenas from 2005 until 2016. In 2017, Arroyo-Chiqués negotiated with Individual B for a waste collection contract for Company A, which was owned and operated by Individual A. In exchange for the 10-year waste collection contract, Individual A agreed to pay Arroyo-Chiqués bribes of $10,000 per month ($1.00 per house for 10,000 houses in the municipality). The agreement was arranged so that Arroyo-Chiqués would be paid $5,000 per month for the life of the contract and Individual B would be paid $5,000 per month. This payment was made in cash every month from 2016 and continued even after Arroyo-Chiqués left office in 2016. The last payment to Arroyo-Chiqués occurred in June 2021.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement. 

The FBI San Juan Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Erbe for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to combat public corruption by municipal officials in Puerto Rico. In addition to the above matters, the Public Integrity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico have recently obtained convictions against other former public officials and contractors in the District of Puerto Rico for soliciting and accepting bribes related to municipal contracts. See United States v. Eduardo Cintrón-Suárez, 22-151 (SCC); United States v. Félix Delgado-Montalvo, 21-463 (RAM); United States v. Oscar Santamaria-Torres, 21-464 (RAM); United States v. Raymond Rodríguez, 21-465 (RAM); and United States v. Ramon Conde-Melendez, 22-221 (PAD). 

Additionally, the department recently obtained indictments charging several former officials and contractors with bribery related to municipal contracts, and those cases are still pending. See United States v. Mario Villegas-Vargas, 21-468 (FAB); United States v. Ángel Pérez-Otero, 21-474 (ADC); United States v. Radamés Benítez-Cardona, 21-475 (PAD); United States v. Javier García-Pérez, 22-185 (ADC); and United States v. Reinaldo Vargas-Rodríguez, 22-186 (PAD).

Source: United States Department of Justice News

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a superseding indictment today charging five members of the Proud Boys, including the group’s former national chairman, with seditious conspiracy and other charges for their actions before and during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

The defendants include Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, 38, of Miami, Florida, the former national chairman of the Proud Boys; Ethan Nordean, 31, of Auburn, Washington; Joseph Biggs, 38, of Ormond Beach, Florida; Zachary Rehl, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Dominic Pezzola, 44, of Rochester, New York. All previously were indicted and remain detained. They pleaded not guilty to charges contained in earlier indictments.

The superseding indictment adds two charges to the earlier indictment: one count of seditious conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging any duties. All defendants now face a total of nine charges and Pezzola faces an additional robbery charge. The defendants are scheduled to appear for a hearing on June 9, 2022, in the District of Columbia

According to court documents, the Proud Boys describe themselves as members of a “pro-Western fraternal organization for men who refuse to apologize for creating the modern world, aka Western Chauvinists.” Through at least Jan. 6, 2021, Tarrio was the national chairman of the organization. In mid-December of 2020, Tarrio created a special chapter of the Proud Boys known as the “Ministry of Self Defense.” As alleged in the indictment, from in or around December 2020, Tarrio and his co-defendants, all of whom were leaders or members of the Ministry of Self Defense, conspired to prevent, hinder and delay the certification of the Electoral College vote, and to oppose by force the authority of the government of the United States. On Jan. 6, 2021, the defendants directed, mobilized and led members of the crowd onto the Capitol grounds and into the Capitol, leading to dismantling of metal barricades, destruction of property, breaching of the Capitol building, and assaults on law enforcement. During and after the attack, Tarrio and his co-defendants claimed credit for what had happened on social media and in an encrypted chat room.

A sixth defendant, who was earlier charged with the group, pleaded guilty on April 8, 2022. Charles Donohoe, 34, of Kernersville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The charges in the investigation are the result of significant cooperation between agents and staff across numerous FBI Field Offices and law enforcement agencies.

In the 17 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 800 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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