Month: September 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with the Town of Limerick to resolve allegations that the town excluded a resident with a disability from voting, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

The settlement agreement resolves an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint filed by a voter with a mobility impairment who alleged that he was unable to vote at Limerick’s annual town meeting. The voter alleged that he was told that the first floor of Limerick Town Hall was full, and he would need to vote on the second floor which he was unable to access.

Under the ADA, state and local governmental entities may not exclude individuals with disabilities from participating in a voting program. State and local government entities must also make reasonable modifications to ensure that voters with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in voting programs unless the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the voting program.

Under the settlement agreement, Limerick has agreed to make certain modifications to improve accessibility at its town hall for persons with mobility impairments. In addition, the town agreed to adopt a policy for program accessibility to ensure that all services, programs and activities held at the town hall are readily accessible to and usable by persons with mobility impairments.

“It’s noteworthy that this agreement comes today, on National Voter Registration Day,” McElwee said. “The freedom to participate in elections is a fundamental right, and all voters should and must have an equal opportunity to participate in the voting process. The remedial measures agreed to by Limerick will give individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in town voting, as required by the ADA. I hope that other cities and towns will proactively comply with this important civil rights law.”

The Town of Limerick cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office during its investigation.

Individuals in Maine who believe their civil rights may have been violated may submit their complaints by accessing https://civilrights.justice.gov/. For more information on the ADA, or to access publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD).

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

RICHMOND, Va. – A Highland Springs man pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents, Deric Wallace Peacock, 39, used Wickr, an encrypted messaging service, to distribute child pornography using his “vapastor” user account. At the time that Peacock distributed the child pornography, he was on probation for two prior state court convictions for procuring sex acts by computer of an individual believed to be under the age of 15.

Peacock is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2023. Due to his prior enticement conviction, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark R. Colombell accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Detamore-Jordan is prosecuting the case.

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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc

In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-109.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

            Kenneth Grayson, 53, of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder.

            According to court documents, Grayson attended a rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021, and then walked towards the Capitol, where he illegally entered the grounds. He then approached the Capitol Building. Law enforcement officers were attempting to prevent people from entering. Grayson entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing doors at approximately 2:20 p.m. and proceeded to the Crypt. He also entered the Rotunda area, where a mob of rioters began standing in front of a row of law enforcement officers. The mob began pushing against officers to gain access to the adjoining hall. Grayson joined the rear of this group that began pushing into the officers.

            While he was inside the Capitol, Grayson live-streamed video on his Facebook account. He exited the Capitol at approximately 3:07 p.m.

            Grayson was arrested on Jan. 26, 2021, in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. He is to be sentenced on Dec. 19, 2022. He faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 20 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 870 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 265 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.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

TUCSON, Ariz. – On September 8, 2022, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a six-count indictment against Jesus Alberto Ibarra-Barraza, 31, of Tucson, Arizona, for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit, four counts of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit, and one count of Threats to Murder an Employee of the United States.

The indictment alleges that on March 16, 2022, Ibarra-Barraza attempted to transport four undocumented noncitizens in his vehicle. After encountering law enforcement, Ibarra-Barraza stopped his vehicle, allowed the passengers to exit, then fled at a high rate of speed. Shortly after, he crashed his vehicle, resulting in serious bodily injury to himself. While at the hospital, Ibarra-Barraza verbally confronted a United States Border Patrol agent and threatened to kill the agent upon his release from the hospital.

Each charge in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-22-01958-SHR-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER:    2022-157_Ibarra-Barrazaa
 

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the State of Louisiana has received $3,514,042 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on state and local needs and conditions.  Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings. 

The recipient of this award, the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.