Security News in Brief: Three Men Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Marijuana Conspiracy

Source: United States Department of Justice News

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA – Three men, two from Texas, and one from Washington State, were sentenced Friday, August 27, 2021, by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 120 months in prison. Hieu Minh Le was sentenced to 120 months for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and was found to be an organizer or leader of the conspiracy.

Security News in Brief: Justice Department and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Announce Actions to Resolve Lending Discrimination Claims Against Cadence Bank

Source: United States Department of Justice News

The Justice Department and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced coordinated actions to address allegations of lending discrimination by Cadence Bank, N.A. The Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced an agreement to resolve allegations that Cadence Bank, which is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, engaged in lending discrimination by “redlining” predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Houston, Texas, metro area. Under the department’s settlement, Cadence will invest over $5.5 million to increase credit opportunities for residents of those neighborhoods. “Redlining” is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of the people who live in those communities.

Security News in Brief: Member of Gregory Butler Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to His Role in The Drug Distribution Conspiracy

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Tirrel Saunders, a/k/a “Pretty”, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Saunders was a member of the Gregory Butler Drug Trafficking Organization (“Butler DTO”) which distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Security News in Brief: Convicted Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing Firearm

Source: United States Department of Justice News

ALBANY, Ga. – An Albany resident with several prior felony convictions pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm resulting from a Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) investigation. Lenwood Thomas, 40, of Albany, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Wednesday, August 25. As an armed career criminal, Thomas faces a minimum of 15 years to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by a maximum of five years of supervised release. Sentencing has not been scheduled, but will occur within 90 days. There is no parole in the federal system.