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Department of Justice

DOJ Reaches $100M Settlement With Owners, Managers Of Vessel That Destroyed Key Bridge DOJ Reaches $100M Settlement With Owners, Managers Of Vessel That Destroyed Key Bridge
DOJ Reaches $100M Settlement With Owners, Managers Of Vessel That Destroyed Key Bridge The owners and managers of the ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year in Baltimore have reached a settlement exceeding $100 million to offset the government's costs, federal authorities announced late on Thursday. Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, which owned and operated the DALI vessel that struck the bridge earlier this year, has agreed to pay a $101,980,000 settlement to resolve a civil claim filed earlier this year. The crash dismantled the bridge, and caused chaos for the Port of Baltimore and left several workers dea…
Gold Bar Scammer Admits To $230K Scheme Targeting Elderly In Maryland: State's Attorney Gold Bar Scammer Admits To $230K Scheme Targeting Elderly In Maryland: State's Attorney
Gold Bar Scammer Admits To $230K Scheme Targeting Elderly In Maryland: State's Attorney The Maryland scammer believed to be a part of an international organized crime ring targeting elderly residents will face decades in prison, according to the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office. Ravinklejeet Mathon pleaded guilty this week and will face 40 years behind bars after scheming to steal three one-kilo gold bars with an estimated value of nearly $230,000 from an elderly man in Silver Spring. "The scam is believed to be part of an international organized crime ring," prosecutors said. "Similar Gold Bar Scams have been reported here in Montgomery County and across the United…
Honduran National Convicted Of Assaulting Maryland Resident Back In Custody: ICE Honduran National Convicted Of Assaulting Maryland Resident Back In Custody: ICE
Honduran National Convicted Of Assaulting Maryland Resident Back In Custody: ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Baltimore apprehended a 26-year-old Honduran national in Charles County after he was convicted of assaulting his victim in Maryland, authorities announced. Evin Obdulio Ponce-Guillen was taken into custody in Waldorf late last month after police learned that he made his way into the country illegally following an arrest in September 2023, when he was charged with second-degree assault. Ponce-Guillen was arrested on Sept. 5, 2023, and convicted on the charge on Friday, April 5, when he was sentenced to five years in prison. The court then suspended t…
Maryland Suing Ship Owners, Managers Over Key Bridge Collapse In Baltimore: AG Maryland Suing Ship Owners, Managers Over Key Bridge Collapse In Baltimore: AG
Maryland Suing Ship Owners, Managers Over Key Bridge Collapse In Baltimore: AG The Maryland Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the owners and operators of the DALI cargo ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year in Baltimore. On Tuesday, AG Anthony Brown announced that his agency has filed a lawsuit targeting the owners – Grace Ocean Private Limited –and managers – Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. – of the M/V DALI for causing the March collision that dismantled the bridge and caused chaos for the Port of Baltimore. Brown said that since the fatal collapse - which claimed the lives of six people - has impacted Maryl…
Maryland Man Withheld Drugs From 'Dopesick' Women Forced To Become Sex Workers: Feds Maryland Man Withheld Drugs From 'Dopesick' Women Forced To Become Sex Workers: Feds
Maryland Man Withheld Drugs From 'Dopesick' Women Forced To Become Sex Workers: Feds A 36-year-old Maryland man who used women's' drug dependency to compel them to participate in commercial sex work for him up and down the East Coast is facing prison time, federal authorities announced. William O’Neil Murray III pleaded guilty on Monday, Aug. 12 to sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion over the course of several months in several states. At least three women were involved. According to court documents, between December 2021 and July 2022, Murray was involved in the multi-state sex trafficking operation, using women he would coerce by using their drug dependency…
Maryland Man Murdered Ex-Girlfriend, Grandmother Of Child He Attempted To Kill In DC: Feds Maryland Man Murdered Ex-Girlfriend, Grandmother Of Child He Attempted To Kill In DC: Feds
Maryland Man Murdered Ex-Girlfriend, Grandmother Of Child He Attempted To Kill In DC: Feds A Maryland man who was found complicit in the deaths of two people in Southeast DC in April 2021 is facing a lifetime behind bars, federal authorities announced. On Friday, a DC Superior Court jury returned a guilty verdict against Clinton resident Keanan Turner, 34, in connection to the murders of Wanda and Ebony Wright in the 2300 block of Good Hope Court SE three years ago. Metropolitan Police Department Prosecutors say that Ebony Wright was in a relationship with Turner when she became pregnant.  Turner asked her to terminate the pregnancy, and when she declined, he st…
'Grievous Felon:' Illegal Migrant With Lengthy Rap Sheet Arrested In Maryland: ICE 'Grievous Felon:' Illegal Migrant With Lengthy Rap Sheet Arrested In Maryland: ICE
'Grievous Felon:' Illegal Migrant With Lengthy Rap Sheet Arrested In Maryland: ICE A 25-year-old national of Chad has been arrested for his role in an alleged murder and weapons offenses throughout Maryland after being released, federal authorities announced. US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says that Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers took Hisseine Gombo-Tchouli into custody near his Silver Spring home after being convicted of accessory after the fact of first-degree murder and was later released. According to investigators, Gombo-Tchouli legally entered the country in September 2005 at Dulles International Airport in Virginia; howev…
Former DC Corrections Officer Gets Prison Time For Assaulting Handcuffed Inmate, Feds Say Former DC Corrections Officer Gets Prison Time For Assaulting Handcuffed Inmate, Feds Say
Former DC Corrections Officer Gets Prison Time For Assaulting Handcuffed Inmate, Feds Say A former District of Columbia Department of Corrections officer who assaulted a handcuffed inmate will be spending time on the other side of the bars after admitting to using unreasonable force  Marcus Bias, 28, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law after being charged late last year for an alleged incident more than three years ago. On Friday, the DOJ announced that he has been sentenced to 42 months in prison. “Like any other law enforcement officer, the defendant had a duty to protect the constitutional rights of anyone who w…
Trio Involved In Fatal Shooting Of 17-Year-Old In Northwest DC Get Prison Time Trio Involved In Fatal Shooting Of 17-Year-Old In Northwest DC Get Prison Time
Trio Involved In Fatal Shooting Of 17-Year-Old In Northwest DC Get Prison Time Three men were given prison time for their roles in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old in Northwest DC in 2020, authorities announced. Two District residents and a man from Maryland are all heading to prison after admitting to their roles in the fatal shooting of Taijhon Wyatt that also left another person injured, according to the Department of Justice. Those charged:  Trey Prillerman, 19, of Washington, DC; Nelfy Hernandez, 20, of Washington, DC; Deandre Levy, 22, of Gaithersburg.  Court documents state that at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2020, Wyatt was walking …
Virginia Man Studying Law In PA Busted Sharing Child Porn With Undercover Agent In DC: Feds Virginia Man Studying Law In PA Busted Sharing Child Porn With Undercover Agent In DC: Feds
Virginia Man Studying Law In PA Busted Sharing Child Porn With Undercover Agent In DC: Feds A Virginia man is facing federal charges in DC for allegedly distributing child porn while he was a law student in Pennsylvania, authorities say. Andrey Chun Sarmiento, 24, of Hallwood, has been indicted in DC on charges after he was busted by a member of the Metropolitan Police Department-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force who went undercover, according to the DOJ. The indictment states that on Tuesday, Feb. 13, Chun Sarmiento sent various video files depicting men engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minors through an encrypted instant messaging app. On that day, investiga…
Four Charged In Connection To Death Of Navy SEAL From Maryland Trying to Board Ship In Yemen Four Charged In Connection To Death Of Navy SEAL From Maryland Trying to Board Ship In Yemen
Four Charged In Connection To Death Of Navy SEAL From Maryland Trying to Board Ship In Yemen Four foreign nationals reportedly shipping Iranian-made weapons have been charged in connection to the death of two US Navy SEALs - one of whom was from Maryland - who were killed attempting to board their ship during an operation in Yemen last month. The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that a criminal complaint has been unsealed charging four suspects after US naval forces interdicted a vessel in the Arabian Sea that was transporting suspected Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry. Among the SEALs killed was Marylander Special Operator First Class Christopher J. Cham…
Truck Driver Who Preyed On Young Girl For Years To Spend Decades In Maryland Prison: Feds Truck Driver Who Preyed On Young Girl For Years To Spend Decades In Maryland Prison: Feds
Truck Driver Who Preyed On Young Girl For Years To Spend Decades In Maryland Prison: Feds A truck driver who spent years preying on a young girl will spend decades behind bars in Maryland. Jose Hilario Aldana-Moreno, 37, of Baltimore, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, followed by 40 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child to produce child pornography, US Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron announced on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Aldana-Moreno was a truck driver who frequently traveled for work, court documents say. On at least five occasions between 2014 and 2020, Aldana-Moreno “engaged in video chats with the victim and convinced the v…
Iranian, Canadian Nationals Accused Of Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Maryland Residents: DOJ Iranian, Canadian Nationals Accused Of Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Maryland Residents: DOJ
Iranian, Canadian Nationals Accused Of Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Maryland Residents: DOJ Three men are facing charges for their alleged roles in a murder conspiracy targeting a pair of residents in Maryland who fled Iran, the Department of Justice announced on Monday afternoon. One Iranian and two Canadian nationals have been indicted and charged with conspiracy to use interstate commerce in the commission of a murder-for-hire plot, officials say, and the target of their "job" was two people in Maryland. Those charged:  Naji Sharifi Zindashti, 49; Damion Patrick John Ryan, 43; Adam Richard Pearson, 29. Officials say that the three would use an encrypted messaging servi…
Abductor Who Raped Child Walking To School At Gunpoint In Southeast DC Sentenced: DOJ Abductor Who Raped Child Walking To School At Gunpoint In Southeast DC Sentenced: DOJ
Abductor Who Raped Child Walking To School At Gunpoint In Southeast DC Sentenced: DOJ Justice has been served after a malicious rapist who taunted his prepubescent victim after sexually abusing her while she was walking to school in Southeast DC. District resident Marquette Johnson, 42, a convicted felon, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty in July to first-degree sexual abuse while armed and first-degree child sexual abuse while armed, authorities announced. In November 2005, prosecutors say that Johnson approached a 12-year-old girl as she was walking to school, pointing a weapon at her and ordering her to get into his minivan while threatening to kil…
Government Contractor With 'Top Secret' Security Clearance Accused Of Espionage In DC: DOJ Government Contractor With 'Top Secret' Security Clearance Accused Of Espionage In DC: DOJ
Government Contractor With 'Top Secret' Security Clearance Accused Of Espionage In DC: DOJ A government contractor living in Maryland has been accused of espionage by federal officials in Washington, DC, authorities announced. Abraham Teklu Lemma, 50, a naturalized US citizen from Ethiopia who lives in Silver Spring is facing series charges for allegedly conspiring with a foreign government, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Thursday. Lemma worked as an IT administrator for the Department of State and as a Management Analyst for the Department of Justice, which led to him being granted a "TOP SECRET" security clearance and access to classified systems. Prosecutors sa…
Two Charged For Roles In Death Of Aspiring Rapper Visiting Friends In Southeast DC: Police Two Charged For Roles In Death Of Aspiring Rapper Visiting Friends In Southeast DC: Police
Two Charged For Roles In Death Of Aspiring Rapper Visiting Friends In Southeast DC: Police Several suspects have been arrested in connection to an aspiring rap artist who was shot and killed in Southeast DC three years ago. On Sunday, June 14, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found 21-year-old Albert Smith suffering multiple gunshot wounds before he was rushed to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries. The Tennessee native was an up-and-coming rapper in the South who traveled to DC with seven friends to meet up with friends - including those who are charged with killing him. In July, the Department of Justice announced that Temple Hills resident Johnny…
Raging Gunman Who Shot Ex's Pregnant Friend In DC Closet Convicted: Feds Raging Gunman Who Shot Ex's Pregnant Friend In DC Closet Convicted: Feds
Raging Gunman Who Shot Ex's Pregnant Friend In DC Closet Convicted: Feds A District man who went on a rampage while targeting a former paramour is facing time behind bars after being convicted of assault with the intent to kill a pregnant woman he shot in the back of the head in Southeast DC. Joshua Hemphill, 32, was convicted this week on a host of charges for a 2018 shooting when he attacked an ex who was in the company of a friend during a “fit of rage,” federal prosecutors say. On Sept. 21, 2018, Hemphill went to a home where his ex was staying with her friend, and during an outburst, he fired a shot into the door of the apartment and burst his way into th…
Man Who Assaulted Congresswoman, Police In DC Cops To Crime Man Who Assaulted Congresswoman, Police In DC Cops To Crime
Man Who Assaulted Congresswoman, Police In DC Cops To Crime The Washington, DC man who assaulted a Congresswoman in the elevator of her apartment building admitted to attacking her earlier this year, federal authorities announced. Kendrid Hamlin, 26, was arrested and charged with simple assault following an attack on Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig on Thursday, Feb. 9 inside an H Street building in Northeast, DC.  This week, the Department of Justice announced that Hamlin pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer. "According to Hamlin’s admissions in court, he willfully assaulted a member of the House of Representati…
Woman 'Sexually Attracted To Children' Gets Prison Time For Toddler Porn In MD Woman 'Sexually Attracted To Children' Gets Prison Time For Toddler Porn In MD
Woman 'Sexually Attracted To Children' Gets Prison Time For Toddler Porn In MD Federal officials say that a woman who claimed to be sexually attracted to children will spend years behind bars after being busted with a host of child porn files following an investigation that was launched by a man in Washington, DC. Shemara Shay Mack-Smith, 42, of Accokeek, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, followed by 120 months of supervised release for the distribution of child pornography, federal authorities announced. Mack-Smith set her own downfall in motion in late April 2020, when a concerned citizen who met her at a home in DC alerted the police that she had showed him c…
Mother Who Documented Sexual Abuse Of Infant In MD Gets 80 Years: Feds Mother Who Documented Sexual Abuse Of Infant In MD Gets 80 Years: Feds
Mother Who Documented Sexual Abuse Of Infant In MD Gets 80 Years: Feds A Cecil County child abuser will spend decades in federal prison for her role in a conspiracy to sexually assault an infant over the course of nearly two years. The creepy case of Summer Nichole McCroskey, 25, has come to a close after she was sentenced to 80 years in prison on Thursday, May 18, for her participation in a chilling conspiracy to document the molestation of her child with another man, authorities announced. Prosecutors say that McCroskey and Elkton resident Lawrence Aquilla Colby IV began abusing the girl when she was 4 months old, and it continued through at least October 2…
Special Police Officer Admits To Slapping Handcuffed Suspect In DC Special Police Officer Admits To Slapping Handcuffed Suspect In DC
Special Police Officer Admits To Slapping Handcuffed Suspect In DC Federal officials announced that a former special police officer from Maryland will avoid prison time after admitting to abusing his power and violating a suspect's civil rights. Oxon Hill resident Brandon Greenfield-Logan, 33, pleaded guilty this week in US District Court to one count of deprivation of rights under the color of law for violating the rights of a handcuffed prison, according to the Department of Justice. According to his plea agreement, in September 2021, Greenfield-Logan was working as a special police officer, and while in full uniform and vested with police powers, was ca…
Turtle Trafficker In VA Admits To Role In International Smuggling Scheme: Feds Turtle Trafficker In VA Admits To Role In International Smuggling Scheme: Feds
Turtle Trafficker In VA Admits To Role In International Smuggling Scheme: Feds An elaborate turtle smuggling and trafficking ring orchestrated by a Virginia man has been broken up, federal officials announced this week. Louisa resident Stanlee Fazi, 41, pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria to trafficking turtles out of Fredericksburg in violation of the Lacey Act, according to the Department of Justice. As part of his guilty plea, Fazi admitted that between July 2017 and June 2020, he illegally collected eastern box turtles from the wild and sold them on at least 27 occasions to buyers across the country. The scheme involved Fazi collecting payments using Fa…
Gun-Toting MD Insurrectionist Convicted Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot In DC Gun-Toting MD Insurrectionist Convicted Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot In DC
Gun-Toting MD Insurrectionist Convicted Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot In DC Federal officials say that a handgun-wielding Maryland man will face years in prison for bringing a loaded weapon to the US Capitol and loitering for seven hours during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot in Washington, DC. Christopher Alberts, 35, was convicted this week on a host of felony and misdemeanor charges for his role during the breach of the US Capitol that left several people dead or injured, the Department of Justice announced on Thursday, April 20. Alberts came to the Capitol ready for a fight, donning a body armor vest with metal plates, a two-way radio complete with a throat mic, and a m…
Maryland Man Called Ex-GF 800 Times In Cyberstalking Rampage: Feds Maryland Man Called Ex-GF 800 Times In Cyberstalking Rampage: Feds
Maryland Man Called Ex-GF 800 Times In Cyberstalking Rampage: Feds A Maryland man has been charged with cyberstalking after sending his ex-girlfriend over 800 messages in two days over the winter, authorities announced. Derik Wayne Bowers, 44, of Hagerstown, was indicted after stalking his girlfriend to intimidate her over text messages, phone calls, and Facebook, according to the Department of Justice. Officials say that Bowers sent his ex-girlfriend 815 messages in December 2022 on top of publishing social media posts to embarrass her and interfere with her livelihood. He reportedly sent her a total of thousands of messages over a several-month period. …
'If I Can't Have You, No One Can:' DC Teen Gets Prison Time For Threatening To Kill Ex-GF, Self 'If I Can't Have You, No One Can:' DC Teen Gets Prison Time For Threatening To Kill Ex-GF, Self
'If I Can't Have You, No One Can:' DC Teen Gets Prison Time For Threatening To Kill Ex-GF, Self A jilted lover in Washington, DC has been ordered to spend years behind bars after threatening to kill his teenage girlfriend, then himself, after an apparently emotional breakup, federal officials announced. A 19-year-old DC resident was sentenced to 30 months in prison after admitting in federal court that he threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, according to the Department of Justice. Prosecutors said that the teen was in a relationship with a fellow high school student that came to a rocky conclusion in March 2022. Then things got rockier for the spurned psycho. Following their break-…
DC Man Admits To Bribing Corrections Officer From MD To Smuggle Drugs Into Jail DC Man Admits To Bribing Corrections Officer From MD To Smuggle Drugs Into Jail
DC Man Admits To Bribing Corrections Officer From MD To Smuggle Drugs Into Jail A man conspiring with a convict inside a DC jail has admitted to bribing a public official to smuggle drugs inside the facility. Keywaune McLeod, 28, of Washington, DC, pleaded guilty this week to one count of bribery following a scheme he ran with a corrections officer and drug supplier to get contraband inside the District’s Central Detention Facility (CDF). Original story - Corrections Officer From Upper Marlboro Accused Of Scheme To Smuggle Drugs To Inmates: DOJ According to court documents, McLeod admitted that in June 2022, he was contacted by an inmate being housed at the DC jail, a…
Man Sentenced On Federal Child Porn Charge Faces Second Sentencing In Prince George's County Man Sentenced On Federal Child Porn Charge Faces Second Sentencing In Prince George's County
Man Sentenced On Federal Child Porn Charge Faces Second Sentencing In Prince George's County A Maryland man who photographed his sexual abuse of two minors will spend decade behind bars after being caught red-handed by one of his victims, federal officials announced.  Now he will face a punishment more close to home. Prince Georges County resident Carl Gage Linden, 57, of Mount Rainier, was sentenced this week to 32 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the production of child pornography, according to the Department of Justice. Prosecutors said that Linden sexually abused his two victims, who were between the ages of 7 and 11, and recorded…
Prince George's Duo Convicted Of Sex Trafficking Minors By DC Jury: DOJ Prince George's Duo Convicted Of Sex Trafficking Minors By DC Jury: DOJ
Prince George's Duo Convicted Of Sex Trafficking Minors By DC Jury: DOJ Two Prince George’s County residents were hit with lengthy prison sentences after being convicted by a jury in Washington, DC for their roles in a sex trafficking operation involving teens, federal officials announced. Willis Lewis, 49, of Oxon Hill, and Brittany Jones, 33, of Suitland, will both be spending years behind bars after being found of multime criminal charges for the illegal operation involving two minors. Specifically, Lewis was sentenced to life, while Jones got 14 years for trafficking a 15-year-old and 17-year-old girl between April and May 2019. According to prosecutors, J…
Maryland Banker Convicted Of Stealing Nearly $2M From Churches, Religious Institutions: Feds Maryland Banker Convicted Of Stealing Nearly $2M From Churches, Religious Institutions: Feds
Maryland Banker Convicted Of Stealing Nearly $2M From Churches, Religious Institutions: Feds A 29-year-old Maryland man has been convicted of a bank fraud scheme that saw him and his co-conspirators profit to the tune of nearly $2 million, authorities announced. Diape Seck was found guilty after he was accused of the extensive scheme he helped run from 2019 until 2020, according to the Department of Justice. According to the evidence, Seck, along with at least eight other people, stole nearly $2 million by pocketing checks from the mail of churches and religious institutions from at least Jan. 2019 thorough Jan. 2020. A customer service representative with one of the banks, Seck c…
Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ
Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ Federal officials say that a Catonsville woman and a Neo-Nazi man in Florida conspired to disrupt an energy facility in Maryland in furtherance of their violent extremist beliefs. Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 34, and Orlando resident Brandon Clint Russell, 27, are facing federal charges for coming up with an elaborate plan to “completely destroy the city,” in a move that threatened thousands in Maryland, according to the Department of Justice. “This alleged planned attack threatened lives and would have left thousands of Marylanders in the cold and dark,” Maryland US Attorney Erek L. Barron said…
Trump-Appointed Former US Attorney For Maryland Named Special Counsel Investigating Biden Docs Trump-Appointed Former US Attorney For Maryland Named Special Counsel Investigating Biden Docs
Trump-Appointed Former US Attorney For Maryland Named Special Counsel Investigating Biden Docs Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a familiar face for Marylanders as a special counsel to investigate the handling of classified documents that were found at President Joe Biden’s Delaware home and a Washington office. Robert Hur, the former US Attorney for Maryland who left office in 2021, will be tasked with conducting the inquiry into the handling of the materials after the White House confirmed that his private attorneys found a "small number" of classified documents. “I will conduct the assigned investigation with fair, impartial, and dispassionate judgment. I intend to f…