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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…
Maryland Dad Who Killed Mother, Grandmother In Front Of Infant Learns His Fate Maryland Dad Who Killed Mother, Grandmother In Front Of Infant Learns His Fate
Maryland Dad Who Killed Mother, Grandmother In Front Of Infant Learns His Fate The Maryland man who set an apartment on fire with an infant inside and killed his child's mother and grandmother in Southeast DC more than three years ago may spend the rest of his life in prison. Clinton resident Keenan Turner, 35, was sentenced to 68 years in prison in connection to the April 2021 murders of Wanda and Ebony Wright, the shooting of a third victim, and the attempted murder of an infant when he set the fire, federal authorities announced. Prosecutors say that Turner's intention in committing the offenses was "solely to avoid paying child support."  They had been pushi…
Honduran National Convicted Of Assaulting Charles County Resident Back In Custody: ICE Honduran National Convicted Of Assaulting Charles County Resident Back In Custody: ICE
Honduran National Convicted Of Assaulting Charles County 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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. …
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 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…
Body Burning MS-13 Gang Members In Maryland Convicted Of Murdering Suspected Snitch Body Burning MS-13 Gang Members In Maryland Convicted Of Murdering Suspected Snitch
Body Burning MS-13 Gang Members In Maryland Convicted Of Murdering Suspected Snitch Three members of the MS-13 street gang in Maryland could spend the rest of their lives behind bars for allegedly killing someone they incorrectly thought was a snitch and then going to extreme lengths in an effort to cover it up, federal officials announced. Maryland residents Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa a/k/a “Felon,” 33, of Landover Hills, Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a Impaciente,” 30, of Greenbelt, and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” 29, of Annandale, Virginia, were convicted for their roles in racketeering and murder conspiracy to further their gang activities. Specific…
Maryland Sex Trafficker Who Had Victims Branded Sentenced To Prison Maryland Sex Trafficker Who Had Victims Branded Sentenced To Prison
Maryland Sex Trafficker Who Had Victims Branded Sentenced To Prison A Baltimore man who admitted to sex trafficking multiple women after his victims came forward seeking help has been sentenced, authorities say. Ryan Odell Oliver, 40, also known as "Dre", Fame", and "Foreign" was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on Monday, Nov. 28 after he pleaded guilty on back in August to sex trafficking at least three victims, according to the Department of Justice. In December 2018, one of Oliver's victims texted a non-profit sex trafficking prevention agency that she had been forced into prostitution and held against her will by Oliver, prosecutors said. Upon …
Maryland Father, Stepson Accused Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Maryland Father, Stepson Accused Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach
Maryland Father, Stepson Accused Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach A father-stepson duo from Maryland are facing felony charges for allegedly assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol, federal authorities announced. Harford County residents Douglas Wyatt, 49, and stepson Jacob Michael Therres, 25, both of Fallston, have been charged in the District of Columbia for their actions during the breach at the Capitol last year. Specifically, the two men were charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, and interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, both felonies, and five related misdemeanor o…
Minor Responsible For Majority Of Bomb Threats Targeting HBCUs, FBI Says Minor Responsible For Majority Of Bomb Threats Targeting HBCUs, FBI Says
Minor Responsible For Majority Of Bomb Threats Targeting HBCUs, FBI Says The FBI announced that one minor is “believed to be responsible for the “majority of the threats" that have been targeting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country and throughout the region. According to a press release issued by the FBI, since January, more than 50 HBCUs, houses of worship, and other faith-based and academic institutions across the country have received racially motivated threats of violence. Of those threats, there have been some reported in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. The investigation into the threats led to the id…
Armed Convenience Store Robber Gets Prison Time For Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy In Maryland Armed Convenience Store Robber Gets Prison Time For Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy In Maryland
Armed Convenience Store Robber Gets Prison Time For Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy In Maryland Federal officials say that a serial convenience store robber in Maryland will spend more than a decade in prison for illegally possessing a firearm to further his drug trade. Baltimore resident Billy Wesson, 20, has been sentenced to 125 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the Department of Justice announced.. According to his guilty plea, between Aug. 4, and Aug. 7, 2020, Wesson and a co-conspirator committed three armed robberies of c…
Fraudster Admits To Posing As Bail Bondsman As Part Of $840K Elder Fraud Scam In Maryland Fraudster Admits To Posing As Bail Bondsman As Part Of $840K Elder Fraud Scam In Maryland
Fraudster Admits To Posing As Bail Bondsman As Part Of $840K Elder Fraud Scam In Maryland Authorities announced that a 64-year-old man has admitted to his role in an $800,000 elder fraud scam where he targeted victims in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and the surrounding regions. Michael Odell Anderson, 64, of Crystal Beach, Florida, and Dun Lorring, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in relation to his participation in an elder fraud scam, the Department of Justice announced this week. Between April 2020 and December 2020, officials said that Anderson conspired with others to persuade elderly victims to give them thousands of dollars u…
Maryland Man Convicted On Drug, Weapon Charges Days Afer Co-Conspirator Pleads Guilty: DOJ Maryland Man Convicted On Drug, Weapon Charges Days Afer Co-Conspirator Pleads Guilty: DOJ
Maryland Man Convicted On Drug, Weapon Charges Days Afer Co-Conspirator Pleads Guilty: DOJ Federal authorities announced that a convicted felon from Silver Spring has been convicted for his role in a gun and drug conspiracy days after his co-conspirator pleaded guilty to similar charges. Montgomery County resident Darryl Colton Frazer, 34, was convicted following a three-day trial on charges that include participating in a drug conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Department of Justice. In July 2019, prosecutors say that Montgomery County Police Department officers investigating a shooting appr…
Commercial Drum Company Owner Admits To Fraudulent Billing Scheme With Brother In Maryland Commercial Drum Company Owner Admits To Fraudulent Billing Scheme With Brother In Maryland
Commercial Drum Company Owner Admits To Fraudulent Billing Scheme With Brother In Maryland Authorities say that a New Yorker has admitted to a fraudulent and elaborate billing scheme involving a manufacturing company with facilities in Maryland with his brother. Long Island resident Robert DiNoto, 48, of Huntington, pleaded guilty this week to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection to a Harford County company with his brother, Eugene DiNoto, who submitted false invoices for undelivered commercial drum containers, according to federal officials. DiNoto was the owner and President of American Pride Distributors in Woodbury, NY, which sold commercial drum containers used by m…