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Four California Police Officers Indicted for Civil Rights Charges

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging former Fresno, Calif., Police Department (FPD) Officers Christopher Coleman, 42; Paul Van Dalen, 44; and Sean Plymale, 41; and current FPD Sergeant Michael Manfredi, 50, with civil rights and obstruction of justice offenses related to the assault of a man in their custody in October 2005.



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California Company and Two Executives Indicted for Their Alleged Participation in Scheme to Bribe Officials at State-owned Electrical Utility in Mexico

Lindsey Manufacturing Company, an Azusa, Calif., company and two of its executives were indicted today for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to pay bribes to Mexican government officials at the Comisión Federal de Electricidad, a state-owned utility company.



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Attorney General Holder Unveils Valor Initiative to Protect Law Enforcement Officers

Addressing the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference in Orlando, Fla., Attorney General Eric Holder today unveiled the Department of Justice’s new Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) initiative.



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Army Contracting Officer from Colorado Pleads Guilty to Bribery Related to Contracts

U.S. Army Major Roderick D. Sanchez pleaded guilty today to a one-count criminal information charging him with bribery for accepting money and items of value in return for being influenced in the awarding of Army contracts.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Trafficking Victims Protection Act 10th Anniversary Event

"Today, we commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act," said Attorney General Holder.




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Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer Delivers Remarks at the Trafficking Victims Protection Act 10th Anniversary Event

"The Trafficking Victims Protection Act was a landmark piece of legislation," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.




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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Delivers Remarks at the Trafficking Victims Protection Act 10th Anniversary Event

"Human trafficking is a grave affront to human rights and to our nation’s core values, and there can be no higher calling in our commitment to vindicating the individual rights of all people than eradicating this form of modern-day slavery," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




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Former Kershaw County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Department Officer Charged with Civil Rights Violation

Oddie Tribble, a former police officer with the Kershaw County, S.C., Sherriff’s Office, was charged today with violating the civil rights of an arrestee on Aug. 5, 2010.



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Baltimore Police Department Officer Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Gregory Mussmacher was convicted by a jury in May 2010 for physically abusing a juvenile in his custody and for obstructing justice to cover up what he had done.



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California Woman Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Human Trafficking Charge

Fang Ping Ding was sentenced in federal court late yesterday to 37 months in prison for confiscating the passport, visa and other documents of a woman from the People’s Republic of China in order to maintain control over the victim and force her to work as an unpaid, live-in domestic servant.



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Attorney General Holder Announces Establishment of Office of Tribal Justice as Separate Component Within the Department of Justice

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the establishment of the Office of Tribal Justice as a separate component within the organizational structure of the Department of Justice.



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Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Laurie Robinson Speaks at Exploring Health Reform and Criminal Justice

"We’re now seeing a convergence of opportunity and innovative thinking in the correctional health care arena," said Assistant Attorney General Robinson.




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Massachusetts Man Convicted for Trafficking in Illegally-Imported Sperm Whale Teeth and Narwhal Tusks

A Massachusetts man was convicted today by a jury in federal court in Boston of seven felonies related to the illegal importation and illegal trafficking of sperm whale teeth and narwhal tusks, the Department of Justice announced today.



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Former NOPD Officer Sentenced in Connection with Shootings on Danziger Bridge

A former officer with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), was sentenced today to eight years in prison for conspiracy to obstruct justice and for misprision of a felony (for concealing a known crime), in connection with a federal investigation of two police-involved shootings that left two civilians dead and four others seriously wounded in the area of the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina.



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Former New York City Hospital Purchasing Official Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging and Fraud Conspiracies

A former purchasing official at Mount Sinai Medical Center and School of Medicine in New York pleaded guilty to participating in bid rigging and fraud conspiracies related to contracts for maintenance and insulation work performed at Mount Sinai.



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Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of Justice

Benjamin Montgomery, a former correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta pleaded guilty today to a two-count information charging him with civil rights crimes for assaulting an inmate and for subsequently writing a false report about the incident.



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UK Citizen Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Bribe Nigerian Government Officials to Obtain Lucrative Contracts as Part of KBR Joint Venture Scheme

Wojciech J. Chodan, a former commercial vice president and consultant to a United Kingdom subsidiary of Kellogg, Brown & Root Inc. (KBR), pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for his participation in a decade-long scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials to obtain engineering, procurement and construction contracts.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys’ Awards Ceremony

"Each of this year’s award recipients should take great pride in the fact that their efforts have made a positive and lasting impact on the citizens we serve and will leave an enduring imprint on the Department’s work for years to come," said Attorney General Holder.




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Leader of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization and Associate Found Guilty of Conspiring to Import Multiple Tons of Cocaine into the United States

Christian Fernando Borda and Alvaro Alvaran-Velez, two narcotics traffickers aligned with the Autodefenses Unidas de Colombia (AUC), were found guilty today in U.S. District Court of conspiring to import ton-quantities of cocaine into the United States.



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Three New Orleans Police Officers Found Guilty in the Post-Katrina Shooting and Burning of Henry Glover

A federal jury in New Orleans convicted three current and former New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers, David Warren, Greg McRae and Lt. Travis McCabe, in relation to the post-Katrina shooting death of Henry Glover, and the subsequent burning of Glover’s remains and obstruction of justice.



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Woman Sentenced in Columbus, Ohio, for Role in Human Trafficking Conspiracy

Maria Terechina, a national of the Russian Federation, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ohio, for her role in a human trafficking conspiracy involving guestworkers who worked in hotels as housekeepers and laundry workers.



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Former Senior Executives of Latin Node Inc. Charged with Bribing Honduran Officials and Money Laundering

Jorge Granados and Manuel Caceres, the former chief executive officer and the vice president of business development, respectively, for Miami-based telecommunications company Latin Node Inc. (LatiNode) have been indicted for allegedly paying more than $500,000 in bribes to government officials in Honduras.



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Attorney General Announces Appointment of Robin C. Ashton as Head of the Office of Professional Responsibility

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of Robin C. Ashton to serve as head of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) at the Department of Justice.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Announces Acting Director for the Executive Office for Immigration Review

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of Juan Osuna as Acting Director for the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).



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Former Bell, California, Police Officer Sentenced to Nine Years on Federal Civil Rights Charge for Sexual Assault

A judge sentenced Feliciano Sanchez, a former officer with the Bell, Calif., Police Department, to nine years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for sexually assaulting a female motorist and violating her civil rights.



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American Samoa Department of Education Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy

The director of the school bus division of the U.S. Territory of American Samoa’s Department of Education pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.



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Former CIA Officer Arrested for Alleged Unauthorized Disclosure of National Defense Information and Obstruction of Justice

A former CIA officer was arrested today on charges that he illegally disclosed national defense information and obstructed justice.



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Illinois Commercial Print Broker Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement to the Government Printing Office

An Illinois commercial print broker pleaded guilty today to making false statements in a bid submitted to the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO).



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Army Contracting Officer Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Bribery

Judge Arguello also ordered Army Major Roderick D. Sanchez, 45, of Pueblo, Colo., to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term, and to pay a $15,000 fine.



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Former Chicago Police Officer Jon Burge Sentenced for Lying About Police Torture

Former Chicago Police Department Commander Jon Burge, 63, of Apollo Beach, Fla., was sentenced today to 54 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for lying in a deposition in a civil case about torture and abuse of suspects by Chicago Police Department officers.



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Attorney General Holder Joins President Obama, Administration Officals to Announce Presidential Initiative Supporting Military Families

Attorney General Eric Holder today joined President Barack Obama and other administration officials to announce the presidential initiative aimed at establishing a coordinated and comprehensive federal approach to supporting military families.



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Attorney General Holder, Justice Department Officials Meet with Defending Childhood Representatives

Attorney General Eric Holder today met with Defending Childhood representatives from eight communities across the country to discuss local efforts to address children’s exposure to violence.



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Two Former Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Police Officers Convicted of Falsifying Information About Hate Crime

A federal jury in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., has convicted Matthew Nestor and William Moyer of falsifying information related to the investigation into the beating death of Luis Ramirez.



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Federal Officials Close the Investigation into the Death of Trey Joyner

The Justice Department announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges against U.S. Park Police detectives involved in the fatal shooting of Trey Joyner.



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Former Uplands Park, Missouri, Police Officer Sentenced on Civil Rights Violations

Leon Pullen, 32, of Foley, Mo., a former police officer employed by the Uplands Park Police Department in suburban St. Louis, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on civil rights violations stemming from several incidents where he sexually assaulted and stole money from women.



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Department of Justice Announces Launch of Human Trafficking Enhanced Enforcement Initiative

The Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor announced today the launch of a nationwide Human Trafficking Enhanced Enforcement Initiative designed to streamline federal criminal investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking offenses.



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Former Senate Office Manager Convicted in $75,000 Wire Fraud Scheme

Ngozi T. Pole, 40, a former office manager in the U.S. Senate, was convicted today of five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government property.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Meeting

"As part of this fight against human trafficking, specialized Anti-Trafficking Coordination Teams, known as ACTeams, will be convened in a number of pilot districts nationwide," said Attorney General Holder.




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Former Kershaw County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Department Officer Found Guilty for Using Excessive Force on Detainee

A federal jury in Columbia, S.C., convicted Oddie Tribble, 51, a former police officer with the Kershaw County, S.C., Sherriff’s Office, of a civil rights violation for his use of excessive force on a man in his custody on Aug. 5, 2010.



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Justice Department Settles with Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Over Use of Tasers in County Jails

A settlement agreement has been reached with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Columbus, Ohio, over the use of Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs), or electrically charged weapons commonly referred to by the brand name “TASER,” in its two jails, the Franklin County Corrections Centers.



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Five Individuals and One Tennessee Company Charged with Conspiracy to Violate Arms Export Control Act and Related Offenses in International Arms Trafficking Scheme

Five individuals and a Nashville, Tenn., firearms manufacturer have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges relating to international firearms and trafficking violations of the Arms Export Control Act.



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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Speaks at the National Association of Latino Elected Officials Luncheon on Redistricting

"The importance of this process can not be overstated – our system of government relies upon giving everyone an equal voice – and the decennial redistricting process ensures integrity in our system."




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41 Gang Members and Associates in Five Districts Charged with Crimes Including Racketeering, Murder, Drug Trafficking and Firearms Trafficking

Forty-one members of various street gangs have been charged in indictments or criminal complaints unsealed today in five judicial districts.



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Guam Bar Owner Found Guilty for Sex Trafficking and Related Crimes

An owner of bar in Guam was found guilty today of sex trafficking, and coercion and enticement for prostitution related to a scheme to force young women and one juvenile girl into prostitution.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Office Manager of Los Angeles Medical Supply Business Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud Medicare of More Than $6 Million in Wheelchair Scheme

The office manager of a Los Angeles durable medical equipment (DME) company pleaded guilty today to conspiring with her former church pastor to run a power wheelchair scheme that defrauded Medicare of more than $6 million, the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS) announced.



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Massachusetts Antique Dealer Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Trafficking in Illegally-Imported Narwhal Tusks and Sperm Whale Teeth

David L. Place, owner of Manor House Antiques Cooperative in Nantucket, Mass., was sentenced to 33 months in prison for illegally importing and trafficking in Narwhal tusks and Sperm Whale teeth.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Natchez, Mississippi, Police Officer Convicted of Civil Rights Offense for Stealing from Arrestee

A jury in Natchez, Miss., yesterday convicted a Natchez Police Department officer of violating the civil rights of an arrestee by stealing credit and debit cards from the arrestee.



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Former U.S. Official Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Woman on Embassy Property in Algeria

Andrew Warren, 43, a former official with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was sentenced today to 65 months in prison on charges of abusive sexual contact and unlawful use of cocaine while possessing a firearm.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former New York Correctional Officer Convicted of Assaulting Inmate, Making False Statements to FBI

A former correctional officer from Cohoes, N.Y., was convicted following a jury trial in Albany, N.Y., of violating the civil rights of an inmate while working at the Rensselaer County Correctional Facility, and making false statements to the FBI regarding the incident.



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Bexar County, Texas, Corrections Officer Charged with Civil Rights Violations

A Bexar County, Texas, corrections officer was charged today in a two-count federal indictment with violating the civil rights of two detainees.



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