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Ready-Mix Concrete Producer Agrees to Resolve Clean Water Act Violations

Aggregate Industries - Northeast Region Inc., will pay a $2.75 million civil penalty and implement a regional evaluation and compliance program to resolve numerous violations of the Clean Water Act at 23 facilities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.



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Federal Judge Sentences Defendants Who Perpetrated $10.9 Million Medicare Fraud HIV Infusion Scheme

Miami physician Keith Russell, 65, and physician’s assistant Jorge Luis Pacheco, 50, were each sentenced to 97 months in prison, and physician’s assistant Eda Marietta Milanes, 43, was sentenced to 63 months in prison, for their roles in fraud schemes that involved billing Medicare for $10,903,509 worth of unnecessary HIV infusion treatments.



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Arizona Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

Charles Brown, 54, of Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced today to five years in prison and lifetime supervised release following his prison term for receiving child pornography.



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Massachusetts Man Sentenced in Child Pornography Case

Michael D. Doyle, 41, of Woburn, Mass., was sentenced today to four years in prison for possessing images of child pornography. Doyle also was sentenced to nine years of supervised release following his term in prison by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. The court accepted Doyle’s guilty plea to a one-count information charging possession of child pornography, which was filed on April 22, 2009.



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Two Virginia Residents Sentenced for Their Role in Scheme to Defraud Clients of Funds Allegedly Held in Trust

Two former employees of Edward H. Okun, who was sentenced to 100 years in prison on Aug. 4, 2009, after a three-week jury trial, were sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne for their roles in a scheme to defraud and obtain approximately $126 million in client funds held by The 1031 Tax Group LLP (1031TG).



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Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Business Opportunity Scams

On Aug.11, 2009, two individuals were sentenced in connection with South Florida business opportunity scams. Stewart Pope was sentenced in connection with his participation in fraudulent business opportunity sales at a Miami firm called Global Resources (“Global”).



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Consortium of 49 Massachusetts Law Enforcement Agencies to Pay U.S. $200,000 for Alleged False Claims

The North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) will pay the United States $200,000 to settle allegations that it made false claims related to the use of Justice Department grant funds. Based in Boston, NEMLEC is a non-profit corporation and a law enforcement council. It is comprised of a consortium of 47 police departments in Middlesex and Essex Counties, as well as two county sheriff’s departments.



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Five Sentenced for Forcing Guatemalan Girls and Women to Work as Prostitutes in Los Angeles

Five members of an extended family were sentenced to federal prison late yesterday, all receiving lengthy sentences for their roles in an international sex trafficking ring that lured young Guatemalan women and girls to the Los Angeles area and forced them into prostitution.



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Former Member of Armed Services Sentenced for Participating in Bribery and Extortion Conspiracy

A former member of the U.S. armed services was sentenced today to 28 months in prison for his role in a widespread bribery and extortion conspiracy that operated from January 2002 through March 2004.



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Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., to Pay More Than $2 Million for Discharges from Nebraska Plant

Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., the world’s largest supplier of premium beef and pork, has agreed to pay a $2,026,500 civil penalty to settle allegations that it violated terms of a 2002 consent decree and a federally-issued pollution discharge permit at its meat processing facility in Dakota City, Neb.



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Former UBS Banker Sentenced to 40 Months for Aiding Billionaire American Evade Taxes

Former UBS banker, Bradley Birkenfeld of Weymouth, Mass., has been sentenced to 40 months incarceration by Judge William J. Zloch in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. On June 19, 2008, Birkenfeld pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States.



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Former Military Contractor Sentenced for Participating in Scheme to Steal Large Quantities of Fuel from U.S. Army in Afghanistan

Raschad L. “Sean” Lewis, a former fuel section employee of Kellogg Brown and Root Inc. (KBR) assigned to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for his role in a bribery and a fuel diversion scheme. U.S. District Court Judge Leonie M. Brinkema also ordered Lewis to pay $891,000 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release.



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Former Department of Defense Contractor Sentenced for Participation in Scheme to Steal Fuel from U.S. Army in Iraq

Lee William Dubois, a former Department of Defense contractor, was sentenced today to three years in prison for his participation in a scheme to steal fuel worth approximately $39.6 million from the U.S. Army in Iraq.



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Former Texas Correctional Officer Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Providing False Statements in Civil Rights Case

Eugene Morris, a former correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, was sentenced today in federal court in Houston for providing a false statement related to a federal civil rights investigation. Morris was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release.



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Former Sand and Gravel Subcontractor Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison After Conspiracy and Bribery Conviction in Connection with a Levee Reconstruction Project

A former sand and gravel subcontractor was sentenced today to serve five years in prison and to pay a $5,000 criminal fine by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier after being convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy and bribery in connection with a $16 million hurricane protection project for the reconstruction a New Orleans levee.



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Stanford Financial Group CFO Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to $7 Billion Scheme to Defraud Investors

James M. Davis, 60, the former chief financial officer of Houston-based Stanford Financial Group (SFG), pleaded guilty today to fraud and obstruction charges related to a $7 billion scheme to defraud investors.



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Three Gang Members Sentenced in Drug Conspiracy and for Related Charges

Three members of the violent gang known as the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN) were sentenced today for their participation in narcotics and weapons trafficking.



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Arizona Man Sentenced for Selling Bald Eagle Feathers

Cedric E. Salabye of Dilkon, Ariz., was sentenced Friday in federal court in Phoenix for selling 11 bald eagle tail feathers. Salabye pleaded guilty on April 23, 2009, to one count of a federal indictment charging him with selling eagle feathers in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. 



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President of Missouri Pesticide Company Sentenced for Environmental Crimes

William Garvey, the president of HPI Products Inc., a pesticide company based in St. Joseph, Mo., was sentenced today in federal court in Kansas City, Mo., for violations of the Clean Water Act and hazardous waste storage laws related to the company’s pesticide production.



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Justice Department Announces Largest Health Care Fraud Settlement in Its History

American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. and its subsidiary Pharmacia &Pfizer”) have agreed to pay $2.3 billion, the largest health care fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice, to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products.



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Fraudulent Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison

Tax preparer Lawrence Sperling, was sentenced to 33 months in prison today by Judge Deborah Chasanow in Greenbelt, Md., for preparing false tax returns for clients. In April 2009, Sperling pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false tax return.



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Attorney General Eric Holder at the Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Conference

"We seek diversity not just for its own sake, but because our nation is stronger when people from all backgrounds participate in the administration of justice."




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Former Ft. Campbell Soldier Sentenced to Life in Prison After Conviction on Charges Related to Deaths of Iraqi Civilians

A former Ft. Campbell, Ky., soldier was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell to life in prison after being convicted on May 7, 2009, of charges arising out of the rape of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the murder of the girl and her family.



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Maryland Man Sentenced on Federal Sex Trafficking Charge

Defendant Paul Raymond Green was sentenced late last week to 52 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to prostitute minor females. Green, 23, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.



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Former Tennessee Deputy Sheriff Sentenced for Using Excessive Force

Adam S. Pretti, a former deputy with the Shelby County, Tenn., Sheriff’s Office, was sentenced today in federal court in Memphis to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release for using excessive force during an encounter with a citizen. Pretti was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and a $100 special assessment.



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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Advertising, Transporting, Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography

Robert P. Merz was sentenced to life in prison today for advertising, transporting, receiving and possessing child pornography.



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Pennsylvania Businessman Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced in Puerto Rico Corruption Case

Dr. Candido Negron Mella pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for his participation in a corruption scheme involving the 2000 Resident Commissioner campaign of a former governor of Puerto Rico.



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Four Men Sentenced to a Combined 293 Months in Prison for Election Night Assaults

The Department announced that four men who committed three hate crime assaults in response to President Barack Obama’s election victory were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carol B. Amon in federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y.



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Former Global Director of Security for Stanford Financial Group Indicted for Obstructing a Federal Investigation

Thomas Raffanello, a former global director of security at the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., office of Stanford Financial Group (SFG), has been charged today in a three-count superseding indictment with conspiracy to obstruct a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proceeding and to destroy documents in a federal investigation; obstruction of a proceeding before the SEC; and destruction of records in a federal investigation.



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the National Sexual Assault Conference

Sexual violence is not just an issue for the victim, or his or her family. We believe the community must be involved in addressing the needs of survivors and holding offenders accountable.




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Three Individuals Indicted for Roles in Conspiracy Schemes Involving Two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Sites in New Jersey

A Newark grand jury indicted three individuals for their participation in fraud and kickback conspiracies related to contracts at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Superfund site, Federal Creosote, located in Manville, N.J.



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Justice Department Commemorates Fifteen Years of the Violence Against Women Act

The Department today commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which was signed into law on September 13, 1994.



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Former Indiana Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Sentenced to Prison for Falsifying Reports

The former superintendent of a wastewater treatment facility in Rochester, Ind., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in South Bend, Ind., to serve one year in prison for falsifying discharge monitoring reports that concealed violations of the Clean Water Act.



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Ohio Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Charges and Violation of the Adam Walsh Act

Timothy L. Lantz was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for transporting child pornography in interstate commerce and failing to update his sex offender registration in violation of the Adam Walsh Act.



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Brooklyn Resident Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to File False Claims for Tax Refunds

Odell Folks, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was sentenced to prison today by District Judge Carol Bagley Amon of the Eastern District of New York for his participation in a false tax return scheme. Folks, who pleaded guilty in March 2009 to mail fraud, a false claims conspiracy, and making and subscribing a false return, was sentenced to 77 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $489,292.



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Manager of Bogus Foreign Currency Exchange Ponzi Scheme Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice

Teresa Vogt, a resident of Anaheim, Calif., pleaded guilty on Sept. 15, 2009, to one count of obstruction of justice before U.S. District Court Judge Dale S. Fischer in Los Angeles. Vogt and eight co-defendants were indicted in May 2005 on tax fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and other charges related to the operation of the Genesis Fund.



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Los Angeles Area Tax Defier Convicted of Criminal Contempt for Violating Injunction

James A. Mattatall, of Torrance, Calif., was convicted Tuesday of criminal contempt by a federal district court in Los Angeles. Mattatall’s conviction relates to his violations of a 2004 permanent injunction that barred him from preparing tax returns for others and representing persons before the IRS.



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Wife of Alleged Gang Leader Sentenced, Alleged Leader’s Brother Re-enters Guilty Plea in Drug Conspiracy Case

Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN) member Marie Chavez, aka "Shorty," wife of an alleged ALKQN leader, Jose Nava, aka "Chino," was sentenced today, while his brother Luis Nava, aka "Flaco," re-entered a guilty plea to a superseding indictment that charged them and 14 others with various offenses related to alleged narcotics and weapons trafficking, as well as violent activities throughout Texas.



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Justice Department Settles Allegations of Religion Discrimination Against Guideone Mutual Insurance Co.

The Department announced a settlement that, pending court approval, will resolve allegations that the GuideOne Mutual Insurance Company and two authorized agents discriminated because of religion when they advertised special benefits and discounts only to “churchgoers” and “persons of faith.”



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Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to Hold Workshops Concerning Horizontal Merger Guidelines

The Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that they will solicit public comment and hold joint public workshops to explore the possibility of updating the Horizontal Merger Guidelines that are used by both agencies to evaluate the potential competitive effects of mergers and acquisitions.



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Texas Man Sentenced to 76 Months in Prison for Travel with Intent to Engage in Sex with Minors

Patrick Cochran, 47, of Lake Jackson, Texas, was sentenced late on Monday in Phoenix to 76 months in prison for travel with intent to engage in sex with minors and possession of child pornography.



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Fraudulent Telemarketer Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison, Co-Conspirators Also Sentenced for Roles in Fake Sweepstakes Scheme

Four owners of Costa Rica-based telemarketing call centers, an employee and a Texas-based list broker have been sentenced for their roles in defrauding thousands of U.S. victims of more than $20 million through a phony sweepstakes scheme.



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Five Individuals Charged in Scheme to Defraud U.S. Government Agency Related to $9.4 Million Loan

Donald Daniels, Martin William Washburn, Irina Rebegeneau and Tapani Koivunen have been charged in conjunction with a scheme to defraud the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a government lending agency.



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Former Alaska State Representative Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bribery

Beverly Masek was sentenced today to six months in prison.



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Justice Department Announces Settlement of Its First Landlord-Tenant Case Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

The Department announced that it had reached a settlement with a Virginia landlord to resolve allegations that she violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The lawsuit alleged that the landlord failed to return prepaid rent and security deposits to a tenant who had terminated her lease early in order to comply with military orders to relocate from to Georgia.



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Florida Limousine Drive Sentenced to Prison for Securities and Tax Fraud

Eli Goldshor of Boca Raton, Fla.,was sentenced today for conspiracy to commit securities fraud and willfully failing to file tax returns. Goldshor, a self-employed limousine driver, was sentenced by Judge William Zloch in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to 18 months in prison.



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Seafood Wholesaler and Owner Sentenced in a Conspiracy to Illegally Harvest Rock Fish

Robert Lumpkins, owner of Golden Eye Seafood LLC, of St. Mary’s County, Md., was sentenced to 18 months in prison and the company was sentenced today to 3 years probation by U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte after a two day sentencing hearing in the District of Maryland.



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Justice Department Announced Public Education Campaign Grants to Fight Immigration-Related Employment Discrimination

The Department today awarded $723,000 in grants to twelve groups serving communities throughout the country.



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Former Enron Broadband Co-Chief Executive Officer Sentenced For Wire Fraud

Joseph Hirko, former co-chief executive officer of Enron Broadband Services (EBS), Enron’s failed telecommunications business, was sentenced today to 16 months in prison.



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Former U.S. Army Reserve Major Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Conspiracy and Bribery Charges

Theresa Jeanne Baker was sentenced for her participation in two separate bribery conspiracies relating to DOD contracts at Camp Vistory, Iraq.



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