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Former Executive of Auto Parts Retailer Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Fraud Scheme

Don W. Watson, 55, of Gilbert, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton in the District of Arizona in Phoenix.



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Bloomfield, Michigan, Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

John Walter Kaber, a resident of Bloomfield, Mich., was sentenced to 37 months in prison for tax evasion.



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Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division Speaks at the 2011 International Law Enforcement Intellectual Property Crime Conference

"Conferences like this one serve the important purpose of raising global awareness about the negative consequences of IP crime, and showing those who need convincing how critically important it is that we work together to stop IP crime, and punish those who commit it," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.




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NASA Contractor to Pay U.S. to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Concerning Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Fraud

Lydia Demski, the owner of Deerpath Corp., has agreed to pay the United States $800,000 to resolve allegations that she and her companies knowingly caused false claims to be submitted relating to a contract to provide re-furbishment of equipment at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Plumbrook facility in Sandusky, Ohio.



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Member of Rhode Island La Cosa Nostra Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Role in Murder-For-Hire Case

Anthony St. Laurent Sr., 70, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for his role in an attempted murder-for-hire.



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Last of 10 Las Vegas Defendants Sentenced for Falsifying Emissions Test Records

William Joseph McCown, 49, of Las Vegas, was sentenced today before District Judge Lloyd D. George of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.



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Professional Illinois Duck Hunter Jeff Foiles Sentenced to More Than One Year in Jail and Fines for Illegal Hunting and Guiding Activities

Professional duck hunter and guide Jeffrey B. Foiles was sentenced today by a federal judge in Springfield, Ill., to 13 months in prison.



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Second Californian Sentenced on False Tax Refund Conspiracy

Haroon Amin of Upland, Calif., was sentenced to 30 months in prison today for conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Rochester, New York, Asbestos Abatement Contractor Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Environmental Crimes and False Statements to OSHA

After a two day hearing in federal court in Rochester, N.Y., that ended late yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa sentenced Keith Gordon-Smith, 54, of Rochester, to six years in prison for knowingly violating the Clean Air Act and making false statements to a federal inspector.



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Former Army Reserve Captain Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Soliciting $1.3 Million in Bribes and Conspiring to Traffic Heroin

A former captain in the U.S. Army Reserve stationed in Afghanistan was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for soliciting $1.3 million in bribes from contractors involved in U.S.-funded reconstruction efforts and participating in a conspiracy to traffic heroin from Southeast Asia.



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Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer Delivers Remarks at Rhode Island La Cosa Nostra Press Conference

"Today’s operations represent the kind of collaborative law enforcement that breeds success," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.




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Bloods Gang Member in Nashville Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison

Antonio Washington, 22, aka “T.O.,” of Nashville, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.



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Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer Speaks at the American Health Lawyers Association and Health Care Compliance Association’s 2011 Fraud and Compliance Forum

"In the Criminal Division, and throughout the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, we devote substantial resources to investigating and prosecuting fraud of all kinds – investment fraud, bank fraud, mortgage fraud, procurement fraud, and, of course, fraud in the health care industry," Assistant Attorney General Breuer.




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President of Virginia-Based Connection Newspapers Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

Peter Labovitz of Alexandria, Va., was sentenced to six months in prison for failing to pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.



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Attorney General Holder Convenes Federal Reentry Council

Attorney General Eric Holder today convened the second meeting of the federal interagency Reentry Council to address ways to ensure those returning from prison become productive, law-abiding citizens.



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Arkansas Men Sentenced for Federal Hate Crimes Related to the Assault of Five Hispanic Men

Frankie Maybee, 20, and Sean Popejoy, 19, both of Green Forest, Ark., were sentenced for their roles in committing federal hate crimes.



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Houston-based Principals of A&O Entities Sentenced in Virginia for $100 Million Fraud Scheme

Two principals of A&O Resource Management Ltd. have been sentenced for their roles in a $100 million life settlement fraud scheme, which included more than 800 victims across the United States and Canada.



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Public Awareness Campaign Launched to Seek New Information in the Murder of Assistant U.S. Attorney

Attorney General Eric Holder joined U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Jenny A. Durkan, the Wales family and the FBI in Seattle today to announce a new media and social media effort to seek information related to the 2001 slaying of Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Wales.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Thomas C. Wales Investigation Announcement

"Although this case remains unsolved, and Tom’s killer remains unknown, our resolve to uncover the truth – and to help Tom’s family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors find the answers and the closure that they deserve – has never been stronger," said Attorney General Holder.




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Two Individuals Sentenced in Virginia for Roles in Matching Charitable Funds Fraud Scheme

Stephan Bekale and Jamal Ibraheem were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., for conspiring to commit wire fraud as part of a matching funds scheme.



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Virginia Real Estate Businessman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Mortgage and Investment Fraud Schemes

Alexander Otis Matthews, a Virginia real estate businessman, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison in connection with mortgage and investment schemes to obtain more than $12 million in fraudulent loans.



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Former Colombian Maritime Training Instructor and Co-Conspirator Sentenced to Prison on U.S. Drug Charges

A former Colombian maritime training instructor and a co-conspirator were sentenced to federal prison today for conspiring to transport thousands of kilograms of cocaine from various ports along the coast of Colombia to waiting vessels that transported the cocaine to the United States and other countries.



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Florida Man Sentenced for Filing False Liens Against Federal Law Enforcement Employees

Mark D. Leitner was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty in July to filing false liens against federal law enforcement employees and corruptly endeavoring to impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service.



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Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. Agrees to Plead Guilty to Participating in Bid-Rigging and Price-Fixing Conspiracies Involving Optical Disk Drives

Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $21.1 million criminal fine for its participation in a series of conspiracies to rig bids and fix prices for the sale of optical disk drives.



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Louisiana-Based LHC Group Inc. Agrees to Pay U.S. $65 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

LHC Group Inc. has agreed to pay $65 million, plus interest, to the federal government to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act for false home healthcare billings to the Medicare, TRICARE and Federal Employees Health Benefits programs.



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Department of Justice and Partner Agencies Announce Training and Technical Assistance Award to Build Capacity in Distressed Neighborhoods

The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), together with its partners, the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Education, Health and Human Services and Treasury, today announced the selection of the Center for the Study of Social Policy as the Building Neighborhood Capacity Program (BNCP) Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator.



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Special Master Sheila L. Birnbaum Announces Opening of September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

September 11th Victim Compensa¬tion Fund (VCF) Special Master Sheila L. Birnbaum today announced that the fund is officially open for claimants.



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Niagara Falls, New York, Financial Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Promoting and Using Abusive Tax Shelters

Richard Muto was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws.



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Justice Department Announces More Than $130 Million in Cost Saving and Efficiency Measures to Utilize Resources More Effectively

As part of Attorney General Eric Holder’s call for cost-cutting measures to streamline operations and reduce spending during a time of constrained funding, the Department of Justice today announced that it will realign functions in various offices, lower lease costs by consolidating or reducing office space and continue to look for ways to more effectively utilize the department’s resources.



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New Mexico Man to Receive Life Prison Sentence After Conviction on Kidnapping Charge Related to Death of 16-Year-Old

Larry Lujan, 33, will receive a life prison sentence for a kidnapping that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old, after a federal jury today announced it could not reach a unanimous decision on whether to impose the death penalty.



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Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison in Delaware for Child Exploitation Offenses

Paul Edward Pavulak, 67, of New Castle, Del., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sue L. Robinson in Wilmington, Del.



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Former New Orleans Police Officer Sentenced in Danziger Bridge Case

Former New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Officer Ignatius Hills was sentenced today by U. S. District Court Judge Martin L.C. Feldman to 78 months in prison.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Law Enforcement Hiring Awards Announcement

"On behalf of my colleagues across the Department of Justice, I am grateful for your leadership in advancing the public safety goals that we share, and for your steadfast support of this city’s law enforcement community," said Attorney General Holder.




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Homebuilder Ryland Group Inc. to Pay $625,000 Clean Water Act Penalty and Implement Company-Wide Stormwater Controls

The Ryland Group Inc. will pay a civil penalty of $625,000 to resolve alleged Clean Water Act violations at its construction sites, including sites located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.



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Justice Department Announces Agreement with Lorain County, Ohio, on Protecting the Rights of Spanish-Speaking Puerto Rican Voters

The Justice Department announced a settlement today with Lorain County, Ohio, to protect the rights of Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican voters under Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act.



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Former Hickman County, Tennessee, Deputy Sheriff Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Civil Rights and False Statement Charges

Former Hickman County Deputy Sheriff Kenneth H. Smith was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell to 24 months in prison for civil rights and false statement charges.



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Detroit-Area Clinic Owner Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in $9.1 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Martin Tasis was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his leading role in a $9.1 million Detroit-area Medicare fraud scheme.



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Attorney General Holder Holds National Security Enforcement Press Conference

"Today, the Department of Justice is announcing charges against two people who allegedly attempted to carry out a deadly plot that was directed by factions of the Iranian government to assassinate a foreign ambassador here in the United States," said Attorney General Holder.




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Owner of Houston Health Care Company Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Medicare Fraud

The owner and operator of a Houston durable medical equipment (DME) company was sentenced yesterday in Houston federal court to 33 months in prison for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme.



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Department of Justice Announces the Defending Childhood Task Force

Today at the national conference of the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli announced the establishment of the Attorney General’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence.



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Georgia Woman Sentenced to 140 Months in Prison for Human Trafficking of Two Young Women from Nigeria

Bidemi Bello, 42, formerly of Suwanee, Ga., was sentenced today in Atlanta by U.S. District Judge William S. Duffey Jr. on human trafficking charges including forced labor, trafficking with respect to forced labor, document servitude, harboring for financial gain and procurement of naturalization unlawfully.



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Owners of Fraudulent Lakeland, Florida, Physical Therapy Company Sentenced to 42 and 46 Months in Prison

Miami-area residents Angel Gonzalez and Jorge Zamora, who were the owners and operators of a fraudulent physical therapy company in Lakeland, Fla., were sentenced yesterday and today to 42 months in prison and 46 months in prison, respectively, for their leading roles in a scheme to defraud Medicare.



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United States and European Union Antitrust Agencies Issue Revised Best Practices for Coordinating Merger Reviews

The Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the European Commission today issued an updated set of “best practices” that they use to coordinate their merger reviews.



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Attorney General Holder Hosts Summit Focused on Prevention, Deterrence and Interdiction of Child Sexual Exploitation

Attorney General Eric Holder today convened a panel of experts from Facebook, Microsoft and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to discuss concrete ways to prevent and deter child sexual exploitation at a national summit entitled, “A Call to Action: Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation.”



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention National Conference

"That’s why, today, I am proud to announce a series of grants to organizations that offer mentoring programs specifically targeting children with a parent in the military," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Holder Speaks at the 14th Annual Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency Awards Ceremony

"Over the last few decades – and, especially, in recent years – your efforts have become essential not only in making the organizations you serve more efficient, more effective, and more accountable – but also in preserving the principles that define who we are, and must continue to be – both as a government, and as a people," said Attorney General Holder.




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Micronesian Couple Sentenced in State of Washington in Connection with Human Trafficking Violations

Edk Kenit, 28, and Choimina Lukas, 30, a Micronesian couple living in Longview, Wash., were sentenced today for their roles in a scheme to compel the labor of an 18-year-old woman, also from Micronesia.



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Baytown, Texas, Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Atascosa County, Texas Murder

Jim Flint McIntyre, aka “Q-Ball,” 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez in the Western District of Texas.



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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the Department’s Conference on Post 9/11 Discrimination

"The Department of Justice takes seriously its role in enforcing the laws that protect people against such discrimination, and it moved early to respond to this crisis," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Texas Resident Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Scheme to Defraud the U.S. Export-Import Bank

Gilberto Baez-Garcia, 35, was also sentenced by Judge Kathleen Cardone in U.S. District Court in El Paso to five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $ 3,614,594 in restitution and $ 3,614,977 in forfeiture.



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