"As we honor American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage month, we work to build on our continued progress strengthening tribal law enforcement," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

"Sentencing and corrections policy affects everyone in society, and I am confident that the more people are thinking about it, the easier it will prove to arrive at solutions," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

"When the Attorney General announced that he had selected me to serve as Acting Assistant Attorney General, he stated it would be a seamless transition. That is what I am working to deliver—vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws, as well as transparency and certainty for consumers and business," said acting Assistant Attorney General Pozen.

"For those of you who’ve followed our work at OJP over the last nearly three years, you know that our work in this Administration to advance criminal justice social science research has been one of my top priorities," said Assistant Attorney General Robinson.

Mine S. Pase, 62, of Pago Pago, American Samoa, pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton.

Steven Scott Cantrell, 26, of Crane, Texas, was sentenced today for hate crime charges stemming from a series of racially-motivated arsons in December 2010, including the arson of a historic African-American church as part of an effort to murder a disabled African-American man.

"Since the beginning of their tenure, President Obama and Attorney General Holder have repeatedly made clear their commitment to robust civil rights enforcement that is vigorous, fair, and evenhanded," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Julie Matau, 49, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken. Andrea Matau, 28, also of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of theft of federal funds before Judge Wilken.

Michael Jacques, 27, was sentenced in Boston by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor to 166 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.

James Smiley, 27, Colton Partin, 21, and Kyle Montgomery, 21, all of Chattanooga, Tenn., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga for launching fireworks at African-Americans who were congregated outside their apartment building.

The U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington announced today that they are closing the federal criminal civil rights investigation of a former Seattle Police Department Officer for the fatal shooting of the late Native American woodcarver John T. Williams, and that charges will not be filed.

Thomas Gleason, 24, was sentenced today in federal court for his role in the arson of the predominately African-American Macedonia Church of God in Christ just hours after the election of President Barack Obama.

The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Houston has indicted Charles Cannon, 26; Michael McLaughlin, 40; Brian Kerstetter, 32; and Joseph Staggs, 49, on federal hate crime charges related to a racially motivated assault of a 29-year-old African-American man.

The director of the school lunch program for the government of the U.S. Territory of American Samoa was convicted today in relation to his efforts to obstruct a federal grand jury and law enforcement investigation into a bribery scheme.

The Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit against St. Bernard Parish, La., alleging that the parish violated the Fair Housing Act by engaging in a multi-year campaign to limit rental housing opportunities for African-Americans in the parish.

The Justice Department has reached a settlement with the Henry Ford Health System to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the provision of medical services.

"Across the country, public defender offices and other indigent defense providers are underfunded and understaffed. Too often, when legal representation is available to the poor, it’s rendered less effective by insufficient resources, overwhelming caseloads, and inadequate oversight," said Attorney General Holder.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Hayes sentenced James Lee Wallis Jr. to eight months in prison, Tony L. Johnson to six months in prison and Brian Wallis to five months in prison.

"In many ways, there is no better proof that comprehensive immigration reform is long overdue than these state statutes. People are understandably frustrated with our broken immigration system, and some states have turned to “self-help” measures like enacting these local statutes," said Assistant Attorney General West.

"Throughout this month, Americans of all races and backgrounds are called upon to reconnect with one another – and to rededicate ourselves to the principles that lie at the core of everything that we must stand for – and, in particular, all that we fight for here at the Department of Justice," said Attorney General Holder.

Bobby Joe Rogers, 41, of Pensacola, Fla., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the fire that destroyed the American Family Planning Clinic in Pensacola on Jan. 1, 2012.

The United States has intervened in a whistleblower suit pending under the False Claims Act against American Commercial College Inc. (ACC), a chain of for-profit colleges located in west Texas.

Joshua Wall, 20, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Baltimore for his involvement in hanging a dead raccoon from a noose on the porch of an African-American family.

United Kingdom citizen Ahmed Sarchil Kazzaz and his company, Leadstay Company, were charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Northern District of Alabama for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay kickbacks in exchange for receiving subcontracts for a Department of Defense program in Iraq.

The Justice Department announced it has reached a settlement with the Mountain Valley, Pa., Midget Football League to ensure that children with disabilities are offered an equal opportunity to play youth football.

Deryl Paul Dedmon, John Aaron Rice and Dylan Wade Butler, all from Brandon, Miss., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Jackson to federal hate crime charges in connection with an assault culminating in the death of James Craig Anderson.

Julie Matau, 49, and her daughter, Andrea Matau, 28, each were sentenced yesterday in Oakland, Calif., for their participation in the theft of nearly $160,000 in federal grant funds from a now-defunct nonprofit American Samoa legal services corporation.

The Justice Department announced today a settlement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Trinity Health Systems to ensure that Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, Iowa, provides effective communication to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Colton L. Partin, 22, of Apison, Tenn., Kyle C. Montgomery, 23, and James Smiley, 27, both of Chattanooga, Tenn., were sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Curtis L. Collier. Smiley and Montgomery were sentenced to 12 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to intimidate African-Americans in the free exercise and enjoyment of housing rights secured to them by the laws of the United States. Partin was sentenced to 18 months probation, including six months home confinement. All three men will also serve 300 hours of community service. The men pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2012.

A federal jury today convicted Charles Cannon, 26, Michael McLaughlin, 41, and Brian Kerstetter, 32, of a federal hate crime charge related to a racially motivated assault of a 29-year-old African-American man.

"The Abbott resolution was the most recent result of the President’s initiative to crack down on health care fraud," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Delery.

"For nearly nine decades, ALI has been on the front lines of efforts to improve the strength, integrity, and effectiveness of our justice system," said Attorney General Holder.

Gustav Nauer, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra in the District of Hawaii.

"Protecting taxpayer dollars is one of the Attorney General’s core priorities. This includes a commitment to increase our efforts to reduce fraud at the outset," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Delery.

Paul Solofa, the former chief financial officer for the Department of Education for the government of the U.S. Territory of American Samoa was sentenced today to 35 months in prison following his conviction earlier this year for his efforts to obstruct a federal grand jury and law enforcement investigation into a bribery scheme.

"The benefits of Plyler are felt by all of us, wherever we or our ancestors were born. Three decades after Plyler, immigrant students have made and continue to make vast and deep contributions to America’s cultural, civic, and economic landscape," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Chase McClary, 23, of Johnsonville, S.C., pleaded guilty today in federal court in the District of South Carolina to violating the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in his violent assault of an African-American teenager.

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton for the District of Columbia sentenced Mine S. Pase to 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

"You’ve proven the power of unity – and the virtues of diversity. And you’ve breathed new life into the old adage that – more than 80 years ago – gave voice to LULAC’s mission and vision: Uno para todos, todos para uno," said Attorney General Holder.

Kerstetter was sentenced to 77 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Cannon was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. And McLaughlin was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney’s offices across the nation are partnering with the Civil Rights Division to target their enforcement efforts on a critical area for individuals with disabilities through a new Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, the Justice Department announced today. The announcement comes on the 22nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was passed on July 26, 1990. Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez announced the new initiative today at an event celebrating the anniversary of the ADA in Washington, D.C.

"Thanks to the work of so many of you in this room, the ADA has both literally and figuratively opened millions of doors for individuals with disabilities across this nation. Just as importantly, it has revolutionized the way our society thinks about individuals with disabilities, and it has revolutionized the way people with disabilities live in our communities," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Two former officers of Arizona-based residential mortgage loan originator American Mortgage Specialists Inc. (AMS) pleaded guilty today for their roles in a $27 million scheme to defraud North Dakota-based BNC National Bank.

"At the Justice Department, we have made enforcing the rights of American Indians a priority," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Chase McClary, 24, of Johnsonville, S.C., was sentenced today in federal court to four years in prison followed by three years supervised release for his racially-motivated attack of an African-American teenager.

"Nothing is more important than curbing corruption around the world – and we must, and we will, continue to do everything we can to ensure that young people across the globe can dream big dreams without having to worry that a corrupt leader will extinguish them," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

The United States has filed a civil complaint against Kellogg, Brown & Root Services Inc. (KBR) and First Kuwaiti Trading Company for submitting inflated claims for the delivery and installation of trailers to house troops in Iraq.

"I think there's little doubt that over the last four years, the President, the Attorney General and this Department have placed high importance on improving tribal justice and public safety in Indian country," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

"In the years to come, we look forward to strengthening our partnership with tribal nations, and to building even more effective collaborations with our colleagues at the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

The former director of accounting and the former outside auditor of Arizona-based residential mortgage loan originator American Mortgage Specialists Inc. pleaded guilty in Arizona to conspiracy to defraud BNC National Bank and obstruction of justice, respectively.