"We’re here to recognize 18 extraordinary individuals for their quick thinking, selflessness, and exceptional courage. They are law enforcement and corrections officers and firefighters who went beyond the call of duty to risk – and in some cases, to give – their lives for their fellow citizens and colleagues," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary.

"Consumer advocates like NCL are the front line for so many consumers who have been defrauded and just don’t know where to turn. Like its predecessor, the Fraud Center, the new site will make it easier for consumers to report potential fraud or misrepresentation, and for law enforcement organizations, like the Civil Division, to do something about it," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Delery.

Two men were arrested today on charges of allegedly extorting a Detroit-area restaurant owner.

"When food or drug manufacturers lie and cut corners, they put all of us at risk. The Department of Justice will not hesitate to pursue any person whose criminal conduct risks the safety of Americans who have done nothing more than eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Delery.

"In fact, this initiative constitutes a significant step forward in fostering increased levels of engagement with these partners and with Congress, in establishing a productive partnership between the Department of Justice and NIST, and in strengthening our ability to realize the goals and priorities that we all share," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tyrangiel.

A federal court in Los Angeles permanently barred a Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., married couple – Henock Teferi and Ruth Berhane – and their company, Plover Financial Services LLC, from engaging in certain abusive tax-preparation practices.

The Departments of Justice and Labor today announced the availability of approximately $32 million through two grant competitions that will offer job training, education and support services to formerly incarcerated youths and women.

The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) today announced $12.6 million dollars in grants awarded to 20 communities as part of a new, consolidated program designed to more effectively reduce dating violence.

Today President Barack Obama granted pardons to the following seventeen individuals.

Corey Means was sentenced yesterday to 20 months in prison and Melba Wilson to eight months home detention for their involvement in a million dollar identity theft tax scheme.

"We have made protecting consumers a centerpiece of the Department’s overall anti-fraud efforts because consumer fraud affects ordinary people every day and can devastate victims," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Delery.

After a thorough review of the proposed transaction, the Antitrust Division has determined that the combination of T-Mobile and MetroPCS is unlikely to harm consumers or substantially lessen competition and has closed its investigation.

Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder today announced grants to 12 programs across the country to target the urgent need to reduce domestic violence homicides.

"Our investigation into CPD’s use of force practices will be thorough, fair and independent. We will follow the facts, wherever the facts. We will peel the onion to its core, and leave no stone unturned," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today $1.8 million in new resources to improve access to criminal legal services and strengthen indigent defense across the nation.

Executives at two Arlington, Va.-based businesses have pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining more than $31 million in government contract payments that should have gone to disadvantaged small businesses.

"As technology continues to advance, ECPA’s importance to both criminal and civil law enforcement will only increase," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tyrangiel.

"The Department is engaged in efforts across the country to break down barriers to opportunity for America’s schoolchildren, and to ensure that school is a road to success, not a pipeline to prison," said Prinicpal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Samuels.

The Department of Justice today filed a motion to dismiss its antitrust lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan after the state of Michigan passed a law that prohibits health insurers from using most favored nation clauses in contracts with health care providers.

Honeywell Resins and Chemicals LLC has agreed to pay a $3 million civil penalty for alleged Clean Air Act violations at its Hopewell, Va., plant, and improve the facility’s air pollution control equipment and processes.

"The Department of Justice continuously and rigorously seeks ways to operate more efficiently and cost effectively, so that our funds are available for the critical national security and law enforcement activities that impact the Nation," said Assistant Attorney General Lofthus.

"The prosecution of SIRF crimes is a national priority, and, together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to look for the most effective ways to bring this conduct to an end and to punish these wrongdoers," said Assistant Attorney General Keneally.

The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division today issued the 2013 edition of its annual newsletter on its website.

Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division issued the following statement today on changes to the division’s carve-out practice regarding corporate plea agreements.

"We use our tools—criminal and civil enforcement, together with focused and effective competition advocacy—to ensure that consumers get the full advantage of our free-market economy," said Assistant Attorney General Baer.

Jason Glenn Thomas, 34, a former sergeant with the city of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Police Department, pleaded guilty today to a criminal civil rights charge for using his authority as a law enforcement officer to sexually assault a woman.

Christopher Cain, 19, and Dorian Moragne, 20, both of Atlanta, pleaded guilty today in federal court to beating a man because of his sexual orientation.

"The issues you’re discussing here at this summit – the intersection of drugs and crime, gang and youth violence, the future of juvenile justice – are all issues the Department of Justice and my office, the Office of Justice Programs, are working diligently to address," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that CEMEX, Inc., the owner and operator of a Portland cement manufacturing facility in Lyons, Colo., has agreed to operate advanced pollution controls on its kiln and pay a $1 million civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

"The goal of Vision 21 is to create a framework to address these enduring and emerging challenges – in short, to re-define the role of victim services in the 21st century," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary

"We’re doubling down on our support for victims because the challenges they and their advocates face continue to be significant, and they’re growing," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Leary.

"Together, we can move this country toward the day when being or appearing Jewish, Muslim, Arab, black, gay, – or part of any other group, real or perceived – will not mean accepting a higher risk of becoming a victim of discrimination," said Attorney General Holder.

A former consultant for Willbros International Inc. (Willbros International), a subsidiary of Houston-based Willbros Group Inc. (Willbros), was sentenced today for his role in a conspiracy to pay more than $6 million in bribes to government officials of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and officials from a Nigerian political party.

A Romanian national pleaded guilty today to participating in an international, multimillion-dollar scheme to remotely hack into and steal payment card data from hundreds of U.S. merchants’ computers.

Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, announced today that she will be leaving the Department of Justice on June 7, 2013.

The Department of Justice announced today the settlement of its lawsuit against the Golden Corral restaurant in Westland, Mich., which alleged that the owners and operators of the Golden Corral violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying service to a mother and her minor children based on the appearance of the children’s skin due to a genetic skin disorder.

"We have covered extraordinary ground in the last year—not only concluding a comprehensive investigation of the University’s response to sexual assault, but also reaching two agreements to remedy the problems we found— this would not have been possible without the cooperation and dedication that the University demonstrated throughout," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Austin.

I want to take this opportunity not only to congratulate our honorees, but to thank all of you – everyone here – for your commitment to finding missing, abducted, and exploited children.

The Justice Department is committed to vigorously investigating allegations of wrongdoing at financial institutions and, along with our many law enforcement partners, holding individuals and corporations to account for their conduct.

Julian Zapata Espinoza, also known as “Piolin,” 32, pleaded guilty today to the murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE Special Agent Victor Avila in Mexico.

"Today, we strike a severe blow against a professional money laundering enterprise charged with laundering over $6 billion in criminal proceeds," said Raman.

Two former police officers with the Police of Puerto Rico were convicted of attempting to extort a commonwealth defendant and soliciting bribe payments of $50,000.

Joseph Rizzuti, of Stuart, Fla., was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Attorney General Eric Holder today welcomed Karol V. Mason as the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

A federal jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania that voted in favor of death for a North Philadelphia drug kingpin, Kaboni Savage, today voted in favor of life for a co-defendant, Steven Northington. Savage was sentenced to death last week by U.S. District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick.

Today’s agreement is about opportunity. It’s about growth. And it’s about human dignity. That’s because today’s agreement centers on integrating people with disabilities into the engine of the economic mainstream: the workplace.

Two executives at a Virginia-based security contracting firm were sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia for their roles in using a front company to obtain more than $31 million intended for disadvantaged small businesses as part of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Section 8(a) program. This program allows qualified small businesses to receive sole-source and competitive-bid contracts set aside for minority-owned and disadvantaged small businesses.

These day-to-day efforts by the Justice Department and our counterparts around the world might not be visible to the public, but the fruits of these efforts are.

After a thorough investigation of the competitive effects of the proposed equity investment and joint venture, the Antitrust Division concluded that the facts and circumstances did not warrant further investigation or action.

MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. will pay a $720,000 civil penalty to settle charges that the company violated premerger reporting and waiting requirements when it acquired voting securities of Scientific Games Corporation.