William R. “Rusty” Miller, a real estate developer from Fairhope, Ala., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Jackson, Miss., for the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Miss., in violation of the Clean Water Act.

Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, 22, a citizen of Saudi Arabia and resident of Lubbock, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter in federal court in Amarillo, Texas, to life in prison.

The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division issued a statement today regarding Entergy Corp.’s commitments to join a regional transmission organization (RTO) and divest its transmission system; Entergy’s proposed acquisitions of the Hinds and Hot Spring generating facilities in Mississippi and Arkansas, respectively, from KGen Power Corporation; and the division’s open investigation into Entergy’s alleged anticompetitive conduct.

The Justice Department announced today the filing of several criminal and civil business opportunity fraud cases, initiated as part of a joint sweep with the Federal Trade Commission and several states. Business opportunity fraud schemes take advantage of people looking for work by luring them in with false promises of big profits and leaving them worse off than they started.

Beatrix Boka, 34, of Hungary, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger in the Middle District of Tennessee to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.

A federal jury sitting in Santa Ana, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, convicted Safieh Fard of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and one count of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of bank fraud obtained after submitting fraudulent mortgage applications, the Justice Department and IRS Criminal Investigation announced. Fard’s co-conspirators, her sister Sedigheh Bahramian, and two of her sons, Mohsen Kikalaye and Ahmad Kikalaye, pleaded guilty to related counts of bank fraud in 2010.

"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.

The Department of Justice announced today that Amerigroup Corp.’s sale of its subsidiary, Amerigroup Virginia Inc., addresses the department’s concerns with WellPoint Inc.’s proposed acquisition of Amerigroup.

Abimael Arroyo-Cruz, 30, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and Josue Becerril-Ramos, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, were both charged in an indictment returned today in the District of Puerto Rico with one count of conspiracy, one count of federal programs bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit extortion and one count of attempted extortion.

"Through the Strong Cities, Strong Communities Initiative, the White House is leading a federal effort to spark economic growth in five cities and one region, helping them to maximize resources and leverage partnerships with businesses, philanthropies, and non-profit organizations," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

"And finally, today’s announcement reflects what we can expect when we unleash and support the talent, drive, creativity and commitment of the people who work so hard day in and day out to protect taxpayers and the public fisc. Invaluable contributions are made by too many to thank here today – from our federal agency partners who work side-by-side with us," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

U.S. Department of Justice Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West today addressed tribal leaders, law enforcement officers, lawyers and judges, policy experts and health and social services providers, and representatives from federal, state, local and tribal governments following a week of public safety events at the 13th National Indian Nations Conference in Agua Caliente, Calif.

"We cannot rest as long as crime rates in many tribal communities remain far above the national average. We cannot rest as long as tribal members suffer disproportionately from violence, property offenses, and other criminal acts. And we absolutely cannot rest as long as Native women continue to encounter alarming rates of violence -- something that is simply unacceptable," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

The United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania announced today a settlement with the Scranton Sewer Authority (SSA) resolving alleged Clean Water Act violations involving sewer overflows to the Lackawanna River and its tributaries/

Attorney General Eric Holder today welcomed the confirmation of Bill Baer as the Department of Justice’s Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division.

The Department of Justice today announced that it will not challenge a proposal by Columbia Fuel Services Inc. and Lanmar Aviation Inc., the only providers of flight support services at the Groton-New London Airport, in Groton, Conn., to combine their fuel and hangar resources into a newly formed joint venture, Mystic Jet Center.

The Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today against Bazaarvoice Inc. challenging the company’s June 2012 acquisition of PowerReviews Inc.

"Our Declaration of Independence declared in 1776 that “all men are created equal,” but it took 100 years and a civil war that took hundreds of thousands of lives to end slavery; another hundred years to create legal equality for African Americans; and we struggle to this day to make equality a reality. I see this every day in my work as the chief civil rights law enforcement official for the United States," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Following a two-week trial, a federal jury in Puerto Rico today convicted a former executive of a Florida-based coastal water freight transportation company for his participation in a conspiracy to fix rates and surcharges for water transportation of freight between the continental United States and Puerto Rico.

"We need the continued partnerships of foreign, state, local, and tribal officials. We need the leadership of the business community and the innovation of researchers and academics; and we need the voices of victim advocates and the resolve of victim service providers," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

"Even though the banks and other institutions hired S&P to rate these financial products, and even though S&P earned millions as a result of issuing those ratings, S&P promised that its ratings would be unaffected by their concerns about market share, revenue or profits," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

Ashu Bhandari, the former president and CEO of GEM Manufacturing LLC, a U.S. Virgin Islands-based company, was sentenced Thursday in federal court in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., for felony customs violations for his role in a scheme to illegally import protected black coral into the United States.

"So as we’ve seen over and over again, while we come from different parts of the country, have different backgrounds, belong to different political parties, our voices and our work are enhanced when we come together across state and federal boundaries, to combat pervasive and common threats," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

Three Philippine nationals were convicted today in Los Angeles of illegally importing military grade weapons in the United States after being caught in a sting operation that was conducted in the Philippines.

"But ultimately, our success will come, not because the federal government removes red tape, or improves policy, or even provides more funding; no, our success will come because those with the greatest stake in the outcome – local leaders, community and faith groups, and citizens – they take action," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

Hungarian nationals Beatrix Boka and Aleksandar Kunkin were sentenced today to serve 36 months and 48 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in moving approximately $550,000 in illicit proceeds derived from an international online marketplace fraud scheme.

"We cannot rest as long as crime rates in many tribal communities remain far above the national average. We cannot rest as long as tribal members suffer disproportionately from violence, property offenses, and other criminal acts," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

"While there is more work to be done and further improvements to be made, Sunshine Week is an opportunity to reflect upon our accomplishments thus far and to share the lessons we have learned as we continue to focus on our shared mission of strengthening FOIA administration across the government," said Director Pustay.

A former web producer for a Tribune Company-owned television station in Sacramento, Calif., was charged today in an indictment for allegedly conspiring with members of the hacker group “Anonymous” to hack into and alter a Tribune Company website.

"This Hall symbolizes the fusion of two core principles here at the Department: Our respect for the majesty of the law, represented by the figure on your right; and our conviction that law’s proper role is in the service of justice, portrayed by the figure on your left," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

The Unified Government of Wyandotte Co. and Kansas City, Kan., has agreed to a settlement to address unauthorized overflows of untreated raw sewage and to reduce pollution levels in urban stormwater.

A federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, returned an indictment against Thomas Farmer, a former executive of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Crowley Liner Services, for participating in a conspiracy to fix rates and surcharges for freight transported by water between the continental United States and Puerto Rico.

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 leader of a violent and highly sophisticated jewelry theft ring pleaded guilty today for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding met today in Washington, D.C. They had cordial discussions on a wide range of fields of collaboration between the Department of Justice and the European Commission.

Charges have been unsealed against one current and one former executive of the U.S. subsidiary of a French power and transportation company for their alleged participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, a U.S. citizen and resident of Cambridge, Mass., has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction against persons and property at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, resulting in the death of three people and injuries to more than 200 people.

"I’m very pleased that two of the awards this year are going to tribal victim service providers. Many of you know – and some of you know intimately – that tribal members are disproportionately victimized. Native women, in particular, encounter violence at alarming levels," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

A former executive of the U.S. subsidiary of a French power and transportation company was charged in a superseding indictment for his alleged participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials.

"We know this work is not easy. But we also know that so many elder Americans are depending on us – especially those who are among the most vulnerable; who so often cannot speak for themselves – they are depending on us to do this work and to do it well. And I know we will not let them down," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

Today the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) concluded Operation Guardian, a three-year, national initiative specifically targeting the country’s most dangerous noncompliant sex offenders. Deputy Marshals and law enforcement partners arrested 345 individuals who had failed to register with state authorities as required by law.

"The Department’s approach to 21st Century cyber threats is rooted in three interests: 1) deterring, disrupting, and dismantling the threat; 2) holding bad actors accountable; and 3) protecting our national security, economic interests, and individual privacy," said U.S. Attorney Durkan.

Safieh Fard, 52, of Escondido, Calif., was sentenced late yesterday to 63 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney. Fard was also ordered to pay $594,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid individual income taxes.

Mississippi-based Hancock County Land LLC (HCL) pleaded guilty today to the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Miss., and agreed to pay a $1 million fine and take remedial measures for two felony violations of the Clean Water Act/

Our commitment to children – and to finding missing children – is stronger than ever.

These ongoing struggles are why Asian Americans and Pacific Islander leaders in our economic, academic, and social institutions are so important. These are the leaders who are working tirelessly each day to create positive change for the AAPI community, their neighbors, and our Country.

There is, I am convinced, no higher honor nor greater privilege than to serve one’s fellow citizens. Four years ago, this Committee endorsed and the Senate confirmed my nomination to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

Attorney General Eric Holder delivered keynote remarks after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas administered the Oath of Allegiance to 70 new citizens today during a special naturalization ceremony at the Department of Justice’s Great Hall.

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the City of West Columbia, S.C., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.

Under a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today, Miami-Dade County in Florida has agreed to invest in major upgrades to its wastewater treatment plants and wastewater collection and transmission systems in order to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows.