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Justice Department Sues to Bar Utah Man from Promoting Alleged False Church-based Tax Fraud Scheme

The United States has asked a federal court to permanently bar a Utah man from promoting an alleged false church-based tax fraud scheme.



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Six New Orleans Police Officers Indicted in Danziger Bridge Case

Six officers with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) were charged today in connection with the federal investigation of a police-involved shooting on the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina.



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Detroit-area Physical Therapist and Physician’s Assistant Plead Guilty in Medicare Home Health Fraud Scheme

Detroit-area residents Faisal Chaudry and Guy Ross pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Detroit for their participation in a fraudulent Medicare home health scheme



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Justice Department Announces Changes in Illinois Rules Concerning English Language Learner Students

Today, the Justice Department announced that, pursuant to its agreement with the Illinois State Board of Education, the state has finalized administrative rules that will ensure school districts throughout Illinois provide appropriate language support services to English language learner students until they no longer need them.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Project Safe Neighborhoods Annual Conference

"Our future progress, I believe, will depend on our ability to bring innovative, evidence-based solutions to the work of addressing our most overwhelming and intractable challenges – namely, the prevalence and consequences of gun-, gang-, and drug-related violence, as well as the devastating impact of childhood exposure to violence," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Danziger Bridge Indictments Press Conference

"Today marks an important step forward in administering justice, in healing community wounds, in improving public safety, and in restoring public trust in this city’s police department," said Attorney General Holder.




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Mcwane Inc. Agrees to Resolve Environmental Violations at Manufacturing Facilities in 14 States

McWane Inc., a national cast iron pipe manufacturer headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., has agreed to pay $4 million to resolve more than 400 violations of federal and state environmental laws.



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Justice Department Settles Remainder of Voter Registration Case with State of New York for Violating Rights of Students with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced a court-approved consent decree which resolves a lawsuit against the state of New York and its public university systems for their failure to provide voter registration services at offices serving students with disabilities at each public university and college campus in New York State. 



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Milton, Wash., to Ensure Access for People with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with the city of Milton, Wash., under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to improve access to city parks and recreational activities for persons with disabilities.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to Enforce the Employment Rights of Former Air Force Reservist

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a consent decree with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that, if approved by the U.S. District Court, will resolve the department’s complaint filed in May 2009, alleging violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. 



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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Child Pornography Charges

Douglas Carruthers, 46, formerly of Rockland, Mass., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and eight years of supervised release following his prison term for child pornography offenses.



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Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Engaging in Child Exploitation Enterprise

Two individuals pleaded guilty for their participation in an international group of child pornography collectors who used a social networking site to share thousands of sexually explicit images.



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Justice Department Announces Recipients of Annual Project Safe Neighborhoods Achievement Awards

The Department of Justice today announced the 24 recipients of the annual Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Achievement Awards in a ceremony hosted by Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler at the PSN national conference in New Orleans.



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Georgia Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography Using Hidden Videos in Store Bathrooms

Jeffrey Alan Wasley of Kennesaw, Ga., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography through the surreptitious videotaping of young boys using public restrooms in Atlanta-area establishments.



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Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice

A former corrections officer for the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in Potosi, Mo., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of obstruction of justice, admitting that she intentionally misled law enforcement officials about her role in the assault of an inmate housed in the Washington County Jail.



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Justice Department Announces a Comprehensive Agreement with New York to Remedy Violations and Ensure Constitutional Rights at Four Juvenile Justice Facilities

The United States has entered into a comprehensive agreement with the State of New York and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) that resolves previous findings of unconstitutional conditions at four juvenile justice facilities.



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Forfeiture Complaint Seeks to Recover Bribery Proceeds Paid to Former Taiwan President and His Family

Today, the U.S. government filed civil forfeiture complaints against properties in New York and Virginia that represent a portion of illegal bribes paid to the former president of Taiwan and his wife.



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Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler Speaks at the Project Safe Neighborhood Awards Ceremony

"What makes Project Safe Neighborhoods so unique as an initiative is that it relies on teamwork that goes beyond law enforcement," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Grindler.




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Justice Department Settles Discrimination Lawsuit Against Pasco County, Florida, Fairgrounds Owner

The Justice Department today announced the filing and settlement of a lawsuit against the Pasco County Fair Association Inc. for allegedly discriminating against Hispanic patrons in the rental of a reception hall on its fairgrounds in Dade City, Fla.



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Justice Department Reaches Comprehensive Settlement with National Owner of Gas Stations Resolving ADA Claims

The Justice Department today announced a comprehensive settlement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with QuikTrip Corporation, a private company that owns and operates more than 550 gas stations, convenience stores, travel centers, and truck stops in the Midwest, South and Southwestern United States. 



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Swiss Lawyer Indicted for Helping to Hide Swiss Bank Accounts and Monies Returned to U.S. Clients

The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Va., returned an indictment charging Felix M. Mathis, an attorney practicing in Zurich, Switzerland, with conspiring to defraud the United States and structuring the importation of currency into this country.



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New Orleans Man Charged with Shooting African-Americans in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

Roland J. Bourgeois Jr., 47, currently a resident of Columbia, Miss., was charged in a five-count indictment with conspiring to commit a hate crime, committing a hate crime with a deadly weapon and with intent to kill, making false statements and obstructing of justice in connection with a shooting that happened in the days after Hurricane Katrina.



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Former Missouri County Chief Deputy Charged with Civil Rights Violations

A federal grand jury has charged Vernon Wilson, former Chief Deputy of the Washington County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, in a six-count indictment stemming from four separate incidents in which Wilson allegedly assaulted inmates or caused the assault of inmates in the Washington County Jail in the summer and fall of 2005.



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Two Defendants Sentenced to Prison in International Child Pornography Conspiracy Case

Thomas Attebury, 40, of Bakersfield, Calif., was sentenced yesterday to 38 years in prison for his role in the child pornography conspiracy and David Williams, 46, of Selinsgrove, Pa., was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison for his participation in the conspiracy.



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Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 94 Doctors, Health Care Company Owners, Executives and Others for More Than $251 Million in Alleged False Billing

Ninety-four people have been charged for their alleged participation in schemes to collectively submit more than $251 million in false claims to the Medicare program in the continuing operation of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in Miami; Baton Rouge, La.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Detroit and Houston.



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Former Tennessee Inmate Charged with Filing False Tax Returns While in Jail

A Tennessee grand jury has indicted Walter Allen Johnson, aka “Beau” Johnson, of Sevierville, Tenn., for filing false claims against the United States as well as conspiring to defraud the United States.



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Attorney General Holder and Secretary Sebelius Kick-off First Regional Health Care Fraud Prevention Summit in Miami

Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today kicked-off the first in a series of regional health care fraud prevention summits in Miami.



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Former State Department Official Sentenced to Life in Prison for Nearly 30-year Espionage Conspiracy

Walter Kendall Myers, a former State Department official, and his wife, Gwendolyn Steingraber Myers, have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and 81 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a nearly 30-year conspiracy to provide highly-classified U.S. national defense information to the Republic of Cuba.



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Justice Department Files Fair Housing Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination at Apartment Complex in Renton, Washington

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the owner, management company and former manager of Summerhill Place Apartments, a 268-unit apartment complex in Renton, Wash., for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin and familial status in the rental of apartments.



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Former U.S. Army Contracting Official Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Bribery and Unlawful Salary Supplementation in Off-post Housing Scheme

A former U.S. Army contracting official was sentenced today to 42 months in prison in connection with two schemes to solicit more than $30,000 in bribes and other payments from an Egyptian businessman in Kuwait.



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Justice Department Resolves Lawsuit Alleging Disability Discrimination by Ventura County, California

The Justice Department today announced a consent decree resolving a lawsuit filed against Ventura County, Calif., alleging that the county violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it refused to hire a qualified applicant for a children’s social services position because she is deaf and required reasonable accommodations.



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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Medicare Fraud Strike Force Press Conference

"We are here to announce the results of the largest federal health care fraud takedown in our nation’s history: 94 people in four cities have been charged for their alleged participation in schemes to submit more than $251 million in false Medicare claims," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Miami Health Care Fraud Prevention Summit

"This summit is an important opportunity – the chance to build on what was discussed, and achieved, during the first “National Summit on Health Care Fraud” that Secretary Sebelius and I convened in Washington in January," said Attorney General Holder.




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Maryland Man Sentenced on Federal Sex Trafficking, Drug and Firearm Charges

Lloyd Mack Royal III, aka “Blyss,” “B,” and “Furious,” 29, of Gaithersburg, Md., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. for his role in a sex trafficking operation.



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Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Blockbuster Inc. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Blockbuster Inc. to ensure equal access to its stores nationwide for individuals with disabilities who use service animals.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Town of Pomfret, Connecticut, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

“I commend public officials in the town of Pomfret for making this important commitment to ensuring equal access to civic life for individuals with disabilities,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Wilson County, North Carolina, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Wilson County, N.C., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Pearl River County, Mississippi, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Pearl River County, Miss., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



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California Man Indicted in Las Vegas for Filing False Liens Against Federal Employees & Filing False Tax Forms

A Las Vegas federal grand jury has indicted Thanh Viet Jeremy Cao, a resident of Orange County, Calif., for filing false liens against federal employees and corruptly obstructing the administration of the federal tax laws.



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Settlement Agreement Will Ensure Greater Accessibility at First President George Washington’s Estate

The Justice Department announced today a settlement agreement with the Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union (MVLA), which owns and maintains Mount Vernon Estate &s first president, George Washington.



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Former Probation Officer in Oregon Charged with Civil Rights Violations

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Mark John Walker, 51, of Eugene, Ore., in an eight-count indictment stemming from multiple incidents in which Walker allegedly sexually abused female offenders who were under his direct supervision as a probation officer, and then obstructed a later investigation to cover up his misconduct.



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the Department’s Universal Design Training

"This was a moment in time for the Department of Justice and the Obama administration to send a clear signal that the fight against domestic and sexual violence is a national priority," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the American Association of People with Disabilities “Justice for All” Event

"It’s an honor to salute your contributions and to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the ADA – and the 15th Anniversary of the AAPD – with so many friends, colleagues and partners," said Attorney General Holder.




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U.S. Announces Settlement of Actions to Enforce Payment Obligations for Cleanup of New Jersey Superfund Site

Champion Chemical Company, Imperial Oil Company Inc. and Imperial’s two former officers have agreed to pay at least $1.4 million to resolve actions to enforce a prior agreement to reimburse cleanup costs incurred by the federal government at the Imperial Oil Company Inc./Champion Chemical Company Superfund Site in Marlboro Township, N.J.



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Former Department of State Employee Charged with Defrauding the United States and Iraq in Connection with a $147,000 Fraud Scheme

Robert D. Hearn, 55, was charged in a five-count indictment in the Southern District of Texas with wire fraud and conversion stemming from a scheme to defraud the United States and Iraq.



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New Health Care Access Guidance Promotes Preventive Medical Care Services for People with Mobility Disabilities

The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights today issued new technical assistance guidance for medical providers which will help people with mobility disabilities obtain accessible medical care.



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Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Participating in International Child Pornography Group

Two individuals have pleaded guilty to charges related to their participation in an international group of child pornography traffickers who used a social networking site to share thousands of sexually explicit images.



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Three Colombian Nationals Extradited to the United States to Face Alien Smuggling and Visa Fraud Charges

Three Colombian nationals have been extradited from Colombia to the United States on charges of conspiracy to smuggle aliens for profit, alien smuggling for profit, and conspiracy to commit visa fraud in connection with their alleged roles in an extensive and sophisticated visa fraud scheme through which they fraudulently procured visas from the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.



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Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Testifies at a Hearing on the Americans with Disabilities Act

"In the two decades since its enactment, the ADA has revolutionized the way society thinks about individuals with disabilities, and it has transformed the way that people with disabilities live in communities," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




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Department of Justice Announces Plans to Prepare New ADA Regulations

The Justice Department publishes four new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) proposals addressing the accessibility of websites, the provision of captioning and video description in movies shown in theaters, accessible equipment and furniture, and the ability of 9-1-1 centers to take text and video calls from individuals with disabilities.



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