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Three Current and One Former Lucas County, Ohio, Sheriff Officials Indicted on Civil Rights Charges

Four individuals have been indicted on charges of federal civil rights violations relating to the in-custody death of a detainee at the Lucas County Jail in Ohio and an alleged subsequent four-year cover-up of the role that jail personnel played in the death. The indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Toledo, Ohio, was returned today.



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

The Department filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, Calif., against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), alleging that the CDCR failed to promptly reemploy U.S. Air Force reservist Dany Felix in violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary in a Hearing Entitled “Helping State and Local Law Enforcement”

"If our partnership with state, local and tribal law enforcement is to endure, federal financial support cannot be a one time occurrence. This country is facing prolonged problems that require steadfast commitment and long-term cooperation."




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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli on the First 100 Days of Recovery Act at Law Enforcement Symposium on Violence Against Women

"The Department of Justice and this Administration are fully committed to supporting state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. The Recovery Act is not a one-time investment. Only by sustained investment in our communities can we make them safer and make them fit for long-term economic development."




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Three Colombian Nationals Arrested, Charged in Alien Smuggling and Visa Fraud Scheme

Three Colombian nationals have been arrested in Colombia on charges of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling 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 against the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.



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Former State Department Official and Wife Arrested for Serving as Illegal Agents of Cuba for Nearly 30 Years

A former State Department official and his wife have been arrested on charges of serving as illegal agents of the Cuban government for nearly 30 years and conspiring to provide classified U.S. information to the Cuban government.



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Former Florida State Corrections Officer Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Assaulting an Inmate

Paul Tillis, a former Florida Department of Corrections officer, was sentenced today in federal court in Jacksonville, Fla., on a federal civil rights charge related to assaulting an inmate.



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Texas Man Arrested and Charged in Child Pornography Case

Mark Edwin Cairnes, 51, of Jonestown, Texas, has been charged with advertising, receiving and possessing child pornography. A grand jury in the Western District of Texas returned the indictment against Cairnes on July 21, 2009, which was unsealed today after his arrest yesterday in Jonestown.



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Federal Corrections Officer Convicted of Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault

A federal jury in Orlando, Fla, found Erin Sharma, a Bureau of Prisons corrections officer, guilty today on felony federal civil rights charges related to a fatal assault on an inmate in March 2005.



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British Citizen Arrested in Connection with Costa Rica-based Business Opportunity Fraud Ventures

A British citizen charged in connection with the operation of a series of fraudulent business opportunities was arrested Thursday evening in Miami following his indictment by a Miami federal grand jury on June 9, 2009.



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Associate Attorney General Perrelli at the D.C. Cops Hiring Recovery Program Announcement

"I stand here to celebrate the more than $12 million that has been awarded to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to fund the hiring and rehiring of 50 law enforcement officers in the District. These funds will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for these officers for three years, and all police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant-funded positions for a fourth year."




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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli at the National Conference for the Office of Safe and Drug-free Schools

"People who actually work in law enforcement, and people who actually work in our nation’s schools, know that our jobs are closely interwoven. When their neighborhoods and homes don’t feel safe, our children have a tough time paying attention in school. And when our children are not engaged at school, they’re going to be much more likely to get into trouble outside of it."




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New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island Residents Arrested for Promoting and Using Tax Defier Schemes

Seven individuals from around New England have been indicted in federal court in Boston for conspiracies to defraud the United States through the promotion and use of multiple tax fraud schemes.



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Five Arrested in Houston Sex Trafficking Case

Four men and one woman have been arrested on charges of conspiracy and sex trafficking of children, as well as forcing and coercing adults to engage in commercial sex acts.



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Former Texas Correctional Officer Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Providing False Statements in Civil Rights Case

Eugene Morris, a former correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, was sentenced today in federal court in Houston for providing a false statement related to a federal civil rights investigation. Morris was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release.



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International Arms Dealer Arrested for Conspiracy to Supply U.S. Fighter Jet Engines to Iran

Jacques Monsieur, a Belgian national and resident of France suspected of international arms dealing for decades, has been arrested on charges alleging that he conspired to illegally export F-5 fighter jet engines and parts from the United States to Iran.



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the National Sexual Assault Conference

Sexual violence is not just an issue for the victim, or his or her family. We believe the community must be involved in addressing the needs of survivors and holding offenders accountable.




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Corrections Officers and Former Inmate Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges

A federal grand jury in Miami returned a three-count indictment on Sept. 11, 2009, charging former Dade Correctional Institution (DCI) officers Cordell J. White and Christopher W. Bonnet, current DCI Sergeant Obe D. L’Bert, and former DCI inmate Larry T. Williams with violating, and conspiring to violate, the civil rights of other inmates at DCI.



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Manager of Bogus Foreign Currency Exchange Ponzi Scheme Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice

Teresa Vogt, a resident of Anaheim, Calif., pleaded guilty on Sept. 15, 2009, to one count of obstruction of justice before U.S. District Court Judge Dale S. Fischer in Los Angeles. Vogt and eight co-defendants were indicted in May 2005 on tax fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and other charges related to the operation of the Genesis Fund.



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Three Arrested in Ongoing Terror Investigation

Two individuals in Colorado and one individual in New York have been arrested on charges of making false statements to federal agents in an ongoing terror investigation.



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

"The work we have begun in the administration has already made a difference. What we are looking for are the short- and long-term solutions that combine the lessons learned from the past with the resources have, and will continue to fight for, in the future."




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FBI Arrests Jordanian Citizen for Attempting to Bomb Skyscraper in Downtown Dallas

Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, 19, has been arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.



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Justice Department Sues Massachusetts and Its Department of Corrections for Discriminating Against Female Job Applicants

The Department’s complaint alleges that Massachusetts and the MDOC are using an unlawful physical abilities test (PAT) that disproportionately screens out female applicants for entry-level correctional officer jobs.



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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Challenging Conditions at Two Erie County, New York, Correctional Facilities

The lawsuit alleging that conditions at the Erie County Holding Center and the Erie County Correctional Facility routinely and systematically deprive inmates of constitutional rights.



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli's Testimony "Advancing Freedom of Information in the New Era of Responsibility"

"We at the Department are especially committed to encouraging compliance with the Act and to fulfilling President Obama's goal of making this Administration the most open and transparent in history."




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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli at the 2009 Office on Violence Against Women National Rural Conference

"Listening to the complex needs of the communities, and recognizing their unique responses, is perhaps the most important thing we can do at the Department."




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More Than 300 Alleged La Familia Cartel Members and Associates Arrested in Two-Day Nationwide Takedown

Today Attorney General Eric Holder announced the arrest of nearly 1,200 individuals on narcotics-related charges and the seizure of more than 11.7 tons of narcotics as part of a 44-month multi-agency law enforcement investigation known as “Project Coronado.”



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Former Federal Corrections Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison on Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault

Erin Sharma, a former corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, was sentenced today in federal court in Orlando, Fla., on federal civil rights charges related to the fatal assault of an inmate.



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Former Federal Corrections Officer Indicted on Civil Rights Charges Related to Fatal Assault

Michael Kennedy was charged with one count of conspiring with others to violate the federal civil rights of inmate Richard Delano and one count of violating Delano’s civil rights by arranging for another inmate to assault Delano.



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Bexar County, Texas, Corrections Officer Indicted on Civil Rights Charges

Daniel Melgoza, a Bexar County, Texas, Corrections Officer, was charged today in a four-count federal indictment with violating the civil rights of two detainees and obstructing justice.



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Statoil ASA Satisfies Obligations Under Deferred Prosecution Agreement and Foreign Bribery Charges Are Dismissed

After three years of satisfying obligations under a deferred prosecution agreement, the charges against Statoil ASA for violating the anti-bribery and accounting provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) have been dismissed with prejudice.



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Tennessee Woman Barred from Preparing Federal Tax Returns for Others; Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction

A federal court today issued a preliminary injunction barring Karen Liane Miller of Nashville, Tenn., from preparing federal income tax returns for others.



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Former General Manager of Texas Business Arrested for Role in Alleged Scheme to Bribe Officials at Mexican State-Owned Electrical Utility

The former general manager of a Sugar Land, Texas-based business was arrested on Nov. 18, 2009, for his alleged role in a conspiracy to bribe Mexican government officials to secure contracts with the Comisión Federal de Electridad (CFE), a Mexican state-owned utility company.



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Two Former Tennessee Corrections Officers Plead Guilty to Civil Rights Violation and Lying

Joshua Ryan Jones and Roger Forrester, former corrections officers at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tenn., pleaded guilty today to violating the civil rights of an inmate and then lying about it during state and federal investigations.



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Arrests Made in Case Involving Conspiracy to Procure Weapons, Including Anti-Aircraft Missiles

A criminal complaint, unsealed today, charged Dani Nemr Tarraf with conspiring to acquire anti-aircraft missiles (FIM-92 Stingers) and conspiring to possess machine guns (approximately 10,000 Colt M4 Carbines).



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Associate Attorney General Perrelli at the Announcement of Cobell V. Salazar Settlement

"Thank you to the Attorney General, and thank you to Secretary Salazar and Deputy Secretary Hayes for the extraordinary commitment of their Department of the Interior to bring this case to a resolution."




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Statement of Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli Before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee of Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Entitled "H.r. 1924, the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009"

"The challenges facing law enforcement in tribal communities are enormous. The basic level of police protection that most Americans take for granted simply does not exist in many parts of Indian Country. We have a duty to change that."




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Michigan Tax Preparers Permanently Barred from Preparing Returns for Others

Chief District Judge Paul L. Maloney has permanently barred Joyce M. Stone and Charles J. Freed, both of Tipton, Mich., from preparing income tax returns for others.



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Justice Department Reaches Agreement with New York City to Correct Conditions at Kings County Hospital Center

The Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York have entered into an agreement with New York City to correct conditions of confinement at the Kings County Hospital Center’s (KCHC) psychiatric emergency room and psychiatric in-patient units located in Brooklyn, N.Y.



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Associate Attorney General Perrelli Hosts Town Hall Commemorating National Stalking Awareness Month

“This year cannot just be an anniversary – it must be a call to action.  The Department is marking this year with our renewed dedication and a recommitment to ending violence against women.”



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at Stalking Awareness Town Hall

"We want to use this year not merely to commemorate an anniversary, but to recommit ourselves to ending violence against women. Our government and this Department have a responsibility to speak out and act on issues of violence against women."




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Thirteen Detroit-Area Individuals Arrested and Charged for $14.5 Million Medicare Fraud

Thirteen Detroit-area residents were arrested today by federal agents from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and FBI in connection with an alleged home health care scheme to defraud the Medicare program of more than $14.5 million.



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Associate Attorney General Perrelli, Senators Announce Passage of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Resolution

"For the first time, this crime is being commemorated as ‘National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month,’ instead of a week. This is no small feat, and I commend the Senate for its unanimous passage," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli.



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at Teen Dating Violence Month Event

"We at the Department share a vision where men, women, boys, girls and communities can live in a world without the fear of violence. Today, we take another step towards raising awareness and the profile of teen dating violence. If we’re going to do this, we are going to have to do it together."




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Six Individuals with Alleged Ties to Aryan Brotherhood Arrested and Charged with Murder of Two People in Nacogdoches County, Texas

Six alleged members or associates of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) have been indicted and arrested for their alleged roles in the 2007 murder of two people in Nacogdoches County, Texas.



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Taiwan Exporter Arrested on Charges of Exporting Missile Components from the United States to Iran

Yi-Lan Chen, aka "Kevin Chen," 40, a Taiwan passport holder, was arrested on Feb. 3, 2010, on charges of illegally exporting commodities for Iran’s missile program.



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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Testifies Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

"We must invest today to improve public safety in tribal communities. The problems in tribal communities are severe: American Indian and Alaska Native communities suffer from violent crime at far higher rates than other Americans."




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Opening Statement by Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli, Co-chair of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status

I view today’s hearing as a listening session for the federal officials here. We are going to spend today listening to you and hearing what you think the federal government can and should be doing to work with the people of Puerto Rico.




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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at Harvard VAWA Event

We at the Justice Department share a vision where men, women, boys, girls and communities can live in a world without the fear of violence. Our discussion today takes another step towards raising awareness. If we’re going to do this, we are going to have to do it together.




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Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli Testifies Before the House Committee on Natural Resources on the Proposed Settlement of the Cobell V. Salazar Litigation

The settlement, which will require legislative and judicial approval to become effective, is fair to the plaintiffs, is responsible for the United States, and provides a path forward for the future.