Sunday, March 15, 2026
- Advertisment -
Google search engine
Home Blog Page 382

Savannah Roundtable Showcases Agency Collaboration to Combat Sexual Harassment in Housing

By
Bola Akinloye
-
0

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) hosted a Savannah roundtable for community members and organizations as part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative.

“Sexual harassment or abuse by a landlord is never acceptable,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Our office will continue to vigorously pursue justice and compensation for vulnerable tenants who endure such predatory behaviour.”

“Everyone deserves to live in a safe environment without fear of being sexually harassed or assaulted by their landlord or anyone in a position of power over their housing,” said HUD Inspector General Oliver Davis. “I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Steinberg for hosting this summit today. My office remains committed to working with her to hold accountable those who would prey on vulnerable tenants and housing applicants.”

Held at the Chatham County Library on Bull Street, the roundtable’s participants included representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and HUD OIG, and representatives from fair housing organizations and related service providers.

The Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Civil Rights Division, enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, colour, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act. Sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, and others with power over housing often affects the most vulnerable populations – single parents, individuals who have financial difficulties, and people who have suffered sexual violence in the past. These individuals often do not know where to turn for assistance.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched the Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing.

The Justice Department’s initiative seeks to identify barriers to reporting sexual harassment in housing, increase awareness of its enforcement efforts – both among survivors and those they may report to – and collaborate with federal, state, and local partners to increase reporting and help survivors quickly and easily connect with federal resources.

Bradenton Felon Andre Adams Jr Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Gun Charges

By
TCS
-
0

A federal jury has found Andre Adams, Jr. (43, Bradenton) guilty of possession of 500 grams or more of cocaine, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Adams faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2024. Adams was indicted on January 23, 2023.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) began investigating an unknown individual in Bradenton for selling fentanyl and using Cash App for payment after a complaint from a concerned citizen. Investigators were able to determine the identity of the individual as Andre Adams. Jr.

Over the next several months, investigators surveilled Adams’ residence and observed frequent visitors to the residence, briefly meeting with Adams and appearing to make exchanges with him. Adams’s Cash App records showed that tens of thousands of dollars had been paid to him over a short period of time. Many of the senders had known drug addiction issues and used coded drug language such as “Scooby snacks,” a street term for heroin or fentanyl.

On August 4, 2022, detectives with MCSO executed a search warrant at Adams’ residence. They discovered a loaded handgun, scales, drug-cutting agents, a money counter, Kilo press, $22,000 in cash, 55 grams of methamphetamine, 400 grams of cocaine, and 80 grams of fentanyl. Later that same day, investigators executed a search warrant at Adams’ storage unit.

There, they discovered two kilograms of cocaine, more than 350 grams of methamphetamine, drug-cutting agents, and a digital scale. They also discovered three additional firearms, including an AK-47 rifle and several dozen rounds of ammunition.

Prior to Adams’ conduct on August 4, 2022, he had been convicted of trafficking in cocaine and spent 15 years in Florida state prison. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

Adams agreed to forfeit all firearms and ammunition found in this case.

International Bus Parts Supplier CBM Received Multimillion-dollar Fine over Scheme to Defraud U.S. Transit Authority

By
Samuel Nwite
-
0

International bus parts supplier CBM has signed a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under the NPA, CBM agreed to pay significant monetary penalties for engaging in a scheme to defraud U.S. transit authority customers through false and misleading statements about the sources of contracted-for bus parts from approximately 2010 to April 2021. 

Specifically, the NPA requires CBM to forfeit $463,243.41 to the United States, representing its profits from the scheme, and pay a fine of $1,500,000. 

In addition, CBM has agreed to pay restitution to victims who submit claims and to revert unclaimed funds up to $438,859.52 to the Crime Victims Fund, administered by the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime. 

The NPA also requires that for at least two years from the date of the agreement, CBM will further cooperate with the United States, self-report any future violations of U.S. law, and continue its ongoing efforts to implement and maintain an adequate compliance program. 

In the event that CBM violates the NPA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office may prosecute CBM for any newly discovered criminal activity and for the conduct that gives rise to the NPA.

This corporate action reflects a careful weighing of factors relevant to the appropriate corporate resolution. 

The NPA recognises that, although CBM’s serious misconduct was reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office before CBM self-disclosed it, CBM US cooperated extensively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including through detailed disclosures and accountings of conduct not already known when CBM’s cooperation began.

Similarly, the most serious wrongdoing at CBM was limited to two individuals, though they were at the highest levels of the company. CBM has no history of criminal conduct, including any resolved through prior NPAs or deferred prosecution agreements.

CBM has undertaken extensive remedial measures to ensure that similar conduct does not occur or go undetected in the future. CBM has taken full responsibility and agreed to make full restitution to all victims who seek compensation.

Burlington Man, Corey Lee Ritz, Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of Minor

By
TCS
-
0

A Burlington man was sentenced on Thursday to 120 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Corey Lee Ritz, 48, engaged in a Facebook conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old female. Ritz proceeded to graphically describe the kinds of sex acts he would like to perform on the 15-year-old if they met in person.

Ritz made plans to meet with the 15-year-old. Ritz then suggested that the 15-year-old bring another underage female to their planned meeting. Ritz then began communicating with a second undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old female. Ritz arranged to meet with the two minor females in person in Burlington, Iowa.

Ritz arrived at the pre-planned in-person meeting and was arrested by the Des Moines County Sherriff’s Department. He had a Samsung cell phone and three condoms in his possession. Ritz admitted to law enforcement that he was meeting a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl for the purpose of sex.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Ritz will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Brian Hoeppner, Owner of Blue Ridge Bookkeeping, Sentenced for Wire, Tax Fraud

By
Samuel Nwite
-
0

The owner of Blue Ridge Bookkeeping, a Roanoke-based payroll processing and tax preparation business, was sentenced today in federal court to 36 months in prison for wire fraud and filing a false tax return.

Brian Hoeppner, 66, of Roanoke, Virginia, previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of willfully making and subscribing a false tax return.

According to court documents, Hoeppner owned and operated Blue Ridge Bookkeeping and had several clients for whom he was hired to do various financial-related work. One client hired Hoeppner to handle her company’s payroll, file the company’s employment tax returns, and submit all related paperwork and payments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that her company owed.

From at least September 2012 through December 2019, Hoeppner billed this client for her company’s employment taxes, however, rather than pay these taxes to the IRS, he spent the money on personal expenses. As a result, her company’s employment taxes went unpaid.

When the IRS sent notices to this client about her company’s failure to pay its employment taxes, Hoeppner falsely assured this client that “he had a guy at the IRS” who was sorting things out.

After several years of IRS notices, this client demanded that she accompany Hoeppner to a meeting he had set up with the IRS, and just before the time of the scheduled meeting, Hoeppner admitted to her that he had been stealing her company’s payments. In all, Hoeppner stole over $125,000 from this client’s company. 

As of December 2019, this client was still responsible for paying over $240,500 in taxes, penalties, interest, and costs and nearly had to shutter her business in order to be able to come into compliance with the IRS.

In addition to his prison sentence, Hoeppner was ordered to pay $58,361 in restitution to this client and $218,445.32 in restitution to the IRS.

This investigation also uncovered that, from 2009 through 2013, Hoeppner stole employment taxes from at least one other client. In addition to accruing a debt to the IRS of over $10,000, the owners also discovered that Hoeppner stole a $14,112 tax refund check the IRS had issued to the company.

Hoeppner filed his own false personal income tax returns by failing to report his embezzlement income on his tax returns and by falsely overreporting the amount of tax withholdings that he had paid over to the IRS.

Jury Convicts Mississippi George Wesley Washington Jr of Drug Trafficking

By
TCS
-
0

A federal jury convicted a Harrison County man for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, George Wesley Washington, Jr., 32, was found to be in possession of over two kilograms of methamphetamine on March 16, 2023. 

Further investigation revealed that Washington had been engaged in drug trafficking activity for at least 16 months prior to the March 16th incident. 

Evidence related to both counts was presented to the jury, who found Washington guilty on both counts of his indictment. 

Washington will be sentenced on October 24, 2024, and faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. 

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Roy Samuel Paredes of Tucson Sentenced to 235 Months in Prison for Sexual Abuse of Minor

By
TCS
-
0

Roy Samuel Paredes, 64, of Tucson, was sentenced by United States District Judge James A. Soto on June 24, 2024, to 235 months in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.

Paredes pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor on November 8, 2023.

In the summer of 2021, Paredes, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, molested a young girl in the Tohono O’odham Nation in Sells, Arizona.

The Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
 

20-Year Prison Sentence Handed Down to Brandon Smith for Fourth of July Murder of Charles Stanton

By
TCS
-
0

Brandon Smith, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for the July 4, 2023, death of 43-year-old Charles Stanton, of Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo ordered five years of supervised release and ordered him to register as a gun offender.

Smith pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed on February 4, 2024.  According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 4:28 p.m. on July 4, 2023, police received a 911 call for a shooting in the unit bloc of Patterson Street, Northeast, Washington, D.C. Officers arrived to find Stanton lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the body.

He was unconscious and not breathing. Despite all life-saving efforts, Stanton succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m. It was later determined he had sustained at least 13 gunshot wounds.

During the course of the investigation, detectives viewed video surveillance footage from locations near and around the crime scene that captured the defendant’s car­ in the unit block of Patterson Street, NE, prior to the shooting. At the time, the victim was sitting on a bicycle on the north side of the street, interacting with someone in another vehicle. The video captured Mr. Stanton riding away from that vehicle and toward the defendant’s car.

A short time later, the defendant exited his car where he engaged the decedent in a conversation. After a few minutes of conversation, the defendant retrieved a handgun from his pants, moved a few steps toward Stanton and, as Stanton attempted to leave on the bicycle, extended his right arm toward Stanton. The surveillance video captured Stanton falling from the bicycle to the ground and never getting back up.

The defendant walked toward Stanton and continued to shoot the victim, who remained helpless and defenceless on the ground. No weapons were found on the decedent’s person or near his body. The defendant then reentered his vehicle and left the scene.

In reviewing the surveillance video, detectives were able to retrieve the license plate number on the defendant’s car, which ultimately led to his identification and arrest.

Dixie County Man Stephen Godbolt Pleads Guilty for Methamphetamine Trafficking

By
TCS
-
0

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Stephen Godbolt (50, Cross City) has pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with the intent to distribute it.

Godbolt faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 13, 2024.

According to court documents, on January 31, 2024, Godbolt sold three pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant.

After the transaction, law enforcement in Dixie County stopped Godbolt. A search of his vehicle revealed approximately nine additional pounds of methamphetamine, all of which were intended for distribution. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST), and the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Court Sentences Moss Point Woman Christian Ikenya Amir Lewis Meth Trafficking to 87 Months’ Imprisonment

By
TCS
-
0

United States District Court Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock has sentenced Christian Ikenya Amir Lewis to 87 months imprisonment for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than four kilograms of methamphetamine.

Documents filed with the Court established that on January 22, 2020, officers with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force stopped a vehicle by Lewis on Interstate 65 in Baldwin County.

Pursuant to further investigation, a canine gave a positive alert on Lewis’s vehicle.

Inside the trunk of the vehicle, officers found almost ten pounds of pure methamphetamine in a hidden compartment in a large speaker box.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force investigated the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George F. May and John P. Hutchins III.

1...381382383...405Page 382 of 405

WORLD'S MOST WANTED

GALLERY OF ROGUES

TOP CATEGORIES

ABOUT US

TheCrimeScene is committed to rights and justice advocacy. It offers a platform for promoting security and safety.

Contact us: info@thecrimesscene.com
                     editor@thecrimesscene.com

Advert Placement: advert@thecrimesscene.com

FOLLOW US

© Developed by Fabnex. All Rights Reserved.