The Justice Department filed a consent decree today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after reaching an agreement with Prince William County, Va., that will allow for the county’s bailout from its status as a “covered jurisdiction” under the special provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

Akinsunbo Akinbile, 44, of Richmond, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison in Houston.

Barry Nash, 69, was also sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King in Miami to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

"For me, and for today’s Department of Justice, protecting American consumers is a top priority. And, as we’ve rededicated ourselves to this work in recent years, we’ve also learned some essential lessons," said Attorney General Holder.

The Justice Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and 49 state attorneys general announced today the filing of their landmark $25 billion agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers to address mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure abuses.

The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury has charged Michael Smith, 37, Matthew Davidson, 43, and Joseph Sanders, 31 – former corrections officers of the Alabama Department of Corrections – in a 17-count indictment.

A federal court announced last week that it had determined the aggregate amount of back pay damages owed to African-American and Hispanic applicants who were discriminated against by the city of New York in the hiring of entry-level firefighters for the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).

Jean Rene Duperval, a former director of international relations for Telecommunications D’Haiti S.A.M. (Haiti Teleco), a Haitian state-owned telecommunications company, has been convicted by a federal jury on all counts for his role in a scheme to launder bribes paid to him by two Miami-based telecommunications companies.

The United States has entered a consent decree against ATF Fitness Products Inc., Manufacturing ATF Dedicated Excellence Inc. (MADE), and the owner and president of both companies, James G. Vercellotti, the Justice Department announced today.

United Kingdom citizen Ahmed Sarchil Kazzaz and his company, Leadstay Company, were charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Northern District of Alabama for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay kickbacks in exchange for receiving subcontracts for a Department of Defense program in Iraq.

A federal jury in San Francisco today convicted the largest Taiwan liquid crystal display producer, its subsidiary and their two former executives for their participation in a conspiracy to fix the prices of thin-film transistor-liquid crystal display panels sold worldwide.

Muaad Salem, Hanan Widdi, Najeh Widdi, Hazem Woodi, Daxesj Patel and Fahim Suleiman each entered guilty pleas before the Honorable James S. Gwin today to charges arising from a scheme to obtain false and fraudulent U.S. Treasury tax refund checks, the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

An Afghan national with ties to the Taliban was convicted today by a jury in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of conspiracy, distribution of heroin for importation into the United States and narco-terrorism.

BizJet International Sales and Support Inc., a provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services based in Tulsa, Okla., has agreed to pay an $11.8 million criminal penalty to resolve charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for bribing government officials in Latin America to secure contracts to perform aircraft MRO services for government agencies.

The former director of corporate maintenance and renovations at Medical Facilities of America Inc. pleaded guilty today to accepting kickbacks and evading taxes.

"Although we have come together in a time of loss, it is clear that we are bound by more than grief. We are united by our gratitude – for Congressman Payne’s enduring contributions, his many sacrifices, and his inspiring achievement," said Attorney General Holder.

The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Nashville, Tenn., returned a one count indictment charging former Humphreys County, Tenn., Sheriff’s Deputies Timothy Wayne Hedge, 50, and James Benjamin Lee, 32, for violating the civil rights of an individual on Jan. 23, 2011, in Humphreys County.

"For the Department of Justice, our commitment to preventing human trafficking, bringing traffickers to justice, and assisting victims has never been stronger – and our approach has never been more effective. Our work has sent a clear and critical message: that, in this country – and under this Administration – human trafficking crimes will not be tolerated," said Attorney General Holder.

The Justice Department and Puerto Rico-based Indrescom Security Technology Inc. have agreed to settle allegations that the company discriminated against a work-authorized individual during the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 process by requiring him to present a lawful permanent resident card, despite the fact that the employee had already produced documents establishing his identity and authority to work in the United States, and not allowing him to work when he did not produce the card.

Elmo Antonio George and Nasheba Necia Hunte, formerly from the U.S. Virgin Islands and currently residents of Villa Rica, Ga., were found guilty today by a federal jury in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and filing false individual income tax returns for 2005 and 2006, the Justice Department and the IRS announced.

"Over a decade ago, as a lawyer in the California Attorney General’s office, I worked on a variety of consumer protection issues, from identity theft to the victimization of elder consumers. And over the last three years, President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and I have made protecting consumers a centerpiece of the Justice Department’s overall anti-fraud efforts," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

Harbert Corporation, Harbert International, Inc., Bill Harbert International Constructions Inc., Harbert Construction Services (U.K.) Ltd. and Bilhar International Establishment have agreed to pay the United States $47 million to settle claims that they submitted false claims, and caused others to submit false claims, to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Justice Department announced today.

Terry Hall, 45, was sentenced today in Birmingham, Ala., to 39 months in prison for his participation in a bribery and money laundering scheme related to bribes paid for contracts awarded in support of the Iraq war.

The United States has sued Marge L. Cellini and Harry Portnoy of Las Vegas seeking to bar them from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.

"This morning, I’m proud to join you in affirming a simple truth, and renewing this Administration’s commitment – as well as my own – to an essential idea: that no one deserves to be bullied, harassed, or victimized because of who they are, how they worship, or who they love," said Attorney General Holder.

A federal court has permanently barred Annie P. Williams, the former proprietor of PPH Tax & Realty Inc. in Brooklyn, N.Y., from preparing federal tax returns for others and from having any ownership or financial interest in any tax preparation business, the Justice Department announced today.

Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department announced today its findings that the state of Mississippi violated the constitutional rights of youth detained at the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility.

Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) gang member David Harlow was found guilty today by Senior U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. in Houston of racketeering aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit racketeering aggravated assault for his role in the 2008 beating of a gang prospect.

The United States has filed a complaint against AT&T Corporation under the False Claims Act for conduct related to its provision of Internet Protocol (IP) Relay services, the Justice Department announced today.

Arcadio Hernandez-Soto, 35, was convicted in San Juan of three counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, four counts of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and four counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug transaction.

Father and son, John Tuma and Cody Tuma, 28, of Shreveport, were both charged in a five-count indictment with violations of the Clean Water Act, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to illegal discharges coming from the Arkla Disposal Services Inc., a facility in Shreveport, La.

Arman Sharopetrosian, Karen Markosian, Artush Margaryan and Kristine Ogandzhanyan were found guilty of conspiring to commit bank fraud, attempted bank fraud and various counts of aggravated identity theft.

"Today is an important day in the journey for justice for the family of James Craig Anderson, and other African American victims of senseless, racially motivated violence in Jackson. Earlier today, the Department of Justice secured guilty pleas from three of the individuals responsible for the brutal, racially motivated murder of James Anderson," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Lockheed Martin Corporation has agreed to pay $15,850,000 to settle allegations that it mischarged perishable tools used on numerous government contracts.

Keairus Wilson, 22, aka “Key-Thang,” of Nashville, and Rondarius Williamson, 21, also of Nashville, were convicted yesterday in U.S. District Court in Nashville.

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with Wisconsin officials to help ensure that military servicemembers, their family members and U.S. citizens living overseas have the opportunity to participate fully in Wisconsin’s April 3, 2012, federal presidential primary election.

Biomet Inc. has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice to resolve improper payments by the company and its subsidiaries in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

An executive of DENSO Corporation has agreed to plead guilty and to serve time in prison for his role in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for heater control panels installed in U.S. cars.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Mexican Attorney General Marisela Morales Ibáñez today signed a letter of intent for the United States to share approximately $6 million in forfeited funds with the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico to support Mexican efforts to combat the financial infrastructure of organized criminal groups and to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in forfeiture matters.

Ilios Shipping Company S.A. was sentenced today in federal court in New Orleans for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and obstruction of justice.

A federal jury in Montgomery, Ala., convicted Nacretia Lewis today of perjury and lying to a federal agent, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

Julie Matau, 49, and her daughter, Andrea Matau, 28, each were sentenced yesterday in Oakland, Calif., for their participation in the theft of nearly $160,000 in federal grant funds from a now-defunct nonprofit American Samoa legal services corporation.

The Justice Department reached a settlement agreement today with Onward Healthcare, a healthcare staffing company based in Wilton, Conn., resolving allegations that the company posted discriminatory job advertisements on its home page and third party websites that limited its jobs to U.S. citizens.

Six officials of an Upstate New York firm were arraigned yesterday before Magistrate Judge Leslie G. Foschio. On March 21, a federal grand jury in the Western District of New York indicted the six defendants, Philip R. DeLuca, Alfred R. LaGreca, Frank A. Fracassi, Michael A. Elia, Laurence A Elia and Richard A. Elia, on tax charges, including conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

A federal court has permanently barred Robert Jensen, a certified public accountant from San Diego, from providing tax advice or preparing federal tax returns that illegally attempt to reduce customers’ taxable income, the Justice Department announced today.

The United States has asked a federal court to bar a tax preparation firm and its owner, John Newlin, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.

Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, 62, a U.S. citizen and resident of Fairfax, Va., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy and tax violations in connection with a decades-long scheme to conceal the transfer of at least $3.5 million from the government of Pakistan to fund his lobbying efforts in America related to Kashmir.

A federal grand jury in Albuquerque indicted Sylvester Bruce, 44, a former corrections officer with Navajo Nation’s Shiprock, N.M., Detention Center, on charges related to the sexual abuse of an inmate during the summer and fall of 2010.

Attorney General Eric Holder today welcomed the confirmation of Kathryn Keneally as Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division and Michael E. Horowitz as Inspector General for the Justice Department.

A federal jury convicted West Memphis, Ark., Police Department (WMPD) Officer Scott McCall, 39, of West Memphis, Ark., of one misdemeanor count of Deprivation of Rights under Color of Law.