b

Department of Justice Releases Investigative Findings on the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee

Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department today announced its findings regarding the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County (JCMSC), and the Shelby County Juvenile Detention Center in Tennessee. The Justice Department found that the juvenile court fails to provide constitutionally required due process to all children appearing for delinquency proceedings, that the court’s administration of juvenile justice discriminates against African-American children, and that its detention center violates the substantive due process rights of detained youth by not providing them with reasonably safe conditions of confinement. The investigation, opened in August 2009, was conducted under provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

DENSO Corporation Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Automobile Parts Price-Fixing and Bid-Rigging Conspiracy

An executive of Japanese-based DENSO Corporation has agreed to plead guilty and to serve 14 months in a U.S. prison for his role in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for heater control panels (HCPs) installed in U.S. cars.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Two Alleged Members of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Family Charged in Second Superseding Indictment

Two alleged members of the Philadelphia organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (LCN) were arrested today on racketeering charges contained in a second superseding indictment.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Two Northern California Real Estate Investors Agree to Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging at Public Foreclosure Auctions

Two northern California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty for their roles in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in northern California.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Federal Courts Order Seizure of 36 Website Domains Involved in Selling Stolen Credit Card Numbers

The seizures are the result of Operation Wreaking hAVoC, an FBI and Justice Department operation targeting the sale of stolen credit card numbers via the Internet.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Former District of Columbia Department of Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Criminal Civil Rights Charge

Former District of Columbia Department of Corrections Officer Victor Bell, 25, pleaded guilty today to a criminal civil rights charge for assaulting an inmate in the District of Columbia Central Detention Facility (D.C. jail).



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Former Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Sergeant Sentenced for Criminal Civil Rights Violations

Former Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s sergeant, Althea Mallisham, 52, has been sentenced to 61 months in prison for civil rights convictions for wrongfully using a Taser against three detainees during separate incidents over a four month period in 2008.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the 2012 Tribal Consultation Conference

"The Department of Justice has an important legal and moral responsibility to prosecute violent crime in Indian country, because under current law, in much of Indian country, we alone have the authority to seek an appropriate sentence when a serious crime has been committed. Our role as the sole prosecutor for serious violent crime makes our responsibility to citizens in Indian country unique, and we take it seriously," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




b

Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women Bea Hanson Speaks at the Department of Justice Sexual Assault Awareness Month Event

"Over the past couple of years OVW has made a concerted effort to prioritize sexual violence by providing grants to address the gap in services and resources for victims and survivors of rape and sexual violence," said Acting Director Hanson.




b

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez Speaks at Shelby County, Tenn., Press Conference

"The racial disparities in the treatment of African-American children raise serious constitutional concerns under the equal protection clause," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.




b

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia Servant of Justice Awards 80th Anniversary Dinner

"Every day, Legal Aid attorneys are in the courtroom – standing up for survivors of domestic violence; helping families facing eviction, and veterans who have been denied their benefits; and making sure adults and children alike have an understanding of the rights and protections to which they are entitled. And, because of your consistent focus on pro bono work, you are helping to rally the entire bar to this cause," said Attorney General Holder.




b

Alabama Real Estate Investor Agrees to Plead Guilty to Conspiracies to Rig Bids and Commit Mail Fraud for the Purchase of Real Estate at Public Foreclosure Auctions

An Alabama real estate investor has agreed to plead guilty and to serve one year in prison for his role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in southern Alabama.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Virginia Man Sentenced for Filing a False Refund Claim Based on Forms-1099 and for Failing to File Tax Returns

Richard Jaensch, 54, of Annandale, Va., was sentenced today to 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Jaensch had been found guilty on Dec. 7, 2011, by a federal jury sitting in Alexandria, Va., of corruptly endeavoring to impede the IRS, filing a false claim for a refund and four counts of failing to file tax returns for 2004 through 2007. Judge Lee also sentenced Jaensch to three years supervised release and ordered him to pay $197,984 in restitution to the IRS.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Federal Jury Finds Ira Isaacs Guilty in Los Angeles Adult Obscenity Case

Ira Isaacs, 60, was found guilty today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on one count of engaging in the business of producing and selling obscene videos and four counts of distributing obscene videos, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. of the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Steve Martinez of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Stuart F. Delery Speaks at the White House LGBT Conference on Families

"Over the past three years, the President and federal agencies throughout the government have taken crucial steps to support LGBT individuals and their families," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Delery.




b

Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty for Participating in Bid-Rigging Conspiracies Involving Optical Disk Drives

An executive of Korean-based Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc. (HLDS) has agreed to plead guilty and to serve time in a U.S. prison for his participation in a series of conspiracies to rig bids for the sale of optical disk drives.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

National Express and Petermann to Sell Off School Bus Contracts in Texas and Washington to Resolve Antitrust Concerns

National Express Corporation and Petermann Partners Inc. will divest several school bus contracts and associated assets in the states of Washington and Texas in order to proceed with their proposed merger.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

President of Costa Rican Company Convicted in Half a Billion Dollar Fraud Scheme with Thousands of Victims Worldwide

The president of a Costa Rican company that sold reinsurance bonds to life settlement companies was found guilty by a federal jury in Richmond, Va., today for carrying out a half-billion-dollar fraud scheme that affected more than 2,000 victims throughout the United States and abroad.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Justice Department Announces Investigations of the Handling of Sexual Assault Allegations by the University of Montana, the Missoula, Mont., Police Department and the Missoula County Attorney’s Office

The Department of Justice today announced a series of investigations stemming from allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment at the University of Montana and in the greater Missoula, Mont., community. These investigations will seek to determine whether gender discrimination affected the prevention, investigation and prosecution of sexual assaults and sexual harassment in Missoula.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Using Taser to Shock Restrained Detainee

The Justice Department announced today that former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Kevin Bennett Holt, 48, from Achille, Okla., pleaded guilty in federal court to using a Taser to assault a detainee inside of the Bryan County Jail in Durant, Okla., thereby depriving the detainee of his civil rights.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Justice Department Settles Towing Company Case Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

The Justice Department announced that it had reached a settlement of alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) providing damages and credit repair to 26 servicemembers whose cars were towed and sold while they were on active duty without obtaining court orders as SCRA requires.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Al Qaeda Operative Convicted by Jury in One of the Most Serious Terrorist Plots Against America since 9/11

Earlier today, following a four-week trial, Adis Medunjanin, 28, a Queens, N.Y., resident who joined al-Qaeda and plotted to commit a suicide terrorist attack, was found guilty of multiple federal terrorism offenses.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Prison Inmate Indicted in Alabama for Filing False Tax Returns

A federal grand jury sitting in Montgomery, Ala., has returned an indictment charging David Marrero, formerly a resident of Florida, with corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and filing false claims, the Justice Department and IRS announced today.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 107 Individuals for Approximately $452 Million in False Billing

Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in seven cities has resulted in charges against 107 individuals, including doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $452 million in false billing.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Former Magistrate in Portsmouth, Virginia, Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes

Deborah Clark, 52, of Portsmouth, Va., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Henry C. Morgan Jr.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Cincinnati Attorney Pleads Guilty to Obstructing IRS

Suzanne Land, a Cincinnati attorney, pleaded guilty today to obstructing and impeding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) while representing the estates of two deceased clients, the Justice Department and IRS announced. District Court Judge Herman J. Weber presided over the guilty plea hearing.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer Speaks at the Health Care Fraud Takedown Press Conference

"From Los Angeles, to Chicago, to Miami, these defendants allegedly submitted over $450 million in fraudulent claims to the Medicare program. This represents the largest Medicare fraud takedown in Department history, as measured by the amount of alleged fraudulent billings," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.




b

Hyosung Corporation Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Obstruction of Justice for Submitting False Documents in an ATM Merger Investigation

An executive of South Korean-based Hyosung Corporation has agreed to plead guilty and to serve time in a U.S. prison for obstruction of justice charges in connection with an automated teller machine (ATM) merger investigation conducted by the Antitrust Division.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

U.S. and State of Ohio Reach $5.5 Million Settlement for Damages from Hazardous Releases in Lower Ashtabula River and Harbor

consent decree, valued at approximately $5.5 million, was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Austin, Texas, Man Sentenced to 61 Months in Federal Prison for Bankruptcy Fraud and Identity Theft in Connection with Nationwide Foreclosure-rescue Scheme

Frederic Alan Gladle, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Man Pleads Guilty to Odometer Tampering Charges

Beau Michael Guidry of Baton Rouge, La., pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana to three counts of odometer tampering.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Nine Alabama Family Members Indicted in Conspiracy to Obtain Tax Refunds Using Stolen Identities

Barbara Murry, Douglas Murry, Douglas Murry III, Yolanda Moses, Lee Moses, Veronica Temple, Jeffrey Temple, Almetta Johnson and Courtney Johnson were charged in an indictment by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama on a variety of counts stemming from an identity theft and tax fraud scheme, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Former New Mexico Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse

Lawrence Etsitty, 30, a former police officer with the Navajo Police Department, pleaded guilty today in federal court to two charges related to the sexual abuse of a woman who was in his custody on Jan. 25, 2009. Etsitty pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of the victim when he touched and kissed her against her will, while she was handcuffed. Etsitty also pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI in connection with the sexual assault. Etsitty did not enter a plea to the portion of the indictment that alleged the offense included kidnapping.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Detroit NAACP Centennial Celebration 57th Annual Fight for Freedom Dinner

"Across the Administration, we’re working in a range of other innovative ways to achieve fairness and expand opportunity – from successfully advocating for the reduction of the unfair and unjust 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine offenses – to launching a new, Department-wide Diversity Management Initiative. And our determination to build on these efforts has, quite simply, never been stronger," said Attorney General Holder.




b

Abbott Labs to Pay $1.5 Billion to Resolve Criminal & Civil Investigations of Off-label Promotion of Depakote

Global Health Care Company Abbott Laboratories Inc. has pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $1.5 billion to resolve its criminal and civil liability arising from the company’s unlawful promotion of the prescription drug Depakote for uses not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Justice Department announced today. The resolution – the second largest payment by a drug company – includes a criminal fine and forfeiture totaling $700 million and civil settlements with the federal government and the states totaling $800 million. Abbott also will be subject to court-supervised probation and reporting obligations for Abbott’s CEO and Board of Directors.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Justice Department Settles Document Abuse Claim Against Imagine Schools in Ohio

The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Imagine Schools Inc., resolving allegations that the company discriminated under the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, when it fired an employee at its Imagine School in Groveport, Ohio, in connection with a “reverification” of his employment eligibility.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Alabama Resident Arrested and Charged with Bribery and Gambling Conspiracy

An indictment filed in the Northern District of Alabama and unsealed today charges Robert E. Taylor Jr., 41, of Warrior, Ala., with conspiring to bribe and bribing a public official in order to protect his interest in an illegal gambling business.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at Press Conference Regarding Settlement with Abbott Laboratories

"As today’s announcement shows, we are committed to combating health care fraud in all its forms – from fly-by-night operations to some of the nation’s largest companies pursuing sophisticated schemes targeting government health care programs," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




b

Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at Press Conference Regarding Settlement with Abbott Laboratories

"These agreements provide an example of the kind of resolution we will seek from companies that misguidedly put profits over patients," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.




b

Alabama Return Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax Conspiracy Involving Stolen Identity Refund Fraud

Margaret Kirksey, a resident of Montgomery, Ala., was sentenced today in the Middle District of Alabama to 81 months in federal prison for filing false tax returns using stolen identities, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Former Birmingham, Ala., School Security Officer Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

U.S. District Judge Inge P. Johnson also sentenced Michael Wayne Wooten, 61, of Alabaster, Ala., to lifetime supervised release following his prison term.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the Passing of Former U.S. Attorney General Nicholas DeBelleville Katzenbach

Today, we mourn the loss of Nicholas Katzenbach, one of our Nation's great champions of civil rights and equal justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Companies Agree to $4.25 Million Natural Resource Damages Settlement at Industri-Plex Superfund Site, Woburn, Mass.

Pharmacia Corporation and Bayer CropScience Inc. have agreed to pay $4.25 million to federal and state natural resource trustees to resolve claims for natural resource damages connected with the Industri-plex Superfund site located in Woburn, Mass.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

California Member of the Internet Piracy Group “IMAGiNE” Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement Conspiracy

Sean M. Lovelady, 28, of Pomona, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Vice Lords Gang Member Who Escaped Prison After Murder Conviction in Tennessee Sentenced to Life in Prison

Vice Lords gang member Jessie Lobbins was sentenced today in Nashville, Tenn., to life in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Todd J. Campbell.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Rhode Island-based Sellers of Herbal Products Held in Contempt

A U.S. district court judge has held Daniel Chapter One, an herbal products company located in Portsmouth, R.I., and its officers, James and Patricia Feijo, in civil contempt of court for violating the terms of a preliminary injunction order, the Justice Department announced today.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Principal of Offshore Brokerage Firm Sentenced in Miami to 20 Years in Prison for $7 Million Stock Manipulation Scam

Jonathan Curshen, 47, the principal of Red Sea Management and Sentry Global Securities, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard W. Goldberg.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Georgia County Commissioner Charged with Attempted Extortion, Bribery and False Statements

Al J. Hurley, 54, is charged in a three-count indictment filed in the Middle District of Georgia with attempted extortion, bribery and false statements.



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Three Former Financial Services Executives Convicted for Roles in Conspiracies Involving Investment Contracts for the Proceeds of Municipal Bonds

A federal jury in New York City today convicted three former financial services executives for their participation in conspiracies related to bidding for contracts for the investment of municipal bond proceeds and other municipal finance contracts



  • OPA Press Releases

b

Nebraska Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

Austin Galvan, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon for the District of Nebraska.



  • OPA Press Releases