Marsha Elmore of Wetumpka, Ala., the owner of a tax preparation business called Community Tax, was sentenced today to 184 months in prison, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

The director of the school lunch program for the government of the U.S. Territory of American Samoa was convicted today in relation to his efforts to obstruct a federal grand jury and law enforcement investigation into a bribery scheme.

"This marks the third time that this extraordinary group of leaders, researchers, front-line practitioners, and federal partners has come together to exchange insights, to share expertise, and to strengthen the essential work that has become not just our shared priority – but our common cause," said Attorney General Holder.

Three men and a demolition company were convicted by a federal jury in Chattanooga, Tenn., of environmental crimes and obstruction of justice charges related to the illegal demolition of a Chattanooga factory containing large amounts of the toxic air pollutant asbestos.

Columbus Manufacturing Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbus Foods LLC, has agreed to pay a penalty and make significant upgrades to settle Clean Air Act violations.

Nine men have been indicted in the Western District of Virginia for allegedly conspiring to receive, distribute, possess and access with intent to view child pornography/

James Cummings, a resident of Boca Raton, Fla., has been sentenced for committing fraud in connection with a coffee machine business opportunity scheme, the Justice Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the city of Humboldt, Kan., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for individuals with disabilities.

The federal government and 49 state attorneys general today have reached a landmark $25 billion agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers to address mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure abuses.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington has entered a consent decree against Dominguez Foods of Washington Inc. to resolve a food seizure action alleging violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), the Justice Department announced today.

"This agreement reflects our commitment – at both the federal and state levels – to ensure justice, and to recover losses, for victims of reckless and abusive mortgage practices," said Attorney General Holder.

A U.S. citizen and a Canadian citizen were arrested last week in Costa Rica in connection with the operation of a series of fraudulent business opportunities following their indictment by a federal grand jury in Miami on Nov. 29, 2011, the Justice Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced.

"In the fight against health-care fraud, our Departments have a long history of working collaboratively – and effectively. The “Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program Annual Report” that we are submitting to Congress today underscores this fact," said Attorney General Holder.

Angela Palmer and her husband, Warren Palmer, both of Knoxville, Tenn., each pleaded guilty today to two counts of willful failure to file tax returns, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

"This announcement underscores the bold, innovative and coordinated ways in which we are working alongside authorities at every level to prevent, identify and prosecute health care fraud throughout the country," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

"In Dallas, and the eight other Strike Force cities, the Criminal Division and our partners in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices will continue to crack down on Medicare fraud and hold accountable those stealing from the public fisc," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

Hector Martinez Maldonado, a former Puerto Rico Senator, and Juan Bravo Fernandez, the former president of the largest private security firm in Puerto Rico, were each sentenced today to 48 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a bribery scheme involving the passage of legislation beneficial to Bravo Fernandez’s business.

Stephen Michael Kirkpatrick, 47, was indicted on two counts of violating the victim’s rights to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures and the use of unreasonable force by a person acting under color of law and one count of obstruction of justice.

Suspected fraudulent activity pertaining to relief efforts associated with the recent series of tornadoes in the Midwest and South should be reported to the NCDF hotline at 866-720-5721.

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.

"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.

The Justice Department announced that the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design go into effect today.

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.

"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.

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.

Edward Lee Sullivan, of Oakland, Calif., was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for production and possession of child pornography.

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.

Arthur Lee Ong of Honolulu was sentenced Tuesday to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay $1 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by District Court Judge Leslie Kobayashi today, the Justice Department and IRS announced today.

"There are parts of the world where everyone shares the same culture, the same religion, and the same language. But that’s not America. And it’s not Cincinnati. According to the Census Bureau, there are over 13,000 people in this city who were born outside of the United States. There are around 20,000 whose primary language isn’t English. And there are still more who follow customs and traditions that our own upbringing didn’t expose us to," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

"It is important for the department to conclude its investigation and bring this action to maintain an open and competitive marketplace while we are in the early stages of this emerging technology–electronic books. Ensuring an open and competitive marketplace allows for innovation, which is good for businesses participating in that marketplace and is good for consumers," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Pozen.

"In recent years, we have seen the rapid growth – and the many benefits – of electronic books. E-books are transforming our daily lives, and improving how information and content is shared. For the growing number of Americans who want to take advantage of this new technology, the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that e-books are as affordable as possible," said Attorney General Holder.

Colton L. Partin, 22, of Apison, Tenn., Kyle C. Montgomery, 23, and James Smiley, 27, both of Chattanooga, Tenn., were sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Curtis L. Collier. Smiley and Montgomery were sentenced to 12 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to intimidate African-Americans in the free exercise and enjoyment of housing rights secured to them by the laws of the United States. Partin was sentenced to 18 months probation, including six months home confinement. All three men will also serve 300 hours of community service. The men pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2012.

AmMed Direct LLC has agreed to pay the United States and the state of Tennessee $18 million plus interest to settle allegations that it submitted false claims to Medicare and Tennessee Medicaid (TennCare), the Justice Department announced today. Under the agreement, AmMed will pay $17,560,997 to the United States and $439,003 to Tennessee.

The Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General announced today a comprehensive Clean Water Act settlement with the city of Memphis, Tenn.

A former chief engineer from the tuna fishing vessel San Nikunau pleaded guilty today in federal court to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.

On April 17, 2012, a federal grand jury returned a four count indictment charging Beverly S. Beavers and James E. Beavers of Knoxville, Tenn., with conspiracy to defraud the United States and filing false claims for tax refunds, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.

"At the Department of Justice, we know that small businesses are adaptable and innovative. We have come to rely on them to support many of our most important missions, from ensuring the national security to combating violent crime, fighting financial fraud, and protecting those most in need of our help – our children; the elderly; and victims of hate crimes, human trafficking and exploitation," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

The International Competition Network (ICN) launched and approved three new initiatives on international enforcement cooperation, the investigative process in competition cases and working with the courts.

Tahn Le, 44, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 400 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to commit violent home invasion robberies of successful Asian business owners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.

Hess Corporation has agreed to pay an $850,000 civil penalty and spend more than $45 million in new pollution controls to resolve Clean Air Act violations at its Port Reading, N.J., refinery.

McKesson Corporation has agreed to pay the United States more than $190 million to resolve claims that it violated the False Claims Act by reporting inflated pricing information for a large number of prescription drugs, causing Medicaid to overpay for those drugs.

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.

"This month is an invitation. It’s an invitation for us to stand together and confront the enormity of sexual violence; to re-dedicate ourselves to bringing justice to victims and their families; to break the silence and to redouble our efforts to hold perpetrators of sexual assault accountable," said Acting Associate Attorney General West.

"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.

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

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.

"The purpose of the investigation is to determine whether the University and the law enforcement agencies acted promptly, adequately, and fairly to protect the safety of women and whether the university, the police, and the county attorney have comprehensive and integrated systems in place to do so," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

"As of today, as part of a coordinated, nationwide takedown, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force – a joint initiative led by the Departments of Justice and HHS that’s comprised of federal, state, and local investigators and law enforcement officials from across the country – has charged 107 defendants in seven different cities for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $452 million in false billings. This is the highest amount of alleged false Medicare billings involved in a single takedown in the Strike Force’s 5-year history," said Attorney General Holder.

"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.