sh U.S. Files Criminal Charges Against Dallas Company in Connection with Misbranded Drug Shipment That Led to Three Deaths By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:25:56 EST The Justice Department, at the request of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), has charged Gary D. Osborn and his corporation, ApothéCure Inc., with two misdemeanor criminal violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) in connection with their interstate shipment of two lots of misbranded colchicine injectable solution that led to the deaths of three people in the Pacific Northwest. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Barren County, Kentucky, Sheriff and Four Deputies Indicted for Federal Civil Rights Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:06:00 EST The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Kentucky returned a 10-count indictment against Barren County Sheriff Christopher Eaton and Sheriff’s Deputies Danny McCown, Aaron Bennett, Adam Minor and Eric Guffey. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Moex Offshore Agrees to $90 Million Partial Settlement of Liability in Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:07:09 EST MOEX Offshore 2007 LLC has agreed to settle its liability in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in a settlement with the United States valued at $90 million, announced the Department of Justice, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Wilcox County, Georgia, Sheriff and Three Men Charged with Federal Civil Rights Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:34:59 EST The Justice Department announced today a 14-count indictment charging Wilcox County, Ga., Sheriff Stacy Bloodsworth; his son, Austin Bloodsworth; former Wilcox County Jailer Casey Owens; and former inmate Willie James Caruthers, for violating the rights of an inmate. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at 100 Black Men of Atlanta Inaugural Members Leadership Summit By www.justice.gov Published On :: Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:09:02 EST "Your commitment to this work – and to our nation’s young people – is clear. Your efforts are making a difference across Atlanta. And your guidance is helping young people seize the chance to determine the course of their own lives and to fulfill their potential," said Attorney General Holder. Full Article Speech
sh Justice Department Announces Agreement Protecting the Rights of Spanish-speaking Voters in Colfax County, Nebraska By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:23:29 EST The Justice Department announced today an agreement with Colfax County, Neb., that requires the county to provide election materials and information in Spanish in order to comply with provisions of the Voting Rights Act. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Italian Shipping Company and Chief Engineer Charged with Environmental Crimes and Obstruction of Justice By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 5 Mar 2012 16:02:51 EST Italian-based shipping company Giuseppe Bottiglieri Shipping Company S.P.A., owner and operator of the Motor Vessel Bottiglieri Challenger, and Vito La Forgia, the vessel’s chief engineer, have been charged in a four-count indictment with the illegal dumping of waste oil and oil-contaminated waste water in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, conspiracy and two counts of obstruction of justice. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Member of the Aryan Brotherhood Sentenced for Assaulting a Jewish Inmate in Texas By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 5 Mar 2012 19:12:42 EST Timothy Lee York, 35, of Fountain Valley, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 63 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to violently assaulting a Jewish inmate at a federal correctional facility in Texas. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Federal Court in Illinois Shuts Down Nationwide “Employee Benefit Plan” Tax Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 6 Mar 2012 09:29:43 EST A federal court has permanently barred Tracy L. Sunderlage, Linda Sunderlage and four companies from operating an alleged scheme to help high-income individuals attempt to avoid income taxes by funneling money through purported employee benefit plans, the Justice Department announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at U.S. Department of Justice Sunshine Week Celebration By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:19:17 EDT "Today and throughout the week, we have an important opportunity to showcase and celebrate the progress that’s been made here at the Department – and all across the federal government – in realizing the promise of the Freedom of Information Act," said Attorney General Holder. Full Article Speech
sh Haji Bagcho Convicted by Federal Jury in Washington, D.C., on Drug Trafficking and Narco-terrorism Charges By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:02:48 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Former Humphreys County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Deputies Indicted for Federal Civil Rights Offenses By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:32:35 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Former Georgia Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Detainee By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:34:22 EDT The Justice Department announced today that former Thomas County Sheriff’s Deputy Julian Scott Law pleaded guilty today to assaulting a detainee inside of the Thomas County Jail in Thomasville, Georgia, thereby depriving the detainee of his civil rights. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Mississippi Tax Return Preparer By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:51:33 EDT The United States has asked a federal court to bar Cynthia H. Carter from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh U.S. and Mexican Officials Sign Letter of Intent to Share $6 Million in Forfeited Assets to Combat Financial Infrastructure of Organized Crime By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:26:11 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Washington State Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Filing False Liens Against Government Officials By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:25:52 EDT Ronald James Davenport of Chewelah, Wash., was sentenced to 41 months in prison today for filing more than $20 billion in false liens against four federal government officials, the Justice Department and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Greek Shipping Company Sentenced in New Orleans to Pay $2 Million for Intentional Cover-Up of Oil Pollution and Obstruction of Justice By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:32:16 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Role in 2009 Shooting By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:27:28 EDT Joshua Mark Bodine, 32, aka “Desperado,” of Vidor, Texas, also was ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Marcia A. Crone to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Justice Department Intervenes in Lawsuit Involving New Hampshire’s Mental Health System By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:01:49 EDT The Justice Department today moved to intervene in Lynn E. v. Lynch, a recently-filed lawsuit alleging that the state of New Hampshire fails to provide mental health services to people with disabilities in community settings in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Texas Tax Return Preparer By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:01:33 EDT The United States has sued tax preparer Joseph Rivas, seeking to bar him from preparing any federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Shipbuilder and Ship Engine Manufacturer Agree to Pay Civil Penalty and Perform Environmental Project to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:59:41 EDT Coltec Industries Inc. and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company have agreed to pay a civil penalty of $280,000 and spend approximately $500,000 on an environmental project to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and EPA’s marine diesel engine air rules. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Four Additional Defendants Charged for Assaulting Practitioners of the Amish Religion in Cleveland By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:01:58 EDT The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a 10-count superseding indictment in United States v. Mullet, et al. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh New Orleans Man Sentenced for Shooting Two Hispanic Men By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:48:16 EDT Mark Gautreau, 50, was sentenced today in federal court in New Orleans to 72 months in prison for shooting two Hispanic men on the Bonnet Carre Spillway in St. Charles Parish, La., on Aug. 20, 2006. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Former Corrections Officer at Shiprock, N.M., Detention Center Charged for Sexually Abusing a Female Inmate By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:08:47 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh New Hampshire and Massachusetts Residents Convicted for Promoting and Using Tax Defier Schemes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 16:37:42 EDT A federal jury in Worcester, Mass., convicted William Scott Dion and Catherine Floyd, both of Sanbornville, N.H., and Charles Adams of Norwood, Mass., for conspiracies to defraud the United States through the promotion and use of multiple tax fraud schemes, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Five New Orleans Police Officers Sentenced on Civil Rights and Obstruction of Justice Violations in the Danziger Bridge Shooting Case By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 4 Apr 2012 15:36:43 EDT The Justice Department announced today that five officers from the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) were sentenced in connection with the federal civil rights prosecution of a police-involved shooting that occurred on the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina, leaving two innocent civilians dead and four others seriously wounded. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Former Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General James F. Rill Receives the Justice Department’s 2012 John Sherman Award By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:02:24 EDT Attorney General Eric Holder presented the 2012 John Sherman Award to James F. Rill for his lifetime contributions to the development and enforcement of antitrust law and the advancement of antitrust policy internationally. Rill served as an Assistant Attorney General for the department’s Antitrust Division from 1989 to 1992 and is currently a partner at Baker Botts LLP in Washington, D.C. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Sherman Act Award Ceremony By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:55:20 EDT "Those of you who’ve had the privilege – and great benefit – of working with Jim know that he is a fearless and tireless advocate for fairness and justice. For decades, he has worked to protect the American people from anticompetitive conduct – and has stood out as an effective and innovative leader in this field," said Attorney General Holder. Full Article Speech
sh Acting Assistant Attorney General Sharis A. Pozen Speaks at the E Books Press Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:16:15 EDT "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. Full Article Speech
sh D.C. Federal Court Acts to Halt Alleged “Sham Cemetery” Tax Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:39:40 EDT A federal court has permanently barred Michael Strauss from promoting tax shelters, the Justice Department announced today. The government complaint in the case alleged that Strauss, of Herndon, Va., his son Patrick Strauss, of Washington D.C., and Joseph Barreiro of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., promoted and sold several fraudulent tax schemes, including sham cemetery investments. The men allegedly promoted the cemetery schemes to customers located in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., using shell companies that they controlled. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Five South Florida Tax Return Preparers By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:06:38 EDT The United States has sued to shut down five Florida tax return preparers, the Justice Department announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh U.S. Pharmaceutical Company Merck Sharp & Dohme Sentenced in Connection with Unlawful Promotion of Vioxx By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:03:06 EDT American pharmaceutical company Merck, Sharp & Dohme was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris in Boston to pay a criminal fine in the amount of $321,636,000 in connection with its guilty plea related to its promotion and marketing of the painkiller Vioxx (rofecoxib), the Justice Department announced today. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Shut Down Three Philadelphia-area Tax Preparers By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:36:12 EDT The United States has asked a federal court to bar three Philadelphia-area tax preparers from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. According to the government complaint in the civil injunction suit, defendants Deron Joe, Edmund Dassin and James Tokpawhiea are Liberian nationals who are legal permanent residents of the United States. The suit alleges that most of the customers of their business, Urban Tax Professionals, are also from Liberia and were referred to the defendants by family or friends. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Justice Department Announces Agreement with Orange County, New York, to Protect the Rights of Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican Voters By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:40:46 EDT The Justice Department announced a settlement today with Orange County, N.Y., to protect the rights of Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican voters under Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act. Today’s consent decree is intended to resolve concerns that limited-English proficient Puerto Rican voters were being denied their full voting rights because the county failed to provide bilingual ballots and Spanish-language assistance as required by law. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh U.S. Attorney General Holder and Dominican Prosecutor General Jiménez Pena Sign Permanent Agreement to Share Forfeited Assets By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:44:04 EDT Attorney General Eric Holder and Dominican Prosecutor General Radhamés Jiménez Peña met today in Washington, D.C., to sign a permanent agreement to share forfeited assets between the governments of the United States and the Dominican Republic. The permanent sharing agreement acknowledges the consistent forfeiture-related cooperation that United States authorities have received from the Dominican Republic and creates a more efficient process for sharing assets with the Dominican Republic. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Sharis A. Pozen Speaks at the Brookings Institution By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:11:51 EDT My time at the division has been a remarkable experience and I welcome this opportunity to highlight the division’s great work and achievements on behalf of American consumers. Full Article Speech
sh Dallas Compounding Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty in Connection with Misbranded Drug Shipment By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:37:47 EDT Gary D. Osborn and his corporation, ApothéCure Inc., pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to two misdemeanor criminal violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). The pleas are in connection with ApothéCure’s interstate shipment of two lots of misbranded colchicine injectable solution that led to the deaths of three people in the Pacific Northwest. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks on Human Trafficking for the Frank and Kula Kumpuris Distinguished Lecture Series By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:56:55 EDT "This evening, we have come together to focus on such an issue; and contribute to an important national dialogue – about how we can advance our nation’s long struggle for fairness and freedom; and, specifically, how we can more successfully identify, assist, and seek justice on behalf of the millions of human trafficking victims who have been trapped in some form of slavery, bonded labor, or forced prostitution," said Attorney General Holder. Full Article Speech
sh Department of Justice Releases Investigative Findings on the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:50:30 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Former Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Sergeant Sentenced for Criminal Civil Rights Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:15:25 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez Speaks at Shelby County, Tenn., Press Conference By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:46:59 EDT "The racial disparities in the treatment of African-American children raise serious constitutional concerns under the equal protection clause," said Assistant Attorney General Perez. Full Article Speech
sh National Express and Petermann to Sell Off School Bus Contracts in Texas and Washington to Resolve Antitrust Concerns By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:05:18 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Using Taser to Shock Restrained Detainee By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 1 May 2012 17:37:57 EDT 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. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Federal Court Shuts Down Texas Tax Return Preparer By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 3 May 2012 10:49:19 EDT A federal court in Dallas has permanently barred Joseph Rivas of DeSoto, Texas, from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Rivas consented without admitting the allegations against him, was signed by Judge Sidney Fitzwater of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh U.S. and State of Ohio Reach $5.5 Million Settlement for Damages from Hazardous Releases in Lower Ashtabula River and Harbor By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 3 May 2012 14:53:23 EDT consent decree, valued at approximately $5.5 million, was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Department of Justice Files Lawsuit in Arizona Against Maricopa County, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff Joseph Arpaio By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 10 May 2012 12:57:52 EDT The Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit in federal court today against Maricopa County, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and Sheriff Joseph M. Arpaio, arising from unconstitutional and unlawful actions by the defendants. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Principal of Offshore Brokerage Firm Sentenced in Miami to 20 Years in Prison for $7 Million Stock Manipulation Scam By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 11 May 2012 16:56:40 EDT Jonathan Curshen, 47, the principal of Red Sea Management and Sentry Global Securities, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard W. Goldberg. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Wilcox County, Georgia, Sheriff, Son and Jailer Face Civil Rights Charges in Superseding Indictment By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 14 May 2012 14:50:26 EDT The Justice Department, along with U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore, Middle District of Georgia, today announced that a grand jury returned a superseding indictment against former Wilcox County Sheriff Stacy Bloodsworth; his son, Austin Bloodsworth; and former Wilcox County Jailer Casey Owens. The superseding indictment charges the defendants with assaulting three different inmates inside of the Wilcox County Jail on July 23, 2009, thereby violating their civil rights. As a result of the assaults, one inmate suffered a broken jaw, and two other inmates sustained bruises and scratches. The indictment also charges the defendants with conspiring to cover up the assaults. In addition, Stacy Bloodsworth and Austin Bloodsworth were charged with lying to the FBI, while Owens was charged with writing a false report about the incident. Stacy Bloodsworth was charged with tampering with one of the victims, as well as two witnesses. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down San Antonio Tax Return Preparers By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 17 May 2012 10:02:56 EDT The United States has sued Pete Gutierrez and Jeanette Gutierrez, who do business as Fast Cash Refund Express and Fast Cash Refund Express Electronic Services, seeking to bar them and their companies from preparing any federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. In addition to the Gutierrezes, the civil injunction suit also named FCRE Inc., and Fast Cash Refund Express Electronic Tax Service LLC, as defendants. Full Article OPA Press Releases
sh Ship’s Captain Convicted of Obstructing a Coast Guard Inspection By www.justice.gov Published On :: Fri, 18 May 2012 15:31:02 EDT Prastana Taohim, 38, the captain of the M/V Gaurav Prem, was found guilty of two counts of obstruction of justice. Full Article OPA Press Releases