News and reports from the Department of Justice.

Korbein Schultz, a U.S. Army soldier and intelligence analyst, pleaded guilty today to all charges against him in the indictment returned by a federal grand jury in March 2024. The charges include conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, and bribery of a public official.

The Justice Department announced today that it has secured an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) to expand opportunities for group religious practice throughout the state prison system and allow access to kosher-for-Passover meals and Seders. The agreement resolves the Justice Department’s investigation of NCDAC pursuant to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).

The Justice Department has released a statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland regarding the Major Cities Chiefs Association Violent Crime Survey, which indicates a decrease in violent crime in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

Yesterday marked the 24th anniversary of Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency.” At its core, the Order acknowledges the fundamental principle that the federal government must be able to understand and communicate with all people in the United States, including those with limited English proficiency (LEP), to keep our country and communities safe and prosperous.

A dual-national from Belarus and Ukraine, Maksim Silnikau, also known as Maksym Silnikov, made his initial court appearance in Newark, New Jersey, following his extradition from Poland. Silnikau faces charges in both the District of New Jersey and the Eastern District of Virginia for leading international cybercrime schemes.

Patrick Dai, 22, formerly a junior at Cornell University and originally from Pittsford, New York, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a special assessment of $100 for posting threats to kill or injure another person using interstate communications.

Bulgarian national Milan Dimitrov, 50, made his initial appearance in a federal court in San Antonio today after being extradited from Greece.

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Hawaii for the Aug. 10 primary election. The department will monitor in Honolulu County and Maui County.

Arthur Petrov, a 33-year-old dual Russian and German national, made his initial appearance in federal court today following his extradition from the Republic of Cyprus. Petrov faces charges related to export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering. He is accused of participating in a scheme to procure U.S.-sourced microelectronics subject to U.S. export controls on behalf of a Russia-based supplier of critical electronics components for manufacturers supplying weaponry and other equipment to the Russian military. Petrov was arrested on Aug. 26, 2023,...

A multi-year, multi-jurisdictional investigation into the activities of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) has concluded with the sentencing of an 18th individual targeted in the investigation, which began with events happening in 2016. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced this sentencing in a news release on July 18.

The Justice Department announced the release of a new report, an independent review of the use of force policies, procedures, and protocols of the Columbus, Ohio, Division of Police (CDP), as well as the training associated with these policies and operations. The review was requested by the CDP and conducted by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and Jensen Hughes, a critical response provider. This follows the February 2023 release of the COPS Office Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police: Roadmap to Implementation report and is part of ongoing...

The Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) announced today that it will engage with the Boston Police Department (BPD) through the COPS Office Collaborative Reform Initiative’s Critical Response program.

Two former corrections officers from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, pleaded guilty today for their roles in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate identified by the initials Q.B. on March 1, 2022. Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe each admitted to violating inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by failing to intervene to protect him from being physically assaulted by other correctional officers.

A former North Dakota State Senator pleaded guilty today to traveling to Prague, Czech Republic, to engage in commercial sex acts with minor boys.

A superseding indictment was returned yesterday charging two Iranian citizens, brothers Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab) and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunis), and one Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Pahlawan, for conspiring to provide and providing material support to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program resulting in death and conspiring to commit violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. Pahlawan is currently awaiting trial, while Shahab and Yunus remain at large.