News and reports from the Department of Justice.

A federal jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, convicted a man of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, and receiving military-type training from ISIS. The organization is designated as a foreign terrorist group.

The Justice Department announced that the State of Oklahoma has taken corrective action regarding driver’s license and ID card applications and forms that previously did not comply with Section 5 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

A Michigan man made his initial appearance in court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Stafford of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on an indictment that charged him with filing false tax returns and not paying employment taxes for his company’s employees.

At a meeting of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC) on Wednesday, June 12, 17 federal agencies, including the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), reflected on a decade of efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. These efforts have included enforcement actions, public education initiatives, training programs, interagency collaboration, research endeavors, and support services for older adults at risk.

A California man was sentenced to two years in prison for submitting more than $1 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for prescription drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries.

OVW conducted a live web-based pre-application information session for its Fiscal Year 2024 Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program solicitation. During the presentation, OVW staff reviewed this program’s requirements, discussed the solicitation, and allowed for a brief question-and-answer period.

Captain Abdurrahman Korkmaz, 37, pleaded guilty today to a two-count information charging him with violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and obstructing proceedings. Korkmaz, a Turkish national, was the captain of the PS Dream, a Panama-flagged motor tanker. The two related companies that operated the PS Dream pleaded guilty last month to environmental crimes.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the formation of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) in June 2021, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The initiative aims to enhance the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human smuggling and trafficking originating from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico, which impact U.S. border communities. JTFA focuses on individuals and networks that exploit or endanger those being smuggled, pose national security threats, or have ties to transnational organized crime.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland marked the third anniversary of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) by convening senior leaders from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and State to discuss ongoing efforts against human smuggling at the southern border. Over three years, JTFA has led to over 300 arrests and more than 240 convictions in the United States.

The Attorneys General of Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington have joined the civil antitrust lawsuit brought by the Justice Department, 15 states, and the District of Columbia against Apple. The suit, originally filed in March, alleges that Apple has monopolized multiple smartphone markets in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The expanded group of plaintiffs has filed an amended complaint in the District of New Jersey.

The Justice Department announced today a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the New York State Court System, Office of Court Administration (OCA), to improve access to the Rockland County, New York, Drug Treatment Court for people with limited English proficiency (LEP). The department enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin by recipients of federal financial assistance. Prohibited discrimination may include a failure to provide meaningful language access.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that 47 individuals connected to the Sinaloa Cartel have been indicted for drug and firearm trafficking. Garland made the statement in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release on June 5.

A Kenyan national was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison for perpetrating an advance fee and investment scheme that defrauded numerous victims.

The Office of the Pardon Attorney today released a new version of its application for presidential pardons. This updated form is the result of a year-long collaboration with the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) aimed at making the application more user-friendly and accessible. A pardon can assist those who have completed their federal sentences by providing relief from the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction.

The Justice Department announced a settlement agreement with Hawkins County Schools in Tennessee to resolve an investigation into allegations of race-based harassment targeting Black students. The investigation, conducted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, found that incidents of harassment created a racially hostile environment. These incidents included a mock “slave auction” involving Black students, the repeated use of racial slurs by white students, and a “monkey of the month” campaign...