News published on Federal Newswire in March 2018

News Release: CHARLOTTE, N.C. - U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr., sentenced David Michael Shope, 43, of Huntersville, N.C., to 105 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Shope, who is an Oncologist, was also ordered to serve a 15 years under court supervision and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.

Trio Charged With Intent To Distribute Heroin

News Release: Edward Torres, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Alejantro Levya-Granados, 47 and Sergio Arturo Maciel-Landeros, 28, both of Mexico, were charged today by Indictment[1] with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute six kilograms of heroin and possession with intent to distribute six kilograms...

Waldo Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Firearms Charge and Supervised Release Violation

News Release: Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced Jesse Newton, 30, of Waldo, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm and two years in prison, consecutively, for violating conditions of his supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty on July 7, 2017.

Secretary Perdue Statement on Agreement in Principle on KORUS

News Release: (Washington, D.C., March 28, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement today regarding the agreement in principle reached by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Republic of Korea Minister for Trade Hyun Chong Kim regarding modifications to the U.S.-Republic ...

Secretary Perdue Issues USDA Statement on Plant Breeding Innovation

News Release: (Washington, D.C., March 28, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued a statement providing clarification on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) oversight of plants produced through innovative new breeding techniques which include techniques called genome editing.

Secretary Perdue Congratulates Gary Washington On Being Named to Federal 100 List

News Release: (Washington, D.C., March 28, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the work of Gary Washington, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), for being named to the Federal Computer Weekly’s (FCW) “Federal 100” list.

Secretary Perdue Announces Third “Back to Our Roots” RV Tour

News Release: (Washington, D.C., March 28, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will kick off his third “Back to Our Roots” RV tour next TUESDAY, April 3rd to hear ideas and concerns from local farmers, agriculture students and researchers, business owners, community leaders, and U.S. Department of Agriculture ...

District Court Orders Florida Company to Stop Distributing Adulterated and Misbranded Drugs

News Release: A federal court permanently enjoined a Deltona, Florida, company from selling and distributing unapproved and misbranded new drugs, the Justice Department announced today.

Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crimes for Making Threats Against Augusta Mosque

News Release: On Mar. 26, 2018, Preston Q. Howard, 49, of Wright City, Missouri, entered a guilty plea before Chief United States District Court Judge J. Randal Hall, to three charges of Obstruction of Persons in the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 247(a)(2). He faces up to 20 years ...

Justice Department Sues Subprime Auto Lender in Orange County, California, for Illegally Repossessing Servicemembers’ Cars

News Release: The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit in the Central District of California against California Auto Finance, alleging that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by repossessing protected servicemembers’ motor vehicles without obtaining the necessary court orders.

Ambulance Company to Pay $9 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

News Release: Medical Transport LLC, a Virginia Beach-based provider of ambulance services, agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for ambulance transports, the Justice Department announced today. “Those who benefit from federal health care ...

New Orleans Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in $3.2 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

News Release: A New Orleans, Louisiana woman was sentenced today to 32 months in prison for her involvement in a $3.2 million Medicare fraud and kickback scheme.

Man Who Concealed Service in Military Unit Involved in Srebrenica Massacre Sentenced for Immigration Fraud

News Release: A Bosnian Serb residing in North Carolina was sentenced to 18 months in prison today for his criminal conviction of obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (I-551), commonly referred to as a “green card,” by making materially false claims and statements on his initial application for refugee status, which served as the basis for obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident status.

U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in Court Order Requiring Iowa Restaurants to Pay $833,992 in Back Wages to 64 Employees

News Release: URBANDALE, IA – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, majority owner of two Iowa restaurants Gloria Ochoa has paid $833,992 in back wages to 64 employees to resolve federal wage violations, including falsifying payroll and time records and failing to pay required minimum ...

U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in Arizona Construction Company Paying $214,392 to 145 Employees

News Release: PHOENIX, AZ – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, the U.S. District Court of Arizona entered a consent judgment that requires Scottsdale construction contractor MNI Enterprises Inc. to pay $214,392 in back wages to 145 employees for violating the overtime provisions ...

U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in a Washington Orchard Paying $19,297 in Fines for Providing Illegal Housing for Migrant Workers

News Release: SEATTLE, WA – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, Rivera Orchards Inc. has paid $19,297 in penalties to resolve Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) violations that posed a direct and imminent threat to its employees.

U.S. Department Of Labor Reaches Settlement Resulting in Contractor Paying $52,969 in Back Wages Owed to Employees Working On San Diego Area Federal Construction Projects

News Release: SAN DIEGO, CA – After a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation, the Department has reached a settlement with A&D General Contracting Inc., the prime contractor on two federally funded local projects, to pay 16 landscaping employees $52,969 in back wages after its subcontractor Amigos Design Build Landscapes Inc. failed to pay legally required prevailing wages and later declared bankruptcy.

U.S. Department of Labor Orders Reinstatement of Massachusetts Pilot Who Lost Job after Reporting a Safety Concern

News Release: BOSTON, MA - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered Jet Logistics Inc. (JLI) and New England Life Flight Inc. - doing business as Boston MedFlight (BMF) - to reinstate a pilot who lost his job after complaining about what he reasonably believed were violations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.

U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Results in Federal Court Ordering Former 401(k) Manager to Pay Restitution