News published on Federal Newswire in December 2019

News from December 2019


Democratic Committee Leaders Reassert Request for Information on Verma’s Use of Private Contractors

News Release: Washington, D.C. - Democratic House and Senate Committee leaders sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar today reiterating their March 2019 request for information and documents concerning Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma’s lavish use of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds on private consultants who were brought on to polish her public image.


Franklin County Arkansas Sheriff Charged With Assaulting Three Individuals In Custody

News Release: Fort Smith, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment on Nov. 20, 2019, charging Anthony Boen, the current Sheriff of Franklin County, Arkansas, with federal civil rights offenses. Boen, age 49, is charged with three counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242.


News Release: BRUNSWICK, GA: A Brunswick Medicaid provider and its owner have been ordered to pay more than $10 million to settle a civil fraud complaint filed by the federal government and the state of Georgia.


Former Louisville Armored Truck Driver Sentenced

News Release: Mark Nicholas Espinosa stole more than $900,000 from an armored truck before fleeing Kentucky.


News Release: CARSON CITY, Nev. - The Bureau of Land Management, Carson City District, Stillwater Field Office, is seeking public input as it initiates an Environmental Assessment for the Comstock Geothermal Exploration operation plan on geothermal leases submitted by Ormat Nevada Inc. The BLM is also requesting public...


News Release: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA - Samuel Lee Donaldson, Jr., of Weston, West Virginia, was indicted today on a firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.


News Release: RICHMOND, Va. - A Richmond man was sentenced today to 13 months in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for packages believed to contain marijuana that had been sent through the United States mails.


News Release: Memphis, TN - Demario Demont Sprouse, 39, a/k/a/ "Taco," has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.


News Release: ROCKFORD - A Rockford man was sentenced today in federal court by U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard to 15 months in prison for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft.


Piedmont Doctor Pays $52,500 to Settle Civil Penalty Claims

News Release: OKLAHOMA CITY - MAURICE CORMAN, M.D., has agreed to pay $52,500 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from allegations that he violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 and its regulations, announced United States Attorney Timothy J. Downing.


Peters Presses DeVos for Answers on Program that Wasted Over $500 Million in Taxpayer Money on Failed Charter Schools

News Release: Dear Secretary DeVos: As Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I am committed to ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and used for the public good. One of the most important investments that we make as Americans is to provide high-quality public...


Auburn man sentenced to 42 months for drug trafficking and firearms offenses

News Release: CONCORD, N.H. - DEA New England Division Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle and United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Joshua Simard, 31, of Auburn, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.


News Release: * Beginning Sunday, December 22 at 8 a.m., East Entrance to Lake Butte Overlook (Sylvan Pass) will open to the public for oversnow travel on commercially-guided snowmobiles. Visitors who have proper permits can also take non-commercially guided snowmobile trips.


Four International Drug Traffickers Charged With Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States And Related Firearms Offenses

News Release: The Defendants Allegedly Conspired With Former Honduran Congressman Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernandez," Sinaloa Cartel Leadership, and Others, to Import Large Quantities of Cocaine into the United States.


News Release: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Birge announced today that on Dec. 16, 2019, Mark Adrian Baker, 27, of Holland, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 63 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for aiding and abetting obstruction of justice. U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney also imposed ...


News Release: PITTSBURGH - One former resident of Verona, PA, has plead guilty to federal narcotics charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.


Lowey Floor Remarks on H.R. 1158, National Security Appropriations Minibus

News Release: WASHINGTON - House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey today delivered the following remarks on the House Floor on, a national security minibus of Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bills.


News Release: West Virginia Medical Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Distributing Opioids.


News Release: WICHITA, KAN. - A Cherryvale, Kan., man pleaded guilty today to federal charges of sexually exploiting minors, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.


Indonesia Citizen and Three Indonesian Companies Charged With Violating U.S. Export Laws and Sanctions against Iran

News Release: WASHINGTON - Sunarko Kuntjoro, 68, a citizen of Indonesia, and three Indonesian-based companies, PT MS Aero Support (PTMS), PT Kandiyasa Energi Utama (PTKEU), and PT Antasena Kreasi (PTAK), were charged today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Dec. 10, 2019, with violating U.S. export laws related to U.S. sanctions against Iran.