News published on Federal Newswire in May 2022

News from May 2022


News Release: ATLANTA - Darrell Thomas has been sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and to money laundering for masterminding a scheme to obtain 14 fraudulent loans totaling approximately $11.1 million from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP"). To date, a total of twenty-three individuals have been charged in connection with the fraudulent scheme.


News Release: PHOENIX, Ariz. - Yesterday, Freddy Danilo Naranjo, 48, formerly of Avondale, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg to 10 months in prison. Naranjo previously pleaded guilty to Making False Claims. Naranjo’s co-defendant, Jairo Roberto Hidalgo, 51, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty to the same charge. On Feb. 17, 2022, Hidalgo was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 17 months in prison.


News Release: DENVER - FEMA has approved $7.3 million in additional Public Assistance funding for the COVID-19 response in Utah. The assistance was made available under a major disaster declaration issued April 4, 2020. FEMA has provided more than $274 million for the Utah COVID-19 response to date with this additional funding.


Former Director of Public Works in Guayama Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Certifying Completion of Municipal Asphalt Projects

News Release: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The former Director of Public Works in the Municipality of Guayama, Puerto Rico, Ramón Conde-Meléndez, pleaded guilty today in Puerto Rico to engaging in a bribery conspiracy in which he received cash payments in exchange for certifying the completion of asphalt projects which was required for the approval of payments from the Municipality of Guayama to an asphalt and paving company.


News Release: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland this afternoon convened a meeting with Justice Department and Supreme Court officials to discuss the security needs of Justices and the Court since the unauthorized release of a draft Court opinion. At the Attorney General’s direction, the U.S. Marshals Service accelerated the provision of around-the-clock security at the homes of all Justices, among other actions, last week.


Foxx, Steel on Addressing the Nation’s Infant Formula Shortage

News Release: Today, Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) released the following statement in support of H.R. 7791, the bipartisan Access to Baby Formula Act, which was introduced by Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA) and will help prevent future devastating shortages...


DOI-FWS offers new grant application process starting May 19

Seaplane Invasive Species Risk Analysis-Phase II grant opened on May 19.


The US Energy Department published a one page notice on May 18, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.


Regan: Brownfields Program will turn 'blight into might' for Ohio communities

The Biden administration recently issued grants worth approximately $6 million through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to examine or clean up brownfields and promote revolving credit initiatives in Ohio.


News Release: BOSTON - A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl.


News Release: ROCKFORD - A federal grand jury in Rockford has indicted a Loves Park man on drug and firearm offenses.


Jefferson County Man Charged With Mailing Threatening Letters

News Release: ALBANY, NEW YORK - Jesse Bartlett, age 46, of LaFargeville, New York, was arrested today and charged with mailing threatening letters, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).


The US Transportation Department published a three page notice on May 18, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.


There was activity on six bills related to the Judiciary Committee on May 18.


Spokane Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

News Release: Spokane, Washington -United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Fainyan Kain James Kimmerly, 22, of Spokane, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison for persuading a 13-year-old to produce sexual images of the 13-year-old and send the images to Kimmerly. Judge Rice also ordered Kimmerly to serve the remainder of his life on federal supervision after he is released from prison. Kimmerly pleaded guilty earlier this year.


Foxx on Ed and Labor Markup, Democrats’ Rushed Bills

News Release: Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the following statement after the Committee passed legislation today regarding unnecessary and expensive school construction projects, predatory wage and hour penalties, a package of bills that will create duplicative programs, and two bipartisan bills on mental health and substance abuse...


Firefighter arrested for Transporting and Harboring Non-Citizens for financial gain

News Release: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - On May 18, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Pedro Rafael Rodríguez-Garnier, 54, of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, with transporting and harboring illegal aliens.


Order Renewing Order Temporarily Denying Export Privileges discussed on May 18 by Commerce Department

The US Commerce Department published a nine page notice on May 18, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.



Committee Approves the Water Resources Development Act of 2022

News Release: Today, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA), a bipartisan bill that will improve ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other water resources infrastructure throughout the United States.