BOSTON - Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb recognized 129 officials from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies yesterday at the annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony.
“It is an all too infrequent occasion that we thank those who keep us safe and pursue justice," Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb told the honorees. “There is no doubt that this work can be difficult, and at times, it may seem thankless - the late nights, the time away from family, and the stress that compounds with each passing year. Working in public safety is an inescapable calling...it requires a certain character, unshakable commitment and a level of motivation possessed by few."
The event, held at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston, highlighted 23 federal cases from 2016. The individuals who contributed to the success of the cases were recognized for bravery, outstanding collaboration, investigative achievement, investigative excellence, and victim assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted the cases and nominated the honorees, lauded them for their commitment to public service before presenting them with commemorative plaques.
The category of Investigative Excellence recognized individuals whose actions led to the arrest of a dangerous subject or the exposure of a significant criminal conspiracy. The following cases and agencies were honored:
Drug Enforcement Investigations, District of Massachusetts
Recipient: U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Operation Opiate Express
Recipient: Massachusetts State Police
The category of Bravery is reserved for those whose actions showed such concern for others that the recipient’s own safety was in jeopardy while assisting the victim of a federal crime or in the apprehension of a suspect of a federal investigation. The following case and agency was honored:
U.S. v. James Morales
Recipient: Massachusetts State Police
The category of Outstanding Collaborative Investigation Award recognized investigators from a multi-agency collaboration whose exceptional efforts to overcome significant challenges led to a successful conclusion. Recipients in one case also received the Victim Service Award for extraordinary assistance to victims of a federal crime.
United States ex rel. Lokosky v. Accelarent Inc.
Recipients: Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
United States v. Matthew Clem
Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Massachusetts State Police; Worcester County District Attorney’s Office; Worcester Police Department (Recipients also received the Victim Service Award)
United States v. David E. Gorski
Recipients: Defense Contract Audit Agency, Investigative Support Division; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General
United States v. Gilvan Monteiro, et al.
Recipients: Brockton Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit, Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit; Massachusetts State Police Troop D Community Action Team; New England HIDTA
United States v. Andrew Gordon
Recipients: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Massachusetts State Police; Middlesex District Attorney’s Office; Middlesex Sheriff’s Office
The category of Investigative Achievement Award recognized those who substantially contributed to the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice. Several agency representatives also received a Victim Service Award for extraordinary assistance to victims of a federal crime.
United States v. Ygoa Almonte-Baez
Recipient: Drug Enforcement Administration
United States v. Robert Fitzpatrick
Recipient: Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice
United States v. Tyrell Gorham, et al.
Recipients: Arlington Police Department; Boston Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Massachusetts State Police; Revere Police Department; Woburn Police Department
Victim Service Award Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation
United States v. Amit Kanodia
Recipient: Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Litigation Economics, Division of Economic and Risk Analysis
United States v. Vida Causey
Recipients: Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Retailer Investigations Branch; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation
United States v. Sihai Cheng and U.S. v. Qiang Hu
Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement
Drug Diversion Settlements - Drug Enforcement Administration
Recipient: Drug Enforcement Administration
United States v. James Merrill
Recipient: Homeland Security Investigations (Recipients also received the Victim Service Award)
United States v. Elmer Reyes
Recipients: Chelsea Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation
United States v. Gary Sampson
Recipient: Massachusetts State Police (Recipients also received the Victim Service Award)
United States v. Patria Zuniga, et al.
Recipient: Homeland Security Investigations (Recipient also received the Victim Service Award)
United States v. Baljit Singh Rehal, et al.
Recipient: Federal Bureau of Investigations
United States v. R. David Cohen
Recipient: Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation
United States v. Raymond Jeffreys, et al.
Recipients: Boston Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office (All recipients also received the Victim Service Award)
United States v. Edward Tutunjian
Recipients: Internal Revenue Service; Boston Police Department; Cambridge Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General
The category of Exceptional Contribution to a Federal Investigation recognized those whose actions significantly impacted law enforcement’s ability to arrest, apprehend, and prosecute a subject of a federal investigation; rescue and respond to victims; develop cooperating witnesses; or identify critical intelligence.
United States v. James Merrill
Recipients: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
