Category: Law Enforcement

Georgia Man Arrested for Attempting to Defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs in a Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Scam


Christopher Parris, a 39-year-old Atlanta, Georgia resident, was arrested today and charged in federal court in the District of Columbia (Washington DC) with fraud for attempting to sell millions of nonexistent respirator masks to the Department of Veterans Affairs in exchange for large upfront payments, the Justice Department announced.

The criminal complaint charges Parris with wire fraud.  It alleges that he made and caused to be made a series of fraudulent misrepresentations in an attempt to secure orders from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 million face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) that would have totaled over $750 million.  

For example, the complaint alleges that Parris promised that he could obtain millions of genuine 3M masks from domestic factories when he knew that fulfilling the orders would not be possible.  Parris also allegedly made similar false representations to other entities in an effort to enter into other fraudulent agreements to sell PPE to state governments.

“We will vigorously pursue fraudsters who exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to make money,” said Attorney General William Barr.  “As this case demonstrates, even beyond the typical costs associated with unlawful behavior, COVID-19 scams divert government time and resources and risk preventing front-line responders and consumers from obtaining the equipment they need to combat this pandemic.  The Department of Justice will not tolerate this conduct, especially when it involves this kind of egregious attempt to target and defraud our nation’s treasures – our veterans.”

After arrest, Parris appeared before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, where he was ordered detained.  Parris will be extradited to the District of Columbia (DC).

“During this time of crisis, fraud or attempted fraud impacting services for veterans, who have selflessly served this country, is unconscionable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Shea for the District of Columbia.  “My office will devote whatever resources are necessary to stop scams aimed at exploiting Americans during this unprecedented pandemic.”

“We are committed to protecting the integrity of taxpayer funds and ensuring the delivery of medical supplies necessary to provide quality healthcare to our nation’s veterans, and any attempt to exploit the current global COVID-19 pandemic for personal gain will be dealt with swiftly,” said Inspector General Michael J. Missal for the Department of Veterans Affairs.  “Today’s charges are the direct result of the expeditious and tireless efforts of special agents of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, working in tandem with our law enforcement partners at the Department of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations.”

“Homeland Security Investigations special agents have sworn an oath to protect the American public, particularly during this health crisis, from opportunistic individuals who seek to deliberately harm and deceive others for their own profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles, Homeland Security Investigations – New Orleans.  “Today, our special agents have shown their commitment to that promise.”

A criminal complaint is an accusation by a federal law enforcement agent, and defendants are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.  Upon conviction for the wire fraud charge, the maximum statutory penalty is 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.  Trial Attorney Patrick Runkle of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Lallas and Zia Faruqui of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison Prout and Theodore S. Hertzberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia provided substantial assistance.

Information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc.  

The public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by e-mailing the NCDF at disaster@leo.gov.

Justice.gov (April 2020) Georgia Man Arrested for Attempting to Defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs in a Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Scam

USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic H7N3 Avian Influenza in a Commercial Flock in Chesterfield County, South Carolina


The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in commercial poultry in the United States since 2017. It appears this HPAI strain mutated from a low pathogenic strain that has been found in poultry in that area recently.

No human cases of this H7N3 avian influenza virus have been detected and there is no immediate public health concern. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses.

Samples from the affected flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Center, part of the National Animal Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.  Virus isolation is ongoing.

APHIS is working closely with the South Carolina State Veterinarian’s Office, part of Clemson University, on a joint incident response. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system.

As part of existing avian influenza response plans, Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in the nearby area. The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations.

USDA will report this finding to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as well as international trading partners. USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to OIE standards and minimize trade impacts. OIE trade guidelines call on countries to base trade restrictions on sound science and, whenever possible, limit restrictions to those animals and animal products within a defined region that pose a risk of spreading disease of concern. 

All bird owners, whether commercial producers or backyard enthusiasts, should continue to practice good biosecurity, prevent contact between their birds and wild birds, and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. Additional information on biosecurity for can be found at www.aphis.usda.gov/animalhealth/defendtheflock

Additional background
Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese and guinea fowl) and is carried by free flying waterfowl such as ducks, geese and shorebirds. AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each combination is considered a different subtype, and can be further broken down into different strains. AI viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity (low or high)— the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic poultry.

USDA.gov (April 2020) USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic H7N3 Avian Influenza in a Commercial Flock in Chesterfield County, South Carolina

ICE Dallas arrests Salvadoran gang member wanted for capital murder


Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested a Salvadoran man Thursday night in Arlington, Texas, who was wanted for capital murder. 

Jonathan Alexander Gonzalez-Rosales, 25, is in the U.S. illegally and an active member of the 18th Street Gang, a transnational criminal organization.

The Texas Office of the Attorney General assisted members of the ERO Dallas Fugitive Operations Team with the arrest.

According to court documents, Gonzalez-Rosales was wanted for the murder of Franklin Alexander Mercado, 17. Mercado’s body was discovered Jan. 22, 2020, in the 300 block of N. Prairie Creek Road in Dallas with multiple stab wounds. A Dallas County magistrate judge issued an arrest warrant for Gonzalez-Rosales April 1, 2020, for capital murder.

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ERO officers previously encountered Gonzalez-Rosales Dec. 10, 2017, at a magistrate court in San Antonio, Texas, and lodged an immigration detainer. The following day, ERO San Antonio issued Gonzalez-Rosales a Notice to Appear, and on Feb. 7, 2018, an immigration judge grant him bond. He was released from ICE custody Feb. 22, 2018, after posting bond.

Gonzalez-Rosales did not appear for his July 16, 2018, immigration court hearing, and an immigration judge in San Antonio ordered him removed in absentia to El Salvador.

He remained an immigration fugitive until his most recent arrest by ERO.

ERO Dallas officers arrested Gonzalez-Rosales April 2, 2020, in Arlington, Texas, and transported him to the Bedford City Jail in Bedford, Texas. 

On April 3, 2020, ERO Dallas processed Gonzalez-Rosales, who will remain in ICE custody until he is transferred to the Dallas County Jail to face the pending capital murder charges. 

ICE.gov (April 2020) ICE Dallas arrests Salvadoran gang member wanted for capital murder

TBI Investigating Series of Stabbings, Officer-Involved Shooting in Knox County


On Tuesday, at the request of 6th District Attorney General Charme Allen, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Agents are investigating the circumstances surrounding a series of stabbings, along with the officer-involved shooting of the suspect in the incident.

Preliminary information indicates that just before 7:00 this morning, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an incident at the Pilot Travel Center along Strawberry Plains Pike.

Upon arrival, officers observed at least one person with stab wounds outside of the store. A man, armed with a knife and identified by witnesses as the suspect, was also observed in the parking lot.

Officers confronted the individual, identified as 33 year-old, Idris Abdus-Salaam, a truck driver from Durham, North Carolina, who refused to drop the weapon. At some point during the encounter, one of the officers fired shots, striking the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Four victims were stabbed during the incident. Three were pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The three deceased victims were all employed at the Pilot Travel Center on Strawberry Plains Pike. They have been identified as:

  • Joyce Whaley (DOB: 09/17/1962)
  • Patricia Denise Nibbe (DOB: 11/21/1968)
  • Nettie R. Spencer (DOB 09/19/1978)

The fourth victim, who was a customer, remains hospitalized.

This remains an active and ongoing investigation, as TBI Special Agents and Forensic Scientists work to gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence. As in any case, TBI’s investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General throughout the process for her consideration and review.

As is our policy, the TBI does not identify the officers involved in these types of incidents and instead refers questions of that nature to their respective department.

Any updates on this investigation will be posted online at TBI-Newsroom.

TBI.gov (April 2020) TBI Investigating Series of Stabbings, Officer-Involved Shooting in Knox County

Border Patrol Intercepts a Large Human Smuggling Attempt


LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents intercepted a large human smuggling attempt at the Border Patrol checkpoint, north of Laredo.

The incident occurred during the early morning hours of April 5, when a white tractor hauling a white trailer approached the I-35 checkpoint.  During an immigration inspection of the driver, a Service canine alerted to the rear of the trailer.

Agents opened the trailer and discovered 32 individuals, including one juvenile, all illegally present in the United States from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, and El Salvador. 

The individuals and the driver, a U.S. citizen, were taken into custody pending investigation. 

Despite the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, smugglers continue to endanger the lives of individuals they exploit and the health and safety of our Nation.  U.S. Border Patrol agents strive to prevent the flow of illegal immigration and slow the spread of COVID-19.

To report suspicious activity such as alien and/or drug smuggling, download the “USBP Laredo Sector” App or contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll-free at 1-800-343-1994. 

CBP.gov (April 2020) Border Patrol Intercepts a Large Human Smuggling Attempt