News from April 2024
Former Federal Attorney Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Numerous Children
Former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney Mark Black, 50, of Arlington, Virginia, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his involvement in sexually exploiting numerous children. According to court documents, Black was part of online groups dedicated to persuading prepubescent girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Black and his co-conspirators recorded these acts and shared the videos among themselves. In one instance, Black induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct on a live-streaming application while another minor was...
Lawsuit follows sexual assault charges against Mass. Uber driver
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A woman who claimed her Uber driver sexually assaulted her has sued the ride-sharing company in Massachusetts state court.
Wisconsin DOJ Provides Resources as Sextortion Cases Increase
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is providing resources for online safety as sextortion cases increase throughout the country, including in Wisconsin. Attorney General Josh Kaul emphasized the importance of protecting children online, stating, "We must keep our kids safe from online dangers."In a recent sextortion case investigated by the Wisconsin DOJ Division of Criminal Investigation, a La Crosse man was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Kaul reaffirmed the department's dedication, saying, "The...
Three Gang Members Convicted for Their Roles in a Murder
Three members of the Hoover Criminal Gang have been convicted for their roles in the murder of a suspected rival gang member, announced federal authorities. Markell Young, Octavius Ferguson, and Jordan Powell, all from Gibson County, Tennessee, were found guilty by a federal jury in connection to the violent crime.The murder took place on Jan. 31, 2017, in Humboldt, Tennessee, when the defendants targeted a suspected member of the rival Gangster Disciples gang. Young ordered Ferguson, Powell, and two other co-defendants to carry out the murder by indiscriminately shooting...
Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Attempted Espionage
Former defense contractor John Murray Rowe Jr. has pleaded guilty to charges of attempted espionage, admitting to attempting to deliver national defense information to a foreign government. According to court documents, Rowe, who held various national security clearances and worked on sensitive defense projects, disclosed classified information to an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian government agent.During a meeting with the undercover agent, Rowe revealed specific operating details of electronic countermeasure systems used by U.S. military fighter jets. In...
California Man Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Violations
A California man, Shane Brightpath Mike, has pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees. Mike, who owned and was the president and chief operating officer of Excel Behavioral Services Inc., a business in Campbell, California, provided home care to persons with disabilities.According to court documents and statements made in court, Mike failed to pay over $1 million in withheld taxes to the IRS for the fourth quarter of 2014 through the third quarter of 2015. It was revealed that Mike also used Excel’s funds to...
Alabama challenges new federal Title IX rule in court
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and State School Superintendent Eric Mackey have issued an advisory to public school districts across Alabama.
Court Help Center opens in Allegany County with ribbon-cutting ceremony
The Court Help Access & Information Center in Allegany County is set to open its doors on Wednesday, May 1, at the Circuit Court for Allegany County.
Homeservices of America to pay $250M to settle real estate commission antitrust lawsuits
Attorneys could stand to rake in more than $80 million in fees from the new deal, meaning plaintiffs' lawyers could be in line for more than $300 million in fees from multiple settlements worth more than $940 million so far, with potentially more on the way.
4th Circuit says W.Va., N.C. refusal to pay for transgender surgeries is discriminatory
RICHMOND, Virginia – A federal appeals court has ruled West Virginia and North Carolina’s refusal to cover some health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance is discriminatory.
Attorney General Moody Challenges Biden's Title IX Regulations, Protecting Women's Rights
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney General Ashley Moody has taken a stand against the Biden administration's newly announced Title IX rule, which seeks to redefine "sex" to include "gender identity" and "sexual orientation." In a statement, Attorney General Moody expressed her concerns, saying, “Biden’s new Title IX rules shred protections for women—that so many fought for over decades."The coalition, including Attorney General Moody, raised issues about the new rule's implications, particularly regarding facilities like bathrooms and locker rooms. They stated, “... the rule...
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim Delivers Remarks at One-Year Anniversary of the Launch of the TIMBER Working Group
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim delivered remarks at the Department of Justice on April 29, 2024, marking the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Timber Interdiction Membership Board and Enforcement Resources Working Group.Kim expressed gratitude towards the members of the TIMBER Working Group, non-member interagency partners, NGOs, and his staff from the Environment and Natural Resources Division for their contributions and support. He highlighted the importance of combating timber trafficking and deforestation, emphasizing the significant impact these crimes...
The Justice Department Advocates for Lower Prices and More Competition in Incarcerated People's Communication Services
The Justice Department's Antitrust Division has voiced its support for enhanced competition and reduced prices in incarcerated people's communications services (IPCS). Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter emphasized the importance of affordable communication, stating, "Telephone services are a lifeline between incarcerated people and the outside world." He commended the FCC for its efforts to make rates fairer and more just over the past decade and encouraged further improvements in this area.In a comment submitted to the FCC, the Justice Department highlighted the...
Attorney General Kaul Joins Multistate Coalition to Defend U.S. EPA’s Light-Duty Vehicle Emission Standards
Attorney General Josh Kaul, alongside 23 attorneys general and four cities, has taken a stand in defense of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s final rule for light- and medium-duty vehicles emissions standards for model years 2027-2032. The coalition filed a motion to intervene in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to support the EPA's efforts to set stricter tailpipe emissions standards for harmful air pollutants."In setting high but achievable vehicle emissions standards, the EPA’s final rule is a step forward in addressing climate...
Tennessee AG Skrmetti to discuss state-led response on Title IX changes
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is set to address the public at a press conference concerning a multistate response led by Tennessee. The response targets the federal government's proposed changes to Title IX and issues surrounding women's equality.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Tragic Shootings of Law Enforcement in North Carolina
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland expressed deep sorrow following a tragic incident in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a Deputy U.S. Marshal and two Task Force Officers lost their lives in the line of duty. The operation, which was part of a U.S. Marshals Task Force mission, resulted in multiple other officers being wounded."Every single day, Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers put their lives on the line to apprehend some of our country’s most dangerous criminals. Today, three of those dedicated public servants made the ultimate sacrifice. Multiple other...
Louisiana AG challenges federal Title IX regulation changes
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has initiated a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, challenging the Biden administration's expansion of Title IX regulations. The lawsuit claims that these changes impose onerous requirements on educational institutions nationwide, potentially depriving women and girls of equal educational opportunities and imposing significant financial burdens on states.
Former NSA Employee Sentenced to Over 21 Years in Prison for Attempted Espionage
Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 32, of Colorado Springs, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison for attempted espionage in connections with his efforts to transmit classified National Defense Information (NDI) to an agent of the Russian Federation.According to court documents, Dalke pleaded guilty in 2023 to six counts of attempting to transmit classified NDI to a foreign agent. From June 6 to July 1, 2022, Dalke was an employee of the National Security Agency (NSA) where he served as an Information Systems Security Designer. Dalke admitted that between August and September...
Attorney General Marshall challenges Biden's Title IX rule change
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has initiated a federal lawsuit against the Biden administration's new Title IX rule.
Attorney General Miyares Files Support for Writ of Actual Innocence in Virginia
Attorney General Jason Miyares has filed a notice with the Virginia Court of Appeals supporting Keshawn Duffy's innocence and request for a writ of actual innocence. Duffy, who was wrongfully sentenced to two life sentences in 2019, was convicted of two counts of forcible sodomy and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences after his ex-girlfriend's young son reported that Duffy had sexually abused him."A free and just society owns up to its wrongdoings and has steps to correct them. Virginia's writ of actual innocence process is intended to right those wrongs. It's...