National Roundup

California
Kickbacks alleged in county drug treatment facilities

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A U.S. Justice Department investigation of kickback schemes at substance abuse treatment facilities in Orange County has led to criminal charges against 10 defendants this year, the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

The charges resulted from what prosecutors dubbed “The Sober Homes Initiative,” the office said Thursday.

The office said defendants in the 10 case are substance abuse facility owners and patient recruiters, and the alleged schemes involved kickback payments for the referral of patients to treatment facilities, recovery homes or laboratories.

“These facility owners allegedly assigned a value to patients depending on the type of insurance the patients had, and then paid patient recruiters kickbacks for each patient the recruiters referred to their addiction treatment facilities,” the office said.

Payments were allegedly made for each month a patient received purported services.

“While many recovery facilities offer much-needed services to addicts, those targeted in this sweep take advantage of our nation’s opioid crisis by fueling a patient-selling network more interested in generating profits than giving help to vulnerable people,” said U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison.

Washington
Ex-police officers charged in Capitol riot face April trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has scheduled a trial in April for two former Virginia police officers charged in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

An order signed Friday by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper says a jury trial in Washington, D.C., will start on April 4 for former Rocky Mount police officers Thomas Robertson and Jacob Fracker.

Robertson and Fracker pleaded not guilty in February to charges including obstruction of an official proceeding and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building.

The FBI says they posed for a photograph inside the Capitol during the attack and later posted about the riot on social media.

Town Manager James Ervin announced the officers’ firings  less than a month after the riot.

In July, Cooper ordered the pretrial detention of Robertson for violating terms of his release by trafficking in firearms. The judge rejected Robertson’s suggestion that 34 guns he ordered before June 29, when FBI agents searched his home, are simply World War II collectables.

More than 700 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Over 150 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanor charges, and over 50 have been sentenced. Trial dates have been set for more than 40 defendants.

Arizona
9 in state accused of defrauding pandemic relief program

PHOENIX (AP) — Nine people in Arizona have been indicted on allegations they fraudulently obtained more than $23 million in government pandemic assistance.

Federal prosecutors allege Jason Coleman, 40, and Kimberly Coleman, 38, of Mesa conspired to prepare and submit about two-dozen fraudulent applications seeking $30 million in loans under the Paycheck Protection Program.
They received $13 million from 10 of their applications, according to prosecutors, who say the couple submitted fake employment data and fictitious payroll.

The PPP program gave employers billions of dollars in low-interest loans that would be entirely forgiven if the money was used for specific purposes such as payroll costs. The program was created early in the COVID-19 pandemic as officials ordered many businesses to close and urged people to stay home.

Authorities alleged the Colemans used the money to purchase four properties including a $3.8 million home, luxury vehicles, furniture and investments.

Jason and Kimberly Coleman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud and transactional money laundering. A magistrate ordered both detained pending trial, ruling they are a flight risk and a danger.

A lawyer for Kimberly Coleman, Joshua Kolsrud, declined to comment. Jason Coleman’s attorney could not be reached but a receptionist said the firm doesn’t comment on cases.

Meanwhile, a grand jury also issued eight other indictments of seven people from the Phoenix area accused of conspiring to defraud the pandemic relief program.

Virginia
Man pleads guilty in illegal gun sales plot

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A Virginia man pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiring to make false statements in connection with 45 firearms transactions, federal prosecutors said.

From June 2019 through June 2020, Kevin Staton Jr., 23, of Chesapeake, engaged in the business of buying and selling firearms without a license, according to court documents.

Staton claimed he was the actual buyer of the firearms when he actually was purchasing the guns for other individuals or with the intent to resell them, prosecutors said in a news release.

At least 15 of the 45 firearms Staton bought were recovered from crime scenes, the news release said.

Staton is scheduled to be sentenced in April 2022. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Ohio
Man gets 21 years to life in slaying of 2 teenagers

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man convicted of murdering two teenagers inside his detached garage more than two years ago has been sentenced to 21 years to life in prison.

Victor Santana, 65, of Dayton was sentenced Monday in Montgomery County Court on convictions of murder and felonious assault in the deaths of Devin Henderson and Javier Harrison. Prosecutors had sought the maximum term of 36 years to life.

Prosecutors said the defendant shot the two 17-year-olds when he found them inside his detached garage late at night in August 2019. Defense attorney Lucas Wilder said his client feared the pair would enter his house so he got his gun and went outside, but didn’t know whether they were armed or would attack.

“In that moment, fear hits him and he decides to shoot,” he said, according to the Dayton Daily News.

A witness, however, said the defendant fired without warning. Prosecutors said he didn’t give the teens a chance to say they only planned to smoke marijuana in the vehicle and didn’t mean him any harm.

Santana sought to use the state’s new “stand your ground” defense but a judge ruled earlier this year that it couldn’t be applied retroactively.