Tag Archive for: #usattorneyoffice

U.S. Attorney’s Office Reports More Than $16 Million In Civil, Criminal Collections In 2022

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The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina has collected more than $16 million in criminal and civil actions over the course of 2022.

U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said, “We are committed to using every tool available to aggressively collect restitution for victims, criminal fines, and recover taxpayer dollars lost to fraud and owed to government agencies.”

A press statement from Easley’s office broke down the $16,323,043.41 in criminal and civil actions as follows: $12,196,251.65 collected in criminal actions and $4,126,791.76 collected in civil actions. 

Some significant collections included: In August 2022, the Eastern District of North Carolina collected over $360,000 from Yousef Kaid.  Although not the District’s largest monthly collection total, it was the result of significant enforcement action, netted a substantial sum for the victims of Kaid’s crimes, and epitomizes the office’s dogged pursuit of criminal monetary penalties. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/nine-arrested-conspiracy-traffic-contraband-cigarettes

In January and June 2022, the Eastern District of North Carolina collected a total of $1.5 million from Margaret Gibson.  Those payments were the result of a settlement agreement resolving False Claims Act allegations against her. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/north-carolina-durable-medical-equipment-corporation-sentenced-10-million-healthcare

Additionally, the Eastern District of North Carolina worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $25,900.61 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $25,300.61 was collected in criminal actions and $600 was collected in civil actions.

The U.S. attorneys’ offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Additionally, the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of North Carolina, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $16,891,175 in asset forfeiture actions in 2022. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

“We are proud of the men and women in our office who have worked so hard to ensure justice through their collection efforts.  They are to be congratulated for their tremendously successful efforts.”

U.S. Department of Justice

Law Enforcement Officers Training Teaches How To De-Escalate, Defuse Situations For Safety

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The ongoing training that law enforcement officers participate in helps them evaluate situations and when they should use strategies that will reduce the need for force and to keep a situation from getting out of hand. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the N.C. Justice Academy have provided day-long de-escalation, use of force and community engagement training to more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers in the Eastern District of North Carolina between May and October.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael Easley said the training is part of his office’s Civil Rights Initiative. The training “gives law enforcement the tools, tactics and best practices to defuse and de-escalate situations by mitigating the need for or use of force,” Easley said in press statement.

These de-escalation techniques can help to reduce injuries and preserve the safety of law enforcement officers and the public, Easley said.

“In addition to providing training for dealing with ‘in the moment’ situations, the agenda also focused on the benefits of ongoing community engagement by law enforcement to build long-term, sustainable community trust. Taking the time to listen, learn and gain perspective creates a basis for developing collaborative solutions that make our communities safer,” he said.

 Training sessions were offered in Raleigh, Greenville, Castle Hayne, Ahoskie and Fayetteville and  included sessions on addressing use of force incidents, a review of civil rights laws and hate crimes, and best practices in community policing. The community engagement section was led by N.C. Department of Public Safety Secretary Eddie Buffaloe.

The training is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Initiative which includes community outreach and engagement designed to increase awareness of existing civil rights protections and how to spot and avoid civil rights violations.

U.S. ATTORNEY RECOGNIZES LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DURING LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY

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— press release

RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. recognizes the service of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, which is being observed Saturday, January 9, 2021. On this date, communities across the country will show their appreciation and support for law enforcement agencies and their personnel in various ways.

“I ask every citizen of the Eastern District to join me in recognizing the tremendous service and sacrifices that our law enforcement officers have made this past year and make every day,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. “Together, with our ongoing partnerships, commitment, and dedication, we will continue to work together to ensure that our citizens, here in the Eastern District of North Carolina, are safe and secure.”

As part of this national day of recognition, citizens across the country are encouraged to share their expressions of gratitude and support for local law enforcement agencies, officers, and public safety personnel within their respective communities. Likewise, citizens and officers alike are encouraged to share their positive experiences and collaborations with each other.

The Eastern District of North Carolina serves the 44 easternmost counties of North Carolina.

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U.S. Department of Justice

Eastern N.C. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $13 Million in Civil/Criminal Actions

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-Press Release, U.S. Dept. of Justice

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States criminal defense Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced today that his office collected over $13.5 million in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2018. Of this amount, $8,410,643.89 was collected in criminal actions and $5,113,040.40 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, over $4.6 million was collected in asset forfeitures.

The Eastern District of North Carolina also collaborated with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $13,983.13. Of this amount, $5,733.13 was collected in criminal actions and $8,250 was collected in civil actions.

Overall, the Justice Department collected nearly $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018. The $14,839,821,650 in Fiscal Year 2018 collections is nearly seven times the appropriated $2.13 billion ($2,136,750,000) budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices, reported this site of a top attorney firm.

“The men and women of the U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country work diligently, day in and day out, to see that the citizens of our nation receive justice. The money that we are able to recover for victims and this country as a whole is a direct result of their hard work,” Director James A. Crowell, IV, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.

In the past fiscal year, the Eastern District of North Carolina has returned millions of dollars to crime victims. For example, in United States v. Justin Lawrence Daniel, over $2.3 million was recovered for victims of the defendant’s criminal conduct. In United States v. Mittesh Das, $750,000 was recovered for victim restitution and paid at the time of sentencing.

The District has also recovered significant taxpayer money lost to fraud or other misconduct, collected civil fines imposed for violations of federal law, and collected civil debts owed to various federal agencies. For example, in United States v. Physicians Pharmacy Alliance, $1.7 million was recovered for the Health and Human Services’ Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services and for the North Carolina Medicaid Program. The United States has recovered an initial payment of $750,000 from Rouseco, Inc, toward a $5.8 million judgment in United States v. Rouseco, Inc.

“We will use every available tool to aggressively collect victim restitution and criminal fines, and recover a lot more taxpayer dollars that are either lost to fraud or otherwise owed to government agencies,” said Mr. Higdon. “Asset forfeiture also serves important law enforcement interests, and we will continue to aggressively forfeit the proceeds of crime and the assets used to facilitate it. We are proud of the men and women in our office who dedicate themselves each and every day to ensuring justice through their collection efforts. They are to be congratulated for their tremendously successful efforts.”

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC.