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Surface Transportation Board Issues Decision Involving Roster of Arbitrators - Annual Update
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. EP 730) entitled "Roster of Arbitrators - Annual Update":
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Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 11708, the Board's regulations establish a voluntary and binding arbitration process to resolve rail rate and practice complaints that are subject to the Board's jurisdiction. Section 11708(f) provides that, unless parties otherwise agree, an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators shall be selected from a roster maintained by the Board. Accordingly, the Board's rules establish a process
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. EP 730) entitled "Roster of Arbitrators - Annual Update":
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Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 11708, the Board's regulations establish a voluntary and binding arbitration process to resolve rail rate and practice complaints that are subject to the Board's jurisdiction. Section 11708(f) provides that, unless parties otherwise agree, an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators shall be selected from a roster maintained by the Board. Accordingly, the Board's rules establish a processfor creating and maintaining a roster of arbitrators. 49 CFR 1108.6(b).
The Board most recently updated its roster of arbitrators by decision served February 23, 2024. The roster is published on the Board's website at www.stb.gov (click the "Resources" tab, select "Litigation Alternatives" from the dropdown menu, click on the "Arbitration" link, and click on the "Roster of Arbitrators" link).
As provided under 49 CFR 1108.6(b), the Board updates the roster of arbitrators annually. Accordingly, the Board is now requesting the names and qualifications of new arbitrators who wish to be placed on the roster. Current arbitrators who wish to remain on the roster must notify the Board of their continued availability and confirm that the biographical information on file with the Board remains accurate and, if not, provide any necessary updates. Arbitrators who do not confirm their continued availability will be removed from the roster. This decision will be served on all current arbitrators.
Any person who wishes to be added to the roster should file an application that describes the applicant's experience with rail transportation and economic regulation, as well as professional or business experience, including agriculture, in the private sector. The submission should also describe the applicant's training in dispute resolution and/or experience in arbitration or other forms of dispute resolution, including the number of years of experience. Lastly, the submission should provide the applicant's contact information and information on fees.
All comments--including filings from new applicants, updates to existing arbitrator information, and confirmations of continued availability--should be submitted either via e-filing on the Board's website or in writing addressed to 395 E Street, S.W., Washington, DC 204230001 by January 27, 2025. The Board will assess each new applicant's qualifications to determine which individuals can ably serve as arbitrators based on the criteria established under 49 CFR 1108.6(b). The Board will then establish an updated roster of arbitrators. The roster will include a brief biographical sketch of each arbitrator, including information such as background, area(s) of expertise, arbitration experience, and geographical location, as well as contact information and fees. The roster will be published on the Board's website.
It is ordered:
1. Applications from persons interested in being added to the Board's roster of arbitrators, and confirmations of continued availability (with updates, if any, to existing arbitrator information) from persons currently on the arbitration roster, are due by January 27, 2025.
2. This decision will be served on all current arbitrators and published in the Federal Register.
3. This decision is effective on the date of service.
By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of Proceedings.
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Original text here: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/DCMS_External_PROD/1735331297054/52418.pdf
State Dept. Issues Readout of Secretary Blinken Meeting With Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following readout by spokesperson Matthew Miller on Secretary Antony J. Blinken's meeting on Dec. 27, 2024 with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha:
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Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to discuss battlefield updates and the United States' support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's aggression.
They discussed Russia's brutal missile and drone attacks and the assistance the United States and our partners are surging in response to these attacks.
The Secretary
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following readout by spokesperson Matthew Miller on Secretary Antony J. Blinken's meeting on Dec. 27, 2024 with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha:
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Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to discuss battlefield updates and the United States' support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's aggression.
They discussed Russia's brutal missile and drone attacks and the assistance the United States and our partners are surging in response to these attacks.
The Secretaryreiterated unwavering U.S. support for Ukrainians in defense of their freedom.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/secretary-blinkens-meeting-with-ukrainian-foreign-minister-sybiha-3/
State Department Issues Public Schedule for Dec. 27, 2024
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for Dec. 27, 2024:
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SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN
Secretary Blinken has no public appointments.
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DEPUTY SECRETARY KURT M. CAMPBELL
Deputy Secretary Campbell has no public appointments.
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DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES RICHARD R. VERMA
Deputy Secretary Verma has no public appointments.
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ACTING UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS JOHN R. BASS
Acting Under Secretary Bass has no public appointments.
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BRIEFING SCHEDULE
No Department Press Briefing.
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for Dec. 27, 2024:
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SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN
Secretary Blinken has no public appointments.
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DEPUTY SECRETARY KURT M. CAMPBELL
Deputy Secretary Campbell has no public appointments.
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DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES RICHARD R. VERMA
Deputy Secretary Verma has no public appointments.
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ACTING UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS JOHN R. BASS
Acting Under Secretary Bass has no public appointments.
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BRIEFING SCHEDULE
No Department Press Briefing.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/public-schedule-december-27-2024/
Pa. U.S. Attorney: Monroe County Couple Charged With Distributing Fentanyl That Resulted In Three Overdose Deaths
SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, Dec. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued the following news release:
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James P. Cullen V, age 30, and Michelle L. Ferranti, age 31, both of Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on various fentanyl and heroin trafficking charges, including for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that the defendants
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SCRANTON, Pennsylvania, Dec. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued the following news release:
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James P. Cullen V, age 30, and Michelle L. Ferranti, age 31, both of Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on various fentanyl and heroin trafficking charges, including for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that the defendantsconspired to distribute fentanyl and heroin between April 2021 and February 27, 2023. Cullen and Ferranti specifically were charged with distributing in excess of 400 grams of fentanyl, which is the equivalent of approximately 16,000 potentially lethal individual doses of fentanyl. The indictment also alleges that Cullen and Ferranti obtained fentanyl and heroin from other coconspirators located in New Jersey, marketed the narcotics on the Darkweb, and then used fabricated names to distribute the narcotics. Cullen and Ferranti allegedly mailed fentanyl and heroin to nearly every state in the United States, and to several foreign countries. As a result, it is alleged that three different individuals located in Vermont, Georgia, and Alaska overdosed and died from the fentanyl between October 2022 and February 2023. The individual in Alaska was a juvenile. In addition, Cullen and Ferranti are charged with distributing fentanyl and heroin on four other occasions between November 2022 and February 2023.
The indictment remained under seal until both defendants were arrested. Cullen and Ferranti remain in custody pending their trial.
"These indictments are a testament to the power of the interagency cooperation between HSI, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police," said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward Owens. "The agents and officers have removed two dangerous drug traffickers from our streets, who were responsible for three overdose deaths across the United States. The dismantlement of this drug trafficking organization ensures the safety of the general public. I commend HSI, their law enforcement partners, and the prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Middle District of Pennsylvania for their tireless work on this case."
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Customs and Border Patrol, and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Law enforcement agencies from Vermont, Georgia, Alaska, and French Customs also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa H. Berti is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney's Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The penalties under federal law for the most serious, overdose death charges are a minimum of 20 years and maximum life term of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/monroe-county-couple-charged-distributing-fentanyl-resulted-three-overdose-deaths
HUD Releases January 2024 Point-In-Time Count Report
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (TNSres) -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the following news release on Dec. 27, 2024:
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The Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 1 data highlights progress and challenges in Addressing Homelessness Across the Nation
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released its 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 1: Point-in-Time Estimates, an annual snapshot of the number of individuals in shelters, temporary housing, and unsheltered settings. The report found more than 770,000 people were experiencing
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (TNSres) -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the following news release on Dec. 27, 2024:
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The Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 1 data highlights progress and challenges in Addressing Homelessness Across the Nation
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released its 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 1: Point-in-Time Estimates, an annual snapshot of the number of individuals in shelters, temporary housing, and unsheltered settings. The report found more than 770,000 people were experiencinghomelessness on a single night in January 2024, an 18% increase from 2023. This report reflects data collected a year ago and likely does not represent current circumstances, given changed policies and conditions.
Through targeted funding and interventions that utilize evidence-based practices, homelessness among veterans dropped to the lowest number on record. There was a nearly 8% decrease - from 35,574 in 2023 to 32,882 in 2024 - in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness. Among unsheltered veterans, the number dropped nearly 11% - from 15,507 in 2023 to 13,851 in 2024. This year, HUD has helped connect nearly 90,000 veteran households to stable, rental homes through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it has permanently housed 47,925 Veterans experiencing homelessness in FY2024 -- marking the largest number of veterans housed in a single year since FY 2019. Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has been tackling the nation's homelessness crisis with the urgency it requires, prioritizing new resources and programs to help communities quickly reconnect people experiencing homelessness to housing, while continuing to focus on the long-term strategy of developing more affordable housing.
"No American should face homelessness, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring every family has access to the affordable, safe, and quality housing they deserve," said HUD Agency Head, The Honorable Adrianne Todman. "While this data is nearly a year old, and no longer reflects the situation we are seeing, it is critical that we focus on evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness. We know what works and our success in reducing veteran homelessness by 55.2% since 2010 shows that."
"We at HUD deeply appreciate the work of our continuums of care and other community partners to end homelessness, especially given the challenges of 2023," said Marion McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development. "You are critical to the success of HUD's mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all."
Some communities reported data to HUD that indicated that the rise in overall homelessness was a result of their work to shelter a rising number of asylum seekers coming into their communities. Importantly, this reporting was collected prior to the Biden-Harris Administration taking executive action to secure our border, after Congressional Republicans blocked a bipartisan Senate bill that would have provided needed resources and authorities to help reduce irregular migration. Since then, unlawful crossings at the border have dropped by more than 60%. Encounters are at their lowest since July 2020. As a result, migrant arrivals to communities across the country have dropped significantly. In Chicago, for example, the migrant shelter census is down more than 60% and in Denver, the shelter census is down nearly 100%. This fall, both cities announced an end to their migrant shelter systems.
Migration had a particularly notable impact on family homelessness, which rose 39% from 2023-2024. In the 13 communities that reported being affected by migration, family homelessness more than doubled. Whereas in the remaining 373 communities, the rise in families experiencing homelessness was less than 8%. Rents have also stabilized significantly since January 2024. Since then, HUD has added 435,000 new rental units in the first three quarters of 2024; that's more than 120,000 new units each quarter. The PIT Count was conducted at the tail of significant increases in rental costs, as a result of the pandemic and nearly decades of under-building of housing. Rents are flat or even down in many cities since January.
The Maui fire, in addition to other natural disasters, had an impact on the increase in homelessness. In Hawai'i, more than 5,200 people were sleeping in disaster emergency shelters on the night of the PIT count due to the Maui fire. HUD continues to work diligently with the state of Hawai'i and Maui County through funding and technical assistance to support long-term recovery from the fire. Over the last year, since the PIT Count was conducted, rental costs have stabilized, with rents down in some cities.
Multiple communities saw a marked decrease in people experiencing homelessness. Some of those cities include:
* Dallas - In 2021, Dallas transformed its homelessness response system with a focus on connecting individuals and families experiencing homelessness to housing. To do this they created the Street to Home Initiative - a $30 million public-private initiative which strives to cut unsheltered homelessness in half by 2026. The initiative led to a 16 percent decrease in homelessness between 2022 and 2024.
* Los Angeles - Struggling with a high-cost rental market, Los Angeles increased the availability of housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, combining Federal, City, and County funds. This led to a decline in homelessness for the first time in 7 years. Unsheltered homelessness throughout all of Los Angeles County declined by 5% since 2023.
* Chester County, PA - Chester County has taken several steps to address homelessness that have led to a nearly 60 percent decrease in homelessness since 2019. These efforts include eviction prevention case resolution, the expansion of housing first training programs, an increase in affordable housing groups, and fair housing education and prevention efforts specifically for migrant workers.
Since the Point-In-Time Count was conducted in January, HUD has released various funding opportunities to address homelessness:
* January 29th: Awarded $3.16 billion in homelessness assistance funding to communities nationwide through the Continuum of Care program.
* May 7th: Awarded $290 million to 357 grantees to address homelessness through Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG).
* June 6th: Awarded $51.1 million in Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) grants which is first of its kind funding focusing on systemic change to either improve or create response systems for youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
* June 26th: Awarded $85 million through HUD's Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program. PRO Housing helps communities continue to address restrictive land use or regulatory policies; improve and implement housing strategies; and facilitate the construction of new housing and repairs to existing homes and cut energy costs.
* July 22nd: Announced $175 million opportunity to build Permanent Supportive Housing. (Awards expected in 2025)
* July 31st: Announced $3.5 billion opportunity to fund homelessness assistance programs through the Continuum of Care program. (Awards expected in 2025)
* August 13th: Announced an additional $100 million opportunity through HUD's Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program. PRO Housing helps communities continue to address restrictive land use or regulatory policies; improve and implement housing strategies; and facilitate the construction of new housing and repairs to existing homes and cut energy costs. (Awards expected in 2025)
* October 29th: Awarded $72 million through the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) to fund housing and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness.
* December 19th: Announced the $225 million Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Program to preserve and revitalize manufactured housing and manufactured housing communities.
* Multiple awards: Awarded over $27M in ESG- Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) funds to help residents and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have needs that are not otherwise served or fully met by existing Federal disaster relief programs.
* In 2021, The HOME-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) program provided $5 billion to 648 participating jurisdictions (PJs) to be used for strategic local investments in housing, homelessness assistance, and supportive services. With HOME-ARP funding, jurisdictions plan to produce 22,271 new housing units and support 24,540 affordable housing units through tenant-based rental vouchers.
Additional Biden-Harris Administration's announcements:
* Today, HUD announced the expansion of the Housing and Services Partnership Accelerator, a joint effort with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to strengthen coordination between housing and service providers.
* In collaboration with HHS and the General Services Administration (GSA), HUD unveiled new resources under Title V to repurpose federal properties for affordable housing and homeless assistance.
* HUD will award $39.8 million through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program to provide rental assistance and supportive services to combat veteran homelessness.
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Report link: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahar/2024-ahar-part-1-pit-estimates-of-homelessness-in-the-us.html
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Original text here: https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_24_327
Former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Ohms Retires From Department of Justice After More Than Thirty Years of Federal Service
SPOKANE, Washington, Dec. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington issued the following news release on Dec. 27, 2024:
Today marks the final day of service for one of Eastern Washington's longest-tenured federal prosecutors. Over the past thirty-three years, Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Timothy J. Ohms has served with distinction as a trial attorney and mentor within the United States Attorney's Office. He is an expert in complex cases involving mental illness, international affairs/extradition, natural and cultural resource crimes, and violent crime.
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SPOKANE, Washington, Dec. 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington issued the following news release on Dec. 27, 2024:
Today marks the final day of service for one of Eastern Washington's longest-tenured federal prosecutors. Over the past thirty-three years, Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Timothy J. Ohms has served with distinction as a trial attorney and mentor within the United States Attorney's Office. He is an expert in complex cases involving mental illness, international affairs/extradition, natural and cultural resource crimes, and violent crime.He was also one of the very first Assistant United States Attorneys in Eastern Washington to file cyberstalking charges.
AUSA Ohms prosecuted several significant drug trafficking cases as well as violent crime cases arising in Eastern Washington. He also was at the forefront of prosecuting cases involving wildlife and Native American artifacts. Over the course of his career, AUSA Ohms tried more than forty cases to a verdict and argued eighty-six cases in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Below are some highlights from AUSA's tenure in the Eastern District of Washington:
* In 1992, AUSA Ohms and former AUSA Rolf Tangvald successfully prosecuted Barbara Fraley and Phil W. Champagne
* in connection with federal counterfeiting charges. Through the investigation into Fraley, authorities learned that Champagne had staged his death in the Olympia area in the early 1980s to collect on a $1.5 million insurance policy. After Champagne's family collected on the insurance payout, he assumed the identity of Harold Richard Stegeman until his true identity was discovered during the investigation, prosecution, and trial of Fraley. The investigation began with the passing of a single counterfeit federal reserve note by Fraley at what was then a Perkins Restaurant in Ritzville. The case was the subject of a 1995 book by Burl Barer.
* In 1995, AUSA Ohms was a member of the prosecutorial team in United States v. Antero Carreno. The case was part of a larger investigation of organized drug trafficking in Northcentral Washington. Carreno ultimately pled guilty and stipulated to responsibility for smuggling 100 kilograms of cocaine into Canada.
* In 2001, AUSA Ohms was the trial attorney in United States v. John Calvert. Based on the evidence presented at trial, Calvert had been hired to retaliate against an elderly resident of Spokane who had testified in another federal case. In June of 1998, Calvert traveled to Spokane from Port Angeles with a co-conspirator. The co-conspirator entered the victim's home and bound the victim and victim's wife. The victim was able to break free, access a handgun, and shoot and kill the co-conspirator. The victim was shot and injured in the exchange. Calvert was convicted on all counts charged against him and received a lengthy prison sentence.
* In 2002, AUSA Ohms led an investigation of crack cocaine distribution by members of the Rolling 20s Crips street gang in the Browne's Addition neighborhood of Spokane. Members of the gang had taken over a large number of units at what was then the Casa Grande apartment complex. The drug distribution fueled a large amount of collateral criminal conduct in the area. The investigation involved the simultaneous service of 23 search warrants at the apartment complex and led to the conviction of 15 people involved in the criminal enterprise.
* In 2010, AUSA Ohms led the prosecution team in United States v. Clarence Stensgar, wherein Stensgar was convicted of raping two women on the Colville Indian Reservation. For this pattern of sexual abuse, Stensgar was sentence to more than 10 years in federal prison.
* In 2011, AUSA Ohms and his trial partner, AUSA Tyler Tornabene, obtained a guilty verdict against Ricky S. Wahchumwah and Victoria Jim, who were convicted at trial for selling bald and golden eagle parts in violation of the Lacey Act. Wahchumwah, Jim, and other co-defendants had been illegally poaching bald and golden eagles by using horse and deer carcasses for bait. The tail feathers, flight feathers, and plumes were removed from the eagles and offered for sale. Evidence in the case revealed that the total number of eagles killed as part of the criminal activity exceeded fifty.
* AUSA Ohms prosecuted the "Twisp Trio" in 2012, for violating the Endangered Species Act. The charges related to the unlawful killing of endangered gray wolves near Twisp, Washington. The investigation began when a resident of the area attempted to ship a fresh wolf hide to Canada using a false description of the shipment and a false name. The shipper refused the package because it was draining blood.
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* In April 2014, AUSA Ohms prevailed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in United States v. Gillenwater, a case involving the transmission of threatening communications through the United States mail. AUSA Ohms argued the case before retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was sitting by designation on the case. Justice O'Connor wrote the opinion affirming the government's position on appeal.
* In 2015, AUSA Ohms was the trial attorney in United States v. Cardenas, involving the possession of methamphetamine in conjunction with the unlawful possession of a firearm and an explosive device by a felon and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The case stemmed from an incident on the lower South Hill in Spokane on April 26, 2012, in which Cardenas was shot during an exchange of gunfire with an unidentified person. The stolen firearm used by Cardenas was found on a woman who was attempting to drive Cardenas to the hospital. The evidence included bullets that were lodged in a neighboring home. Cardenas was convicted on all counts and sentenced to over 20 years in custody.
* AUSA Ohms led the prosecution team in the 2015 trial of Jason C. Youker, who orchestrated a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from a private compound located on Gold Mountain near Republic, Washington. Evidence at trial established that Youker used the compound to cut and package heroin and methamphetamine and then buried these drugs on the compound. Youker would disclose the locations of heroin and methamphetamine to subordinates or customers by text message. Youker was found guilty of more than thirty criminal counts that included the unlawful possession of firearms and the use of a communication facility in the commission of a drug felony. Youker was later sentenced to twenty years in federal prison.
* In 2018, AUSA Ohms and then law clerk Emily Sauvageau won the case of United States v. Odell Kinard. Just over a month prior, AUSA Ohms had volunteered to take over the drug-trafficking conspiracy case, which arose out of a Title III wiretap investigation. The jury stayed out less than two hours before returning verdicts of guilty on all 12 counts.
* AUSA Ohms and his co-counsel, Russell E. Smoot obtained a conviction against Rio A. Mirabal for the 2021 arson of St. Charles Parrish and School in Spokane, Washington. Mirabal also was ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution for the damage caused by the fire.
* In 2023, AUSA Ohms served on the trial team with AUSA Michael J. Ellis in United States vs. Tainewasher. The case involved a toddler on the Yakama Indian Reservation who died from exposure to fentanyl.
* AUSA Ohms, who also served as a Special Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Stevens County, played a critical role in bringing first-degree murder charges against Charles Lloyd Tatom in connection with the 1997 deaths of Marlene and Cassie Emmerson. For approximately two decades, AUSA Ohms and AUSA Earl Hicks worked together on a parallel conspiracy investigation involving an outlaw motorcycle club community in the Colville area. Charges in the case were filed just over a week ago.
During his time with the Department of Justice, AUSA Ohms served on a detail to Romania as a Resident Legal Advisor. During his time overseas, AUSA Ohms represented DOJ's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, working with the Romanian Minister of Justice, judges, prosecutors, and other members of the criminal justice on matters of international priority, including human trafficking, counter terrorism, internal corruption, and transnational organized crime. During his four years in Romania, AUSA Ohms worked tirelessly to assist Romanian authorities to improve the efficiency and fairness of the criminal justice system.
Throughout his career, AUSA Ohms served as a mentor to younger AUSAs - helping them navigate the courtroom and teaching them how to present a federal case. Ohms also played a key role in the office's law student intern program, investing countless hours in the interview process and mentoring the interns accepted into the program. AUSA Ohm's involvement and dedication to mentoring during his DOJ tenure has been invaluable both for the Eastern District of Washington and nationwide. Many of the more than 100 law clerks AUSA Ohms mentored have become prosecutors, including several who serve as Assistant United States Attorneys and DOJ Trial Attorneys across the United States.
"Tim's advocacy on behalf of the people of Eastern Washington is second-to-none. Whenever there is a sensitive, high-profile, complex, or challenging case, Tim is the one to handle it," stated U.S. Attorney Waldref. "Tim did not shy away from hard cases. He has a passion and talent for telling the story of the victim by ensuring their voice is heard and understood in the courtroom. While we will miss Tim, his legacy will live on through the lives that he has touched over his storied 33-year career."
First Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Barker, stated, "Tim played a key role in recruiting me to the Eastern District of Washington, and he served as my mentor after I joined the office. I will forever be grateful for his example of what it means to be an AUSA - to always seek justice, to protect our community, and to make the right decisions, even when no one is looking. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington is a better place because of Tim Ohm's Service."
"Tim Ohms is an exceptional lawyer, and it has been my honor and privilege to serve with him for the past thirty-three years," stated AUSA Earl A. Hicks. "He is one of our most seasoned prosecutors. Whenever he was in trial, I would become entranced by Tim's incredible opening statements."
AUSA Ohms graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in English and Classical Greek. He received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law in 1985 and a Masters of Fine Arts from Eastern Washington University in 2003 while also serving as an AUSA. After graduating from law school, AUSA Ohms worked in private practice in Clarkson before becoming a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Asotin County, Washington. In 1988, Ohms was appointed the Asotin County Prosecutor, where he served until joining the U.S. Attorney's Office in October of 1991.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/former-assistant-united-states-attorney-timothy-j-ohms-retires-department-justice
Department of Labor Finds Louisiana Contractor Could Have Prevented 27-Year-Old Worker's Drowning at North Carolina Worksite
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the following news release:
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RIGID Constructors failed to provide worker training, personal protective equipment
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LELAND, NC - A U.S. Department of Labor investigation into the drowning of a 27-year-old heavy equipment operator at a Leland worksite found the employer could have prevented the fatal incident by following established safety regulations.
An investigation by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration into the August 2024 incident found that a heavy
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the following news release:
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RIGID Constructors failed to provide worker training, personal protective equipment
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LELAND, NC - A U.S. Department of Labor investigation into the drowning of a 27-year-old heavy equipment operator at a Leland worksite found the employer could have prevented the fatal incident by following established safety regulations.
An investigation by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration into the August 2024 incident found that a heavyequipment operator and a foreman with RIGID Constructors LLC were repositioning a pump at Cell-3 Eagle Island using an amphibious excavator. While attempting to exit the water-filled cell, the machine tipped over, trapping the equipment operator underwater. The crew and emergency responders could not revive equipment operator.
OSHA cited the Louisiana contractor with four serious violations for failing to train workers on operating a marsh hoe and for not providing or requiring employees to use personal protective and lifesaving equipment while they worked near the water-filled excavation site. The employer also failed to provide a skiff for workers to use immediately in the event of an emergency.
"RIGID Constructors' failure to comply with federal safety and health standards resulted in a preventable tragedy," said OSHA Area Director Kimberley Morton in Raleigh, North Carolina. "Safety cannot be just a marketing slogan or an afterthought, it must be a core commitment. Workplace safety isn't optional, a privilege for some, or merely a recommendation; it is the law."
OSHA has assessed the employer $50,703 in proposed penalties.
Based in Lafayette, RIGID Constructors is a privately held construction company and provider of heavy civil and marine construction services and has about 370 employees nationwide.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Visit OSHA's website for information on developing a workplace safety and health program (https://www.osha.gov/safeandsound/safety-and-health-programs). Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA's compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards (https://www.osha.gov/complianceassistance/cas).
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Original text here: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20241227
