Thursday - November 21, 2024
Federal Tipoffs Involving Louisiana Newsletter for Sunday September 01, 2024 ( 12 items )  

DEA-New Orleans Division: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possession With Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and Being a Felon in Possession of Firearm
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Justice Department's Drug Enforcement Administration's New Orleans Division issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2024: Roy Edsel Heifner, Jr., classified as an armed career criminal based on his multiple prior convictions, will spend 15 years in federal prison for his involvement in the distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the   more

EPA Announces About $70 Million in Grant Funding for Dillard University and the City of New Orleans
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2024: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $19,944,576 in community grant funding for Dillard University and their partner United Way of Southeast Louisiana. The City of New Orleans will receive $49,975,589 from the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program (CPRG) to implement community-driven solutions that tackle the climate crisis. "New Orleans, more than any other city, kn  more

ERO Houston removes 3-time deported Guatemalan fugitive with lengthy criminal history
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: HOUSTON U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston field office, with assistance from ERO Guatemala and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement Task Force, removed Jiuver Alexander Esquivel Florian, a 42-year-old, three-time deported Guatemalan fugitive, from the United States Aug. 26. Esquivel is wanted in Gua  more

FCC Wireline Competition Bureau Issues Public Notice: Copper Retirement Network Change Notification Filed By AT&T Louisiana
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau issued the following public notice (WC Docket No. 24-264) on Aug. 26, 2024: * * * Re: Copper Retirement Network Change Certification Received BellSouth Telecommunications, LLC d/b/a AT&T Louisiana (AT&T), an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC), has filed certification that public notice of network change(s) involving the retirement of copper has been provided through its publicly accessible Internet   more

Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas: 2025 Affordable Housing Advisory Council Nominations
DALLAS, Texas, Aug. 28 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following member bulletin (No. 2024-26) on Aug. 27, 2024: The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (Bank) is accepting nominations through October 25, 2024 for seats on its 2025 Affordable Housing Advisory Council (Advisory Council). The Advisory Council provides guidance to the Bank's Board of Directors (Board) on housing finance and community investment needs in the Ban  more

Know How TRICARE Regions Are Changing in 2025
FALLS CHURCH, Virginia, Aug. 31 -- Defense Health Agency issued the following news: Jan. 1, 2025, marks the start of health care delivery under TRICARE's new regional contracts. There will be changes to the TRICARE regions in the United States as part of the new contracts. While there will still be two TRICARE regions, six states currently in the East Region (Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin) will move to the West Region. If you're located in one of the six states movi  more

La. U.S. Attorney: Harvey Man Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Program
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana issued the following news release: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Richard Hebert, Jr., age 57, of Harvey, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to making a false statement to a bank in connection with his filing of numerous false and fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2020. According to admissions m  more

La. U.S. Attorney: Laplace Resident Sentenced for Role in Preparing and Submitting Fraudulent Cares Act Financial Assistance Applications
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued the following news release: U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MUNIRA SCHOFIELD ("SCHOFIELD"), age 28, a resident of LaPlace, La., was sentenced by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to four years of probation, with twelve months to be served on home confinement, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United St  more

La. U.S. Attorney: Westwego Woman Guilty of Theft of Government Funds
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued the following news release: United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PENELOPE PASSERO ("PASSERO"), age 50, of Westwego, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 27, 2024 to Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. PASSERO faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of $250,000, or the greater of twice the gross gain to the de  more

NTSB: Poor Hull Condition Leads to Flooding of Towing Vessel
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (TNSres) -- The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release: National Transportation Safety Board investigators found holes in the hull of a towing vessel after it flooded and partially sank last year on the Lower Mississippi River near Ascension Paris, Louisiana. The towing vessel Uncle Blue was towing one empty barge on March 26, 2023, when the vessel began flooding. When the vessel was lifted by crane during salvage, NTSB investigators noted wa  more

USACE to Construct Underwater Sill to Arrest Saltwater Progression Into Mississippi River
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 30 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-New Orleans District issued the following news release: The operational trigger has been met for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct an underwater sill across the bed of the Mississippi River channel to arrest further upriver progression of salt water from the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River's volume of water has fallen to a level that allows salt water to intrude upstream. Salt water from the Gulf of Mexico mo  more

USDA Expands Shellfish Insurance Program
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency has issued the following news: * * * RMA Allows Insurance on Seeds Initially Purchased Smaller than 4 mm * * * The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Shellfish insurance program beginning with the 2025 crop year. USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage to an additional 27 counties in Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Add  more