Sacramento, California - A three-count indictment by a federal grand jury was unsealed Thursday charging Dariush Niknia, 56, of Elk Grove, and Richard Lant, 74, of Las Vegas, Nevada, with a conspiracy to violate the United States’ embargo on Iran and engaging in prohibited trade-related transactions with Iran, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Washington, DC - The United States has long been committed to Pacific friends and neighbors in promoting a peaceful, free and open Indo-Pacific region.  The United States is committed to the Pacific Islands’ future security and prosperity.

Washington, DC - A seizure warrant and forfeiture complaint were unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that Oil Tanker “Grace 1,” all petroleum aboard it and $995,000.00 are subject to forfeiture based on violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), bank fraud statute, and money laundering statute, as well as separately the terrorism forfeiture statute.

Arlington, Virginia - William Patrick Syring, 61, of Arlington, Virginia, was Thursday sentenced to 60 months in prison for threatening employees of the Arab American Institute (AAI) because of their race and national origin, threatening AAI employees because of their efforts to encourage Arab Americans to participate in political and civic life in the United States, and transmitting threats to AAI employees in interstate commerce.

St. Gabriel, Louisiana - Two former correctional officers at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, were sentenced Thursday for their roles in assaults on a handcuffed inmate in January 2017. Adrian Almodovar III and Charles Philson III previously pleaded guilty to depriving the inmate of his constitutional rights while acting under color of law.

Washington, DC - Chairman Ajit Pai of the Federal Communications Commission announced Wednesday that his office has circulated a draft order approving the combination of T-Mobile and Sprint along with the divestiture of Sprint’s prepaid business to Dish Network Corp.  Just as the Department determined last month, the FCC’s draft order concludes that the merger and divestiture should move forward.  As the FCC explained, the circulation of the draft order means that the matter is now ready for consideration by the full Commission.