Reports

CINCINNATI – Herman Brunis, 62, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud. Brunis was also ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Westerville woman who claimed affiliation with Dayton-area pizza restaurants to obtain nearly $1.9 million in COVD-19 relief funds was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 70 months in prison.

CINCINNATI – Kipterrez James, 44, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 13 months in prison for COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud.

CINCINNATI – A woman who formerly resided in Cincinnati was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for crimes related to pandemic relief fraud.

CINCINNATI – Joseph Lentine III, 55, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.

Darmani Hawkins, 21, of Aurora, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud; conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and mail theft as part of schemes to fraudulently obtain COVID-era state unemployment benefits and, separately, to steal checks from the mail, alter them, and deposit them.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thomas O. Crowell, 35, of Canal Winchester, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 188 months in prison for committing narcotics, firearms and financial fraud crimes. A federal jury convicted Crowell in January 2024.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A jury found a Columbus man guilty on all counts for leading drug, sex trafficking and financial fraud conspiracies and then attempting to obstruct justice and tamper with witnesses.

CINCINNATI – A federal jury has found a former Cincinnati woman guilty on all counts as charged of crimes related to pandemic relief fraud.

CINCINNATI – Three more people have pleaded guilty in connection with a conspiracy to buy firearms online using stolen credit card information, and having the weapons shipped to Cincinnati-area federal firearms licensees (FFLs) for pickup.