Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Thomas Andrew Webster, M.D., age 50, of Sylvania, Ohio, has been charged by Filing of Information on one count of Conspiracy to Violate the Anti-Kickback Statue in connection with a fraudulent medical supply scheme that targeted elderly Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries throughout Washington and in other states.

The Medicare program provides health insurance coverage for elderly and disabled Americans. The United States Department of Defense’s TRICARE program provides health benefits to United States Armed Forces military personnel, military retirees, and their dependents. Medicare and TRICARE provide health insurance coverage for eligible health care services, including, under certain eligibility conditions, for Durable Medical Equipment (DME). For DME to qualify for reimbursement, DME was required to be ordered by a physician who is treating the beneficiary for a specific illness or injury. The DME was also required to contribute to the physician’s treatment of the illness or injury or to the improvement of the patient’s physical condition. 

During the relevant time period, Dr. Webster lived in Olympia, Washington, and was a licensed physician in Washington.  The Information charges that between May 2021 and September 2023, a company identified as “Company A” engaged in a telemarketing scheme to obtain beneficiary identifying and medical information by using telemarketers to contact Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries in the Eastern District of Washington and elsewhere. According to the Information, Company A then used the information to create a fake medical record that reflected a doctor visit that never took place, and medical orders for DME.  The Information charges that Dr. Webster then signed the fraudulent medical documentation and physician orders, and that the fraudulent orders were then sold to DME companies that used the orders to bill Medicare and TRICARE falsely and fraudulently. 

The Information further alleges that between May of 2021 and September of 2023, Medicare and TRICARE paid more than $13.7 million for DME fraudulently ordered and referred by Dr. Webster. These beneficiaries, which included many residents of the Eastern District of Washington, included individuals who had no desire or medical need for the DME, individuals who had elected for hospice care and who therefore were not eligible to be treated for most types of illness or injury under Medicare, and individuals who lacked the limb for which Defendant placed the DME order because it had been previously amputated.

The Information also alleges that, as part of the scheme, Dr. Webster received $839,565 from Medicare and TRICARE for fraudulent telemedicine visits that never took place. 

“Telemarketing schemes that target and exploit the elderly are especially pernicious because they prey on those who are often most in need of a doctor’s independent judgment that is not tainted or biased by the doctor’s own personal financial interest,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. This is one reason that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, have made combatting elder fraud and abuse a top priority.”

The conspiracy offense carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison. The case is being investigated by HHS OIG and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

An indictment or information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Richland, Washington- Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Amy Lynn Loza, age 38, of Pasco, Washington was sentenced after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture of a Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke imposed a sentence of 108 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. 

According to court documents, in October of 2022, the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating several fentanyl traffickers operating in the Tri Cities. Investigators developed information that Loza had recently purchased several thousand fentanyl laced pills. 

Agents obtained search warrants for two locations used by Loza – a home in Richland and the bedroom of a home in Kennewick. During those searches, agents located more than 14,000 rainbow- colored fentanyl pills and well as more than a pound of meth. Agents also located scales, baggies, and drug ledgers belonging to Loza. A loaded firearm was also found at the home in Richland. 

When contact was made, Loza admitted to investigators that she had been involved in trafficking fentanyl and had purchased 17,000 pills in the last week.

U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “Fentanyl has taken too many lives across the United States and right here in our community. Every day the Metro Drug Task Force and DEA are working to combat this dangerous poison. Thanks to their efforts in this case, thousands of fentanyl pills have been removed from our streets, making Eastern Washington safer and stronger.”

“Rainbow fentanyl is a despicable marketing tool used by traffickers to hide the deadly nature of fentanyl, which could have resulted in over 10,000 deaths in this case,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The team effort of DEA, alongside our state and local partners, kept this deadly drug off the streets and held Ms. Loza accountable for her actions.” According to the DEA laboratory, seven in 10 fake pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl www.DEA.gov/OnePill.

This case was investigated by the DEA and the Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney’s Stephanie Van Marter and Rebecca Perez. 

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Yakima, Washington – Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Bryce Quinton Hale, age 28, of Yakima, Washington, to 240 months in federal prison for Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. Hale pleaded guilty to those charges on August 23, 2023. Chief United States District Judge Bastian also ordered Hale to serve an additional 10 years on federal supervision after he is released from prison and imposed $3,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, in August 2021, Hale produced images of child pornography which he shared with a chat group using the “Kik” app on his cellular phone. He was charged for this conduct in November 2021 and was placed on conditions of pre-trial release beginning on December 1, 2021. Hale then violated those pre-trial release conditions by accessing the internet and using another cellular phone on which he possessed additional images and videos of child pornography.  

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who continue to seek to victimize children: the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice, and the consequences of exploiting children will be severe,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District. “The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, vigorous prosecutions, and significant sentences for anyone who abuses children.”

“Child pornography is particularly troubling for the victims as the images continue to exist on the internet even after the perpetrator is stopped.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Despite being confronted by law enforcement with his horrendous actions, Mr. Hale continued to engage in unlawful activity.  Protecting the children of Washington state is one of the highest priorities for the FBI, and our partners at the US Attorney’s office.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.

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Yakima, Washington – Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Joseph Leonard Roy, age 58, of Mabton, Washington, to 252 months in federal prison for two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor. Roy pleaded guilty to those charges on November 29, 2022. Chief Judge Bastian also ordered Roy to serve an additional 20 years on federal supervision after he is released from prison.

According to court documents, between 2017 and 2018, Roy sexually molested two minors in a home on the Yakama Nation, where Roy had access to the victims. Roy was dating a relative of the victims at the time of the abuse, and this disturbing conduct continued until one of the victims spoke out to a trusted family member, who then contacted authorities, to report the exploitation. 

Following the sentencing, Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated, “My heart breaks for the victims in this case. I am grateful for their courage to come forward and engage with law enforcement to seek justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Children deserve to live in a world where they feel safe -- free from abuse and the fear of abuse. Mr. Roy was held accountable today due to the joint efforts of the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, the FBI, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the community. By working together, we can continue to build trust and keep our communities safe and strong.”

“Mr. Roy’s unspeakable actions demonstrated that prison is where he belongs.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “As a parent, I can think of nothing worse than what the victims had to endure. I applaud them for seeking help which led to this sentence and which will remove him from this community for more than twenty years.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michal Murphy.

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Spokane, Washington – During the morning hours of November 28, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service in the Eastern District of Washington and Middle District of Florida located and apprehended William Oldham Mize, a fugitive wanted on federal charges for a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving false and fabricated insurance claims. Mize is alleged to have used the profits from his alleged schemes to purchase luxury automobiles, boats, along with other luxury items. Mize had been a fugitive since 2019. 

Mize was indicted by a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington on December 18, 2018. The federal indictment alleges numerous charges, including mail fraud, wire fraud, health care fraud, money laundering, and related conspiracy charges. According to the indictment and other court filings, Mize is alleged to have caused or participated in dozens of fake car accidents, falls, and other accidents in multiple states between September 2013 and April 2018. Mize then allegedly collected the insurance proceeds from these fabricated accidents. To date, insurers are alleged to have paid more than $6 million on Mize’s allegedly fraudulent claims.

Mize originally appeared in federal court on his indictment on January 9, 2019. He was released pending trial on conditions that included reporting to the U.S. Probation Office as often as directed, contacting his defense attorney weekly, posting an unsecured $750,000 appearance bond, surrendering his U.S. Passport, limiting his travel to Washington and Nevada, and showing up for all future court dates. Mize absconded in July 2019, and had been a fugitive ever since. During this time, Mize allegedly used a number of different aliases and had a history of frequenting various areas, including Washington, California, Florida, Mexico, Las Vegas and New Orleans. 

On November 28, 2023, the U.S. Marshals apprehended Mize in Jacksonville, Florida, based on a lead that Mize was using an alias to sell a boat in the Jacksonville area. Mize was then located and arrested at a marina in central Florida.  Later that day, Mize appeared before the Honorable Patricia D. Barksdale, who serves as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Florida.  Judge Barksdale issued an order of removal for Mize to be extradited back to Spokane, Washington to appear in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Below are photographs of Mize and the boat he allegedly was selling on Craigslist.org in the Jacksonville area. 

The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Vanessa R. Waldref stated, “I am grateful for the tremendous work of the United States Marshals, who work tirelessly to locate fugitives, such as Mr. Mize. As a result, Mr. Mize’s victims finally will be able to confront Mr. Mize in a court of law, and the criminal justice process against Mr. Mize finally will proceed.”

“William Mize was a fugitive who thought that because he had financial means, he could avoid apprehension and flout the rule of law,” said Craig Thayer, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Washington.  “As evidenced, this is clearly not the case. No matter the resources they have or where they run to, the U.S. Marshals will never stop in the pursuit of fugitives until they have been brought to justice.” 

The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Fruchter is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

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 Anyone with information about a wanted fugitive is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit tips via the  USMS Tips App.

(Tacoma, Wash.) Nov. 29, 2023— PacificSource is pleased to announce that three Washington healthcare organizations will receive funding as part of its annual Community Health Excellence (CHE) grants program for the 2023-2024 cycle. Now in its 14^th year, the CHE program has awarded more than $11 million in community grant awards to providers advancing healthcare delivery innovations in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. The Washington CHE grant recipients will receive nearly $250,000 in funding during the 2023-2024 grant cycle.

The Washington grant recipients are CHAS Health (Spokane) for a project on language access to promote health equity, North Olympic Healthcare Network (Port Angeles) to further patient-centered integrated care, and PSW (Thurston County) to support COPD prevention and management, as well as tobacco cessation.

“We are pleased to support these dedicated providers who are committed to fostering health and wellness in our local community,” said Todd Lovshin, PacificSource Washington market president. “As a local not-for-profit health plan, it is our mission to empower these partners in their efforts to create impactful programs that will make a lasting difference in the well-being of our community members.”

“The CHE program brings to life innovative ideas that help providers heal their patients and improve quality of life,” said Peter McGarry, PacificSource vice president, provider network. “I’m proud to be part of something that gives back—addressing gaps in our delivery system, improving outcomes, and making our communities healthier.”

Through the CHE program, PacificSource funds provider projects that advance healthcare integration, address health disparities and promote equity, and that develop the provider workforce. Applications are independently evaluated, and awards go to organizations that prioritize advancing the Quadruple Aim and demonstrate significant positive impact for their patients, regardless of their insurance or PacificSource member status. 

To be considered for the CHE program, contracted PacificSource providers must complete an online application including a detailed budget. The next CHE grant cycle will open in January 2024. For more information, please visit https://www.pacificsource.com/che-program/

About PacificSource Health Plans:

PacificSource Health Plans is an independent, not-for-profit community health plan serving the Northwest. Founded in 1933, PacificSource has local offices throughout Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington. The PacificSource family of companies employs more than 1,600 people and serves over 600,000 individuals throughout the Greater Northwest. For more information, visit PacificSource.com.

Vancouver, Washington—November 29, 2023—The Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) announces Angel Reyes has been appointed to the organization’s Board of Directors. As Keybank’s Corporate Responsibility Officer for their Oregon/SW Washington and Idaho markets, Angel oversees the philanthropic budget and investment strategies to meet community needs. He also holds a pivotal role as the national chair for KeyBank’s Hispanic-Latinx Key Business Impact and Networking Group (HLKBING), which helps create an inclusive and stronger workplace for all.

Angel’s interest in NWABA came about after he heard an inspirational story from one of NWABA’s youth athletes, Eric G., about his struggles and subsequent success in joining his high school swim team after participating in sports with NWABA through their programs and services.

By joining NWABA’s board, Angel hopes to provide representation for the Hispanic/Latinx community, as well as increased access to the visually impaired community. Angel is looking forward to participating in future NWABA program events such as kayaking and weightlifting.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Board of Directors with NWABA,” said Angel Reyes, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer for Oregon/SW Washington and Idaho. “The work this organization is doing to help the blind and visually impaired is making real change. The gift of movement, confidence, skills and community will last a lifetime for these athletes. I am thrilled to be part of this journey and to help make meaningful impact.”

Through his employment and his personal endeavors, Angel is committed to service in his community. He previously held a pivotal role as national chair for KeyBank's Hispanic-Latinx Key Business Impact and Networking Group (HLKBING), which helps create an inclusive and stronger workplace for all. He currently is a committee member for Columbia Gorge Community College and the Cinema Unbound Awards, a project of the Portland Art Museum, in addition to serving as a board member for the Latino Network. He has also been affiliated with and supported United Way, Columbia Center for The Arts, The Next Door Inc., Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber, Familias en Accion and LatinoBuilt.

Angel will join other community leaders throughout the region in helping Northwest Association for Blind Athletes achieving its mission of providing life-changing opportunities through sports and physical activity to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. 

About NWABA: 
The mission of Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) is to provide life-changing opportunities through sports and physical activity to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. A group of students who were visually impaired formed the association in 2007 to ensure that people who are blind were participating in sports and physical activity. Today, NWABA is a rapidly expanding 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides more than 3,000 program and service interactions to children, youth, adults, and military veterans with visual impairments tailored programming which improves self-confidence and self-esteem, promotes independence, creates an inclusive community of supporters, and builds the skills necessary to succeed in all areas of life including school and employment.