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Seattle/Western Wash. News Releases for Sun. Mar. 16 - 6:32 pm
Fri. 03/14/25
Pasco Tow Truck Operator Charged with Firearm Offense
U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern Dist. of Wash. - 03/14/25 9:53 AM

Richland, Washington – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced today that Socorro Jesus Lopez-Spindola, 59, has been charged by criminal complaint with one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Lopez-Spindola was arraigned on March 13, 2025, before the U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington.

 

According to court documents, in November of 2024, Pasco Police detained Lopez-Spindola in connection to an investigation involving robbery, extortion, and threats to kill. Pasco Police also obtained a search warrant for the business Classic Towing and Recovery, which is owned and operated by Lopez-Spindola. During a search of Lopez-Spindola’s office, investigators allegedly located a loaded .22 caliber revolver in a desk drawer.

 

Prior to November of 2024, Lopez-Spindola had been convicted of a number of crimes, including an Unlawful Reentry after Deportation conviction.

 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

 

This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Pasco Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon L. Pang.

 

4:25-mj-07039-ACE

 

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

Robert Curry
Public Affairs Specialist
USAWAE.Media@usdoj.gov

Wed. 03/12/25
Michael Lee Moody Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in the Murder of Rosenda Strong
U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern Dist. of Wash. - 03/12/25 12:12 PM

Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Michael Lee Moody, 44, to 87 months in federal prison on one count of Accessory After the Fact for his role in the October 2018 murder of Rosenda Strong.

 

According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Jedidah Iesha Moreno shot and killed Rosenda Strong on or about October 5, 2018, following an argument at a residence, known as the House of Souls in Wapato, Washington. Following the murder, Moreno asked for help disposing of Strong’s body.  A tarp was placed over Strong’ body and Andrew Norris Zack and Jamaal Pimms rolled her body into a freezer.  The freezer, and other appliances, were loaded onto the back of a truck.  The body, still inside the freezer, was then dumped near M&R Towing, which is off Highway 97 in Toppenish, Washington.

 

The following day, Moreno and Zack traveled to a residence known as the Estrada Ranch located in Wapato, Washington. An argument ensued between Moreno and Zack.  Zack entered a garage to urinate.  Moreno took out a gun and fired multiple shots into the garage.  One of the rounds struck Zack’s hand causing minor damage.  As all of this occurred, Uriel Balentin Badillo was at Legends Casino. Badillo received a call that Zack was in trouble. Badillo drove out to the residence and found Moreno standing in a field. Badillo asked Moreno about Zack but Moreno was unresponsive.  Badillo then drove Moreno to the House of Souls to look for Zack.  Presumably, by this time, Zack had called someone at the House of Souls and told them that Moreno had just shot him.  A female exited the House of Souls and said “gag the bitch up.”  A sock was placed into Moreno’s mouth.  Badillo and the female transported Moreno back to the Estrada Ranch.  After her arrival, Moreno was physically restrained, bound with a cargo strap and duct tape, and forced into a Chevrolet Impala.  Badillo shot into the truck several times with a .45 caliber pistol, striking Moreno.  Later that day, a male juvenile and a female juvenile moved the body to another location on the Yakama Nation.  One of the juveniles also fired additional rounds into Moreno’s body.

 

The following day, Joshawa Max Estrada and the male juvenile located and again moved Moreno’s body – taking it to a more secluded location near White Swan, Washington, in an attempt to conceal the crime. Estrada and Michael Moody attempted to hide the Chevrolet Impala by submerging it in a pond; however, law enforcement later recovered the Impala.  Moreno’s body also was later found, when a concerned citizen located Moreno’s remains on November 28, 2018.

 

On July 4, 2019, approximately nine months after Strong’s tragic death, a citizen discovered human remains, which later were identified through dental records as belonging to Strong. 

 

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and Yakama Nation Tribal Police worked for years to bring to justice those responsible for Rosenda Strong’s tragic death and the subsequent coverup,” stated Acting United States Attorney Barker. “While we could not publicly comment on the investigation while it was ongoing, the Assistant United States Attorneys, FBI agents, and Tribal Police officers were working tirelessly to seek justice for those responsible and obtain some measure of closure for the surviving members of the Strong family. For more than five years, Cissy Strong and the Strong family have been resolute in their pursuit of justice for Rosenda.  I am grateful for the dedication of Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Hanlon and Michael Murphy, who devoted countless hours to seeking justice on behalf of Rosenda and her family.” 

 

“Together with our partners, FBI Seattle is committed to investigating crimes on tribal lands no matter how long it takes,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle. “We know each victim's loss leaves a painful gap in their community and that community wants answers. We hope this case serves as a reminder that even if the investigation takes years, we will never give up on seeking justice for victims and their loved ones.”

 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Yakama Nation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas J. Hanlon and Michael D. Murphy.

 

Defendants Andrew Norris Zack, Jamaal Antwan Pimms, Kevin Todd Brehm, Joshawa Max Estrada and Uriel Balentin Badillo have all pleaded guilty to charges in this case.

 

1:23-cr-02037-SAB

 

Robert Curry
Public Affairs Specialist
USAWAE.Media@usdoj.gov

Yakima Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Kalispel Tribal Cultural Items from the Northern Quest Resort and Casino (Photo)
U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern Dist. of Wash. - 03/12/25 11:26 AM
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Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on March 12, 2025, Kevin William Wissman, age 61, of Yakima, Washington, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington to one misdemeanor count of theft from an Indian tribal organization.

 

Based on court documents and information presented at the change-of-plea hearing, on October 30, 2020, Wissman stole five moccasins and one beaded glove that were on display in the Heritage Hall of the Northern Quest Resort and Casino in Airway Heights, Washington. The items were displayed inside a shadow box and behind a glass display window at the time Wissman stole them. To date, the stolen items have not been recovered.

 

“This theft was devastating to the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and the individuals who lost their invaluable family heirlooms,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “My office takes seriously the theft of any Indian cultural items and will continue to hold accountable those who illegally take, possess, or traffic in such items.”

 

“To the Kalispel Tribe, these are not just decorative items in a display case, but rather priceless and irreplaceable pieces of the Kalispel’s history,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Together with our tribal and federal partners, FBI Seattle will not accept the theft of cultural items and will work to reinforce the consequences of these actions to deter other would-be thieves.”

 

“We’re grateful to the Kalispel Tribal Police Department and the FBI for tracking down the person responsible for the theft of these cherished family heirlooms,” said Nick Pierre, a Kalispel Tribal Council Member and General Manager of Northern Quest Resort & Casino. “While we hope justice will be served, it doesn’t make up for the fact that the items have still not been recovered. The Kalispel Tribe of Indians is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the safe return of the stolen items. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward.”

 

To report information about the stolen items, please contact the Kalispel Tribal Police Department at (509) 481-4444.

 

United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice accepted Wissman’s guilty plea and set sentencing for June 12, 2025, at 1:30 pm.

 

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Kalispel Tribal Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen.

 

2:23-cr-00116-TOR

Robert Curry
Public Affairs Specialist
USAWAE.Media@usdoj.gov



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Tue. 03/11/25
Hanford Site Subcontractor Sentenced for Stealing COVID-19 Relief Funding, Owner Pays $1.1 Million in Restitution and Penalties
U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern Dist. of Wash. - 03/11/25 5:34 PM

Richland, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced today that BNL Technical Services, LLC (BNL), was sentenced for a fraudulent scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief funding.  Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian ordered BNL to pay restitution in the amount of $493,865.  The Court further sentenced BNL to one year of probation to ensure that the restitution is paid promptly and in full. Acting U.S. Attorney Barker further announced that BNL’s owner, Wilson Pershing Stevenson III, of Nashville, Tennessee, paid $1,105,498 as part of an affirmative civil fraud settlement in the case to resolve his individual liability arising from BNL’s receipt of COVID relief funding.

 

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, between 2020 and 2021, BNL provided contract labor services to Hanford Site prime contractors.  BNL’s labor costs and payroll continued to be paid by DOE throughout the pandemic, including when BNL employees were not able to physically work at the site and instead were teleworking or simply home in “ready” status.

 

In April of 2020, BNL applied for and received a $493,865 loan as part of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide funding to small businesses in order to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for small and local businesses. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the United States, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) may grant a small business borrower forgiveness so long as the loan proceeds have been used for payroll and other eligible expenses.

 

BNL fraudulently sought and obtained PPP funding for BNL employees despite their pay and benefits already being covered by DOE contract funds and other federal sources including the Veterans Administration. Shortly after receiving the funds, BNL transferred and used more than $424,230 of the PPP proceeds on unauthorized expenditures.

 

In August of 2021, BNL, through its sole owner Wilson Pershing Stevenson III, requested and was granted forgiveness of the $493,865 PPP loan, by falsely and fraudulently certifying the loan proceeds had been used for eligible uses and business expenses between April and October of 2020.

 

 “We are proud of our law enforcement partners, without which we could not have uncovered and successfully prosecuted this blatant and fraudulent misuse of PPP funds,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “Our COVID-19 Strike Force continues to hold accountable those that fraudulently obtained and misused federal funds set aside to help small businesses in our community. I am so proud of our team of prosecutors, led by White Collar Chief Dan Fruchter, for building this Strike Force and holding accountable those who defrauded the United States.”

 

“The misuse of critical emergency funds intended for those personally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic defrauds taxpayers and deprives legitimate recipients of important assistance at a time it was needed most,” stated Lewe F. Sessions, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Office of Inspector General, Department of Energy. “The Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General continues to pursue such fraudulent claims submitted by our employees and contractors.”

 

“This sentencing sends a message that the VA Office of Inspector General will diligently pursue those who would illegally line their pockets at the expense of the taxpayer,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners as part of the COVID-19 Strike Force to investigate fraud against relief programs intended to support bona fide recipients.”

 

“Today’s sentencing is a testament to the OIG’s unwavering commitment to protecting our small business support programs and bringing fraudsters to justice,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge, Weston King.  “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their diligence and pursuit of justice.”

 

This case was investigated by the Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General, Richland Field Office, the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the VA Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler H.L. Tornabene and Dan Fruchter are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

 

4:23-cr-06014-SAB

Robert Curry
Public Affairs Specialist
USAWAE.Media@usdoj.gov

Umpqua Bank Expands in Colorado with First Retail Branch and Commercial Office Location in Denver (Photo)
Umpqua Bank - 03/11/25 10:32 AM
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Umpqua Bank’s retail and commercial space supports full-service consumer, commercial, private banking and wealth management services 

 

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., — Umpqua Bank, a subsidiary of Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB), today announced the opening of its first retail branch and commercial office in Denver, Colo., marking another milestone in its ongoing expansion across the Western U.S. The bank’s continued growth and expansion in Colorado builds upon the success of its initial entry in the market in 2022 providing commercial real estate services.  

 

According to Chris Merrywell, President of Consumer Banking, the announcement reflects Umpqua Bank’s commitment to investing in markets with strong economic potential and business communities that align with its relationship-based approach to banking. 

 

“Denver has so much to offer in terms of its quality of life, dynamic economy and vibrant business community. The city is a real catalyst for prosperity in Colorado and across the Mountain West,” said Merrywell. “Umpqua Bank is thrilled to strengthen our presence here as we strive to become the premier, full-service bank of choice in communities throughout Colorado and the broader region.”   

 

Umpqua Bank initially entered Colorado in 2022 with the addition of middle market banking executive Shawn Thompson. Over the past three years, the bank has steadily added services and capabilities to its Colorado offering, supporting businesses of all sizes as well as high net worth individuals through its private bank and wealth management services. 

 

“Since entering the market, Umpqua Bank has led with talent. We’ve assembled a top local banking team that offers an alternative option for businesses that want robust capabilities and expertise, paired with a personalized banking experience,” said Thompson. “Opening our first retail branch and commercial office space in the heart of Denver’s thriving business community signals our long-term commitment to the market and enables us to support the full range of customer banking needs.” 

 

Umpqua Bank’s location in the Denver Tech Center includes a 7,500 square foot commercial space that opened in January 2025 and an additional 2,600 square foot retail branch. The local team will host a grand opening event for the broader community in April.  

 

The branch is led by Daniel Maganda, who brings more than 14 years of banking experience to his role at Umpqua Bank and is an active volunteer with the Rocky Mountain Finance Institute, where he assists local entrepreneurs with identifying targets and developing marketing strategies. The branch is located at 4600 S Syracuse St, Suite 150 Denver, CO 80237 and will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

 

The bank has plans to open another commercial and retail location in Colorado Springs later this year. 

 

Community Involvement 

Umpqua Bank plays an active role in the communities in which it operates. As part of the bank’s continued expansion in Denver, the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation (UBCF) recently contributed a combined $60,000 in charitable donations to Care and Share, Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation, Goodwill of Colorado, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Foundation and Warren Village. 

 

Additionally, the UBCF donated $25,000 to the Denver Indian Family Resource Center to advance the work of nonprofit partners that support the needs of tribal and indigenous communities.    

 

Learn more about Umpqua Bank’s growing Colorado presence at  https://www.umpquabank.com/colorado/

### 

About Umpqua Bank 

Umpqua Bank, a subsidiary of Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB), is an award-winning regional financial institution supporting businesses of all sizes and consumers across eight western states. Headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with more than $50 billion in assets, Umpqua is the largest Northwest-based and third largest publicly traded bank on the West Coast. Through a network of nearly 300 branches and a full suite of commercial and retail capabilities, Umpqua is taking its celebrated brand of relationship banking across the West into some of the most dynamic and economically vibrant markets in the country. For its commitment to exceptional customer service and thriving communities, Umpqua has been named one of “Oregon’s Most Admired Companies” for 20 straight years and is consistently ranked by Newsweek as one of “America’s Most Trustworthy Companies.” 

Alexandria Plew
AlexandriaPlew@UmpquaBank.com



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