LAS VEGAS – A former Special Agent assigned to the U.S. National Park Service, Lake Mead Resident Office in Boulder City, Nev., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey for submitting false information about his work experience and education on his job application for a federal law enforcement officer position.

Daniel Joshua Carnow (46) pleaded guilty in June 2022 to false official writing. He was sentenced to one year probation, a $500 fine, and a restriction barring him from future employment as a federal law enforcement officer.

According to court documents, in April 2019, Carnow was a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration Customs Enforcement. He applied for a Special Agent position with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. As part of his application, he misrepresented on his resume that he had served as a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State (DOS), Foreign Service Diplomatic Security Services (DSS), and that he had earned a Master of Forensic Science degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.

“Public service is a public trust and deceitfulness committed by law enforcement officers’ is especially egregious,” said Jamie DePaepe, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI OIG). “Acts such as the conduct in this case also undermine the nation’s trust of law enforcement. By his actions that led to today’s sentencing, the defendant violated and undermined that trust. The OIG will remain steadfast in our efforts to investigate individuals who prove themselves unworthy of public service.”

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jamie DePaepe for the DOI OIG made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the DOI OIG and the National Park Service – Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre prosecuted the case.

Anyone with knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, misconduct, or mismanagement involving the DOI should file a complaint with the OIG at: www.doioig.gov/hotline.

Today, the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) honored three teams and one individual from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the 25th Annual CIGIE Awards Ceremony. Featuring Interior Secretary Deb Haaland as this year’s keynote speaker, the annual awards ceremony honors exceptional work across the Federal inspector general community from the prior year.

“I am immensely proud of our teams for the honor and recognition that they are receiving today,” said Inspector General Mark Lee Greenblatt. “These prestigious awards highlight the fair, independent, and objective oversight that DOI OIG employees conduct on behalf of the American public and the positive changes that we are promoting in the Department of the Interior across a wide-ranging array of programs. Today’s awards honor teams in different disciplines and in different field offices, which reflects the high-quality work and talented professionals throughout our team.”

This year’s DOI OIG award winners are:

Office of National Resources Revenue Royalty Reporting and Adjustments Audit Team (Award for Excellence – Audits)

DOI collects billions of dollars annually from Federal oil and gas royalty revenue, one of the most significant nontax revenue generators for the U.S. Treasury. Oil and gas companies may reduce the amount owed by submitting royalty reporting “adjustments.” In its January 2022 audit, Better Internal Controls Could Ensure Accuracy of the Office of Natural Resources Revenue’s Royalty Reporting and Adjustments, the DOI OIG team identified improvements needed to strengthen internal controls over the adjustment process. Once implemented, the improved internal controls will, in turn, lower the risk of lost Federal revenue.

Office of Hopi and Navajo Indian Relocation Evaluation Team (Award for Excellence – Evaluations)

The DOI OIG team is being recognized for its substantive and meaningful achievements in assisting Congressional, Office of Management and Budget, and DOI decision makers plan for the future of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation (ONHIR). ONHIR is an independent Federal agency responsible for implementing the relocation of Navajo people and Hopi people living within each other’s boundaries as a result of U.S. Government partitioning of tribal land, pursuant to the Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act of 1974. Nine reports produced by this team provided critical information regarding an agency that has no inspector general of its Own, and thereby significantly enhanced Congress’ ability to enact legislation and perform oversight.

Lafayette Park Review Team (Award for Excellence – Investigations)

This special investigative review, Review of U.S. Park Police Actions at Lafayette Park, comprehensively examined the actions of the U.S. Park Police (USPP) in response to the protests in Lafayette Park in June 2020. The DOI OIG team provided a thorough, objective record of USPP’s decision making and operations, including a detailed timeline of relevant actions and an analysis of whether the USPP’s actions complied with governing policies.
Jeremy Spears, CIGIE Data Act Working Group Member (Award for Excellence – Audit)

DOI OIG auditor Jeremy Spears was a member of the CIGIE Data Act Working Group’s Common Methodology Subgroup that is being recognized with an Audit Award for Excellence. This multi-agency team’s pioneering efforts improved the quality, accuracy, and visibility of Government spending data, and identified efficiencies for pandemic-related spending and other Government-wide initiatives.

For more information about CIGIE and the role of Inspectors General in promoting efficiency and effectiveness and addressing fraud, waste, and abuse, visit the CIGIE website at www.ignet.gov.

For more information about DOI OIG, visit www.doioig.gov.