District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Participants in “Tech Support” Scheme Charged with Conspiracy to Launder Fraudulent ProceedsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On December 11, 2024, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an elder fraud indictment against Ahmed Maqbul Syed, 57, and Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi, 27, both citizens of India, for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Syed was also charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
The indictment alleges that Syed, Chintakindi, and others conspired to launder fraudulent proceeds derived from schemes targeting elderly victims around the United States, including Arizona. Generally, victims were lured into the schemes when they observed a “pop-up” display on their computer, indicating their computer had been hacked or there was another issue. Victims were directed to contact “tech support” or “government representatives” to resolve the issue. In fact, victims were directed to other conspirators in the scheme who further convinced the victims that their accounts had been hacked and their information had been compromised, which was not true. The conspirators then instructed the victims to withdraw or transfer money by telling them, for example, that they needed to protect their money and accounts.
Victims were directed to purchase gold from various gold dealers and to withdraw cash. They were then told that individuals purporting to be representatives of the government would retrieve the gold and cash from the victims. Victims were also directed to purchase gift cards from various private businesses and transfer the gift card numbers to individuals they were led to believe would help them. At least one victim was also directed to make cash deposits into a bitcoin ATM.
Convictions for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Syed has been arrested on the charges, and the Court has ordered him detained pending trial. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (Indianapolis and Phoenix Divisions) and the Marana (Arizona) Police Department conducted the investigation. Other local law enforcement agencies from Arizona, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, and Indiana also assisted with the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08825-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-181_Syed# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two Arizonans Plead Guilty to Fraud Targeting AHCCCSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – CoEric Riley, 38, of Mesa, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to Healthcare Fraud. His co-defendant, Britney Gooch, 37, of Mesa, also pleaded guilty to Healthcare Fraud on November 21, 2024. Sentencing for Riley and Gooch is scheduled for February 21, 2025, before United States District Judge Krissa M. Lanham.
Riley and Gooch admitted that they defrauded the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona’s Medicaid agency, through their company New Horizons Behavioral Health, a behavioral health clinic in Mesa, Arizona. They further admitted that through New Horizons, they exploited AHCCCS’s American Indian Health Program (AIHP) by falsely billing for services that were not provided to AIHP patients. As a result of the fraudulent billing submissions, Riley and Gooch obtained approximately $3.3 million in illegitimate proceeds from AHCCCS.
A conviction for Healthcare Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01794-PHX-KML
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-179_Riley and Gooch# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tolleson Man Indicted for Threats to the President-Elect and Others and for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, a federal grand jury indicted Manuel Tamayo-Torres, of Tolleson, on four counts of False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, one count of Threats Against the President and Successors to the Presidency, one count of Interstate Threatening Communications, and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Subject to an Order of Protection.
According to the complaint, Tamayo-Torres was convicted in 2003 in California for Assault with Great Bodily Injury, a felony. In July 2023 a court in Arizona issued an order of protection against him, in effect for two years, which restrains him from harassing, stalking or threatening his ex-wife. Both the conviction and the order of protection prohibited his possession of firearms. Despite this, in November 2023, Tamayo-Torres attempted to purchase firearms on two separate occasions, falsely stating he had not been convicted of a felony and was not subject to an order of protection.
The complaint also alleges that in November 2024 Tamayo-Torres made postings on a social media platform threating to harm the President-elect of the United States, including that he was going to kill the President-elect and do violence to his family. In at least one of his posts, Tamayo-Torres displayed a firearm in the context of making threatening statements. That firearm, as well as others, were later located in his home.
A conviction for any of the following: False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, Threats Against the President and Successors to the Presidency, or Interstate Threatening Communications carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
Tamayo-Torres was previously arrested on the complaint in San Diego on November 25, 2024, and he remains detained pending a detention hearing in the District of Arizona. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Phoenix Field Division, and the United States Secret Service, Phoenix Field Office, are conducting the investigation in this case, with valuable assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service and the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-2063-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-180_Tamayo-Torres# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parker Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Child AbuseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Frank John Kinale, III, 38, of Parker, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kinale pleaded guilty to Child Abuse on September 3, 2024.
On September 21, 2021, Kinale drove while he was intoxicated with two minor victims in his vehicle and caused a single-vehicle rollover crash. The minor victims were injured as a result of the crash. The crash occurred on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Indian Reservation and Kinale and the victims are enrolled members of the CRIT Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00522-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-178_Kinale# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Una extranjera previamente extraditada de México se declara culpable de liderar una prolífica conspiración de contrabando de personasRead the Press Release
Una ciudadana mexicana extraditada a Estados Unidos desde México en 2023 se declaró hoy culpable de liderar una conspiración de contrabando de personas que operaba en Mexicali, en la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México, durante varios años.
Según los documentos judiciales, Ofelia Hernández-Salas, de 63 años, dirigía una organización de contrabando de personas que facilitó el viaje de más de 100 migrantes a Estados Unidos desde Bangladés, Yemen, Pakistán, Eritrea, India, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Uzbekistán, Rusia, Egipto, Brasil, Perú, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala y México y a través de esos países. La organización de Hernández-Salas cobraba a los migrantes hasta decenas de miles de dólares por realizar el viaje y les indicaba por dónde cruzar ilegalmente la frontera con Estados Unidos, incluso proporcionándoles una escalera para saltar la valla fronteriza. Hernández-Salas y sus cómplices iban armados con pistolas y cuchillos y también robaban dinero y efectos personales a los migrantes.
“Hernández-Salas se ha declarado culpable de dirigir una organización delictiva que introducía clandestinamente en Estados Unidos a migrantes procedentes de más de una docena de países”, declaró el fiscal general Merrick B. Garland. “Su declaración de culpabilidad es el ejemplo más reciente del largo alcance y el compromiso inquebrantable de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alpha (JTFA) para llevar ante la justicia a los líderes de las operaciones de contrabando de personas que victimizan a los migrantes con fines de lucro y ponen en peligro nuestra seguridad nacional”.
“Los contrabandistas de personas son despiadados: mienten, roban y ponen en grave peligro a sus víctimas, sembrando la muerte y la devastación en toda nuestra región”, declaró el secretario de Seguridad Nacional, Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) seguirá trabajando con nuestros socios federales e internacionales para ayudar a desmantelar las operaciones de contrabando de personas y llevar a los autores ante la justicia”.
“Pusimos en marcha la JTFA hace tres años para desarticular las redes de tráfico de seres humanos que causan miseria en todo el Hemisferio Occidental”, declaró la vicefiscal general Lisa Monaco. “Hoy, una líder de una de esas redes se declaró culpable, dejando claro que a quien intente sacar provecho de la desesperación de otros, el sistema de justicia de Estados Unidos le hará responsable”.
“Hernández-Salas dirigía una prolífica organización de contrabando de personas que traía ilegalmente a migrantes de todo el mundo a los Estados Unidos, cobrando a los migrantes miles de dólares, y a menudo robándoles dinero y pertenencias adicionales”, dijo la viceasistente principal del Fiscal General Nicole M. Argentieri, jefa de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. Estas operaciones delictivas no sólo violan la legislación estadounidense, sino que también ponen a los inmigrantes en una situación de gran riesgo personal y financiero”. El Departamento de Justicia, a través de la JTFA, se compromete a colaborar con nuestros socios extranjeros encargados de la aplicación de la ley en México y en otros países para desarticular y desmantelar peligrosas organizaciones delictivas transnacionales”.
“La extradición es una herramienta poderosa para que los líderes de las organizaciones delictivas transnacionales rindan cuentas ante la justicia estadounidense”, declaró el fiscal federal del Distrito de Arizona, Gary Restaino. “Pero requiere cooperación y colaboración con nuestros vecinos. Gracias a todas las partes interesadas de la JTFA en todo el Gobierno Federal por derribar barreras y trabajar de manera proactiva y colegiada con las autoridades mexicanas”.
Hernández-Salas se declaró culpable de conspiración para traer a un extranjero a Estados Unidos y de tres cargos sustantivos de traer a un extranjero a Estados Unidos para beneficio comercial o ganancia financiera privada. Su sentencia está prevista para el 10 de marzo de 2025 y se enfrenta a una pena máxima de 15 años de prisión. Un juez del Tribunal Federal de Distrito determinará la sentencia tras considerar las directrices de Estados Unidos para la imposición de penas y otros factores legales.
En junio de 2023, la Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros (OFAC) del Departamento del Tesoro de Estados Unidos impuso las sanciones correspondientes (en inglés) a la organización delictiva transnacional Hernández-Salas.
Hernández-Salas y el coacusado Raúl Saucedo-Huipio, de 50 años, fueron detenidos por las autoridades mexicanas a petición de Estados Unidos en marzo de 2023. Saucedo-Huipio permanece detenido en México.
La Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) en Yuma está investigando el caso con la ayuda de la Patrulla Fronteriza de Estados Unidos, la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP) de Estados Unidos, el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) de Estados Unidos, el FBI y el Servicio de Alguaciles de Estados Unidos, en colaboración con la oficina de HSI en Tijuana, la INTERPOL y la Unidad contra el Contrabando de Personas de HSI en Washington D. C. El Centro Nacional de Identificación/División de la CBP contra las redes organizadas y la OFAC también han prestado una valiosa ayuda.
El codirector de la JTFA, Jim Hepburn, y el abogado litigante Patrick Jasperse, de la Sección de Derechos Humanos y Procesos Especiales (HRSP) de la División Penal, así como la fiscal federal adjunta Lisa Jennis, del distrito de Arizona, están llevando el caso.
La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales (OIA) del Departamento de Justicia brindó importante asistencia para conseguir el arresto y extradición de la acusada desde México. El Departamento de Justicia agradece a sus socios policiales, que fueron decisivos para el arresto y la extradición de Hernández-Salas.
La investigación y el procesamiento de Hernández-Salas y de Saucedo-Huipio están siendo coordinadas por medio de la JTFA. La fuerza JTFA fue creada en junio de 2021 por el fiscal general Garland, en asociación con el secretario Mayorkas, para fortalecer los esfuerzos del Departamento de Justicia para combatir el aumento del creciente y peligroso contrabando procedente de América Central que afecta a nuestras comunidades fronterizas. La meta de la JTFA es perturbar y desmantelar el contrabando de seres humanos y las redes de traficantes que operan en El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras y México, enfocándose en las redes que ponen en peligro, abusan o explotan a migrantes, que plantean riesgos a la seguridad nacional o que participan en otros tipos de delitos transnacionales organizados.
Desde su creación, la JTFA ha incrementado con éxito la coordinación y la colaboración entre el Departamento de Justicia, el DHS y con otras agencias de Estados Unidos encargadas de aplicar la ley, así como con asociados policiales extranjeros, incluyendo de El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras y México; ha apuntado a las organizaciones que tienen mayor efecto en Estados Unidos y ha coordinado varias importantes acusaciones de contrabando de personas y esfuerzos para la extradición en las fiscalías de Estados Unidos a lo ancho del país. La iniciativa fue ampliada (en inglés) a Colombia y Panamá para combatir el tráfico de seres humanos en la región del Darién. La fuerza JFTA está conformada por personal de las fiscalías federales de Estados Unidos, incluyendo a los distritos Sur y del Oeste de Texas, el distrito de Nuevo México, distrito de Arizona y el distrito Sur de California. El apoyo dedicado a este programa también es proporcionado por numerosos componentes de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia que son parte de la JFTA, liderados por la HRSP y apoyados por la Oficina de Desarrollo, Asistencia y Capacitación Fiscal en el Extranjero (OPDAT); la Sección de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas; la Sección de lavado de dinero y recuperación de activos; la Oficina de operaciones de aplicación de la Ley; la OIA y la Sección de crímenes violentos y extorsiones.
La JTFA también depende de inversiones sustanciales para aplicar la ley procedentes de DHS, el FBI, la Administración de control de Drogas (DEA) y de otros asociados. Hasta el momento el trabajo de la JTFA ha resultado en más de 345 arrestos en el país e internacionales de líderes, organizadores e importantes facilitadores del contrabando de seres humanos; más de 290 condenas en Estados Unidos; la imposición de 240 importantes sentencias de cárcel y la incautación de importantes activos.
La investigación también tiene el apoyo del programa Grupo Especial contra los Viajes Delictivos Extraterritoriales (ECT), una asociación entre la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia y la Unidad contra el Contrabando de Personas de HSI. El programa ECT se enfoca en las redes dedicadas al contrabando de personas que puedan presentar riesgos particulares a la seguridad nacional o la seguridad pública, así como plantear graves preocupaciones humanitarias. El ECT ha dedicado recursos de investigación, de inteligencia y para el procesamiento. El ECT también coordina y recibe ayuda de otras agencias del Gobierno de Estados Unidos y así como de autoridades policiales en el extranjero.
Esta traducción se proporciona como una cortesía y únicamente debe considerarse fidedigna la fuente original en inglés.
Foreign National Previously Extradited from Mexico Pleads Guilty to Leadership Role in Prolific Human Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Mexican national extradited to the United States from Mexico in 2023 pleaded guilty today to leading a human smuggling conspiracy operating in Mexicali on the U.S.-Mexico border for several years.
According to court documents, Ofelia Hernandez-Salas, 63, led a human smuggling organization that facilitated the travel of more than 100 migrants into the United States from and through Bangladesh, Yemen, Pakistan, Eritrea, India, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Russia, Egypt, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. Hernandez-Salas’ organization charged the migrants as much as tens of thousands of dollars to make the journey and directed the migrants where to illegally cross the border into the United States, including by providing them with a ladder to climb over the border fence. Hernandez-Salas and co-conspirators also robbed the migrants of money and personal belongings while armed with guns and knives.
“Hernandez-Salas has pled guilty to leading a criminal organization that smuggled migrants from more a dozen countries into the United States,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Her plea is the latest example of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA)’s long reach and unwavering commitment to bringing to justice the leaders of the human smuggling operations that victimize migrants for profit and endanger our national security.”
“Human smugglers are ruthless — they lie to, steal from, and gravely endanger their victims, wreaking death and devastation across our region,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to work with our federal and international partners to help dismantle human smuggling operations and bring perpetrators to justice.”
“We launched JTFA three years ago to disrupt the human smuggling networks that cause misery throughout the Western hemisphere,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today, a leader of one such network pleaded guilty, making clear that if you try to profit from the desperation of others, the U.S. justice system will hold you accountable.”
“Hernandez-Salas ran a prolific human smuggling organization that illegally brought migrants from around the world into the United States — charging the migrants thousands of dollars, and often robbing them of additional money and belongings,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Such criminal operations not only violate U.S. law, but they also put migrants at great personal and financial risk. The Justice Department, through JTFA, is committed to working with our foreign law enforcement partners in Mexico and elsewhere to disrupt and dismantle dangerous transnational criminal organizations.”
“Extradition is a powerful tool to hold leaders of transnational criminal organizations accountable to American justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “But it requires cooperation and collaboration with our neighbors. Thanks to all the stakeholders of JTFA throughout the federal government for breaking down barriers and working proactively and collegially with Mexican authorities.”
Hernandez-Salas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States and three substantive counts of bringing an alien to the United States for commercial benefit or private financial gain. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In June 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed corresponding sanctions on the Hernandez-Salas transnational criminal organization.
Hernandez-Salas and co-defendant Raul Saucedo-Huipio, 50, were arrested by Mexican authorities at the request of the United States in March 2023. Saucedo-Huipio remains in custody in Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Yuma is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service, working in concert with HSI Tijuana, INTERPOL, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. CBP’s National Targeting Center/Counter Network Division and OFAC also provided valuable assistance.
JTFA Co-Director Jim Hepburn and Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Jennis for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Mexico. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting and extraditing Hernandez-Salas.
The investigation and prosecutions of Hernandez-Salas and Saucedo-Huipio are being coordinated through JTFA. JTFA was created in June 2021 by Attorney General Garland, in partnership with Secretary Mayorkas, to strengthen the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse, or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other U.S. law enforcement agencies, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations that have the most impact on the United States; and coordinated significant human smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. In June, the initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona, and Southern District of California. Dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by HRSP and supported by the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; OIA; and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 345 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; over 290 U.S. convictions; 240 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This investigation is also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or raise grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Casa Grande Man Sentenced to over 4 Years for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Eleazar Alfredo Gomez, 32, of Casa Grande, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 58 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gomez pleaded guilty on September 10, 2024, to Felon in Possession of a Firearm. This is his second conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On July 23, 2024, Gomez possessed a firearm after having been previously convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Felon in Possession of a Firearm (CR-18-01086-PHX-DLR). Gomez was sentenced to 46 months for possessing the firearm in this case, and an additional 12 months for violating his supervised release in the 2018 case.
The Phoenix Police department conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01328-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024- 177_Gomez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Thomas Franklin Wilson, also known as “Tee Woopin,” 29, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. On March 13, 2024, Wilson pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl connected to the overdose death of a 17-year-old that occurred in April 2021.
In April 2021, Wilson sold 13 pills to the teen and her friend, which caused the teen to overdose and die from fentanyl toxicity.
Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Tohono O’odham Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefani Hepford, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02452-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-176_Wilson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Justice Department Finds Arizona’s Department of Child Safety Discriminates Against Parents and Children with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
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The Justice Department today announced its findings that the State of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety (DCS) violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against parents, including foster parents and other caregivers, and children with disabilities.Following a comprehensive investigation, the department found DCS failed to communicate effectively with parents and children with hearing disabilities, including by not providing interpreters. DCS also failed to reasonably accommodate the needs of parents with disabilities by, for example, not providing information in a simplified form. Finally, DCS denies parents with disabilities an equal chance to participate in and benefit from DCS programs and services.
“Under the ADA, parents and children with disabilities are entitled to fair and equal treatment by child welfare agencies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Over four million parents with disabilities live in the United States, and discriminatory actions by child welfare agencies can have devastating and permanent consequences for parents and children. The Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that unlawful discrimination does not interfere with a parent’s opportunity to stay with or be reunited with their child and that separations are not prolonged because a child welfare agency does not give parents the effective communication and reasonable accommodations that the ADA guarantees.”
“Parents and children with disabilities deserve to be treated with dignity,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “Our office will continue to work with the Civil Rights Division to guarantee that parents and children with disabilities are protected under the law, and to ensure that the Department of Child Safety more meaningfully accommodates disabilities in the pursuit of better outcomes for families.”
The department provided written findings in a letter to Arizona and DCS detailing the minimum steps DCS must take to fix the identified violations. The department’s letter explains DCS violates the ADA by denying effective communication and auxiliary aids and services to parents, caregivers and children with hearing disabilities. For example, DCS did not get American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing parents, caregivers and children, including during important meetings and when children were removed from their homes. And DCS did not communicate with parents with vision disabilities and other disabilities that affect communication in ways those parents could understand. As a result, parents, caregivers and children with disabilities could not understand what was happening at times during their DCS cases and interactions with DCS.
The letter also documents DCS’s failure to make reasonable accommodations that parents with disabilities need, even though those accommodations could help parents address DCS’ concerns. For instance, DCS had safety concerns when parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities, one of whom also has a vision disability, had trouble making bottles and testing bath water temperature. But DCS did not consider whether simple accommodations could help the parents safely do those tasks, like a bottle with large-print measurements or a digital thermometer that uses colored lights or beeps to alert parents if bathwater is too hot or cold.
Finally, the department found that DCS also does not give parents with disabilities the chance to equally participate in DCS programs and services. For example, DCS relies on stereotypes and unfounded assumptions about parents with disabilities. In one instance, DCS delayed reunification based only on generalized concerns about whether a mother with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could safely care for her young child because of her disabilities. But those concerns were based on stereotypes and speculation, not specific things the mother did.
If you or someone you know has a complaint about disability discrimination by DCS, please call 1-888-394-3540 (for TTY, dial 711 first) or file a complaint here. You can find more information about the rights of parents with disabilities here and in joint technical assistance from the Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.
El Departamento de Justicia halla que el Departamento de Seguridad del Niño de Arizona discrimina contra los padres y niños con discapacidadesRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy sus hallazgos que el Departamento de Seguridad del Niño del Estado de Arizona (DCS, por sus siglas en inglés) viola al Título II de la Ley para Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA, por sus siglas en inglés) a través de discriminar contra los padres, incluso los padres de acogida y otros cuidadores, y niños con discapacidades.
Después de una investigación comprehensiva, el departamento halló que DCS no comunicó efectivamente con los padres y niños con discapacidades auditivas, incluso a través de no proporcionar interpretadores. DCS tampoco hizo acomodaciones razonables para las necesidades de los padres con discapacidades a través de, por ejemplo, no brindar información en una forma simplificada. Por fin, DCS niega a los padres con discapacidades una oportunidad igualitaria para participar en y beneficiarse de los programas y servicios de DCS.
“Bajo la ADA, los padres y niños con discapacidades tienen el derecho a tratamiento justo y igualitario por las agencias del bienestar del niño,” comentó la Fiscal General Auxiliar Kristen Clarke de la Sección de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Más de cuatro millones de padres con discapacidades viven en los Estados Unidos y las acciones discriminatorias pueden tener consecuencias devastadoras y permanentes para los padres y los niños. La División de Derechos Civiles está comprometido con asegurar que la discriminación ilegal no interfiera con la oportunidad del padre ser reunificado con su hijo y que las separaciones no sean prolongadas porque la agencia del bienestar del niño no brinda a los padres la comunicación efectiva y las acomodaciones razonables que la ADA garantiza.”
“Los padres y niños con discapacidades merecen ser tratados con dignidad.” comentó Gary M. Restaino, Fiscal de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito de Arizona. “Nuestra oficina seguirá trabajando con la División de Derechos Civiles para asegurar que los padres y niños con discapacidades estén protegidos bajo la ley y que el Departamento de Seguridad del Niños haga más significativamente acomodaciones a las personas con discapacidades en búsqueda de mejores resultados para las familias.”
El departamento brindó sus hallazgos escritos en una carta dirigida a Arizona y DCS que detalla los pasos mínimos que DCS tiene que tomar para arreglar las violaciones identificadas. La carta del departamento explica que DCS viola a la ADA a través de negar comunicación efectiva y ayudas y servicios auxiliares a los padres, cuidadores, y niños con discapacidades auditivas. Por ejemplo, DCS no proporcionó interpretadores de Lengua de Signos Estadounidense (ASL, por sus signas en inglés) a los padres, cuidadores, y niños sordos y con discapacidad auditiva, incluso durante reuniones importantes y cuando se trasladaban a niños de sus hogares. Y DCS no comunicó con los padres con discapacidades visuales y otras discapacidades que afectan la comunicación en maneras que los padres pudieron entender. Como resultado, los padres, cuidadores, y niños con discapacidades a veces no podían entender lo que estaba pasado durante sus casos de DCS e interacciones con DCS.
La carta también documenta cómo DCS no hizo acomodaciones razonables que los padres con discapacidades necesitaban, a pesar de que esas acomodaciones podrían ayudar atender a las preocupaciones de DCS. Por ejemplo, DCS se preocupaba por motivo de seguridad cuando padres con discapacidades intelectuales y del desarrollo, uno de los que tenía discapacidad visual, tenían dificultad preparando botellas y probando la temperatura de agua de la bañera. Pero DCS no consideró si las acomodaciones sencillas pudieran haberles ayudado realizar estas tareas de manera segura, como una botella con medidas en letra grande o un termómetro digital adaptivo que utiliza luces colorados o tonos para alertar a los padres si el agua de bañera está demasiado caliente o fría.
Por fin, el Departamento halló que DCS no brinda a los padres con discapacidades una oportunidad igualitaria participar en los programas y servicios de DCS. Por ejemplo, DCS confía en estereotipos y suposiciones infundadas sobre los padres con discapacidades. En una instancia, DCS retrasó la reunificación basado solamente en preocupaciones generalizadas sobre si una madre con autismo y trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH, o ADHD por sus siglas en inglés) pudiera cuidar de manera segura a su niño joven por consecuencia de sus discapacidades. Pero estas preocupaciones se basaban en estereotipos y especulación, y no en acciones especificas que tomó la madre.
Si usted o alguien que conoce tiene una queja sobre la discriminación de discapacidad por parte de DCS, por favor llame al 1-888-394-3540 (para TYY, marque 711 primero) o hacer una querella aquí. Usted puede conocer más sobre los derechos de padres con discapacidades aquí y a través de asistencia técnica colectiva del Departamento de Justicia y el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos. Para conocer más sobre la ADA, por favor llame la línea gratuita del Departamento para información sobre la ADA al 1-800-514-0301 (voz) o al 1-833-610-1264 (TTY) o bien visite el sitio web de la ADA en www.ada.gov Para conocer más sobre la División de Derechos Civiles, por favor visite a www.justice.gov/crt.
Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Nour Abubakr Nour, 34, of Tucson, was sentenced on December 3, 2024, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 30 months in prison. Nour pleaded guilty to Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation and Presentation of a False Tax Return on December 21, 2023.
Nour operated a tax return preparation business, known as Skyman Tax, LLC, located in Tucson. For tax years 2016 through 2018, Nour prepared and filed at least 27 false individual federal income tax returns for his clients, which included falsely claimed business income. Using the business income, Nour inflated tax refunds so that he could pay himself large tax return preparation fees. Nour’s clients had no knowledge that Nour was filing false tax returns under their names. Nour was ordered to pay restitution to the United States Treasury in the amount of $150,154.00 for the false tax refunds.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00516-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-174_Nour# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Secret Service Agent Pleads Guilty to Theft of Cryptocurrency from Evidence VaultRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Anthony Joseph Evans, 32, of Tucson, pleaded guilty last week to Officer or Employee of the United States Converting Property of Another. Evans is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19, 2025, before United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez.
Evans admitted that while working as a Special Agent for the United States Secret Service in the Phoenix, Arizona Field Office in early 2022, he accessed cryptocurrency on a hard wallet held in the agency’s secure evidence vault. Evans then transferred the cryptocurrency, worth approximately $56,000, to two wallets he owned or controlled. Evans moved the cryptocurrency through various exchanges, converted most of it into U.S. dollars, and transferred the proceeds to multiple bank accounts he owned. Evans later used the money to pay for personal expenditures, including repayment of debt.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Evans faces up to a year and a day in prison and is required to pay restitution to the victim for the value of the cryptocurrency, including any appreciation in value incurred prior to sentencing.
The United States Secret Service’s Cyber Investigative Section in Washington, DC conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 24-6868-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-175_Evans# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Arizona Man Associated with Online Terror Network Arrested for Production of Child Sex Abuse Material and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Baron Martin, 20, of Tucson, Arizona, was arrested on Dec. 11 for producing child sexual abuse material and cyberstalking offenses carried out as part of his participation in online violent terror networks known as 764 and CVLT.
“764 remains a dangerous network of violent extremists who systematically target children and weaponize child sexual abuse material for the purpose of furthering an accelerationist agenda, destroying civilized society, and causing the collapse of the U.S. Government,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The Department of Justice is fully committed to stopping 764’s acts of terrorism and disrupting the 764 network.”
”The Department’s Project Safe Childhood strives to protect America’s youth, whether from individual stalkers or organized, virtual networks,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “This case serves not only to deter unlawful conduct, but also to encourage parents and children to remain vigilant and seek help when they encounter predatory and violent activity in the online world.”
“The details in this case are simply horrific as the defendant allegedly coerced children to harm themselves multiple times,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and we take that especially seriously when it comes to the young and vulnerable. The FBI will use all of our authorities to investigate and hold accountable anyone who preys on children.”
The unsealed complaint alleges that 764 is a network of violent extremists who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad. Those involved with the 764 network, individually and as a network, methodically target vulnerable, underage populations across the United States and the globe by using known online social media communications platforms to support the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) with vulnerable, juvenile populations. Members of 764 seek to desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms regarding violence, and they normalize the possession, production, and sharing of explicit CSAM and gore material to corrupt and groom their victims toward future violence.
Historically, members of 764 systematically target underage females, groom them, extort them, and force them to mutilate themselves or others and either film or photograph such activity, at times while streaming it online for other members of the network. The network members will then commonly edit compilation photographs or videos of their victims, share these photographs or videos on their social media platforms to gain notoriety among other members of the network, and spread fear among their victims all for the purpose of accelerating chaos under the 764 ideology with an aim toward the disruption of society. The network has shifted names over time and spawned known offshoot networks. Although the network moves between social media channels and changes its name, the core goals and membership remain consistent and appear under the overarching threat of 764.
Since approximately 2021, "Convict" has appeared as a participant in chatrooms related to the online terror networks 764 and CVLT. According to the complaint, Martin admitted to using the moniker “Convict” on social media platforms and, on multiple occasions, claimed online to be an owner of 764 and CVLT, teaching 764 members how to extort victims, describing himself as the “king of extortion,” and boasting he was “the catalyst for thousands of extortions” in 764. Martin also created and posted on a social media platform a detailed guide on how to identify, groom, and extort vulnerable juveniles.
The complaint accuses Martin of producing child sex abuse material on Discord, a chat and gaming platform, in September 2022, by making two separate minors self-mutilate for him. On one occasion, Martin had a 13-year-old child cut his name “in every possible place” she could to include her chest, stomach, and thighs, and threatened to “leak” pictures of her if she did not comply. On other occasions, Martin directed this same minor child to cut certain designs into her body to include swastikas and satanic symbols.
Martin also directed another minor victim, 16, on Discord, to scratch herself with her nails, ordering her to "draw blood,” saying “I want it dripping.” He then told her to pour rubbing alcohol over the wounds. Martin later sent three videos of this sadistic abuse of the minor to another Discord user. In the videos, the minor is scratching her forearm with her nails and pouring rubbing alcohol onto the scratches before curling up in apparent pain with a rag in her mouth.
Martin is also accused of cyberstalking a different 13-year-old minor for threats he sent over Discord in September 2022. Martin told this minor victim he put a “hit” on her grandmother, and he solicited individuals to kill the victim’s grandmother. Martin agreed to pay one person $3,000 to kidnap and murder the victim’s grandmother, whose address he provided. The complaint alleges that in a separate server chat, Martin posted the phone numbers of both the minor and her grandmother and told the network to contact both numbers to harass them.
If convicted, Martin faces a penalty of up to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material and a penalty of up to 10 years in prison for cyberstalking when the victim is a minor and no bodily injury resulted from the conduct. Each offense also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and up to a lifetime of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liza Granoff and Carin C. Duryée for the District of Arizona and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Leader of Child Sexual Abuse Ring Sentenced to 50 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 48, of Colorado City, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 50 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. On April 1, 2024, Bateman pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Transportation of a Minor for Criminal Sexual Activity and Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping.
“Protecting the most vulnerable is our highest calling as prosecutors,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Many thanks to our dedicated prosecutors and law enforcement colleagues for an expeditious investigation, and to our victim advocates for their focus on services and healing.”
“Every child should feel and be safe in their homes,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “Today’s sentencing brings some closure to the victims with hopes they can confidently continue the long road to living normal lives with trusted and loving adults surrounding them. Protecting our most vulnerable populations, with children at the top of the list, is and will continue to be a high priority for the FBI and our partners.”
Bateman, who represented himself as a religious prophet, was the leader of a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least 10 children. Beginning in 2019, Bateman amassed followers in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. In 2020 and 2021, Bateman’s followers gave their minor daughters and wards to him as child “brides” to sexually abuse. The victims were as young as nine years old. Through coercion and manipulation, Bateman regularly forced his victims to participate with him in individual and group sexual activities with adults and other children. He gave one of the victims to an adult male follower to be sexually abused, and on another occasion transmitted a live video stream of child sexual abuse to his followers. Bateman and others transported the victims between states to facilitate the sexual abuse, which continued until Bateman’s arrest on federal charges in September 2022.
Following Bateman’s arrest, his child victims were placed in the legal and physical custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety. In November 2022, Bateman conspired with some of his followers to kidnap the victims from their custody placements. The conspirators succeeded in taking eight of the girls to California and then to Washington, where they were found by law enforcement and returned to Arizona.
Bateman was charged along with 11 of his adult followers, all of whom have also been convicted of charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy. Two of Bateman’s co-defendants were convicted at trial by a jury, and the others were convicted by guilty plea. Several other defendants have already been sentenced, and the remaining defendants will be sentenced in the coming months.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation-Phoenix conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-8092-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-173_Bateman# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Drug Trafficker and Money Launderer Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yvette Porras-Ochoa, 42, of Wittmann, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 180 months in prison. Porras-Ochoa pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Cocaine, Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Prescription Controlled Substances Oxycodone and Promethazine-Codeine, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering on August 22, 2024.
Porras-Ochoa was the head of an Arizona-based drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of cocaine and prescription drugs. To fraudulently obtain the prescription drugs, Porras-Ochoa used an Arizona-licensed medical practitioner’s authorization to prescribe controlled substances and recruited others to pick up prescription drugs from Arizona-based pharmacies. After receiving the prescription drugs, she sold them, as well as cocaine, to out-of-state customers. Porras-Ochoa arranged payment for the drugs in a variety of sophisticated ways so as to avoid detection and subsequently laundered some of the drug proceeds through real estate transactions.
During a year-and-a-half long investigation, investigators were able to seize several large loads of drugs connected with Porras-Ochoa and confirm her involvement in the distribution of 884.2 grams of oxycodone, 33,330 units of promethazine-codeine, 4,690 units of alprazolam, 27,200 units of tramadol, 63,900 units of midazolam, and 2.96 kilograms of cocaine.
This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
In other words, OCDETF is a holistic approach to prosecuting organized crime. Deterrent criminal justice sentences are only a part of the District’s strategy to dismantle criminal entities. Sometimes, as here, it includes coordination with state and local partners. On other occasions it involves the use of sensitive investigative techniques like court-authorized interceptions of communications, or responsible use of civil and criminal asset forfeiture to disgorge illicit gains, or extradition of leadership from foreign nations, or collaboration with federal regulatory entities like the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Unites States Postal Service, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation in this case.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1265-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-172_Porras-Ochoa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Bureau of Prisons Inmate Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2015 Murder at United States PenitentiaryRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Morgan Wayne Siler, 40, of Portsmouth, Virginia, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to two concurrent terms of life in prison. Siler pleaded guilty to Murder and Conspiracy to Murder on September 11, 2024.
On December 18, 2015, at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Siler – along with fellow inmate and co-conspirator David Hammer – killed another inmate who was housed at the facility. Siler and Hammer planned the murder in advance. The victim’s cause of death was determined to be from asphyxia and blunt force injuries.
At the time of the murder, Siler was in federal custody for a 2008 conviction stemming from an assault on a Bureau of Prisons corrections officer and a 2005 conviction for a series of retail establishment robberies in Virginia. Siler’s life sentences will run consecutive to the sentences already imposed in those cases. Co-conspirator Hammer passed away in 2019.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-1300-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-171_Siler# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Head of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Heriberto Lopez-Landeros, 44, of Avondale, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 14 years in prison. Lopez-Landeros pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on August 5, 2024.
Lopez-Landeros was the head of an Arizona-based drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin from Mexico and transporting drugs across the United States. In order to transport the drugs, Lopez-Landeros recruited semi-truck drivers to transport drugs throughout the United States. The semi-truck drivers often carried the drugs inside the cab of their trucks. During a year-and-a-half long investigation, investigators were able to seize several large loads of drugs connected with Lopez-Landeros, including 83 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 kilograms of fentanyl, and 645 grams of heroin.
This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Avondale Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan McCarthy, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00212-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-170_Lopez-Landeros# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Rio Rico Man Indicted After Attempting to Flee Nogales Port of EntryRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On November 13, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Miguel Soto-Morando, of Rio Rico, on one count of Smuggling Ammunition from the United States, Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, and Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person.
According to the complaint filed in this case, on October 16, 2024, Soto-Morando attempted to leave the United States through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales. After Soto-Morando was referred to secondary inspection, he tried to flee into Mexico. The victim, a United States Customs and Border Protection officer, reached into Soto-Morando’s truck and attempted to prevent Soto-Morando’s escape. With the officer’s arm inside the vehicle, Soto-Morando accelerated toward the gate leading into Mexico but crashed into a pillar located in the United States. The collision caused the officer to be ejected from Soto-Morando’s vehicle.
When Soto-Morando got out of his vehicle, two officers, including the victim officer, discharged their firearms, striking Soto-Morando twice. A subsequent search of a spare tire from the vehicle uncovered 3,140 rounds of ammunition destined for Mexico. Soto-Morando is also alleged to be a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
A conviction for Smuggling Goods from the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer – Deadly or Dangerous Weapon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A conviction for Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Each offense also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-07997-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-167_Soto-Morando# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Long-Time Human Smuggler Sentenced to 33 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Tonya Durinda Romero, 37, of Phoenix, was sentenced on November 14, 2024, by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi, to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Romero pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens on July 31, 2024.
Romero admitted that she was a member of a conspiracy that transported undocumented noncitizens from southern Arizona to the Phoenix metropolitan area. She was involved in renting stash houses to harbor the noncitizens and providing vehicles to others to transport them further into the United States. Romero was stopped on January 30, 2024, by a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputy sheriff because her registration had expired; the deputy also determined that Romero was driving with a suspended license and had no insurance. Romero was arrested and transported to the Casa Grande Border Patrol station for an in-depth interview, during which she admitted to law enforcement that she had been involved in human smuggling since she was 16 years old.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa E. Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00346-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-168_Romero# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Gun Smuggler Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Smuggling Firearms to Mexico and International Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Angel Vasquez Balganon, 33, of Mexico, was sentenced on November 21, 2024, by United States Chief District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 85 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. An order of forfeiture was entered in the amount of $97,229. Vasquez Balganon pleaded guilty on March 14, 2024, to Smuggling Goods from the United States and International Money Laundering.
Vasquez Balganon admitted that, between March of 2018 and January of 2021, and on April 6, 2021, he exported numerous firearms, some of which were recovered in Mexico. He also exported weapons components, ammunition, and accessories.
On April 6, 2021, Vasquez Balganon was arrested at the Port of Entry in Nogales, when he attempted to smuggle high-capacity magazines, concealed in his vehicle, to Mexico. Customs and Border Protection officers found a shopping bag containing nine 30-round AR-15 5.56 caliber high-capacity magazines. Vasquez Balganon stated he knew about the magazines and knew he was prohibited from taking them into Mexico. Vasquez Balganon expected to be paid $100.
Prior to his apprehension and arrest on April 6, 2021, Vasquez Balganon had exported or attempted to export 67 firearms, including a machinegun, an AK-103 style firearm, a Century Arms WASR rifle, and a FN SCAR 17 rifle, as well as 20,000 rounds of ammunition, ammunition links and 208 magazines. Some of the firearms were recovered in Mexico.
All the firearms, weapons components, ammunition, magazines, and accessories are designated on the United States Commerce Control List as prohibited by law for export from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Vasquez Balganon nor any other individual involved had a license or any other lawful authority to export these items into Mexico.
Vasquez Balganon also admitted that, from February of 2019 to March of 2021, he transferred over $20,000 from a U.S. bank to a bank in Mexico for the purpose of facilitating his illegal smuggling activities.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Raquel Arellano, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02908-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-169_Vasquez Balganon# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – David Berry Garmarnik, 46, of Tucson, was indicted last week on 20 counts of Attempted Production of Child Pornography, 20 counts of Attempted Enticement and Coercion of a Minor, and five counts of Receipt of Child Pornography.
The indictment alleges that in July 2024, Garmarnik was identified as a suspect in a child exploitation investigation. Law enforcement officers developed evidence that Garmarnik was using Skype to conduct live streaming shows of child sexual abuse being committed in the Philippines. Garmarnik allegedly sent payments to sex traffickers via money service wire transfers, and the sex traffickers and Garmarnik would then conduct the live sex shows. Since 2017, Garmarnik allegedly participated in dozens of shows by directing traffickers on how to sexually abuse children.
Attempted Production of Child Pornography carries a sentence of between 15 and 30 years in prison for each count; Attempted Enticement and Coercion of a Minor carries a sentence of between 10 years to life in prison for each count; and Receipt of Child Pornography carries a sentence of between 5 and 20 years in prison for each count. Each offense also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and at least five years to life of supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08214-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-166_Garmarnik# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Casa Grande Man Charged with Producing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Agustin Julian Sauceda, 38, of Casa Grande, was charged by indictment last week, following a criminal complaint, with nine counts of Producing and Attempting to Produce Child Pornography, five counts of Distributing Child Pornography, and one count of Possessing Child Pornography. At the time, Sauceda was an employee of the Eloy Fire District.
The indictment alleges that on nine dates between August 2, 2022, and July 5, 2024, Sauceda produced child pornography involving a girl who was under the age of 18. Then, on five dates between June 1, 2024, and September 23, 2024, Sauceda distributed child pornography via the BitTorrent file sharing network. On October 30, 2024, Sauceda possessed child pornography on two items—a cell phone and an SD card.
Each count of Producing Child Pornography carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to lifetime supervised release. Each count of Distribution of Child Pornography carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to lifetime supervised release. Each count of Possession of Child Pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to lifetime supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01898-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-165_Sauceda# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 15 Months of Imprisonment for Making Online Threats Against Public Servants Including Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza sentenced Michael Lee Tomasi, 38, of Rio Verde, to 15 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release. Tomasi also was ordered to forfeit an assault rifle, handgun, shotgun, gun magazines, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Tomasi pleaded guilty to one count of Making Threats Against Public Officials on August 13, 2024.
“After making vile threats to execute and sexually assault FBI agents and employees, state and local law enforcement officials, and other public servants, Michael Tomasi told the FBI to ‘come to my house and see what happens’ – what has happened is that he will spend 15 months in federal prison,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the brave public servants of the FBI for bringing this defendant to justice and for the difficult and dangerous work they do every day to keep the American people safe.”
“Threatening law enforcement officers and other public officials will not be tolerated, whether it involves our own FBI personnel, police officers patrolling their communities, or government officials carrying out their work,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “I take it very personally that anyone would threaten FBI personnel who work tirelessly to protect the American people from a variety of threats and often put themselves in harm’s way while carrying out their duties. We will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable those who threaten violence against law enforcement officers and other public servants.”
“Civil discourse and civic dialogue are fundamental to a democratic society,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “But the incitement of violence is not: We will continue our efforts to prosecute those who make true threats against public officials and law enforcement officers.”
From May 2021 through November 2023, while living in Colorado and Arizona, Tomasi used a social media platform to express a desire to incite violence and threaten a variety of individuals and groups, including a city district attorney, a state court judge, a member of Congress and other federal officials and law enforcement officers. Tomasi pleaded guilty to posting a threat on August 26, 2023, to kill FBI agents in order to impede, intimidate, or interfere with FBI agents’ performance of their official duties. Specifically, Tomasi admitted that, on that day, he posted: “Shoot the FBI first and ask questions later. . . . Any FBI [] have a problem with that[,] come to my house and see what happens. Shoot before they even pull their guns out of their trunk and you shoot to kill.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Abbie Broughton Marsh, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01751-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-164_Tomasi# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Making Online Threats Against Public Servants Including Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
Michael Lee Tomasi, 38, of Rio Verde, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release for making online threats against public servants, including federal officials. Tomasi also was ordered to forfeit an assault rifle, handgun, shotgun, gun magazines, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Tomasi pleaded guilty to one count of making threats against public officials on Aug. 13.
“After making vile threats to execute and sexually assault FBI agents and employees, state and local law enforcement officials, and other public servants, Michael Tomasi told the FBI to ‘come to my house and see what happens’ — what has happened is that he will spend 15 months in federal prison,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the brave public servants of the FBI for bringing this defendant to justice and for the difficult and dangerous work they do every day to keep the American people safe.”
“Threatening law enforcement officers and other public officials will not be tolerated, whether it involves our own FBI personnel, police officers patrolling their communities, or government officials carrying out their work,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “I take it very personally that anyone would threaten FBI personnel who work tirelessly to protect the American people from a variety of threats and often put themselves in harm’s way while carrying out their duties. We will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable those who threaten violence against law enforcement officers and other public servants.”
“Civil discourse and civic dialogue are fundamental to a democratic society,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “But the incitement of violence is not: we will continue our efforts to prosecute those who make true threats against public officials and law enforcement officers.”
From May 2021 through November 2023, while living in Colorado and Arizona, Tomasi used a social media platform to express a desire to incite violence and threaten a variety of individuals and groups, including a city district attorney, a state court judge, a member of Congress and other federal officials and law enforcement officers. Tomasi pleaded guilty to posting a threat on Aug. 26, 2023, to kill FBI agents in order to impede, intimidate, or interfere with FBI agents’ performance of their official duties. Specifically, Tomasi admitted that, on that day, he posted: “Shoot the FBI first and ask questions later. . . . Any FBI [] have a problem with that[,] come to my house and see what happens. Shoot before they even pull their guns out of their trunk and you shoot to kill.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Abbie Broughton Marsh for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Arizona Man Charged with Defrauding at Least 54 Victims in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 19-count indictment against Anthonie Ruinard, Jr., 39, of Chandler, for Wire Fraud and Transactional Money Laundering.
The indictment alleges that Ruinard scammed at least 54 victims out of more than $5.6 million through an investment fraud scheme operated under the guise of a business called Legacy Investors Group Inc. Ruinard falsely portrayed himself as a successful investor worth over $470 million. He promised victim-investors guaranteed rates of return—generally 5% to 6% per month—through investments in venture capital, private equity, and real estate. While some of the early victim-investors received some initial payments to perpetuate the fraud, others lost their entire investment. Ruinard largely used the victims’ money for himself, including on luxury vehicles (for example, the purchase of an armored vehicle for $344,000), general living expenses, casino gambling, credit card payments, and rental expenses.
A conviction for wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for transactional money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Phoenix Division conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. If you believe you were defrauded by the defendant, and have not previously contacted the FBI, please reach out to the following email address: [email protected] or fill out the questionnaire at this link: https://forms.fbi.gov/legacygroupvictims/view
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01904-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-163_Ruinard# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mesa Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Attempted Smuggling of Weapons and Drug Trafficking with a FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Nestor Hernandez-Morales, 27, of Mesa, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Court Judge Angela M. Martinez to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hernandez-Morales pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Activity, and Attempted Smuggling of Firearms to Promote Drug Trafficking Activity on June 18, 2024.
On February 1, 2023, Hernandez-Morales made arrangements with individuals from Mexico to purchase a .50 caliber semi-automatic rifle and a 5.56x45mm caliber belt-fed rifle for $26,000. Hernandez-Morales intended to purchase these particular weapons because these individuals were involved in drug trafficking organizations in Mexico and knew these types of guns were valuable to promote and support their drug trafficking activities. Hernandez-Morales paid $26,000 for the two rifles as part of an undercover sting, and was soon after arrested by federal and local law enforcement. A subsequent search of his residence revealed 6.6 kilograms of a substance that contained methamphetamine. Law enforcement discovered that he also possessed a Beretta handgun that he admitted he used to protect himself while he traveled and to secure the drugs, money, and munitions he stored at his residence. An additional nine firearms were discovered at his residence.
This investigation was a collaborative effort between federal law enforcement agencies and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Arizona Strike Force located in Tucson. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00285-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-162_Hernandez-Morales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Woman Sentenced to 60 Months for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for ProfitRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Mariana Garcia-Tapia, 32, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 60 months in prison. Garcia-Tapia pleaded guilty on July 10, 2024, to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person. She was given an additional 12 months in prison to run consecutive to her sentence for violating the conditions of her supervised release in a separate case (CR-22-00816-002-PHX-DJH).
On February 2, 2024, near Naco, Arizona, a United States Border Patrol camera operator observed four suspected undocumented noncitizens approach a 2011 Volkswagen Routan. Another Border Patrol agent responded and observed the group get into the Routan. When Border Patrol stopped the vehicle, they found that it was only occupied by the driver and co-defendant, Sharnesia Latrice Cooley, her two-year-old minor son and the defendant, Garcia-Tapia. A search of the area revealed four injured people strewn along the road just east of the San Pedro Bridge. Their injuries were consistent with having jumped from a moving vehicle. They were transported to the hospital with serious head trauma among other injuries, and it was determined that all four were illegally present within the United States. One of the undocumented noncitizens admitted that they had made arrangements to be smuggled into the United States for a sum of money.
The co-defendant, Cooley, was found guilty by way of jury trial. She is currently set for sentencing on January 16, 2025, before Judge Rash.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Renee Quezada and Caroline Allen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 24-00910-2-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-161_Garcia-Tapia# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parker Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact of a ChildRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Raymond Gene Aspa, Sr., 72, of Parker, was sentenced on November 5, 2024, by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 166 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Aspa pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child on October 31, 2023.
Between May 18, 2012, and May 18, 2013, Aspa engaged in abusive sexual contact with the minor victim at his residence in Parker. Both the victim and Aspa are members of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) and the abusive sexual contact occurred on the CRIT Indian Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00473-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-160_Aspa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Five People Indicted and Arrested on the Fort Apache Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Gary M. Restaino, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, announces indictments and arrests for multiple violent felony offenses, all of which occurred on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Defendants arrested are:
- Termaine Billy Celaya, 19, of Whiteriver; CR-24-8095-PCT-DWL;
- Donovan Skidmore, 25, of Whiteriver; CR-24-8096-PCT-GMS;
- Eagle Tail Ron Tointigh, 21, of Whiteriver; CR-24-8146-PCT-DJH;
- Maurissa Marie Edwards, 34, of Cibecue; CR-24-8101-PCT (MTL); and
Donovan Wayne Declay, 29, of Whiteriver; CR-24-8113-PCT-SMB.
Celaya was indicted for Second Degree Murder for an April 24, 2024, homicide with a motor vehicle.Skidmore was indicted for Robbery for the February 7, 2024, armed robbery of the 7-Mile Store.
Tointigh was indicted for Assault by Strangling and Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury for an August 11, 2024, domestic assault.
Edwards was indicted for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon for the February 6, 2024, stabbing of another individual.
Declay was indicted on two counts of Sexual Abuse, and one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse for the December 24, 2022, sexual assault of a family member.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These arrests were made on November 20, 2024 as part of a joint law enforcement operation, including the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration to locate and arrest defendants that had been indicted but not yet apprehended.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Church, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-24-8095-PCT-DWL
CR-24-8096-PCT-GMS
CR-24-8146-PCT-DJH
CR-24-8101-PCT-MTL
CR-24-8113-PCT-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-158_Celaya, Skidmore, Tointigh, Edwards, Declay
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Colombia-Based Alien Smuggling Coordinator Indicted for Smuggling Colombian Nationals into the United StatesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Janine Torres-Centeno, a Colombian national, was indicted on November 6, 2024, by a federal grand jury on charges of Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States and Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States for Profit.
According to the criminal Complaint and subsequently-filed Indictment, in approximately 2022, United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating Torres-Centeno after arresting numerous Colombian nationals who identified her as their smuggling coordinator.
The smuggled individuals contacted Torres-Centeno after learning from others who had successfully crossed into the United States illegally that she could coordinate their illegal entry into the United States. Torres-Centeno informed the Colombian nationals they would need to travel to Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico and pay a fee between $1,200.00 USD to $2,000.00 USD per person to cross into the United States. Once the Colombian nationals were in Sonoyta, Torres-Centeno coordinated their transportation to local stash houses, while others ultimately crossed illegally into the United States.
Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States for Profit carries at least a three-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Alien Smuggling Unit – Tucson Sector and Homeland Security Investigations – Casa Grande conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Zander and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-007816-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-159_Torres-Centeno# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Arizona Elected Official Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement of More than $38M of County FundsRead the Press Release
A former Santa Cruz County, Arizona, official pled guilty today to embezzlement, money laundering, and tax evasion for her role in stealing more than $38 million of Santa Cruz County funds between 2014 and 2024 and failing to pay income tax of more than $13 million while she was serving as Santa Cruz County Treasurer.
According to court documents, Elizabeth Gutfahr, 62, who served as Santa Cruz County Treasurer from 2012 through 2024, embezzled and laundered approximately $38 million by wiring funds from Santa Cruz County’s Account directly to accounts in the name of companies that Gutfahr had created for purposes of stealing the county funds. Gutfahr then wired the money from these fraudulent business accounts to her personal account, where she used the money to purchase real estate, pay operating expenses for and renovate her family ranch, pay expenses for her cattle business, and purchase at least 20 vehicles.
“Elizabeth Gutfahr stole $38 million from the people of Santa Cruz County, Arizona, during the 12 years she served as their County Treasurer,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We expect public officials to serve as stewards of the government fisc — not to loot it. Today’s plea demonstrates yet again that the Justice Department remains committed to rooting out public corruption at all levels of government.”
“Local property taxes fund our communities, enrich our schools and shape our futures,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “In her plea agreement the defendant admits to defrauding her County by embezzling those taxes. We look forward to working with the Receiver appointed by the Superior Court to recoup the County’s funds.”
“Today’s guilty plea is a reminder that those entrusted with public funds are not above the law,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Gutfahr deliberately calculated a scheme to embezzle taxpayer dollars and then launder those funds for her own personal use. This breach of trust not only robs taxpayers but undermines the integrity of public office. The FBI remains unwavering in its pursuit to hold accountable those who exploit their positions for selfish purposes.”
“We cannot overemphasize our dedication to rooting out public corruption from our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick for IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Phoenix Field Office. “I am proud of the dedicated work IRS-CI special agents put into investigating this case alongside our fellow law enforcement agencies. Through her embezzlement scheme, Elizabeth Gutfahr stole from the very constituents who elected her. Let this guilty plea serve as a reminder to all who are tempted to use their positions of power to enrich themselves at the cost of the American people: IRS-CI special agents are experts at following the money, and we will continue to investigate allegations of fraud at all levels.”
Court documents detailed that the scheme involved approximately 187 wire transfers, which Gutfahr completed by subverting the two-step approval process for the wire transfers by using the token of a subordinate Santa Cruz County employee so that Gutfahr could both initiate and approve the wire transfers. Additionally, to cover up the scheme, Gutfahr falsified accounting records, cash reconciliation records, and reports of the County’s investment accounts to conceal the millions of dollars that she had stolen from Santa Cruz County. Gutfahr also failed to report any of the stolen funds as income for tax purposes.
Gutfahr pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a public official, one count of money laundering, and one count of tax evasion. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the embezzlement count, 20 years in prison for the money laundering count, and five years in prison for the tax evasion count, as well as restitution to Santa Cruz County or other identified victims for all losses. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Westby for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert, formerly for the District of Arizona, provided assistance.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Importing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Slone Kelly, 29, of Tucson, was sentenced on November 7, 2024, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 77 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Kelly pleaded guilty to Importation of Methamphetamine on May 1, 2024.
On August 14, 2023, Kelly presented himself for inspection at the Port of Entry in Lukeville, Arizona, driving a 2008 Mercedes-Benz. Kelly told Customs and Border Protection officers that he was returning to Phoenix after attending a wedding in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico. During the inspection, x-ray detection observed anomalies inside the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and discovered a total of 50 packages of methamphetamine, weighing over 24 kilograms, and 29 packages of fentanyl, weighing over 11 kilograms, concealed inside.
Homeland Security Investigations - Sells Office, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan N. Wesley, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 23-01410-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-157_Kelly# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Chinle Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ty O’Brien Shorty, 33, of Chinle, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 22 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Shorty pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child on May 16, 2024.
On July 23, 2023, Shorty sexually abused a four-year-old child. The victim suffered severe injuries and was hospitalized as a result. The crime occurred on the Navajo Nation, of which Shorty is an enrolled member.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Besancon, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-8093-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-156_Shorty# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Texas Man Indicted for Transportation of Illegal Alien Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Moises Gabriel Castillo, 39, of Texas, was indicted on October 30 by a federal grand jury on charges of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and four counts of Transportation of Illegal Aliens. All five charges allege that the offenses were committed for financial gain, placed in jeopardy the life of any person, caused serious bodily injury, and resulted in death.
The criminal complaint filed in this case alleges that on July 24, 2024, Castillo was driving a commercial semi-truck on Interstate-10 near Rita Road, Tucson, when he collided with another semi-truck from the rear. The collision caused Castillo’s semi-truck to skid down Interstate-10. One passenger was ejected, an adult male who was pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement and emergency services found three additional passengers nearby in the brush, including a 16-year-old. All three individuals and the decedent were determined to be undocumented noncitizens without permission to be present in the United States. The individuals stated they were paying to be smuggled further into the United States. Two of the undocumented noncitizens involved in the collision underwent surgery for their injuries. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined the decedent’s cause of death was due to blunt force injuries of the head.
A conviction for either Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death or Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-07586-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-154_Castillo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Phoenix Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Deadly Human Smuggling-Related Crash on the Tohono O'odham NationRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Kevin Rojo-Barron, 21, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 144 months in prison stemming from a deadly crash last March on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Rojo-Barron pleaded guilty on July 18, 2024, to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Resulting in Death, and Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit Resulting in Death.
On March 2, 2023, near Why, on the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Tohono O’odham Police Department and United States Border Patrol responded to a 911 call of a vehicle collision at the intersection of State Route 86 and Federal Route 1. Rojo-Barron was driving the vehicle traveling northbound on Federal Route 1 at a high rate of speed and failed to yield at a stop sign, striking a vehicle traveling eastbound on State Route 86. All three Tohono O’odham Nation members in the other vehicle died as result of the crash. Further investigation showed that Rojo-Barron was smuggling four undocumented noncitizens and had an AR-15 style rifle in the vehicle at the time of the crash. One of the undocumented noncitizens died due to the crash and another was permanently injured.
Homeland Security Investigations-Sells, Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, and the Tohono O’odham Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Y. Chamblee and Ryan P. DeJoe, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-1844-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-155_Rojo-Barron# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Country Club to Pay over $630,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Briarwood Country Club, Inc., a private country club located in Sun City has agreed to pay $631,400 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly obtaining a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for which it was not eligible.
When Congress enacted the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, it authorized forgivable PPP loans to eligible small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP loan program was administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). At the time of the loan covered by this settlement, certain entities organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans, including 501(c)(7) organizations.
In May 2020, Briarwood applied for a PPP loan in the amount of $431,800 and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan even though it was ineligible as a 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization. After receiving the PPP loan, Briarwood sought and received forgiveness of the loan. The United States contended that Briarwood knew or should have known it was ineligible to receive the PPP loan, and that it caused the SBA to pay lender fees to the bank that processed the loans. Briarwood will pay $631,400 to the United States to resolve these allegations.
“PPP loans were an important but finite resource to help save small businesses across America during a generational pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “But Congress did not intend this vital resource to cover 501(c)(7) ‘social clubs’ like Briarwood. Thanks to the Small Business Administration for vindicating program rules and protecting the public fisc.”
SBA’s General Counsel Therese Meers stated, “[t]he favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, SBA’s Office of Inspector General and other Federal law enforcement agencies, as well as private individuals who uncover fraudulent conduct to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties.”
The settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam complaint was filed by Relator Wade Riner and is captioned United States ex rel. Riner v. Recreation Centers of Sun City West, et al., No. 22-cv-01421 (D. Ariz.). Mr. Riner will receive a total share of approximately $63,400 in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona and the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. The Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona handled this matter.
Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to federal programs should contact the relevant federal agency. A list of agencies and contact information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/agency-links.
briarwood_country_club_settlement_agreement.pdf
CASE NUMBER: CV-22-01421
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-153_Briarwood Country Club# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Child Pornography Offender Sentenced to 14 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Duane “Sparky” Lee Johnsen, 55, of Tucson, was sentenced last week to 168 months in prison by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker for violations of federal law related to child pornography. Johnsen was found guilty of Receipt, Knowing Access, and Possession of Child Pornography after a three-day federal jury trial in September 2023. When Johnsen is released from prison, he will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
Johnsen was found in possession of child sex abuse images through an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tucson, which located individuals using file-sharing programs to obtain these images. When HSI executed a search warrant at Johnsen’s home in December 2019, agents recovered numerous computers and digital storage devices which contained large amounts of data. Examination of the digital items confirmed that Johnsen had been searching for, downloading, categorizing, and saving very large numbers of child sex abuse images, including prepubescent victims, on several of his devices. Johnsen was also in possession of other material related to child sex abuse, including a manual on how to groom children and animated comics depicting sexual abuse of children.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Carson R. Gilbert, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01118-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-152_Johnsen# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Casa Grande Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Adam Tovar, 32, of Casa Grande, was sentenced on October 22, 2024, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 120 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Tovar also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Tovar pleaded guilty to Enticement of a Minor on June 17, 2024.
From December 19, 2022, through December 29, 2022, Tovar communicated via Snapchat with a person who he knew was a minor. During that time, he persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the victim to engage in sexual activities with him. On December 29, 2022, during a traffic stop by the Marana Police Department, Tovar was found transporting the minor victim in the front passenger seat of his vehicle. In entering his plea of guilty, Tovar admitted that he had intended to transport the victim from the victim’s home to a hotel, where he intended to engage in sexual acts with the victim.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Sarah J. Precup, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00621-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-151_Tovar# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man who Provided Guns to Shooter of Two Jewish Community Members in California Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Eric Celaya, 30, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to eight months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. On May 15, 2024, Celaya pleaded guilty to making a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.
On January 19, 2023, Celaya purchased two firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in Tempe. Celaya completed the Firearms Transaction Record, known as ATF Form 4473, and stated that he was the actual purchaser. However, Celaya knew he was purchasing the firearms on behalf of Jamie Tran. After Celaya submitted the ATF Form 4473 to the FFL, he purchased and left with the two firearms. Subsequently, Celaya provided the firearms to Tran. On February 15, 2023, and February 16, 2023, Tran used the firearms to shoot two Jewish community members in California, offenses charged as hate crimes in the United States District Court, Central District of California, Case Number 2:23-CR-00098-GW. Celaya had no prior criminal history and there was no evidence to show that Celaya was aware of Tran’s intentions or beliefs.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01456-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-149_Celaya# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Justice Department to Monitor Polls in Arizona for Compliance with Federal Voting Rights LawsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Apache County, Maricopa County, Pima County, and Yuma County for the November 5 general election.
The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.
On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-150_DOJ Election Monitoring
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Bank Robber Sentenced to Three-and-a-Half Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Justin Eric Lindsay, 29, of Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 42 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. On June 27, 2024, Lindsay pleaded guilty to two counts of Bank Robbery.
Between August 2023 and January 2024, Lindsay robbed six banks before he was arrested by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During two of the robberies, Lindsay falsely claimed he had a firearm.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Tempe Police Department, Mesa Police Department, and Task Force Officers from the Peoria Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00147-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-148_Lindsay# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Men Arrested in Connection with Methamphetamine Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Gracia-Vega, 28, of Tucson, was arrested on October 17, 2024, by members of the Arizona Strike Force for Possession with Intent to Distribute 27 Pounds of Methamphetamine and was charged by criminal complaint on October 18, 2024. Ulises Yescas-Garcia, 23, of Tucson, and Sebastian Higuera-Fuentes, 22, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico were also arrested for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and the distribution of methamphetamine in Tucson beginning in February of this year. Yescas-Garcia and Higuera-Fuentes were both charged earlier by indictment.
On October 2, 2024, Yescas-Garcia and Higuera-Fuentes were charged in a seven-count indictment with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Distribution of Methamphetamine, and Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Methamphetamine in United States District Court, case CR-24-6720-TUC-RCC. The indictment alleges that they conspired with one another and others to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Tucson beginning in February 2024, and distributed that methamphetamine on at least six occasions during the time of the conspiracy.
On October 17, 2024, Gracia-Vega was arrested after being found in possession of approximately 27 pounds of methamphetamine destined for sale in Tucson. According to the complaint, Gracia-Vega met with Higuera-Fuentes that morning and provided him methamphetamine for later distribution. Higuera-Fuentes and Yescas-Garcia were arrested that same day on the charges set forth in the October 2nd indictment.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force operation. The OCDETF Strike Force Initiative identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Marana Police Department, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-6720-TUC-RCC
24-mj-9730-N/A-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-146_Gracia-Vega, Yescas-Garcia, Higuera-Fuentes# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Sacaton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Shooting DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adrian Hope Sullivan, 22, of Sacaton, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
On August 17, 2022, Sullivan, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, shot and killed the victim at the gun range in Sacaton, Arizona. Sullivan pleaded guilty on August 12, 2024, to Second Degree Murder.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-0136-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-147_Sullivan# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mission Support Specialist Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Scott P. Knox, 47, of Avondale, pleaded guilty last week to one count of Embezzlement by an Employee of the United States. Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Steven P. Logan.
In September 2023, after 16 years of employment with the DEA, Knox embezzled over $75,000 from a DEA vault to which he had access and control by virtue of his position as a Mission Support Specialist and Account Technician with the DEA in Phoenix. In this role, his responsibilities included safeguarding the DEA Imprest Fund, which is a designated cash reserve for managing recurring DEA expenses, including operational funds utilized by agents in the field. Knox admitted that he deliberately stole $75,546 in cash from the Imprest Fund secure room. Knox attempted to conceal his actions from the DEA, but his embezzlement was uncovered during an internal audit the DEA conducted in March 2024.
A conviction for Embezzlement by an Employee of the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a term of three years of supervised release.
The United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Brook, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01559-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-145_Knox# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Arizona Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Linh Cao Nguyen, M.D., 51, of Peoria, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 24 months in prison. Nguyen pleaded guilty to Health Care Fraud on March 19, 2024.
Over the course of several years, Nguyen engaged in a scheme to defraud various health care benefit programs, including Medicare, TRICARE, AHCCCS, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. As part of his scheme, Nguyen knowingly caused the submission of thousands of false billing claims. Nguyen also falsely created patient records to conceal and avoid detection of his fraudulent scheme. The fraudulent claims identified a medical doctor as the treating provider when, in fact, another provider such as a nurse practitioner, social worker, unlicensed psychology intern, or wound care nurse provided the service independently. By billing the medical service as if it were provided by a physician, Nguyen falsely inflated the amount his company was to be paid for the service.
The total loss to the insurance companies from Nguyen’s scheme was approximately $3.7 million. As part of his sentence, Nguyen was ordered to pay over $1.1 million in restitution to the private insurance companies. Nguyen also was required to pay over $2.5 million to the government in a separate civil agreement.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02716-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-144_Nguyen# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Justice Department Announces Four Cases Brought by Election Threats Task ForceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force (ETTF) announced developments this week in four cases involving interstate transmissions of threats to election personnel and other victims.
Teak Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, Colorado, pleaded guilty today to threatening a Colorado election official and making other threats to an Arizona election official, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents between September 2021 and July 2024.
Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, of Cullman, Alabama, was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison for sending messages threatening violence to election workers with Maricopa County Elections in Phoenix from Aug. 2-4, 2022, during and immediately following the Arizona primary elections.
Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, Florida, was charged on Monday for allegedly sending a threat on Feb. 9 to an election official in addition to already pending charges for threats made to three other victims based on their political commentary in 2019 and 2020.
John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, was charged on Monday for allegedly threatening on Sept. 6 to kill a representative of a Pennsylvania state political party who was recruiting official poll watchers.
“As we approach Election Day, the Justice Department’s warning remains clear: anyone who illegally threatens an election worker, official, or volunteer will face the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Over the past three and a half years, the Justice Department has been aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who threaten the public servants who administer our elections, and we will continue to do so in the weeks ahead. For our democracy to function, Americans who serve the public must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives.”
“Threats to election workers are threats to our democratic process,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “No one should face violence or threats of violence simply for doing their job. The actions announced today make clear that we will not tolerate those who use or threaten violence in an effort to undermine our democratic institutions. To carry out their essential work, election officials must be free from improper influence, physical threats, and others forms of intimidation.”
“Our elections are made possible by the hard work and patriotism of election workers in communities across the country who are also our neighbors, relatives and friends, and they deserve to do this important work without being subjected to threats,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The fact that election workers need to be worried about their security is incomprehensible and unacceptable. While these four cases are examples of the kinds of threats election workers are unfortunately facing, these cases also represent the FBI’s dedication in holding accountable those who undermine our democracy with this conduct. The FBI and our partners on the ETTF will work tirelessly to charge and arrest those callous enough to make these threats and make sure they are held accountable. Free, fair, and safe elections are critical to our country and our democratic ideals.”
“These defendants made serious threats of violence against members of the election community. Threats like these strike at the very heart of our democracy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The cases announced today underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to defending our democracy, safeguarding our elections, and protecting all election workers. Through the ETTF, the Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute all criminal threats against members of the election community.”
The four cases were all brought by the ETTF. Created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they join the task force in its critical work.
Under the leadership of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
United States v. Brockbank (District of Colorado)
According to court documents, Brockbank admitted to using three social media accounts to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials between September 2021 and July 2024.
On Sept. 22, 2021, Brockbank posted the following message on social media:
“[Election Official-1] . . . needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it.”
As part of his plea, Brockbank also admitted to posting a message on Aug. 4, 2022, referring to election officials in Arizona and Colorado, saying: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”
In addition, Brockbank admitted to posting a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021, saying: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”
Brockbank further admitted to threatening federal law enforcement on July 13, posting: “I believe every single FBI agent deserves to go explain themselves to our creator right away!!!! I am more than willing to send any/All of you there.”
Finally, Brockbank admitted to illegally possessing multiple firearms and ammunition.
“The security and sanctity of the American election system is core to the foundation of our Democracy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “We will prosecute people who threaten elections, election officials, or election workers to the fullest extent of the law.”
Brockbank pleaded guilty today to interstate transmission of a threat. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Denver Field Office is investigating the case.
Acting Deputy Director Jonathan E. Jacobson of PIN’s Election Crimes Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Ogstad (District of Arizona)
According to court documents, on or about Aug. 2, 2022, Arizona held primary elections for federal and state officeholders, including a gubernatorial primary election that received nationwide media coverage. From the day of the election through on or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad sent multiple threatening direct messages to a social media account maintained by Maricopa County Elections. For instance, on or about Aug. 3, 2022, Ogstad stated: (1) “You did it! Now you are f*****.. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes”; (2) F*** you! You are caught! They have it all. You f****** are dead”; (3) “You are lying, cheating m****** f******* . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are f****** stupid if you think your lives are safe”; and (4) “You f****** are so dead.” On or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad also stated, “[Y]ou people are so ducking stupid. Everyone knows you are lots, cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang f******!” In the course of his messages to the recipient, Ogstad transmitted an image of the character “Woody,” from the Toy Story film franchise, lying face down with an unidentified projectile in its back.
“In this election season we honor and respect those public servants who enable Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “And we seek to protect all election workers from intimidation and harassment. Threats of violence, whether conveyed by words or deeds or pictures, will be met in this District with robust prosecution.”
Ogstad was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,000 fine, after pleading guilty on July 25 to one count of interstate transmission of a threat.
The FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Birmingham Field Office.
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.
United States v. Kantwill (Middle District of Florida)
According to court documents, from September 2019 to July 2020, Kantwill, a dentist, sent over 100 threats to various public figures via Facebook and Instagram messages, email, and text. As charged in the superseding information filed on Monday, those threats included a threat sent via email to an author, a threat sent via text to a religious leader, and a threat sent via Instagram to a television personality. From April 2022 to April 2024, Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats to four public figures via Facebook, including a threat to an election official in another state on Feb. 9, when Kantwill wrote: “You are a degenerate c***. and you are now the target of our own investigation. Take note because liberal t***s like you get raped in alleys, by really big black guys that serve our cause. So, you t*** are going to get raped by at least 5 n*****s, and do nothing. You are the number 1 target, you degenerate t***.”
“If you threaten someone with violence, we will take you at your word,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Law enforcement officers and members of my office will work together to hold accountable and federally prosecute individuals who threaten to injure or kill others.”
Kantwill is charged with four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado.
United States v. Pollard (Western District of Pennsylvania)
According to the indictment, on Sept. 6, Pollard sent threatening text messages to Victim 1, a resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to “help[] observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard allegedly texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then allegedly texted three threats to Victim 1: (1) “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”; (2) “Your days are numbered, B****!”; and (3) “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”
“Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This is no less true when those threats of violence are directed at individuals associated with our electoral process — in this case, someone seeking to organize poll watchers. This conduct will not be tolerated in our district, and we will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to prosecute these offenses with the full weight of the law.”
Pollard was arrested on Monday and appeared in federal court in Philadelphia. He is charged with one count of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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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.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov/home. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
Federal Prisoner Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Romeo Santino Giovanni, 46, was sentenced last week by Senior U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 45 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Giovanni pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder on May 23, 2024.
On July 5, 2016, Giovanni, who was then a federal prisoner at a United States Penitentiary, used a cloth makeshift clothesline to strangle his cellmate to death. Giovanni left pieces of paper on his cellmate’s body, including one that read “lights out.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-1428-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-143_Giovanni# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Alabama Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Making Threats Against Maricopa County Elections OfficeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, of Cullman, Alabama, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 30 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Judge Liburdi also ordered Ogstad to pay a $1,000 fine. Ogstad pleaded guilty to one count of Making a Threatening Interstate Communication on July 25, 2024.
“In this election season we honor and respect those public servants who enable Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “And we seek to protect all election workers from intimidation and harassment. Threats of violence, whether conveyed by words or deeds or pictures, will be met in this District with robust prosecution.”
“As Director Wray has said many times, threats of violence toward election workers are also threats to the democratic process and cannot become normalized,” said FBI Phoenix Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarod Brown. “The FBI takes seriously all threats of violence against public officials, and we will continue to assess them and take swift action as necessary.”
On August 2, 2022, Arizona held primary elections for federal and state officeholders, including a gubernatorial primary election that received nationwide media coverage. From the day of the election through August 4, 2022, Ogstad sent multiple threatening messages to an Instagram social media account maintained by Maricopa County Elections. For example, on or about August 3, 2022, Ogstad stated, (1) “You did it! Now you are [expletive]. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes”; (2) “[expletive] you! You are caught! They have it all. You [expletive] are dead”; (3) “You are lying, cheating [expletive] . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are [expletive] stupid if you think your lives are safe”; and (4) “You [expletive] are so dead.” On or about August 4, 2022, Ogstad further stated, “[Y]ou people are so ducking [sic] stupid. Everyone knows you are lots [sic], cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang [expletive]!”
The FBI Phoenix Field Office, with substantial assistance from the FBI Birmingham Field Office, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-03130-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-142_Ogstad# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Sentenced to 12 Months for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Manuel Duarte-Ibarra, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Duarte-Ibarra pleaded guilty to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer on July 3, 2024.
On February 21, 2024, near Newfield, Duarte-Ibarra was encountered by a United States Border Patrol agent. When the agent attempted to place him in handcuffs, Duarte-Ibarra jerked his hands away and attempted to run. During a struggle, Duarte-Ibarra kicked the agent in the chest multiple times while they were on the ground. Duarte-Ibarra admitted to agents that he was in the area to illegally transport undocumented noncitizens. Duarte-Ibarra also admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamine.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 24-01307-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-141_Duarte-Ibarra# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder of a ChildRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Pablo Martinez, Jr., 36, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Martinez, Jr. pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder on April 15, 2024.
On September 26, 2019, Martinez murdered the six-year-old victim by holding the victim’s face under the running bathtub faucet for between five to ten minutes, while giving the victim a bath. The victim inhaled water that caused liquid thermal burns, resulting in his death. The victim was an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances M. Kreamer Hope and Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-2617-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-140_Martinez, Jr.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.