District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department today announced the arrest of Ernesto Mercado, 54, of Arlington, Virginia, in connection with five sexual offenses that occurred in the Georgetown area of the District of Columbia between 2008 and 2012. The arrest is the culmination of work by the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, a joint effort by MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with support from other law enforcement partners, to reinvestigate, solve, and bring charges in previously unsolved sexual assault cases.

           Mercado was arrested last night and is charged by complaint with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances and five counts of second-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances in connection with five previously unsolved, forensically linked home invasion rapes. He had an appearance in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia today. The Honorable Heide L. Herrmann ordered the defendant held pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 10, 2024.

           Joining in today’s announcement were U.S. Marshal Robert Dixon with D.C. Superior Court, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

           The attacks occurred in the Georgetown area of Northwest Washington, D.C. According to the complaint, evidence testing in all five cases yielded the same unknown male DNA profile which also matched a DNA profile for a separate offense that occurred just off the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.

           According to the complaint, in multiple attacks, the complainants were sleeping when Mercado began his assault. They reported being awakened to a stranger who was sexually assaulting them. After the victims woke up, the assailant fled.

           “Thanks to DNA evidence from the rape kits of courageous survivors, improvements in DNA technology, and the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors, we were able to link these six rapes,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Once we had a DNA profile of the suspect, the team used every forensic tool at its disposal, as well as old-fashioned detective work, to identify the person behind this DNA profile. That hard work led to yesterday’s arrest of Ernesto Mercado. This case, and the Cold Case Initiative itself, are a testament to the law enforcement officers, the prosecutors and the advocates who never stop working on behalf of the victims.”

           “For the past 16 years, our Sexual Assault Unit detectives have continued to follow-up on leads and connect the cases together – looking for patterns, evidence, and a suspect,” said Chief Pamela A. Smith. “We know that people often want answers right away in cases, but our detectives never gave up and today’s announcement speaks to their unending commitment to bring justice to victims.” 

           “As yesterday's arrest demonstrates, advancements in technology and collaboration among law enforcement partners can lead to breakthroughs in cases that have previously gone unsolved,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. “The FBI Washington and Baltimore field offices reaffirm our commitment to seeking justice for victims of heinous crimes no matter how much time passes. We thank our federal and local partners who contributed to this investigation as well as those who work alongside us every day to protect our communities.”

           The incidents charged include: a June 26, 2008, sexual assault; a July 10, 2009, sexual assault; a February 28, 2010, sexual assault; an August 29, 2010, sexual assault; and an August 31, 2012, sexual assault, all in the District of Columbia. The defendant was linked to the attacks through DNA testing and other investigative tools.

           This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone who was a victim of sexual assault or who may have information related to these or other cases, please call the MPD at 202-727-9099 or text 50411. You can remain anonymous.

           This case is being investigated by the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, a collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Significant assistance is being provided by the U.S. Marshal’s Service’s Superior Court Unit, the FBI Investigative Genetic Genealogy Team, FBI’s Baltimore and Washington Field Offices, the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Arlington County Police Department.

           The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Platt and Amy Zubrensky.

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

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WASHINGTON – Haotian Sun, 34, and Pengfei Xue, 34, both Chinese nationals, were sentenced today for participating in a sophisticated scheme to defraud Apple Inc. out of millions of dollars’ worth of iPhones. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly sentenced Sun to 57 months in prison, and sentenced Xue to 54 months in prison.

            The sentences were announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Washington Division, and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office.

            On February 20, 2024, after three-and-a-half days of testimony, Sun, of Baltimore, and Xue, of Germantown, MD, were found guilty by a federal jury in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Kelly today ordered Sun to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,072,000 in restitution. Judge Kelly ordered Xue to serve three years of supervised release and pay $397,800 in restitution.

            According to the government’s evidence, between May 2017 and September 2019, Sun, Xue, and other conspirators defrauded Apple Inc. by submitting counterfeit iPhones to Apple Inc. for repair to get Apple to exchange them with genuine replacement iPhones. Sun and Xue received shipments of inauthentic iPhones from Hong Kong at UPS mailboxes throughout the D.C. metropolitan area. They then submitted the fake iPhones, with spoofed serial numbers and/or IMEI numbers, to Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, including the Apple Store in Georgetown. Trial evidence and evidence developed after trial showed that members of the conspiracy submitted more than 6,000 inauthentic phones to Apple during the conspiracy, causing an intended loss of approximately $3.8 million and an actual loss of more than $2.5 million.

            This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division and Homeland Security Investigations’ Washington Field Office.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi J. Kleinman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Ryan Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. Valuable assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialist Sona Chaturvedi. Essential work also was provided by Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Mariela Andrade, and Liliana Villamizar.

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           WASHINGTON – Antonio Christian Payne, 31, of Northeast Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 235 months in prison on 10 felony charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses in the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the Washington Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           Payne was found guilty by a federal jury on December 18, 2023, following a five-day trial in U.S. District Court of unlawful possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; unlawful possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; unlawful possession with intent to distribute marijuana; unlawful possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride; unlawful possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; unlawful possession with intent to distribute Oxycodone; unlawful opening and maintenance of a premises to manufacture and distribute a controlled substance; using, carrying, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; using carrying, and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense; and carrying a pistol without a license.

           In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Payne to serve five years of supervised release.

           According to the government’s evidence, on April 18, 2022, Payne initiated an armed confrontation outside his stash house at his mother’s home in a residential neighborhood in Northeast D.C. full of young families and their children. During the incident, at 2430 Baldwin Crescent, NE, Payne brandished a firearm at a would-be intruder whom he perceived to be staking out his residence and the valuable contraband inside. The individual returned minutes later and, in broad daylight in a residential neighborhood, fired multiple rounds at the Payne’s stash house as well as at Payne’s cousin who happened to be outside. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene to investigate the reported drive-by shooting and to determine if Payne’s cousin needed medical aid. The officers entered the house by consent to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

           At the same time, additional officers and detectives canvassed the area for witnesses and ultimately reviewed surveillance footage. The video revealed that minutes prior to the drive-by shooting, Payne had brandished a firearm at someone who had attempted to access Payne’s car and garage, both of which were later found to have narcotics and ammunition in them. 

           Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence expecting to find the single handgun they believed to be present. Instead, they uncovered base of operations for Payne’s lucrative drug trafficking operation, which entailed a multitude of controlled substances, chief among them almost 750 grams of fentanyl, protected by a small arsenal of assault rifles, handguns, hundreds of rounds ammunition, firearms accessories, and a bullet proof vest. Additional warrants executed on Payne’s digital devices further fleshed out the true breadth and longevity of the Payne’s drug and firearms trafficking business.

           Payne did not simply possess a large quantity of fentanyl. Officers also recovered a cornucopia of controlled substances, including more than a 125 grams of pure crystal meth; 240 grams of cocaine powder; 175 grams of crack cocaine; hundreds of illegal oxycodone pills; and 12 kilos of marijuana, along with more than $26,000 in U.S. currency.

           The case was investigated by the ATF High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and MPD. 

           This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Hart and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section (VRTO). Valuable assistance was provided by paralegal Peter Gaboton, Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Gold, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Engallena who assisted in the investigation and charging of this case. Leif Hickling and Charlie Bruce of LitTech, and VRTO supervisory paralegal Mary Downing provided valuable assistance on this case.

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WASHINGTON – Taiyon Suggs, 49, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in Superior Court for shooting at a victim, on March 25, 2024, as the victim fled in his truck, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Suggs pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2024 before the Honorable Heidi Pasichow.

            According to the government’s evidence, at around 5 p.m. on March 25, 2024, Suggs fired multiple gunshots at the victim as the victim fled in his vehicle in an alley near the 3700 block of 10th Street Northwest in Washington, D.C. At least one of the bullets that Suggs fired hit the victim’s front passenger window.

            The defendant was apprehended on April 10, 2024, and has been in custody ever since. Possession of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a five year mandatory minimum prison term.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Jacob Green of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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To commemorate the third anniversary of the Justice Department's Combating Redlining Initiative, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia conducted a walking tour yesterday along Washington D.C.'s historic U Street Corridor.

This year also marks the Justice Department’s 30th anniversary of redlining enforcement efforts. In 1994, the department filed its first redlining case against Chevy Chase Federal Savings Bank in Washington, D.C. Walking the historic U Street Corridor highlights the roots of the department’s fair lending enforcement efforts and continued commitment to fight for equal opportunity for all people and communities impacted by redlining. 

Assistant Attorney General Clarke and U.S. Attorney Graves met with three of the longest enduring Black-owned businesses in Washington D.C. — Industrial Bank, Lee’s Flower and Card Shop and Ben’s Chili Bowl — to discuss how access to credit and financial services impacted the neighborhood. Leaders reflected on the local Black community’s rich history of entrepreneurship and contributions to the local economy despite historical redlining.

Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race or national origin of the people who live in those communities. Starting in 2025, lenders will also be required to collect and report on the racial demographics of small business loans provided by financial institutions.

“These three legacy D.C. establishments underscore how access to credit and loan services can be transformative in providing access to economic opportunity and generational wealth for Black communities,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “Our Combating Redlining Initiative is holding financial institutions accountable for unlawful redlining practices and has resulted in historic relief to close the widening wealth gap between communities of color and others. As we expand our efforts, we look forward to reviewing future data on business loans to ensure that banks are engaged in fair lending to small businesses.”

“Industrial Bank’s relationship with Lee’s Flower and Card Shop and Ben’s Chili Bowl shows how businesses can thrive when banks provide access to lending,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with our partners at the Civil Rights Division, are committed to holding accountable those banks that are not providing equal access to lending.”  

In October 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General Clarke launched the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative as the most aggressive and coordinated effort to fight discriminatory lending against communities of color. The Initiative brings a comprehensive approach by working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, State Attorneys General and financial regulatory agencies nationwide to address redlining. 

Since 2021, the department has reached major milestones since its launch, including:

• Securing 13 settlements totaling $137 million in relief for communities of color across the country in California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Tennessee.
• Securing a historic amount of relief that includes $121 million in subsidies for home loans and is expected to generate over $1 billion in investment in affected communities in places such as Houston; Memphis, Tennessee; Newark, New Jersey; Los Angeles; and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Information about the Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement work can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online. Information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights enforcement may be found at www.justice.gov/usao-dc/affirmative-civil-rights-and-environmental-justice.

Beginning in 2025, consistent with section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, lenders will be required to collect and report certain demographic data for small business loan applications. Information about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s small business lending rulemaking may be found at Small business lending rulemaking | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov).

WASHINGTON – To commemorate the third anniversary of the Justice Department's Combating Redlining Initiative, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia conducted a walking tour along Washington D.C.'s historic U Street Corridor.

           This year also marks the Justice Department’s 30th anniversary of redlining enforcement efforts. In 1994, the department filed its first redlining case against Chevy Chase Federal Savings Bank in Washington, D.C. Walking the historic U Street Corridor highlights the roots of the department’s fair lending enforcement efforts and continued commitment to fight for equal opportunity for all people and communities impacted by redlining.   

           Assistant Attorney General Clarke and U.S. Attorney Graves met with three of the longest enduring Black-owned businesses in Washington D.C. — Industrial Bank, Lee’s Flower and Card Shop and Ben’s Chili Bowl — to discuss how access to credit and financial services impacted the neighborhood. Leaders reflected on the local Black community’s rich history of entrepreneurship and contributions to the local economy despite historical redlining. 

           Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race or national origin of the people who live in those communities. Starting in 2025, lenders will also be required to collect and report on the racial demographics of small business loans provided by financial institutions. 

            “These three legacy D.C. establishments underscore how access to credit and loan services can be transformative in providing access to economic opportunity and generational wealth for Black communities,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “Our Combating Redlining Initiative is holding financial institutions accountable for unlawful redlining practices and has resulted in historic relief to close the widening wealth gap between communities of color and others. As we expand our efforts, we look forward to reviewing future data on business loans to ensure that banks are engaged in fair lending to small businesses.” 

            “Lee’s Flower and Card Shop, Ben’s Chili Bowl and Industrial Bank are perfect examples of how businesses can thrive when banks provide equal access to lending,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with our partners at the Civil Rights Division, are committed to holding accountable those banks that are not providing equal access.”  

           In October 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General Clarke launched the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative as the most aggressive and coordinated effort to fight discriminatory lending against communities of color. The Initiative brings a comprehensive approach by working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, State Attorneys General and financial regulatory agencies nationwide to address redlining. 

       Since 2021, the department has reached major milestones since its launch, including:

• Securing 13 settlements totaling $137 million in relief for communities of color across the country in California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Tennessee.
• Securing a historic amount of relief that includes $121 million in subsidies for home loans and is expected to generate over $1 billion in investment in affected communities in places such as Houston; Memphis, Tennessee; Newark, New Jersey; Los Angeles; and Charlotte, North Carolina. 

           Information about the Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement work can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online. Information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s civil rights enforcement may be found at www.justice.gov/usao-dc/affirmative-civil-rights-and-environmental-justice. 

           Beginning in 2025, consistent with section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, lenders will be required to collect and report certain demographic data for small business loan applications. Information about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s small business lending rulemaking may be found at Small business lending rulemaking | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov).

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WASHINGTON – Timothy Eugene Taylor, 36, a four-time convicted felon from Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm and a distributable quantity of liquid phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, in August 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Samuel Ward of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Division (ATF); and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Taylor pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of phencyclidine.  The Honorable Randolph D. Moss scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 2, 2025.

            According to court papers, on August 11, 2023, officers with MPD’s Seventh District Crime Suppression Team were patrolling the 300 block of Livingston Terrace Southeast in a marked police cruiser. Officers observed that Taylor was wearing a crossbody satchel with a distinct “L-shaped” bulge protruding from the bag. Based on this observation, officers believed Taylor was carrying a firearm and attempted to speak with him from their vehicle. Taylor moved the bag to the opposite side of his body—out of view—and was turning his body away from the police. As officers exited the vehicle to get a better look at the bag, Taylor fled on foot into a nearby apartment building in which he did not reside.

            Officers pursued Taylor into the building, where they stopped him. An officer frisked Taylor’s satchel and immediately felt a hard object that he recognized to be a firearm. Officers opened the satchel and recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson M&P 9 2.0 9-millimeter, semiautomatic handgun. The firearm was loaded with one chambered round of 9mm ammunition and an additional 21 rounds of 9mm ammunition in its extended magazine. Officers also recovered three vials of liquid phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, from the bag. The quantity of PCP recovered was indicative of distribution rather than personal use.

            Following his arrest, Taylor agreed to participate in an interview with an MPD detective.  In the interview, Taylor admitted that the firearm belonged to him and that he was engaged in the distribution of PCP.

            Federal law prohibits Taylor from possessing a firearm because he has previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Taylor has been convicted of four such offenses in the District of Columbia since 2007, including a 2020 conviction for the same federal firearms charge to which he pleaded guilty today.

            Taylor was arrested on October 27, 2023, and has remained held without bond since his arrest.

            The charges carry a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison and up to a $1,250,000 fine.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            At the time of the offense Taylor was serving a term of supervised release for his 2020 federal firearms conviction. Upon his conviction in this case, Taylor faces revocation of supervised release and up to 24 additional months in prison.

            The case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney. Valuable assistance was provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine A. Pattison and Katherine M. Toth, who indicted the case and litigated pretrial motions.

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WASHINGTON – Timothy Marquette Conrad, 34, of Washington D.C., was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 168 months in federal prison for participating in a multi-state string of violent gun-point robberies of South Asian jewelry stores that netted millions of dollars in cash and gold for the 16-member crew, allegedly led by Trevor Wright, aka rapper “Taliban Glizzy.”

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg, of the Washington Field Office; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado of the Newark Field Office, U.S. Marshal Peter Marketos of the United States Marshals Service, and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Conrad, aka “Twin,” pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, to interfering with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act robbery) and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. In his plea, Conrad accepted responsibility for four robberies that took place in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Conrad to serve 48 months of supervised release.

            According to court documents, over the course of 18 months, Conrad and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to rob multiple South Asian jewelry stores, across multiple states, of heavy gold jewelry. The conspiracy began in January 2022 and continued until August 2023, ending only when several of the co-conspirators, including Conrad, were charged and arrested. Before they were apprehended the co-conspirators robbed at least ten jewelry stores of millions of dollars in jewelry, terrorizing multiple victims and leaving behind a wake of destruction and financial loss.

            Conrad was arrested on August 30, 2023. Officers executed a search warrant at a residence associated with him in NW D.C., whereupon they recovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol equipped with a machine-gun conversion device; and an AK-Style 7.62 x 39mm rifle.

            When he pleaded guilty, Conrad accepted responsibility for his involvement in the November 10, 2022, armed robbery of an estimated $1 million in gold from Baral Jewelers and Gift Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; the November 27, 2022 armed robbery of an estimated $100,000 in gold from Sara Jewelry in Jersey City, New Jersey; the December 22, 2022 armed robbery of an estimated $400,000 in gold jewelry at Chintamanis Inc. in Franklin Park, New Jersey; and the August 4, 2023 armed robbery of an estimated $150,000 in gold from Jolie Jewelry in Washington, D.C.

From surveillance footage taken during the robbery of Baral Jewelers in Harrisburg.

            In the aftermath of the Chintamanis robbery, Conrad and his co-conspirators fled the scene at high speed, colliding with another vehicle, and ultimately killing one of the co-conspirators, who police found in the backseat of the getaway vehicle along with two loaded firearms, a hammer, a duffel bag, and stolen gold jewelry from Chintamanis.

            This case was investigated by the ATF, FBI Washington Field Office, FBI Newark Field Office, U.S. Marshals, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Andrea Duvall.

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WASHINGTON – Tykel Wilson, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced on Friday for the armed carjacking of a rideshare driver, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Wilson pleaded guilty on June 28, 2024, to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.  On September 27, 2024, Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Wilson to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, with which Wilson agreed, at approximately 1:43 p.m., on April 29, 2023, in the 900 block of Allison Street, NW, the victim, a rideshare driver, had pulled his car over after dropping off a passenger. While parked, Wilson approached the victim’s car, armed with a silver firearm, and demanded that the victim exit his car. The victim complied with the Wilson’s demands and Wilson drove off in the victim’s car.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Bartz and Randle Wilson, who prosecuted the case.

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On Sept. 27, the Commonwealth of Australia extradited Jin Guanghua, 53, to the United States. Jin, a Chinese national, and his co-conspirators North Korean banker, Sim Hyon-Sop, 50, and Chinese nationals Qin Guoming, 60, and Han Linlin, 41, both of Liaoning Province, were all charged by indictment in 2022 in connection with a multi-year scheme to facilitate the sale of tobacco to North Korea through the U.S. financial system in violation of the sanctions imposed on North Korea. Jin made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia today.

Between 2009 and 2019, the defendants engaged in a scheme to purchase leaf tobacco for North Korean-owned entities and used front companies and false documentation to cause U.S. financial institutions to process at least 310 transactions worth approximately $74 million that the financial institutions otherwise would have frozen, blocked, investigated, or declined, had they known that the transactions involved trade with North Korea. The transactions resulted in an estimated nearly $700 million in revenue for North Korean entities, and ultimately, for the government of North Korea. The defendants are charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to violate and violations of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the North Korean sanctions regulations, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and laundering monetary instruments.

Jin was residing in Australia and was attempting to depart the country for China at the time of his arrest by Australian authorities on March 23, 2023. The arrest followed a request by the United States for Jin’s provisional arrest with a view toward extradition.

This case is part of a larger Justice Department response to the ongoing efforts of North Korea to evade sanctions and use the U.S. financial system to engage in illicit trafficking of tobacco products. As alleged in the indictment, trafficking in tobacco products generates revenue for advancing North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs. North Korea has been developing nuclear weapons since at least 2006 and financed these activities through illicit trade, including trafficking of tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes, which North Korea has engaged in since at least 1992. North Korea’s counterfeit cigarette production capacity is estimated to exceed two billion packs a year. Counterfeit cigarettes are a major source of income to the North Korean regime and may be the single most lucrative item in the North Korean portfolio, as smuggled tobacco is estimated to garner revenue as much as $20 on every $1 spent in cost. North Korean tobacco sales are alleged to flow back to the North Korean government, including to slush funds designed to sustain the loyalty of a core of party elite and to underwrite weapons development programs.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for bank fraud, 20 years in prison for violating IEEPA, and 20 years in prison for committing money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.

The FBI Phoenix Field Office and HSI Colorado Springs and investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, the Australian Federal Police, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, David Recker, and Steven Wasserman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Jorge Casillas.

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

WASHINGTON – On Sept. 27, the Commonwealth of Australia extradited Jin Guanghua, 53, to the United States. Jin, a Chinese national, and his co-conspirators North Korean banker, Sim Hyon-Sop, 50, and Chinese nationals Qin Guoming, 60, and Han Linlin, 41, both of Liaoning Province, were all charged by indictment in 2022 in connection with a multi-year scheme to facilitate the sale of tobacco to North Korea through the U.S. financial system in violation of the sanctions imposed on North Korea. Jin made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia today.

            U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves made the announcement with Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.

            Between 2009 and 2019, the defendants engaged in a scheme to purchase leaf tobacco for North Korean-owned entities and used front companies and false documentation to cause U.S. financial institutions to process at least 310 transactions worth approximately $74 million that the financial institutions otherwise would have frozen, blocked, investigated, or declined, had they known that the transactions involved trade with North Korea. The transactions resulted in an estimated nearly $700 million in revenue for North Korean entities, and ultimately, for the government of North Korea. The defendants are charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to violate and violations of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the North Korean sanctions regulations, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and laundering monetary instruments.

            Jin was residing in Australia and was attempting to depart the country for China at the time of his arrest by Australian authorities on March 23, 2023. The arrest followed a request by the United States for Jin’s provisional arrest with a view toward extradition.

            This case is part of a larger Justice Department response to the ongoing efforts of North Korea to evade sanctions and use the U.S. financial system to engage in illicit trafficking of tobacco products. As alleged in the indictment, trafficking in tobacco products generates revenue for advancing North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs. North Korea has been developing nuclear weapons since at least 2006 and financed these activities through illicit trade, including trafficking of tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes, which North Korea has engaged in since at least 1992. North Korea’s counterfeit cigarette production capacity is estimated to exceed two billion packs a year. Counterfeit cigarettes are a major source of income to the North Korean regime and may be the single most lucrative item in the North Korean portfolio, as smuggled tobacco is estimated to garner revenue as much as $20 on every $1 spent in cost. North Korean tobacco sales are alleged to flow back to the North Korean government, including to slush funds designed to sustain the loyalty of a core of party elite and to underwrite weapons development programs.

            If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for bank fraud, 20 years in prison for violating IEEPA, and 20 years in prison for committing money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The FBI Phoenix Field Office and HSI Colorado Springs and investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, the Australian Federal Police, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Steven Wasserman, and Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Jorge Casillas for the District of Columbia, along with Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney David Recker of the National Security Division provided substantial assistance on this matter.            

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

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WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Iranian nationals, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) employees, Masoud Jalili, 36,  also known as, مسعود جلیلی, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, 34, also known as, سید علی آقامیری, and Yaser Balaghi, 37, also known as, یاسر بلاغی, with a conspiracy with others known and unknown to hack into accounts of current and former U.S. officials, members of the media, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns. The activity was part of Iran’s continuing efforts to stoke discord, erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process, and unlawfully acquire information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the malign activities of the IRGC, including ongoing efforts to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC – Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

            As alleged, in or around May 2024, after several years of focusing on compromising the accounts of former U.S. government officials, the conspirators used some of the same hacking infrastructure from earlier in the conspiracy to begin targeting and successfully gaining unauthorized access to personal accounts belonging to persons associated with an identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 1), including campaign officials. The conspirators used their access to those accounts to steal, among other information, non-public campaign documents and emails (campaign material). The activity broadened in late June 2024, when the conspirators engaged in a “hack-and-leak” operation, in which they sought to weaponize campaign material stolen from U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 by leaking such materials to members of the media and individuals associated with what was then another identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 2), in a deliberate effort to, as reflected in the conspirators’ own words and actions, undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

            “The Justice Department is working relentlessly to uncover and counter Iran’s cyberattacks aimed at stoking discord, undermining confidence in our democratic institutions, and influencing our elections,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The American people – not Iran, or any other foreign power – will decide the outcome of our country’s elections.”

            “This indictment alleges a serious and sustained effort by a state-sponsored terrorist organization to gather intelligence through hacking personal accounts so they can use the hacked materials to harm Americans and corruptly influence our election,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The detailed allegations in the indictment should make clear to anyone who might attempt to do the same that the Department of Justice has the ability to gather evidence of such crimes from around the globe, will charge those who commit such crimes, and will do whatever we can to bring those charged to justice.”

            "The defendants' hack-to-leak scheme is one of the Iranian government's latest ploys to erode public trust in the U.S. presidential election process," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office. "The FBI will not tolerate malign foreign influence operations targeting U.S. political campaigns or voters. We will continue to work with our partners, as we have this year and during previous elections cycles, to identify and disrupt threats to elections and protect Americans' right to vote."

            As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around January 2020, Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, working on behalf of the IRGC, commenced a wide-ranging hacking campaign that used spearphishing and social engineering techniques to target and compromise victims computers and accounts. Among the conspirators’ techniques were: using virtual private networks and virtual private servers to obscure their true location; creating fraudulent email accounts in the names of prominent U.S. persons and international institutions; creating spoofed login pages to harvest account credentials; sending spearphishing emails using compromised victim accounts; and using social engineering to obtain victims’ login information and multi-factor recovery/authentication codes. Some of the conspirators’ efforts were successful, while others were not.

            In April 2019, the U.S. Department of State designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. Among the purposes of the conspiracy were for the conspirators to: (i) steal victims’ data, such as information related to U.S. government and foreign policy information concerning the Middle East; (ii) steal information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the IRGC’s malign activities; (iii) disrupt U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East; (iv) stoke discord and erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process; (v) steal personal and private information from persons who had access to information relating to U.S. Presidential Campaign 1, including non-public campaign material and information; and (vi) undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election by leaking stolen campaign material and information.

            As reflected in the September 18, 2024 joint statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: “Iranian malicious cyber actors in late June and early July sent unsolicited emails to individuals then associated with President Biden’s campaign that contained an excerpt taken from stolen, non-public material from former Trump’s campaign as text in the emails. There is currently no information indicating those recipients replied. Furthermore, Iranian malicious cyber actors have continued their efforts since June to send stolen, non-public material associated with former President Trump’s campaign to U.S. media organizations.”

            As alleged in further detail in the indictment, the conspirators’ hack-and-leak efforts involved the conspirators emailing stolen campaign material to individuals that the conspirators believed were associated with what was then U.S. Presidential Campaign 2 and members of the media.

            First, between on or about June 27 and July 3, the conspirators sent or forwarded an unsolicited email message to personal accounts of three persons that the conspirators believed were associated with U.S. Presidential Campaign 2. The June 27 email was sent to two recipients, and then forwarded the same day to another account for one of those recipients (due to the earlier email being sent to an invalid account for that recipient). This email chain contained campaign material stolen from an official for U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 (U.S. Victim 11). Neither of the recipients replied to the conspirators’ email. In addition, the conspirators sent a follow up email on July 3rd to a third recipient’s account, and the recipient similarly did not reply to the conspirators.

            Second, between on or about July 22, 2024, and on or about August 31, 2024, the conspirators distributed other campaign material stolen from U.S. Victim 11 regarding U.S. Presidential Campaign 1’s potential vice-presidential candidates to multiple members of the news media, in an attempt to induce the news media to publish the material. In one instance, for example, the conspirators’ message stated “I think this information is worth a good [U.S. news publication] piece with your narration. Let me know your thoughts.”

            As alleged, these defendants also sought to promote the IRGC’s goals and mission by compromising and maintaining unauthorized access to the email accounts of a number of former government officials, including U.S. Victim 1, who had served in a position with responsibility over U.S. Middle East policy at the time of Qasam Soleimani’s death. Using this access, the defendants obtained information to assist the IRGC’s efforts to target U.S. Victim 1 and others, including their means of identification, correspondence, travel information, lodging information and other information regarding their whereabouts and policy positions.   

            Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi are charged with: conspiracy to commit identity theft, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, unauthorized access to computers to obtain information from a protected computer, unauthorized access to computers to defraud and obtain a thing of value, and wire fraud, all while knowingly falsely registering domain names, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; eight counts of wire fraud while falsely registering domain names, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 27 years in prison; and eight counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            Concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State, through the Rewards for Justice Program, issued a reward of up to $10 million for information on Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, the IRGC’s interference in U.S. elections, or associated individuals and entities. Also, concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13848 designated Jalili for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, a cyber-enabled activity originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States that is reasonably likely to result in, or has materially contributed to, a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States and that has the purpose or effect of causing a significant misappropriation of funds or economic resources, trade secrets, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain.

            The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating this case. The FBI Cyber Division and Springfield and Minneapolis Field Offices provided substantial assistance in this matter. For more information on threat activity as well as mitigation guidance, the FBI has released a Joint Cyber Security Advisory titled “Iranian Cyber Actors Targeting Personal Accounts to Support Operations.”

            The Department of Justice would like to thank the following private sector partners for their assistance with this case: Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Meta.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla and Christopher Tortorice for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Greg Nicosia of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialists Mariela Andrade and Kate Abrey. Josh Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section also provided valuable assistance.

***

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

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Note: View the indictment here and the FBI Wanted Poster here.

The Justice Department today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Iranian nationals, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) employees, Masoud Jalili, 36,  also known as, مسعود جلیلی, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, 34, also known as, سید علی آقامیری, and Yaser Balaghi, 37, also known as, یاسر بلاغی (the Conspirators), with a conspiracy with others known and unknown to hack into accounts of current and former U.S. officials, members of the media, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns. The activity was part of Iran’s continuing efforts to stoke discord, erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process, and unlawfully acquire information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the malign activities of the IRGC, including ongoing efforts to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC – Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

As alleged, in or around May, after several years of focusing on compromising the accounts of former U.S. government officials, the conspirators used some of the same hacking infrastructure from earlier in the conspiracy to begin targeting and successfully gaining unauthorized access to personal accounts belonging to persons associated with an identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 1), including campaign officials. The conspirators used their access to those accounts to steal, among other information, non-public campaign documents and emails (campaign material). The activity broadened in late June, when the conspirators engaged in a “hack-and-leak” operation, in which they sought to weaponize campaign material stolen from U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 by leaking such materials to members of the media and individuals associated with what was then another identified U.S. Presidential campaign (U.S. Presidential Campaign 2), in a deliberate effort to, as reflected in the conspirators’ own words and actions, undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

“The Justice Department is working relentlessly to uncover and counter Iran’s cyberattacks aimed at stoking discord, undermining confidence in our democratic institutions, and influencing our elections,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The American people – not Iran, or any other foreign power – will decide the outcome of our country’s elections.”

“Today’s charges represent the culmination of a thorough and long-running FBI investigation that has resulted in the indictment of three Iranian nationals for their roles in a wide-ranging hacking campaign sponsored by the Government of Iran,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The conduct laid out in the indictment is just the latest example of Iran’s brazen behavior. So today the FBI would like to send a message to the Government of Iran – you and your hackers can’t hide behind your keyboards.”

“These hack-and-leak efforts by Iran are a direct assault on the integrity of our democratic processes,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Iranian government actors have long sought to use cyber-enabled means to harm U.S. interests. This case demonstrates our commitment to expose attempts by the Iranian regime or any other foreign actor to interfere with our free and open society.”

“This indictment alleges a serious and sustained effort by a state-sponsored terrorist organization to gather intelligence through hacking personal accounts so they can use the hacked materials to harm Americans and corruptly influence our election,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “The detailed allegations in the indictment should make clear to anyone who might attempt to do the same that the Justice Department has the ability to gather evidence of such crimes from around the globe, will charge those who commit such crimes, and will do whatever we can to bring those charged to justice.”

As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around January 2020, Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, working on behalf of the IRGC, commenced a wide-ranging hacking campaign that used spearphishing and social engineering techniques to target and compromise victims computers and accounts. Among the conspirators’ techniques were: using virtual private networks and virtual private servers to obscure their true location; creating fraudulent email accounts in the names of prominent U.S. persons and international institutions; creating spoofed login pages to harvest account credentials; sending spearphishing emails using compromised victim accounts; and using social engineering to obtain victims’ login information and multi-factor recovery/authentication codes. Some of the conspirators’ efforts were successful, while others were not.

In April 2019, the Department of State designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. Among the purposes of the conspiracy were for the conspirators to: (i) steal victims’ data, such as information related to U.S. government and foreign policy information concerning the Middle East; (ii) steal information relating to current and former U.S. officials that could be used to advance the IRGC’s malign activities; (iii) disrupt U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East; (iv) stoke discord and erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process; (v) steal personal and private information from persons who had access to information relating to U.S. Presidential Campaign 1, including non-public campaign material and information; and (vi) undermine U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election by leaking stolen campaign material and information.

As reflected in the Sept. 18 joint statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, FBI, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: “Iranian malicious cyber actors in late June and early July sent unsolicited emails to individuals then associated with President Biden’s campaign that contained an excerpt taken from stolen, non-public material from former Trump’s campaign as text in the emails. There is currently no information indicating those recipients replied. Furthermore, Iranian malicious cyber actors have continued their efforts since June to send stolen, non-public material associated with former President Trump’s campaign to U.S. media organizations.”

As alleged in further detail in the indictment, the conspirators’ hack-and-leak efforts involved the conspirators emailing stolen campaign material to individuals that the conspirators believed were associated with what was then U.S. Presidential Campaign 2 and members of the media.

First, between on or about June 27 and July 3, the conspirators sent or forwarded an unsolicited email message to personal accounts of three persons that the conspirators believed were associated with U.S. Presidential Campaign 2. The June 27 email was sent to two recipients, and then forwarded the same day to another account for one of those recipients (due to the earlier email being sent to an invalid account for that recipient). This email chain contained campaign material stolen from an official for U.S. Presidential Campaign 1 (U.S. Victim 11). Neither of the recipients replied to the conspirators’ email. In addition, the conspirators sent a follow up email on July 3rd to a third recipient’s account, and the recipient similarly did not reply to the Conspirators.

Second, between on or about July 22 and on or about Aug. 31, the conspirators distributed other campaign material stolen from U.S. Victim 11 regarding U.S. Presidential Campaign 1’s potential vice-presidential candidates to multiple members of the news media, in an attempt to induce the news media to publish the material. In one instance, for example, the conspirators’ message stated “I think this information is worth a good [U.S. news publication] piece with your narration. Let me know your thoughts.”

As alleged, these defendants also sought to promote the IRGC’s goals and mission by compromising and maintaining unauthorized access to the email accounts of a number of former government officials, including U.S. Victim 1, who had served in a position with responsibility over U.S. Middle East policy at the time of Qasam Soleimani’s death. Using this access, the defendants obtained information to assist the IRGC’s efforts to target U.S. Victim 1 and others, including their means of identification, correspondence, travel information, lodging information and other information regarding their whereabouts and policy positions.   

Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi are charged with: conspiracy to commit identity theft, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, unauthorized access to computers to obtain information from a protected computer, unauthorized access to computers to defraud and obtain a thing of value, and wire fraud, all while knowingly falsely registering domain names, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; eight counts of wire fraud while falsely registering domain names, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 27 years in prison; and eight counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Concurrent with today’s announcement, the Department of State, through the Rewards for Justice Program, issued a reward of up to $10 million for information on Jalili, Aghamiri, and Balaghi, the IRGC’s interference in U.S. elections, or associated individuals and entities. Also, concurrent with today’s announcement, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as amended, and E.O. 13848 designated Jalili for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, a cyber-enabled activity originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States that is reasonably likely to result in, or has materially contributed to, a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States and that has the purpose or effect of causing a significant misappropriation of funds or economic resources, trade secrets, personal identifiers, or financial information for commercial or competitive advantage or private financial gain.

The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating this case. The FBI Cyber Division and Springfield and Minneapolis Field Offices provided substantial assistance in this matter. For more information on threat activity as well as mitigation guidance, the FBI has released a Joint Cyber Security Advisory titled “Iranian Cyber Actors Targeting Personal Accounts to Support Operations.”

The Justice Department would like to thank the following private sector partners for their assistance with this case: Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Meta.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla and Christopher Tortorice for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Greg Nicosia of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialists Mariela Andrade and Kate Abrey. Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section also provided valuable assistance.

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

WASHINGTON – Michael Hilliard, 65, of no fixed address, was charged by complaint today in D.C. Superior Court with one count of enhanced misdemeanor sexual abuse (a felony) and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse for sexually touching a treating nurse at George Washington University Hospital, a stranger to him.  The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.  Hilliard is detained pending a September 30, 2024, preliminary hearing.

            According to the complaint, at approximately 9:00 a.m., on September 26, 2024, the victim attempted to draw blood from Hilliard, where he sat inside of a hospital room. Hilliard requested to sit in a chair to get his blood drawn. As the nurse approached him, Hilliard grabbed her into a face-to-face bear hug.  He then touched her on her genitalia and buttocks.

            Hilliard has more than three prior convictions for misdemeanor sexual abuse. Most recently, he pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court on December 19, 2023, to two misdemeanor charges for sexually abusing a woman and physically assaulting another, both of whom were strangers to him.

            Hilliard is the first individual charged with enhanced misdemeanor sexual abuse, a felony created by the D.C. Council’s Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024.  Before this legislation went into effect, repeat offenders who committed such assaults could not be charged with a felony, no matter how many times this Office had prosecuted those defendants, often for virtually identical misdemeanor sexual abuse conduct.

            “The reason we advocated so vigorously for this change and are so appreciative of its enactment is that there is a relatively small population of offenders who repeatedly commit this offense that are not deterred by misdemeanor convictions,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves.  “This new law allows our Office to charge these individuals with felonies so that we can advocate for them to be removed from our community for longer periods of time.”

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Houck. 

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

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            WASHINGTON — Cameron Curry, 25, of Raleigh, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to stealing sensitive data from his prior employer, a D.C.-based company, and extorting the company by threatening to publish this data unless the company paid him $2.5 million. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

           Curry pleaded guilty to one count of felony extortion for making an interstate threat to injure the property or reputation of another in order to extort money before U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 28, 2025.

           According to court documents, Curry admitted that he had been working as a contract employee with the victim company but was told on December 5, 2023, that his last day of employment would be December 15, 2023. On December 11, 2023, posing under the pseudonym of “Loot,” Curry began sending a series of emails to the victim company and its employees threatening to publish certain sensitive financial records and personally identifiable information of the victim company’s employees. In one email, Curry wrote, “If you wish to reclaim your data, we recommend doing so promptly at 2.5 million USD in order to save your company and stocks, as each subsequent month will incur a $100,000 USD increase.” Between December 11 and January 23, Curry allegedly sent over 60 similarly threatening emails to the company.

           Law enforcement identified Curry as the individual posing as “Loot” by metadata in the communications he sent to the company, user information for the email address he used to send these communications, and account details for the cryptocurrency wallet to which he directed the victim to send him the ransom he demanded, among other evidence.

           On January 24, 2024, when the FBI sought to execute a search warrant at Curry’s residence, Curry was arrested after he refused to leave the residence and then sent a series of messages to the victim company threatening to publish its data if he were to be arrested.

           This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Field Office in Charlotte, North Carolina.

           It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Macey and Joseph “Tony” Misher for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.

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WASHINGTON – Lucius Kearney, 52, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a D.C. Superior Court jury of first-degree sexual abuse of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. The sexual assault took place nearly 20 years ago when the victim was 15 years old, and the defendant was approximately 33 years old. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for December 10, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence at trial, in the 2005-2006 school year, when the victim was in tenth grade, she met the defendant – then a Fourth District Metropolitan Police Department officer – while doing a school project. At their initial meeting at the Fourth District Police Station, the defendant and victim exchanged phone numbers and began communicating about the school project. Their conversations turned sexual, and ultimately the defendant engaged in sexual acts with the victim in his truck near a D.C. public library, where the victim was volunteering to complete her high school community service hours.

            The victim disclosed the abuse in 2020 after randomly encountering the defendant while he was on duty in the area where the victim lived. Kearney’s body worn camera showed that after this coincidental encounter, which occurred in 2019, Kearney ran the tags from the victim’s car and said to himself:  “How in the world did I f**king manage to do that?!?”  The defendant was charged in 2021.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter Taylor and Richard Kelley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Calvon Brown, 30, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury yesterday of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and other related firearm charges for a late-afternoon shooting that took place on March 22, 2024, in Southeast DC, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

            The verdict was returned on September 26, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judge Erik Christian scheduled sentencing for December 10, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, on March 22, 2024, the victim walked into a corner store in the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE in which the defendant and his associates were dealing suspected drugs.  The defendant verbally confronted the victim about his loud music playing from a portable Bluetooth speaker, and the two agreed to go outside to what the victim thought was a fistfight.  When they got outside, the victim put his things down to ready himself, but the defendant indicated that they needed to go around the corner and into the alley.  When they did so, the defendant pulled out a gun and shot at the victim several times, one shot of which hit the victim in the upper thigh/buttocks.  The victim and the defendant then wrestled over the gun.  Ultimately, the victim was able to recover it and tried to fire back at the defendant, but the gun jammed.  The defendant then fled the scene.  The victim then called his girlfriend, who encouraged him to go to the police station to report the incident. The defendant was arrested on April 25, 2024, and has been held since.

            This aggravated assault charge was brought as a result of the D.C. Council’s Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024. The change in the law recognizes that all gunshot wounds are serious bodily injury for purposes of aggravated assault.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lizzy Van Haasteren and Mark Levy. 

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WASHINGTON – Eric Lemus, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan for shooting two minor victims on March 22, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Lemus pleaded guilty on February 9, 2024, to one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office requested a sentence of 219 months (18.25 years) of incarceration.  The Court sentenced the defendant to 108 months (nine years) incarceration, with an additional 39 months suspended and two years of supervised probation. The Court sentenced Lemus under the Youth Rehabilitation act, over the government’s objection.

            According to the government’s evidence, on March 22, 2023, Lemus encountered the two minor victims, ages 15 and 17, at Park Road Park in the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Northwest D.C. Lemus produced a handgun and opened fire on the two victims, who were both struck and later treated for gunshot wounds. After firing multiple rounds at the two victims until the magazine was empty, Lemus attempted to flee the scene. The defendant was immediately apprehended by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department, who discovered the handgun that Lemus used to commit the shooting, located inside of his sweatshirt pocket. The crime was captured on video by a bystander who had witnessed the incident. 

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Coates Huether and Carlos A. Valdivia, who prosecuted the case. 

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Note: View the indictment here. 

Former Federal Aviation Administration contractor, Abouzar Rahmati, 42, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, was indicted for acting and conspiring to act as an agent of the Iranian government in the United States without prior notice to the Attorney General. He made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia today this afternoon.

According to the indictment, from at least December 2017 through June 2024, Rahmati conspired with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives to act on their behalf in the United States, including by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers in Iran, communicating with coconspirators using a cover story to hide his conduct, obtaining employment with an FAA contractor with access to sensitive non-public information, and obtaining open-source and non-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry and providing it to Iranian intelligence.  

“As alleged, the defendant conspired with Iranian officials and intelligence operatives, even lying to obtain employment as a U.S. government contractor only to then share sensitive government materials with Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “When undisclosed agents of Iran or any other foreign government seek to infiltrate American companies or government agencies, the Justice Department will use every available tool to identify them and bring them to justice.”  

“This defendant is charged with infiltrating a U.S. agency with the intent of providing Iran with sensitive information vital to our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Thanks to the great work of the FBI and the FAA’s investigators, this defendant was stopped in his tracks and a known adversary’s plot was exposed.”

“This indictment describes the reprehensible actions of an individual who allegedly betrayed his country by transferring sensitive U.S. information to a foreign power. This alleged betrayal not only undermines our national security but also puts U.S. jobs and livelihoods at risk,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “We will not tolerate any actions that compromise U.S.-based sensitive information and are committed to ensuring that justice is served swiftly and decisively.”

According to the indictment, from June 2009 to May 2010, Rahmati served as a First Lieutenant in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — an Iranian military and counterintelligence organization under the authority of the Supreme Leader of Iran. After being discharged from the IRGC, Rahmati lied to the United States government regarding his military service with the IRGC in order to, among other things, gain employment as a U.S. government contractor.

In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university. Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics.

After Rahmati returned to the United States in December 2017, he obtained various non-public and open-source materials related to the U.S. solar energy industry and provided them to an Iranian government official. Rahmati also applied for multiple positions with private companies and U.S. government entities that would provide him with access to sensitive information, eventually obtaining a position with U.S. Company 1 supporting the FAA on a contract related to the power and electrical architecture of the FAA’s National Airspace System (NAS). After Rahmati obtained the position, he informed an Iranian intelligence officer that he was “in the process of moving to and joining a new company” and that they could “work more effectively if it is finalized.”

In response to tasking from Iranian officials, and in furtherance of his agency relationship with the Government of Iran, Rahmati exploited his employment with U.S. Company 1 by downloading sensitive non-public U.S. Company 1 documents related to the FAA, storing them on removable media, and taking them to Iran, where he provided the documents to the Government of Iran in April 2022. These included documents related to the NAS that would give a person unfamiliar with NAS facility engineering a reasonable understanding of how the NAS power and electrical architecture is configured.

After he returned to the United States in April 2022, in response to tasking from Iranian government officials, Rahmati sent additional information relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towers to his brother, a co-conspirator, so that he would provide those files to Iranian intelligence on behalf of Rahmati.

The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. FAA’s Office of Counterintelligence and Technical Operations provided significant assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Alexander Wharton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia provided significant assistance. 

            WASHINGTON – Former Federal Aviation Administration contractor Abouzar Rahmati, 42, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, was indicted today for acting and conspiring to act as an illegal agent of the Iranian government in the United States.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office.

            According to the indictment, from at least December 2017 through June 2024, Rahmati conspired with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives to act on their behalf in the United States, including by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers in Iran, communicating by email using a cover story to hide his conduct, obtaining open-source and private materials about the U.S. solar energy industry to provide to Iranian intelligence, obtaining employment with an FAA contractor with access to sensitive information, and exfiltrating sensitive FAA documents to provide to Iranian intelligence.

            “This defendant is charged with infiltrating a U.S. agency with the intent of providing Iran with sensitive information vital to our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Thanks to the great work of the FBI and the FAA’s investigators, this defendant was stopped in his tracks and a known adversary’s plot was exposed.”

            “As alleged, the defendant conspired with Iranian officials and intelligence operatives, even lying to obtain employment as a U.S. government contractor only to then share sensitive government materials with Iran,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “When undisclosed agents of Iran or any other foreign government seek to infiltrate American companies or government agencies, the Justice Department will use every available tool to identify them and bring them to justice.”

            “The FBI and U.S. Government have repeatedly warned of the global threat the Government of Iran poses to our national security on all fronts, including the targeting of our critical infrastructure,” said Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Mr. Rahmati used his access to provide sensitive aviation materials to a hostile foreign intelligence service. The FBI will aggressively pursue any foreign actor or government that targets U.S. critical infrastructure in any attempt to disrupt or gain access to our aviation sector. We want to recognize and thank our partners at the FAA who worked alongside us in investigating this threat to our national security.”

            According to the indictment, from June 2009 to May 2010, Rahmati served as a First Lieutenant in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—an Iranian military and counterintelligence organization under the authority of the Supreme Leader of Iran which has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States Government. After being discharged from the IRGC, Rahmati lied to the United States government regarding his military service with the IRGC in order to, among other things, gain employment as a U.S. government contractor.

            In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university. Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics.

            After Rahmati returned to the United States in December 2017, he obtained various private and open-source materials related to the U.S. solar energy industry and provided them to an Iranian government official. Rahmati also applied for multiple positions with private companies and U.S. government entities that would provide him with access to sensitive information, eventually obtaining a position with U.S. COMPANY 1 supporting the FAA on a contract related to the FAA’s National Airspace System (NAS). After Rahmati obtained the position, he informed an Iranian intelligence officer that he was “in the process of moving to and joining a new company” and that they could “work more effectively if it is finalized.”

            In response to tasking from Iranian officials, and in furtherance of his agency relationship with the Government of Iran, Rahmati exploited his employment with U.S. COMPANY 1 by downloading sensitive U.S. COMPANY 1 documents related to the FAA, storing them on removable media, and taking them to Iran, where he provided sensitive documents to the Government of Iran in April 2022. These included documents related to the NAS that would give a person unfamiliar with NAS facility engineering a reasonable understanding of how the NAS power and electrical architecture is configured.

            After he returned to the United States in April 2022, in response to tasking from Iranian government officials, Rahmati sent additional information relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towers to his brother, a co-conspirator, so that he would provide those files to Iranian intelligence on behalf of Rahmati.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Significant assistance was provided by the FAA’s Office of Investigations and Professional Responsibility.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Alexander Wharton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

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

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WASHINGTON— Tamonie Chambliss, 28, of Capitol Heights, Maryland was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 46 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a handgun and for distributing marijuana that he mass-marketed using social media and packaged with a label that included a photo of his face.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Chambliss, aka “moneyman biggs,” pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024, before the Honorable Timothy J. Kelly to unlawful possession of a firearm by an individual previously convicted of a crime of violence and to unlawful possession with intent to distribute marijuana. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Chambliss to serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, the MPD and FBI were investigating sales of controlled substances and crimes of violence involving firearms between July 2022 and the summer of 2023 on the 5300 block of Clay Terrace, in Northeast Washington, D.C.

            During the investigation, law enforcement identified a crew believed to be involved in the sales of PCP, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and other controlled substances, as well as the transfer and possession of illegal firearms. Law enforcement identified Chambliss as a member of the crew known as the “Clay Terrace Hitsquad” or the “Double Back Gang.”  Investigators determined that Chambliss specialized in selling marijuana in the neighborhood and marketed the drug through social media using packaging illustrated with an image of his face.

            On March 7, 2023, the Sixth District Crime Suppression Team observed a gray Lexus sedan parked in front of 260 54th St. Northeast, Washington, D.C., one block from Clay Terrace, surrounded by individuals who quickly departed as the police cruiser approached. A VIN search determined that the vehicle was unregistered and that the tag on the Lexus was reported stolen. Although several individuals claimed ownership of the vehicle, all refused to provide officers with identifying documents. One of these individuals presented officers with a fictitious insurance card that listed Chambliss as the operator of the vehicle.

            A history check of the vehicle’s VIN found that Chambliss previously had been stopped driving the Lexus in Laurel. Officers executed a search of the vehicle and found a baggie containing 10 stamped M30 pills (oxycodone). Officers also found a backpack that contained nearly a kilogram of marijuana, a scale, and a 30-round extended magazine containing 21 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. The vehicle also contained credit cards, identification cards, and a Maryland vehicle registration assigned to Chambliss.

            As part of the same investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants at two addresses linked to Chambliss. On July 26, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Chambliss’ residence on the 5000 block of Clay Terrace in Northeast, Washington, D.C., where they recovered a Glock 30S .45 caliber handgun loaded with 2 rounds of ammunition, as well as an inside-the-waistband handgun holster. Chambliss later admitted to owning the gun, despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms based on his felony conviction in 2017 for a gun-point robbery.

            On March 15, 2024, U.S. Marshals executed a warrant at an address in Laurel, Maryland, where they arrested Chambliss. During a search, Marshals observed in plain view about 3.4 kilograms of marijuana in Chambliss’ bedroom and on a kitchen counter.

            On February 15, 2024, Chambliss was indicted on six counts related to unlawful possession with intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of violence, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, and possession of unregistered ammunition.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), in conjunction with the FBI Washington Field Office.

            It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ernesto J. Alvarado and Adam Stempel with the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – The United States seized over $6 million worth of cryptocurrency from perpetrators overseas, announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee Francis M. Hamilton III, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Criminal Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Knoxville Division.

            The perpetrators in Southeast Asia targeted one or more individuals in the United States and fraudulently obtained millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency through a cryptocurrency confidence investment scheme.

            The FBI was able to trace victim funds on the blockchain and located multiple cryptocurrency wallet addresses which still held victim funds totaling more than $6 million. 

            Cryptocurrency confidence investment schemes begin by criminals contacting potential victims through seemingly misdirected text messages, dating applications, or professional meetup or investment groups. Next, using various means of manipulation, the criminal gains the victim’s affection and trust. The perpetrator then recommends cryptocurrency investment by touting their own, or an associate’s, success in the field. Means of carrying out the scheme vary, but a common tactic is to direct a victim to a fake investment platform hosted on a website. These websites, and the investment platforms hosted there, are created by criminals to mimic legitimate platforms. The subject assists the victim with opening a cryptocurrency account, often on a U.S.- based exchange, and then walks the victim through transferring money from a bank account to that cryptocurrency account. Next, the victim will receive instructions on how to transfer their cryptocurrency assets to the fake investment platform.

            On its surface, the fraudulent platforms often show lucrative returns, encouraging further investment; however, all deposited funds are actually routed to a cryptocurrency wallet address controlled completely by the perpetrators. The perpetrators frequently allow victims to withdraw some of their “profits” early in the scheme to engender trust and help convince victims of the legitimacy of the platform. As the scheme continues, victims are unable to withdraw their funds and are provided various excuses as to why. Ultimately, victims are locked out of their accounts and lose all their funds.

            “In these scams, fraudsters trick U.S. citizens into believing they are transferring funds to cryptocurrency investment opportunities when, in fact, they are just unwittingly turning their money over to the fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The fact these fraudsters and their accounts are typically located outside the United States, will not stop us or our partners at the FBI from doing all we can to recover the proceeds of these frauds and to hold the people running them accountable.”

            “Investment scams and schemes are not new, but committing fraud with digital currency presents new challenges for law enforcement attempting to recover lost funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrico. “The FBI along with our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate allegations of crypto scams, but the best defense is to educate yourself before making any investment. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

           Based on data submitted to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov/) in 2022 alone, perpetrators of these schemes targeted tens of thousands of victims in the United States and resulted in over two billion dollars in private assets being siphoned overseas. The loss amount reported in IC3 complaints involving cryptocurrency increased 45% since 2022, from more than $3.8 billion to over $5.6 billion in 2023. 

           The FBI Knoxville Division is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit are providing invaluable assistance. 

           The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Rick Blaylock Jr. of the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph DeGaetano of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz from the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice.

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WASHINGTON -- Ahmed Abu Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatallah, 53, a Libyan national, was resentenced today to 28 years in prison on federal terrorism charges and other offenses stemming from the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya.  Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty died in the attack at the Mission and the nearby Annex in Benghazi.

            The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, and Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI’s New York Field Office.

            On June 15, 2014, Khatallah was captured in Libya and brought to the United States to face trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. 

            On Nov. 28, 2017, at his original sentencing, Khatallah was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison after a federal jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists, one count of providing material support or resources to terrorists, one count of maliciously destroying and injuring dwellings and property and placing lives in jeopardy within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, and one count of using and carrying a semiautomatic assault rifle during a crime of violence.  

            Khatallah appealed his conviction, and the government cross-appealed the sentence imposed. On July 26, 2022, the D.C. Circuit affirmed the conviction, but, having found that the defendant’s “sentence [was] substantively unreasonably low in light of the gravity of his crimes of terrorism” the court reversed the sentence and remanded for resentencing.

            U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper today resentenced Khatallah to 28 years.

            According to the government’s evidence, Khatallah was a leader of an extremist militia named Ubaydah bin Jarrah, which operated outside the law, and in the months prior to the attacks, he sought to incite violence by his and other militia groups against the presence of the United States in Libya. In early September 2012, he and other members of his group mobilized for an attack by stockpiling truckloads of weaponry.

            On the night of Sept. 11, 2012, according to the government’s evidence, Khatallah directed his group to carry out the violence, striking first at the U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi.  A group of men, armed with AK-47 rifles, grenades, and other weapons, swept into the Mission compound, setting fires and breaking into buildings. During that violence, Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith valiantly tried to protect themselves when the attackers stormed into a villa, but they were fatally overcome by thick, black smoke when the attackers set a fire.  A State Department employee, who tried to guide them to safety, was injured.

            Before, during and after the attack, Khatallah maintained contact with his group in a series of cellphone calls. Also, according to the government’s evidence, for much of the attack, he positioned himself on the perimeter of the compound and kept others, including emergency responders, from getting to the scene. The government’s evidence also showed that Khatallah made calls to leaders of other militia groups warning them not to interfere with the attack.

            Following the attack at the Mission, in the early hours of Sept. 12, 2012, the violence continued at a nearby CIA Annex, first with gunfire and then with a precision mortar attack.  Mr. Woods and Mr. Doherty died in the mortar attack, and a State Department employee and U.S. government security specialist were seriously wounded.

            This case was investigated by the FBI New York Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with substantial assistance from various other government agencies, including the two victim agencies, the CIA and the Department of State.

            This latest proceeding in the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb, Jr., and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. DiLorenzo. Assistance also was provided by Trial Attorney Joseph Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Adrian Lee, 49, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of aggravated assault while armed and other related charges for a late-afternoon shooting and assault against two victims that took place on April 18, 2023, on Gresham Place, NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

            The verdict was returned on September 24, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the victims were driving home after celebrating their anniversary at a DC restaurant when the defendant’s wife sideswiped their car. Lee came down to the accident scene and provided an expired insurance card. While the victim was on the phone with the insurance company, the defendant became aggravated that the process was taking too long. He directed his wife to drive away, and he ran off on foot. The victims followed behind in their car, in an attempt to get insurance or vehicle information from the defendant. The victims were driving a Tesla that day, which was equipped with exterior video cameras. Tesla cameras captured footage of the defendant running from the victims’ car. After Lee ran, the victims flagged down a police officer, and were instructed to return to the site of the accident to make a police report. In an attempt to get back to the scene of the accident, the victims turned down Gresham Place, NW – the street where the defendant lived.

            Upon seeing the victims, Lee retrieved a gun from his house and ran towards them. The defendant first pointed the gun at the female victim, and then turned and shot the male victim one time in the torso.

            Lee and his wife then fled to Florida. The defendant was apprehended back in DC in March of 2024 by United States Marshals.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Sara Matar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  

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WASHINGTON – Rashaad Malik McDowell, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 75 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Washington Field Division.

           McDowell pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered McDowell to serve three years of supervised release.

           According to court documents, on February 8, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McDowell’s residence on Harvard Street NW. Agents recovered a loaded Glock firearm with 17 rounds in its extended magazine in McDowell’s bedroom. They also seized distribution quantities of marijuana and cocaine. McDowell admitted that he possessed the narcotics seized from his bedroom and had intended to distribute them. He also admitted that the seized firearm was used in furtherance of his drug distribution.

           McDowell was not present during the time of the February 2023 search, and following the search, he actively evaded law enforcement. Before and after this search, McDowell used his Instagram account to advertise controlled substances and arrange drug sales. McDowell also continued to possess firearms and distribute a variety of narcotics, including fentanyl, in the months following the February 2023 search. 

           On July 12, 2023, agents executed another search warrant at McDowell’s residence and recovered a stolen loaded Glock handgun. Law enforcement also seized fentanyl, PCP, marijuana, and a digital scale from McDowell’s bedroom.

           McDowell was indicted on federal firearms and narcotics charges on July 25, 2023, and charged with additional counts in a superseding indictment on September 7, 2023. McDowell ultimately pleaded guilty to trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.       

           This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Washington Field Division with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, United States Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor and the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was also provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Crosby, Javier Urbina, Christopher Marin, and Robert Sainvil.

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WASHINGTON – Brennen Holloman, 26, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a federal firearms offense stemming from his possession of a loaded “ghost gun” in October 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves;  ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Holloman pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.  The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 28, 2025.

            According to court papers, on October 11, 2023, uniformed MPD officers patrolling the 1500 block of Maryland Ave., Northeast, encountered a group of men that included Holloman.  In response to the officers’ presence, Holloman began jumping up and down and manipulating his pants. Because it appeared that Holloman was attempting to conceal a firearm, officers stopped him and conducted a limited pat down. A loaded 9mm black and grey Polymer80 privately made firearm (i.e., a “ghost gun”) was recovered from inside Holloman’s pants. The firearm was loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition in its chamber and 17 rounds in its extended magazine.

            Federal law prohibits Holloman from possessing a firearm because he has previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including a 2019 conviction for grand larceny in the Fairfax, Virginia, Circuit Court; a 2018 conviction for attempted robbery in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; and a 2017 conviction for conspiracy to commit robbery in the Alexandria, Virginia, Circuit Court.

            In November 2023, a federal grand jury empaneled by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia returned an indictment charging Holloman with the October offense. On December 15, 2023, MPD officers arrested Holloman on the federal charges and discovered that he was in possession of another loaded firearm. 

            Holloman has remained held without bond since his December 15, 2023, arrest.

            Holloman faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney.

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WASHINGTON – A Superior Court jury, today, found Jerry Tyree, 46, of Washington, D.C., guilty of aggravated assault while armed for shooting the victim on November 29, 2023, in the 5900 block of Foote Street NE, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The jury found Tyree guilty, following a two-week trial, of one count of aggravated assault while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of attempted possession of liquid PCP. Tyree faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years incarceration for aggravated assault while armed. The Honorable Judge Errol Arthur scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, the defendant met the victim at the intersection of Eastern Avenue NE and Foote Street NE shortly before 2:00 p.m., on November 29, 2023. After negotiating a price for oral sex, the defendant and the victim walked together into a nearby apartment building, where the victim performed oral sex on the defendant. The defendant then accused the victim of robbing him, and when she denied doing so, the defendant pulled out a small silver handgun and shot the victim directly in the penis before leaving the scene. Police were called by a neighbor and the victim was transported to the hospital, where she underwent multiple surgeries.

            A month later, on December 30, 2023, the defendant was arrested in possession of that same small silver handgun less than a mile from the shooting and in possession of several vials, including one that was partially filled with suspected PCP. Tyree was identified as the shooter from November 29, 2023, based on an identification procedure, ballistics evidence, and DNA evidence connecting him to the scene.

            The defendant was convicted in 2005 of voluntary manslaughter and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in Maryland, and in 2022 of attempted possession with intent to distribute PCP, in Washington, DC.   

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Daniel Bromwich.

            WASHINGTON – James B. Nutter & Company, a former mortgage lender located in Kansas City, Missouri, has agreed to pay $2.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 by knowingly underwriting Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that did not meet program eligibility requirements.

            “The HECM program helps support our nation’s senior citizens by providing an additional source of funds to supplement their income,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners at HUD, we are committed to protecting the financial integrity of this critical program and to pursuing those who seek to abuse it.”

            “Our office continues its diligent pursuit of mortgage originators that do not play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “If a lender is asking the government to insure its loans, the government expects that lender to employ qualified underwriters to ensure the loans present acceptable credit risks and are supported by sound appraisals of the homes used to secure them.”

            The FHA offers numerous mortgage insurance programs intended to help build and sustain strong communities across America. The HECM program is a reverse mortgage program specifically for senior homeowners aged 62 and older. The program allows seniors to access the equity in their residences, and thereby age in place in their family home, through a mortgage agreement with a lender that is insured against loss by the FHA.

            Lenders who participate in the FHA’s HECM program are authorized to underwrite mortgages without first having the government review the loans for compliance with the agency’s underwriting and origination requirements. If an FHA-insured loan defaults, the holder of the loan can then recover from the United States for certain losses. Lenders commit to following FHA rules to ensure that only eligible mortgages are insured by the government.

            The settlement announced today resolves the United States’ allegations in a lawsuit filed in 2020 that James B. Nutter & Company knowingly violated FHA underwriting requirements when it allowed inexperienced temporary staff to underwrite FHA-insured loans, and submitted loans for FHA insurance with underwriter signatures that were falsified and/or affixed before all the documentation the underwriter should have reviewed was complete.

            “This case sought to redress serious violations of FHA requirements that posed a risk to the HECM program,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “HUD will continue to protect the integrity of this important mortgage program that serves the interests of our nation’s senior citizens.”

            “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to seeking recovery from mortgage lenders who take advantage of FHA programs and ignore essential program requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri. “The integrity and resources of those important programs must not be put at risk by mortgage lenders who put their own financial interests first.”

            “This case and the resulting $2.4 million settlement demonstrate the HUD Office of Inspector General’s commitment to holding lenders accountable when they commit fraud against FHA mortgage programs designed to provide financial assistance to senior homeowners,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis of HUD. “No one is above the law. Our office will continue to work with our partners at the Justice Department to investigate mortgage lenders who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.”

            The investigation, litigation and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort among the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Columbia, HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General.

            Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer, Kelly Phipps, Yifan Wang and Wilma Metcalf of the Commercial Litigation Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindi Woolery for the Western District of Missouri and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Hudak and Benton Peterson for the District of Columbia handled the matter. The litigation resolved by the settlement was captioned United States v. James B. Nutter & Co., Case No. 4:20-cv-874-RK (WDMO).  

            The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

James B. Nutter & Company, a former mortgage lender located in Kansas City, Missouri, has agreed to pay $2.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 by knowingly underwriting Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that did not meet program eligibility requirements.

“The HECM program helps support our nation’s senior citizens by providing an additional source of funds to supplement their income,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners at HUD, we are committed to protecting the financial integrity of this critical program and to pursuing those who seek to abuse it.”

The FHA offers numerous mortgage insurance programs intended to help build and sustain strong communities across America. The HECM program is a reverse mortgage program specifically for senior homeowners aged 62 and older. The program allows seniors to access the equity in their residences, and thereby age in place in their family home, through a mortgage agreement with a lender that is insured against loss by the FHA.

Lenders who participate in the FHA’s HECM program are authorized to underwrite mortgages without first having the government review the loans for compliance with the agency’s underwriting and origination requirements. If an FHA-insured loan defaults, the holder of the loan can then recover from the United States for certain losses. Lenders commit to following FHA rules to ensure that only eligible mortgages are insured by the government.

The settlement announced today resolves the United States’ allegations in a lawsuit filed in 2020 that James B. Nutter & Company knowingly violated FHA underwriting requirements when it allowed inexperienced temporary staff to underwrite FHA-insured loans, and submitted loans for FHA insurance with underwriter signatures that were falsified and/or affixed before all the documentation the underwriter should have reviewed was complete.

“This case sought to redress serious violations of FHA requirements that posed a risk to the HECM program,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “HUD will continue to protect the integrity of this important mortgage program that serves the interests of our nation’s senior citizens.”

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to seeking recovery from mortgage lenders who take advantage of FHA programs and ignore essential program requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri. “The integrity and resources of those important programs must not be put at risk by mortgage lenders who put their own financial interests first.”

“Our office continues its diligent pursuit of mortgage originators that do not play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “If a lender is asking the government to insure its loans, the government expects that lender to employ qualified underwriters to ensure the loans present acceptable credit risks and are supported by sound appraisals of the homes used to secure them.”

“This case and the resulting $2.4 million settlement demonstrate the HUD Office of Inspector General’s commitment to holding lenders accountable when they commit fraud against FHA mortgage programs designed to provide financial assistance to senior homeowners,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis of HUD. “No one is above the law. Our office will continue to work with our partners at the Justice Department to investigate mortgage lenders who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.”

The investigation, litigation and settlement were the result of a coordinated effort among the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Columbia, HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General.

Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer, Kelly Phipps, Yifan Wang and Wilma Metcalf of the Commercial Litigation Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindi Woolery for the Western District of Missouri and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Hudak and Benton Peterson for the District of Columbia handled the matter. The litigation resolved by the settlement was captioned United States v. James B. Nutter & Co., Case No. 4:20-cv-874-RK (WDMO).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

Settlement

WASHINGTON – Khali Ahmed Brown, 23, Keion Michael Brown, 21, members of the violent Kennedy Street Crew (KDY), pleaded guilty today to narcotics and firearms charges for their roles in a massive drug trafficking organization that operated open-air markets in Northwest Washington D.C. 

           Khali Brown, aka “Migo Lee,” of Washington D.C., who many view as the face of KDY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, fentanyl, and oxycodone. He also pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and assault with a dangerous weapon for his role in a November 18, 2022, shooting just outside Jackson-Reed High School.

           His brother, Keion Michael Brown, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and oxycodone and a charge of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell scheduled sentencing on December 12, 2024, for both men. 

           The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, ATF Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office.

            “The prosecution targeted leaders and key members of the KDY street crew--one of the largest, oldest, and most violent street crews in our city,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “With these guilty pleas, every defendant charged in connection with this investigation has now pled guilty to charges that will ensure that they will be removed from, and no longer driving violence in, our community.”

            “DEA’s top operational priority is combatting the current fentanyl crisis and the drug-related violence that is devastating the very foundation of our community and family structures,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division.  Today’s guilty plea clearly shows that Mr. Brown, aka “Migo Lee,” and his associations with violent criminal drug trafficking networks like the Kennedy Street Crew showed little respect for the wellbeing of the community.  We are taking a strong stance and implementing strict measures to protect every city neighborhood.”

           According to court documents, KDY members operated open-air drug markets on an 11-block stretch of Kennedy Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., as well as surrounding streets. Like many drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), KDY armed itself with fire power to facilitate its drug trade and defend its territory from rival crews. During the charged conspiracy, from June 2019 to June 2023, on KDY territory there were five homicides, resulting in the deaths of seven and the wounding of six additional individuals, one assault with intent to kill with three wounded, and 19 assaults with a deadly weapon.

           Khali Brown was among the charged defendants who played a key role in smuggling bulk quantities of marijuana from the West Coast to the DMV area, which allowed the crew to sell at significant profits and thereby fuel its operations.

           Both defendants maintained stash houses of KDY’s controlled substances and fire power.  By way of illustration, on January 26, 2023, law enforcement conducted an interdiction at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) in anticipation of several KDY members, including Khali Brown, smuggling marijuana back to the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area through BWI via an overnight flight from LAX. During the interdiction, law enforcement seized five of the checked bags containing 39.2 kilograms of marijuana, but Khali Brown and his co-defendant Herman Signou evaded law enforcement with some of their luggage and  traveled to a stash house at the 1700 block of D Street NE.

           Hours later, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence, where officers found Khali Brown, Keion Brown, and co-defendants Tristan Ware, Jovan Williams, and Herman Signou, among other KDY associates. Inside, law enforcement seized ten firearms (including two machine guns), assorted ammunition, 21 kilograms of marijuana, 39.5 grams of fentanyl-laced pills, and oxycodone pills in suitcases consistent with those taken from the airport during the BWI interdiction. Among the firearms recovered was the Glock 17 9mm firearm that Khali Brown and his co-conspirators had used in the November 18, 2022, shooting outside Jackson-Reed High School.

           When Khali Brown and two co-defendants were arrested on June 26, 2023, at yet another stash house in the 1300 block of 5th Street NW, inside the residence were approximately 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, $2,710 in cash and five machine guns, and one firearm. 

          Keion Brown was a wanted fugitive when, on November 17, 2023, officers tracked him and his associates, including Jovan Williams, to a laundry room on the 4700 block of Benning Road NE. Law enforcement arrested Keion Brown, Jovan Williams, and an associate and found four firearms concealed within the laundry room, including Keion Brown’s machine gun.

           This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. 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.

           It was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the DEA’s Washington Division, ATF’s Washington Field Division, with assistance from FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Office.

           It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi, of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Lynch.

DEFENDANTS

NAME

AGE

CHARGES

Defendant Cameron Reid is from Falmouth, VA. Green is from Hyattsville, MD. All remaining defendants are from Washington, D.C.

23cr0202

WASHINGTON – Ezra Griffith, 34, a previously convicted felon, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm with .40 Caliber ammunition which is a felony offense. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2025.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           According to the evidence presented to the jury, on November 15, 2023, after sundown about 8:40 p.m., members of the MPD’s Fifth District Crime Suppression Team entered the parking lot of the Rosedale Recreation Center in Northeast Washington, D.C. and observed a small group of people congregating inside the fenced-in playground next to the recreation center building. The park was closed, so the officers went to make contact with the group. In fact, there is a sign next to the playground’s only entrance noting that it is open from dawn to dusk.

            As officers approached the fenced-in playground, Griffith immediately sat down on a concrete partition and moved his hands near the front of his waistband, appearing to adjust an object in his lap. Subsequently, Griffith got up and sprinted along the inside fence line of the playground. Officers briefly lost sight of Griffith before stopping him moments later inside the playground area.

            Officers canvassed Griffith’s flight path and recovered a Glock 27 .40 caliber semiautomatic firearm loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. Griffith has two prior felony convictions in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for carrying a pistol without a license and for attempted robbery.

           In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the outstanding efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Robinson, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Teesha Tobias, Litigation Technology Specialist Charles Bruce, and Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling.

23cr0227

WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today charging Malone Lam, 20, of Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA, and Jeandiel Serrano, 21, of Los Angeles, CA, with conspiracy to steal and launder over $230 million in cryptocurrency from a victim in Washington, D.C.  Lam, a citizen of Singapore who goes by the online monikers “Anne Hathaway” and “$$$”, and Serrano, who uses “VersaceGod” and “@SkidStar”, were arrested last night and are appearing in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the Central District of California, respectively, today.

            The arrests and indictment were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.

            According in the indictment, since at least August 2024, Lam, Serrano, and others conspired to carry out cryptocurrency thefts and to launder the stolen crypto currency through exchanges and mixing services. The conspirators would fraudulently gain access to victim cryptocurrency accounts and then transfer victim funds into their possession. They laundered the proceeds, including by moving the funds through various mixers and exchanges using “peel chains,” pass-through wallets, and virtual private networks (VPNs) to mask their true identities.  Lam and Serrano then allegedly spent the laundered cryptocurrency proceeds on international travel, nightclubs, luxury automobiles, watches, jewelry, designer handbags, and rental homes in Los Angeles and Miami. In one instance, on August 18, 2024, Lam, Serrano, and their conspirators contacted a victim in D.C. and, through the communications with that victim, fraudulently obtained over 4,100 Bitcoin (worth over $230 million at the time).

            This ongoing investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office.  Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami Field Offices.

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

###

24cr417

WASHINGTON – Stephon Nelson, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court to 108 ½ years in prison for first degree murder and other charges stemming from the killing of 13-year old Malachi Lukes in March of 2020. A jury found Nelson and two co-defendants--Tyiion Freeman and Koran Jackson—guilty of first-degree murder while armed, several counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, conspiracy to commit various firearms offenses and other firearms-related charges.  Last week Freeman received 108 years while Jackson was sentenced to 164 years in prison.

            The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Between February 1, 2020, and May 31, 2020, the defendants, along with two other defendants (whose cases were severed pre-trial), participated in a conspiracy to illegally possess, carry, and transfer firearms for the purpose of using those firearms in the commission of dangerous and violent crimes. Jackson and Freeman, along with the severed defendants, are members and associates of neighborhood crews. Between 2019-2020, the defendants’ neighborhood crews were feuding with other crews and the feud escalated when Tahlil Byrd, also known as Slatt Goon, was killed in September 2019.

            Stephon Nelson, who is a felon and approximately 10 years older than his coconspirators, supplied the firearms that were illegally possessed, carried, and transferred in the conspiracy. Over the span of nine days, February 22-March 1, 2020, the defendants engaged in a shooting spree in the Petworth, Shaw, and Stronghold neighborhoods using the firearms they illegally acquired and shared as a part of the firearms conspiracy. The first charged shooting occurred on February 22, 2020, in the Petworth neighborhood when two victims were fired upon after a mere verbal exchange with two defendants. Two days later, on February 24, 2020, the conspirators drove through rival crew territory Ninth Street where they shot three rival crew members. An innocent bystander who was sitting in her vehicle was caught in the barrage of gunfire. She fortunately escaped with little physical injury because her front windshield suffered the bulk of the damage. The spree culminated on March 1, 2020, when the defendants participated in two shootings in two separate neighborhoods over the span of ten minutes. At 2:08 p.m., the defendants, who were traveling in a stolen Kia Soul, followed 13-year-old Malachi Lukes, along with his three friends, into the Ninth Street area of the 600 block of S Street, N.W., where two defendants exited the Kia Soul and opened fire on them. Malachi Lukes was shot in the back as he fled. The bullet traveled through his heart and lung causing him to collapse to his death. The defendants then traveled to another neighborhood where members of the rival crew were known to gather and at 2:18 p.m., opened fire on individuals in that block. No injuries were reported in that shooting spree.     

            In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force and ATF along with the Arlington County Police Department. They also thanked the Arlington County Sheriff Department; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Capitol Police; D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences; DOJ Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section; Montgomery County Police Department; D.C. Department of Corrections; and the Internal Revenue Service—Atlanta Branch.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Jackson, Tamara Rubb, and Nebiyu Feleke, with assistance from Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman, Supervisory Paralegal Tasha Harris, Paralegals April Urbanowski and Alyssa Schroeder, Superior Court Operations Manager Linda McDonald, and Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen. 

WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury today returned an indictment charging Walter James, 38, with one count of causing bodily harm to an individual due to his actual or perceived religion.

            U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg for the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

            The indictment alleges that on the morning of July 10, 2024, James assaulted a man, who was walking through Foggy Bottom and wearing a yarmulke, without any provocation or warning. James repeatedly punched the individual in his face and head. While he was assaulting the individual and immediately afterward, James yelled antisemitic slurs, such as: (1) “You are murdering innocent men, women, and children in Gaza.” (2) “They’re the cause of all our wars – killing the children of Palestine.” (3) “You control us with money.” (4) “You are not the real Jewish [sic].” And (5) “You guys kill people in Gaza.” As a result of the assault, the individual suffered cuts and abrasions to his face and right elbow and cephalic swelling.

            James faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted. James was previously charged in D.C. Superior Court with assault with significant injury with a hate crimes enhancement.

            This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr.

            For more information and resources about the Justice Department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.

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

            Prosecuting bias-related crimes is critical to keeping our community safe. When one member of a group in the community is the victim of a bias-related crime, all members carry with them a fear that they, too, may be targeted because of who they are. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) is committed to enforcing both federal and local hate and bias-related crime laws. For more information: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/hatebias-related-crimes.

WASHINGTON -- Sereika Savariau, 37, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for creating a series of fraudulent debt relief companies that targeted debt-ridden Americans and tricked the victims into paying fraudulent processing fees and disclosing sensitive personal identifying information. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sally Luttrell of the Treasury Department, Office of Inspector General.

            Savariau, also known as Sereika Savariau-Goodison, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Savariau to pay restitution to the victims.

            As part of her guilty plea, Savariau admitted that from at least June 2016 through September 2018, she and other conspirators created and operated a series of fraudulent debt relief companies that tricked U.S. citizens into paying bogus processing fees and to disclose personal identifying information and identity documents. One of the fraudulent websites said consumers could receive up to $60,000 in government-funded aid to pay their bills. Another claimed consumers could receive up to $25,000 in annual debt relief.

            Savariau admitted that through their false representations she and her co-conspirators tried to defraud U.S. victims out of more than $550,000. More than 50 individuals sent money to conspirators because of the scheme, most commonly through Western Union, believing the funds were service processing fees.

            Savariau and her conspirators took advantage of people who were desperate to have their outstanding bills paid and improve their financial situation. Thinking they were to receive government-funded debt relief, victims eagerly sent their sensitive personal and financial information and paid exorbitant “processing fees” – approximately 14% of the requested debt relief. The nature of the scheme caused many victims to be victimized multiple times.

            Conspirators also fraudulently used the victims’ personal identifying information for other illegal purposes. In one example, a victim’s information was used to create a PayPal account for use in the scheme. The information also was used to apply for and obtain an American Express pre-paid credit card. A different victim’s name and address were used to register one of their fraudulent debt relief sites.

            Savariau’s conduct directly violated a prior judicial order issued in September 2015 by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton in Case No. 14-CV-1414 that, among other things, permanently restrained her and those working with her from misrepresenting to others that they would substantially reduce consumers’ debts.

            Savariau was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021, arrested in Jamaica in July 2023, and extradited to the United States in September 2023.

            This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Savariau.

            The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Louisa Becker and Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman for the District of Columbia.

21cr706

WASHINGTON – Harrison Lee, 43, of Northeast Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 210 months in prison for sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl for his own financial benefit, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Lee pleaded guilty on February 8, 2024, to sex trafficking of a minor before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. In addition to the 210-month prison sentence, Judge McFadden ordered Lee to serve 15 years of supervised release and pay $70,000 in restitution.

            According to court documents, in December 2015, Lee began advertising the minor for commercial sex on Backpage.com, a now-defunct website that had an escorts-for-hire section. Lee placed ads with headings such as “Young Exotic MIXED GIRL” on a near-daily basis from December 18, 2015, to January 24, 2016. The advertisements posted by Lee contained nude and sexually explicit images of the minor that constituted child sexual abuse material.

            Lee transported the minor to hotels in the Washington D.C. area as well as to other states up and down the eastern seaboard, including New Jersey and Georgia. He took all the money that the minor earned, rendering her completely dependent on him.

            After the victim turned 18, Lee continued to exploit her in commercial sex off and on for years, until the time of his arrest on July 20, 2023. Lee received at least $70,000 from her commercial sex work.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jessica Arco from the Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenya Davis from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

23cr213

WASHINGTON – Darius Anderson, 23, of Washington, DC, has been found guilty by a jury today, of first-degree murder while armed for 2022 killing of 30-year-old Israel Mattocks, in in the 3900 block of Minnesota Ave, NE., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Anderson was found guilty by a jury on September 18, 2024, following a one-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of one count of first-degree murder while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of carrying a pistol without a license. The Honorable Marisa Demeo scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2024.

           According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11:00 a.m. on June 15, 2022, the victim, Mr. Mattocks, a shoe reseller, asked the defendant for help purchasing shoes from Shoe City located at the East River Park Shopping Mall. After the defendant failed to purchase the shoes for Mr. Mattocks, the two had a brief conversation and parted ways. A short time later, the two met again in another nearby local shoe store, DownTown Locker Room. Mr. Mattocks and the defendant had a brief argument. Afterwards, Mr. Mattocks left the store with another individual to return to Shoe City to buy the shoes the defendant failed to purchase. In the meantime, defendant Anderson walked home, dropped off his purchase from the DownTown Locker Room, and returned to the Shoe City. When the victim and the other individual walked out of the Shoe City, Anderson, was waiting, standing to the right entrance of the store, and fired numerous shots at Mr. Mattocks. Mr. Mattocks was shot at least six times – sustaining injuries to his left and right arms, his right chest, and his neck. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

              In announcing this verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean and Stephanie Dinan.

WASHINGTON – Brian Jeffrey Raymond, 48, of La Mesa, California, a former U.S. government employee, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 years in prison for drugging and sexually abusing numerous women in multiple countries, including photographing and video recording more than two dozen nude and partially nude women without their consent while they were unconscious or incapable of consenting.   

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Director Carlos F. Matus of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office.

            Raymond pleaded guilty November 7, 2023, to one count each of sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, coercion and enticement, and transportation of obscene material. As part of the plea agreement, Raymond admitted to drugging and then engaging in nonconsensual sexual acts with four women and nonconsensual sexual contact with six women. Raymond further admitted to drugging and then creating obscene material depicting 28 women without their knowledge or permission and drugging two other women.

            “When this predator was a government employee, he lured unsuspecting women to his government-leased housing and drugged them,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “After drugging these women, he stripped, sexually abused, and photographed them. Today’s sentence ensures that the defendant will be properly marked as a sex offender for life, and he will spend a substantial portion of the rest of his life behind bars.”

            “Brian Raymond sexually exploited dozens of women over the course of 14 years, including while he served abroad as a U.S. government employee,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Argentieri. “Today’s sentence underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to prosecuting sexual abuse in violation of federal law—no matter where those violations occur or who commits them. We are grateful for the valuable partnership we have with the Mexican government and will continue to work with our domestic and international partners to pursue justice for victims of sexual exploitation.”

            “This case demonstrates the strong commitment of the Diplomatic Security Service to work with our law enforcement partners here and abroad to investigate public servants in positions of trust who commit sexual assault anywhere in the world,” said DSS Director Carlos F. Matus. “It is a good example of how DSS’s global presence enables our agency to serve as a bridge between U.S. and foreign law enforcement counterparts to assist in bringing those who commit such heinous crimes to justice.”

            “For 14 years, Raymond exploited his trusted position as a U.S. government representative to lure women into his confidence,” said Assistant Director in Charge Sundberg. “He then drugged and sexually assaulted them and took explicit photos and videos of them without their consent. The FBI thanks the brave women who shared information that furthered this investigation. We recognize our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners who helped bring Raymond to justice for his reprehensible crimes.”

            According to court documents, while Raymond was on assignment in Mexico City, Mexico, he drugged and sexually assaulted several women in his government-leased housing. Additionally, between 2006 and 2020, in Mexico City and elsewhere, Raymond drugged and then photographed or video recorded 25 victims while they were nude or partially nude. Many of the recordings show Raymond touching and manipulating the victim’s bodies while they were unconscious and incapable of consent. Raymond attempted to delete the explicit photographs and videos depicting the victims after learning about the criminal investigation. 

            In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Raymond to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to pay $260,000 restitution to the victims. After his release from prison, Raymond will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

            The DSS Office of Special Investigations, the DSS Computer Investigations and Forensics Division, and FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and National Security Division provided valuable assistance. The FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Mexico City also provided valuable assistance.    

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department gratefully acknowledges the government of Mexico, including the Fiscalía General de la República, the Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Ciudad de México, and the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, for their extraordinary efforts, support, and cooperation during the investigation.

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorneys Angela Buckner and Katharine Wagner of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP). Valuable assistance was provided by Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen and Paralegal Specialist Vanessa Douglas of HRSP, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Hooks, Jolie Zimmerman, and Janani Iyengar for the District of Columbia. Additional assistance was provided by Victim Specialists Yvonne Bryant and Tonya Jones of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Victim Witness Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney April Russo with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

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21cr380

WASHINGTON – Raymond Nava Jr., 20, of Bell Gardens, California., was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that spanned the country and that was responsible for the distribution of kilograms of fentanyl from Southern California to the DMV. Nava – who sold 12,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills and one dozen firearms, including an AR-style rifle to undercover officers – was one of 24 co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the DEA Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Nava pleaded guilty on May 9, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the 14-year prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Nava to serve five years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, Nava’s role in the conspiracy was to serve as an upstream Los Angeles-based supplier of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to other Los Angeles-based fentanyl traffickers, including co-defendant Hector David Valdez. Valdez allegedly was a bulk supplier of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to D.C.-based fentanyl traffickers.

            In coordinating his sales of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, Nava worked with various co-defendants to obtain bulk quantities of pills for redistribution, including fake pills from Mexico-based sources. Nava also conspired with New York-based fentanyl traffickers, meeting with them in Los Angeles and supplying them with the fentanyl-laced fake oxycodone, which the New York-based traffickers then smuggled back to New York using interstate commercial shipping and mail carriers.

            Additionally, Nava regularly trafficked firearms in conjunction with his drug trafficking. He conducted multiple controlled purchases of narcotics and firearms with undercover federal law enforcement agents.

            In total, Nava sold 12,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills and one dozen firearms, including an AR-style rifle, as part of controlled sales that were facilitated by federal undercover officers over the life of conspiracy.

            The impetus for this investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case,[1] law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.

            This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.

DEFENDANT

AGE

LOCATION

CHARGES/SENTENCE

Hector David Valdez,

aka “Curl”

26

Santa Fe Springs, California

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

Craig Eastman

20

Washington, D.C.

Pleaded guilty July 25, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

Charles Jeffrey Taylor

20

Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Raymond Nava, Jr.

20

Bell Gardens,

California

Sentenced 9/17/2024 to 14 Years for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Ulises Aldaz

28

Bell Gardens,

California

Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison, four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Max Alexander Carias Torres

26

Bell Gardens,

California

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering

Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”

34

Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Marvin Anthony Bussie,

aka “Money Marr”

21

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison, five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Marcus Orlando Brown

28

Washington, D.C.

Pleaded guilty March 11, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Columbian Thomas, aka

"Cruddy Murda”

26

Washington, D.C.

Pleaded guilty June 4, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden

29

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison, five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Andre Malik Edmond,

aka “Draco”

23

Temple Hills, Maryland

Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months incarceration, 5 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Treyveon James Johnson,

aka “Treyski”

20

Alexandria, Virginia

Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Karon Olufemi Blalock,

aka “Fat Bags”

30

Alexandria, Virginia

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl

Ronte Ricardo Greene,

aka “Cardiddy”

28

Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”

38

Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Darius Quincy Hodges,

aka “Brick”

34

Glen Allen, Virginia

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Lamin Sesay,

aka “Rock Star”

27

Alexandria, Virginia

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Paul Alejandro Felix

25

Glendale,

California

Pleaded guilty July 1, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Omar Arana,

aka “Frogs”

27

Cudahy,

California

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl

Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”

26

San Diego,

California

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Raul Pacheco Ramirez

30

Long Beach,

California

Pleaded guilty July 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Giovani Alejandro Briones

30

Victorville, California

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez

26

Rosarito, Mexico

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

            The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of Maryland and U.S. Marshals.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.

23cr73

[1] https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/brother-and-sister-sentenced-drug-conspiracy-involving-fentanyl-sales

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging former D.C. Special Police Officer Curtis Holloway with depriving an arrestee of her civil rights under color of law.

            The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office. 

            The indictment charges Holloway, 65, with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for willfully using unreasonable force against an arrestee, who is identified in the indictment as A.J., a 33-year-old woman. Specifically, the indictment alleges that, without legal justification, Holloway struck A.J. on the head with a firearm from behind on October 13, 2023, as she tried to run away from him, resulting in bodily injury to A.J.

            The indictment also charges Holloway with obstruction of justice for false statements he made to responding Metropolitan Police Department officers. Finally, the indictment charges Holloway with assault with a deadly weapon under the D.C. code.

            The civil rights charge and assault charge each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  The obstruction offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. If convicted, a federal judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. 

            The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section. 

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

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging a former D.C. Special Police Officer with depriving an arrestee of her civil rights under color of law.

The indictment charges former D.C. Special Police Officer Curtis Holloway, 65, with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for willfully using unreasonable force against an arrestee, who is identified in the indictment as A.J. Specifically, the indictment alleges that, without legal justification, Holloway struck A.J. on the head with a firearm, resulting in bodily injury to A.J.

The indictment also charges Holloway with obstruction of justice for false statements he made to responding Metropolitan Police Department officers. Finally, the indictment charges Holloway with assault with a deadly weapon.

The civil rights charge and assault charge each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  The obstruction charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. If convicted, a federal judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. 

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. 

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

WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced today the implementation of a new Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program encouraging individuals to disclose criminal conduct undertaken by or through companies, exchanges, or other institutions. provided the whistleblower meets certain criteria. A copy of the policy is available on the USAO-DC webpage (embedded link). This pilot program is in addition to the Department of Justice’s recently launched Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program which provides monetary incentives for the disclosure of previously undetected misconduct that the whistleblowers themselves did not meaningfully participate in.

            “This pilot program will allow more persons, with information vital to criminal activity, to participate in the criminal justice system from the correct side of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Cooperating witnesses are an important tool in our fight to identify crime undertaken by or through public or private companies, or criminal conduct involving local bribery, which may otherwise go undetected.”

            The program, effective immediately, is designed to encourage individuals to come forward about previously unknown fraud, bribery, or other misconduct. The program applies in certain circumstances where an individual voluntarily discloses to the USAO-DC information regarding criminal conduct undertaken by or through public or private companies, exchanges, financial institutions, investment advisers, or investments funds involving fraud or corporate control failures or affecting market integrity, or criminal conduct involving state or local bribery or fraud related to federal, state, or local funds. It only offers benefits to those who did not play a leading role in the misconduct, and who are not in a position of executive leadership, or federal, state, or local law enforcement or officials.

            The pilot program provides transparency regarding circumstances in which USAO-DC prosecutors will offer deferred or non-prosecution agreements to incentivize individuals to provide original information. Receipt of such information can assist in investigating and prosecuting criminal conduct that may otherwise go undetected, which will further encourage companies to create compliance programs that help prevent, detect, and remediate misconduct and to report misconduct when it occurs.

            Additional information can be found at: District of Columbia | District of Columbia Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Program (justice.gov).  Interested parties will also find an intake form that can be emailed to: [email protected].

WASHINGTON – Andre Alonte Willis aka “Boogie,” 32, and Broadus Jamal Daniels aka “Wardy,” 29, both of Washington, D.C. were found guilty today of drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge James Van Vliet of the ATF Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Willis and Daniels were both found guilty of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of machine guns, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Daniels was also found guilty of possessing machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing hearings for February 2025.

            “These guilty verdicts are the latest step in our ongoing effort to federally prosecute those who are driving violence or whose conduct is a magnet for violence,” said US Attorney Graves. “These defendants have been found guilty of illegally possessing numerous firearms and possessing a conversion device that could transform a handgun into a machine gun. We, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to identify those driving violence within our community and work to hold them accountable for crimes that will remove them from our community for lengthy periods of time.”

            According to the evidence presented at trial, Willis was a “big homie” in the D.C. street crew known as “Push Dat Shit” or “PDS.”  PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open air drug market outside the Holiday Market located at 3509 Wheeler Road, Southeast. In approximately August 2018, PDS became allied with a  neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” including JG “big homie” Daniels.

            Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from “trap houses” that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location. As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs – shootings they referred to as “spinning the block.” Beginning in approximately August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling AR-Pistol assault rifles from “kits” purchased from online retailers and modifying them to be capable of fully automatic fire. Such firearms are defined as “Privately Made Firearms” by the ATF but are frequently referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.

            As was proved at trial, PDS/JG members used, carried, and possessed these “ghost gun” AR-Pistol machine guns in order to defend their territory from rival gangs, and also to “spin the block” on rival gangs in order to deter and dissuade their rivals from entering PDS/JG territory.

            Andre Alonte Willis, also known as “Boogie,” faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Willis’ sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2024.  Broadus Jamal Daniels, also known as “Wardy” and “JG Wardy” faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 65 years in prison.  Daniels’ sentencing is scheduled for February 14, 2024.

This conviction is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 22 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.

##

22cr303

            WASHINGTON—Denis Postovoy, 44, a Russian citizen living in Sarasota, Florida, was arrested this morning in Sarasota, Florida on an indictment charging him with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, to commit smuggling, to commit money laundering, and to defraud the United States.

            The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin of HSI’s Denver Field Office.

            The indictment alleges that, beginning in at least February 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Postovoy procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia microelectronic components with military applications. The exported microelectronics can be used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). Through a web of companies that he owns or operates in Russia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, Postovoy and individuals in his network purchased the microelectronics from U.S.-based distributors and exported them to Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

            “According to the indictment, this defendant illegally exported dual-use technology to Russia that could bolster its capabilities to wage its unprovoked war against Ukraine,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “As alleged, he lied about the final destination for the technology he was shipping and used intermediary destinations to mask this illegal activity. Fortunately, our skilled law enforcement partners at HSI and our dedicated attorneys unraveled the plot.”

            “This defendant attempted to procure and illegally export dual-use microelectronics with military applications, and ultimately ship them back to Russia,” said Special Agent in Charge Spradlin, of HSI Denver. “Mr. Postovoy will now face justice for his duplicity. Our stellar agents will continue to investigate these crimes alongside our strike force partners and the Department of Justice and hold accountable these criminals who threaten the security of the United States.”

            As alleged, Postovoy’s companies included WowCube HK Limited, JST Group Hong Kong, Jove HK Limited, all based in Hong Kong, and the Vector Group in Russia. Postovoy repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the microelectronics by submitting false information on documents. He transshipped items that were ultimately destined for Russia through intermediary destinations, including Hong Kong, Switzerland, and elsewhere, and received payments in U.S. dollars from foreign bank accounts. His companies transferred funds for the purchase and shipment of the goods through bank accounts in Hong Kong, Russia, and elsewhere to bank accounts in the United States, including bank accounts maintained by the U.S. suppliers of microelectronics and other sensitive technologies.

            This case is being investigated by HSI Colorado Springs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart D. Allen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean R. Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

            Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.

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

The Justice Department today announced criminal charges in five cases from four U.S. Attorney’s offices in connection with the multi-agency Disruptive Technology Strike Force (Strike Force).

The Strike Force is co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce to counter efforts by hostile nation states to illicitly acquire sensitive U.S. technology to advance their authoritarian regimes and facilitate human rights abuses. Launched in February 2023, the Strike Force’s work has led to the unsealing of charges against 34 defendants in 24 cases involving alleged export control violations, smuggling, theft of trade secrets, and other charges by actors connected to Russia, China, and Iran.

The cases announced today took place over the course of multiple weeks, culminating in the arrest today of a Russian national allegedly seeking to illegally export electronics for use in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to Russia. The other cases also cover spearfishing of U.S-based scientists by an employee of a state-owned Chinese defense company and the smuggling of laser welding machines used in nuclear munition production to Russia.

“The prosecutions of these cases under the Disruptive Technology Strike Force reflects the joint efforts of five agencies across the government focused on the shared goal of stopping the transfer of sensitive, cutting-edge technologies to Iran, China, and Russia,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. “The Justice Department, through the work of the Strike Force, will continue to do all we can to prevent advanced technologies from falling into the hands of our adversaries and protect our national security.”

“We launched the Disruptive Technology Strike Force a year and half ago to advance the vital mission of safeguarding U.S. technology,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce. “As today’s announcements make clear, our efforts to protect sensitive U.S. technologies – which to date have yielded 24 publicly charged criminal cases, millions of dollars in administrative penalties, and multiple Entity List additions – remain relentless and unyielding.” 

“It’s no secret that the threats we face today are more complex and severe than ever before,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “The best way – and the only way – we can stay ahead of current and emerging threats is by working together. With these indictments, the Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an excellent example of the power of partnerships in practice.”

“Those who facilitate the illegal proliferation of sensitive technologies and material to hostile nations and terrorist groups pose a serious threat to the safety and security of the United States,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks that aid and abed U.S. adversaries.”

“Disrupting the efforts of foreign nations, international criminal organizations, and other potentially hostile entities that seek to illegally obtain sensitive DoD technology and weapon systems that could potentially be used against our military forces remains a top priority of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the criminal investigative arm of Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General,” said Inspector General Robert P. Storch of DoD. “We will continue to work with the Justice Department and our strike force partners to thwart the efforts of criminal elements whose activities threaten the security of the United States.”

United States v. Postovoy (District of Columbia)

A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Denis Postovoy, a Russian citizen living in the United States, with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, commit smuggling, commit money laundering and defraud the United States. HSI arrested Postovoy this morning in Sarasota, Florida.

According to court documents, beginning in at least February 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Postovoy procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia microelectronic components with military applications. The exported microelectronics can be used in UAVs or drones. Through a web of companies that he owns or operates in Russia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, Postovoy and individuals in his network purchased the microelectronics from U.S.-based distributors and exported them to Russia without the required licenses from the Department of Commerce.

As alleged, Postovoy’s companies included WowCube HK Limited, JST Group Hong Kong, Jove HK Limited, all based in Hong Kong, and the Vector Group in Russia. Postovoy repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the microelectronics by submitting false information on export-related documents. He transshipped items that were ultimately destined for Russia through intermediary destinations, including Hong Kong, Switzerland and elsewhere, and received payments in U.S. dollars from foreign bank accounts. His companies transferred funds for the purchase and shipment of the goods through bank accounts in Hong Kong, Russia, and elsewhere to bank accounts in the United States, including bank accounts maintained by the U.S. suppliers of microelectronics and other sensitive technologies.

HSI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Allen for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

United States v. Song Wu (Northern District of Georgia)

Today, a federal court in Atlanta, unsealed an indictment charging Chinese national, Song Wu, 39, with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from his efforts to fraudulently obtain computer software and source code created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), research universities, and private companies. Song remains at large.

According to the indictment, Song allegedly engaged in a multi-year “spear phishing” email campaign in which he created email accounts to impersonate U.S.-based researchers and engineers and then used those imposter accounts to obtain specialized restricted or proprietary software used for aerospace engineering and computational fluid dynamics. This specialized software could be used for industrial and military applications, such as development of advanced tactical missiles and aerodynamic design and assessment of weapons.

In executing the scheme, Song allegedly sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with the U.S. government, including NASA, the Air Force, Navy, and Army, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Song also sent spear phishing emails to individuals employed in positions with major research universities in Georgia, Michigan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio, and with private sector companies that work in the aerospace field. Song’s spear phishing emails appeared to the targeted victims as having been sent by a colleague, associate, friend, or other person in the research or engineering community. His emails requested that the targeted victim send or make available source code or software to which Song believed the targeted victim had access.

According to the indictment, while conducting this spear phishing campaign, Song was employed as an engineer at Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Beijing. AVIC manufactures civilian and military aircrafts and is one of the largest defense contractors in the world.

In total, Song is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Song faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. Song also faces a mandatory, two-year consecutive penalty in prison for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and the NASA’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger of the National Security Division's Cyber Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

United States v. Teslenko (District of Massachusetts)

Massachusetts resident, Samer Bhambhani, 55, and Russian national, Maksim Teslenko, 35, have been charged with smuggling and one count of conspiracy to violate and evade export controls, commit smuggling, and defraud the United States. Bhambhani was arrested on Sept. 9 and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. Teslenko remains at large overseas.

It is alleged that from in or around 2015 through at least 2021, Bhambhani and Teslenko conspired to export laser welding machines from Bhambhani’s employer in the United States to the Ural Electromechanical Plant (UEMZ) in Yekaterinburg, Russia, while falsifying the export documentation submitted to the U.S. government in order to conceal the fact that the UEMZ was the true end user of the machines. The UEMZ is a subsidiary of Rosatom, a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow, that oversaw Russia’s civilian and military nuclear program. According to the indictment, Teslenko knew that the laser welding machines were intended for the portion of the UEMZ involving the Russian nuclear weapons program.

The charge of smuggling provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy H. Kistner and Laura S. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

United States v. Goodarzi (Southern District of Texas)

Gholam Reza Goodarzi, also known as Ron Goodarzi, 76, a dual U.S. and Iranian citizen who resides in Porter, Texas, was arrested at the George Bush International Airport on Aug. 30 based on a criminal complaint alleging he smuggled parts and components used in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as other manned aircraft, from the United States to Iran.

According to court documents, from December 1, 2020, through July 5, Goodarzi illegally exported aircraft-related parts, in addition to oil and drilling components, to Iran. As alleged, Goodarzi purchased U.S.-origin aircraft components from U.S.-based suppliers and then exported them to Iran – typically through Dubai, UAE. He also traveled to and from Iran multiple times per year and concealed aircraft parts and other items in his checked luggage. Goodarzi exchanged multiple emails with suppliers and customers, acknowledging that parts could not be shipped to Iran because of sanctions.

The complaint alleges that on several occasions, authorities searched Goodarzi’s luggage and found numerous aircraft parts and components hidden within articles of clothing. Some of the items had characteristics consistent with parts for the production of UAVs, as well as parts with electrical motor and generator applications. Goodarzi does not have the required licenses to export such items to sanctioned countries, including Iran, according to the complaint.

The FBI, with assistance from and Customs and Border Protection, is investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. 

United States v. Nader (District of Columbia)

U.S.-Iranian national Jeffrey Chance Nader, 66, of Arcadia, California, was arrested on Aug. 13, 2024, based on an indictment charging him with crimes related to the procurement of U.S.-manufactured aircraft components, including components used on military aircraft, in violation of U.S. economic sanctions and other federal laws.

According to the indictment, beginning at least in 2023, Nader and others conspired to purchase and export – and attempted to export – from the United States to Iran four types of aircraft components, totaling nearly three dozen individual pieces. Some of these components are for use on military aircraft operated by Iran’s armed forces, including the F-4 fighter jet.

Nader, acting on purchase orders he received from customers in Iran, would coordinate the purchase of relevant aircraft components with business associates in Iran, by which they would reach out to U.S.-based suppliers of such components. In several instances, Nader identified himself and his company, California-based Pro Aero Capital, to these U.S.-based suppliers as the end-user of these items. Victim companies in this procurement scheme were located across the United States.

Once the aircraft components were obtained, Nader attempted to export the items on multiple separate occasions. The items were then transshipped to the ultimate customer in Iran. None of the transactions discussed in the indictment were successfully exported; they were detained on export by a Special Agent with the Department of Commerce.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Significant assistance was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.  

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

*   *   *

Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.  The Postovoy and Teslenko investigations were also coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.

*   *   *

Also today, the Department is announcing the unsealing of an indictment in Chicago, Illinois, charging Chinese national Jia Wei with unlawfully accessing the computer network of a U.S. communications company to steal proprietary information for the benefit of the China-based entities. 

As alleged, Wei was a member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the military of the People’s Republic of China, and assigned to a PLA unit tasked with obtaining communications and information of third parties through computer hacking. In March 2017, Wei and his co-conspirators accessed the U.S. company’s network without authorization approximately two days after the U.S. company filed a civil action against a China-based competitor for theft of communication-device trade secrets. Through this unauthorized access, Wei and his co-conspirators stole U.S. company documents relating to, among other things, the company’s civilian and military communication devices, product development, testing plans, internal product evaluations and commercial information about competitors. These documents pertained to some of the same technology and information that the China-based competitor stole from the U.S. company, as alleged in the civil action. In addition, Wei and his co-conspirators stole documents from the U.S. company discussing the China-based competitor.

During his unauthorized access, Wei and his co-conspirators attempted to install malicious software designed to provide persistent unauthorized access to the U.S. company’s network. Wei’s unauthorized access continued until approximately late May 2017.

The six-count indictment, returned in March 2022, charges Wei with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, computer intrusions and aggravated identity theft. A warrant for his arrest has been issued. If convicted, Wei faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, five years in prison for each of the conspiracy and computer intrusion counts, and a mandatory, two-year consecutive penalty in prison for each aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Chicago Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Steven Dollear and Thomas Peabody for the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney Brett Reynolds of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case. Significant assistance was provided by the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.

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

Note: This press release was updated on Sept. 16, 2024, to include two additional cases.

WASHINGTON – Jerome Lewis Jackson, aka Damon Hudson, 20, of Washington D.C., was sentenced to eight years in prison for offenses committed against three victims, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Jackson pleaded guilty on December 11, 2023, to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. On September 13, 2024, Superior Court Judge Heidi Pasichow sentenced Jackson to serve 96 months imprisonment for each offense, to be served concurrently, for a total of eight years, followed by 5 years of supervised release. 

           According to the government’s evidence, with which Jackson agreed, at around 3:24 a.m., on September 10, 2023, Jackson and an unknown suspect approached the three victims in the 2000 block of 12th Street NW, armed with a firearm.  Jackson pointed the firearm at the first victim, ordered him not to move, and removed car keys from his pocket belonging to the second victim, who was also present. Jackson and his accomplice then entered the second victim’s vehicle, which was nearby, and ordered the third victim who was sitting in the car to get out, but not before taking a watch and U.S. currency from the third victim.  Jackson then fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle while the unknown suspect followed in a second vehicle.

            Approximately 15 minutes later, members of the Metropolitan Police Department observed the stolen vehicle and came into contact with Jackson, who was exiting the driver’s seat of the stolen vehicle. On Jackson’s person were the keys to the vehicle taken from the first victim, as well as the watch taken from the third victim.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.  They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Carlton, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Daevon Narce, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for his role in a violent trafficking conspiracy that distributed significant amounts of crack cocaine and fentanyl near the corner of 7th and O Streets, NW.

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Narce, aka “Black Jesus,” was one of nearly two dozen defendants charged in connection with a wide-ranging drug trafficking investigation centered on the area of 7th and O Streets. He pleaded guilty on May 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Narce has six prior convictions, two of which were for escapes. In addition to the 70-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Narce to serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, in mid-2021, the FBI and officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) launched a probe into violent crime and drug activities around 7th and O Streets in Northwest. Investigators discovered a group that included Narce selling controlled substances. The group used several residences in the neighborhood as stash houses where they processed and packaged drugs for resale. Law enforcement installed covert cameras in the stash houses and witnessed dozens of hand-to-hand sales transactions both inside the homes and on the adjacent sidewalks. Police and agents also executed controlled purchases of crack and fentanyl.

            The following co-defendants and defendants in related cases have pleaded guilty and received sentences in relation to this case:

DEFENDANT

GUILTY PLEA

SENTENCE

Bryan Rice

aka “Ice”

Pleaded January 5, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl, and felon in possession of a firearm.

Sentenced April 23, 2024, to 120 months in prison.

Elliot Johnson

aka “Nadir” and “Hundo”

Pleaded May 5, 2023, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense

Sentenced August 17, 2023, to 120 months in prison.

Jeremy Young

aka “G-Code”

Pleaded March 1, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Sentenced June 7, 2023, to 70 months.

William Proctor

aka “Billy”

Pleaded November 7, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.

Sentenced February 24, 2023, to 60 months.

Andre William

aka “Sin”

Pleaded March 22, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.

Sentenced August 18, 2023, to 63 months.

Ako Handy

aka “K.O.”

Pleaded December 15, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Sentenced April 11, 2023, to 60 months.

Keith Gliss

aka “K.D.,” “Flea”

Pleaded May 4, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Sentenced August 4, 2023, to 84 months.

Stanley Hood

aka “Slim”

Pleaded January 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Sentenced May 23, 2023, to five years of probation.

Thomas Shelton 

aka “T”

Pleaded January 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.

Sentenced April 10, 2023, to 24 months.

Tyrone Wade

aka “Fats”

Pleaded April 10, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base.

Sentenced July 26, 2023, to 24 months.

Harold Augostus Stone  aka “Bankroll”

Pleaded June 23, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.

Sentenced October 12, 2023, to 60 months.

Christion Cooper 

aka “Soulja”

Pleaded February 23, 2023, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Sentenced February 3, 2023, to 60 months.

Kenneth Watts

aka “Wop”

Pleaded December 22, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Sentenced April 6, 2023, to 24 months.

Marquette Hunter

aka “Q”

Pleaded September 14, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Sentenced January 3, 2024, to time served.

Brandon Benson 

aka “Jet”

Pleaded January 11, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Sentenced May 15, 2023, to 51 months.

Burnell Smith 

aka “Drip”

Pleaded December 2, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Sentenced March 21, 2023, to five years' probation. 

Kelfa Kamara

Pleaded December 9, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Sentenced March 29, 2023, to 46 months.

Samuel Hall

Pleaded February 1, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Sentenced on June 2, 2023, to five years of probation.

Wesley Hilliard

aka “God”

Pleaded January 25, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base.

Sentenced May 7, 2024, to 37 months.

Tyrone Robinson

aka “Dog”

Pleaded January 10, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Sentenced May 31, 2024, to 37 months.

Daevon Narce

aka “Black Jesus”

Pleaded May 12, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Sentenced September 19, 2024, to 70 months.

            This case stems from a collaborative investigation by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force, and the Washington Division of the DEA. The Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia. 

             The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg, Steven Wasserman, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaunik Panse.

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WASHINGTON – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. 

            The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. 

            Communities have been designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. They include rural areas, suburban areas, urban areas, and Tribal communities. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.

In the District of Columbia, the following jurisdictions have been designated:

Ward 7, District of Columbia

            The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders.  All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.

Complete List of Jurisdictions as of September 11, 2024:

Montgomery County, Alabama

Jefferson County, Alabama

Little Rock, Arkansas

Washington County, Arkansas

Fresno, California

San Diego, California

Hartford, Connecticut

Ward 7, District of Columbia

Jacksonville, Florida

Alachua County, Florida

Metro Miami-Dade County, Florida

Macon-Bibb County, Georgia

DeKalb County, Georgia

Augusta, Georgia

City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii

Ada County, Idaho

Danville, Illinois

Rockford, Illinois

Madison County, Illinois

Gary, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana

Des Moines, Iowa

Linn County, Iowa

Garden City, Kansas

Fayette County, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Orleans Parish, Louisiana

Rapides Parish, Louisiana

Western Main Region: Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, Maine

Baltimore City, Maryland

Boston, Massachusetts

Saginaw, Michigan

Lansing, Michigan

Greenville, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi

Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Greene County, Missouri

Gallatin County and Bozeman, Montana

Northeast Omaha, Nebraska

Las Vegas, Nevada

Strafford County, New Hampshire

Bernalillo County, New Mexico

Borough of Brooklyn, New York

Onondaga County, New York

Borough and County of the Bronx, New York

Monroe County, New York

Fayetteville and Cumberland County, North Carolina

Forsyth County, North Carolina

Asheville (including Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Carolina

Grand Forks, North Dakota

Toledo, Ohio

Muskogee County, Oklahoma

Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma

Portland, Oregon

Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Greenville County, South Carolina

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota

City of Chattanooga, Tennessee

Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee

Gregg County, Texas

Amarillo, Texas

Houston, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Salt Lake County, Utah

South Hampton Roads (Chesapeake/Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach), Virginia

Oswald Harris Court Housing Community, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Chittenden County, Vermont

Spokane County, Washington

King County, Washington

Wheeling Area (Ohio/Brooke/Hancock Counties), West Virginia

Kanawha County, West Virginia

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Dane County, Wisconsin

Fremont County, Wyoming

WASHINGTON – Tyiion Freeman, 25, and Koran Jackson, 24, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to 108 years and 164 years, respectively, for a nine-day shooting spree that culminated in the March 1, 2020, murder of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes.

            The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            A Superior Court jury on July 10, 2024, found Freeman, Jackson, and a third conspirator, Stephon Nelson, guilty of first-degree murder while armed, several counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, conspiracy to commit various firearms offenses and other firearms-related charges. Nelson, who supplied the illegal firearms, is scheduled for sentencing on September 19, 2024. 

            According to the government’s evidence, between February 1, 2020, and May 31, 2020, Freeman and Jackson, along with two other defendants who are awaiting trial, participated in a firearms conspiracy.

            Using the firearms from that conspiracy, the defendants engaged in four separate shooting sprees that resulted in the murder of Malachi Lukes and assaults on 10 other victims. Three of shootings stemmed from a longstanding rivalries among various District of Columbia neighborhoods. 

            According to the evidence, on March 1, 2020, Jackson, Freeman, and two co-conspirators traveled to the Shaw neighborhood in a stolen vehicle. Malachi and his three teenage friends were walking to a basketball court. The defendants followed the teens and pulled alongside them. Two defendants exited the stolen vehicle and opened fire on the boys, killing Malachi Lukes and grazing another. Immediately thereafter, the defendants drove 10 minutes to another neighborhood where they opened fire on another victim. 

            In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force and ATF along with the Arlington County Police Department. They also thanked the Arlington County Sheriff Department; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Capitol Police; D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences; DOJ Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section; Montgomery County Police Department; D.C. Department of Corrections; and the Internal Revenue Service—Atlanta Branch.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Jackson, Tamara Rubb, and Nebiyu Feleke, with assistance from Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman, Supervisory Paralegal Tasha Harris, Paralegals April Urbanowski and Alyssa Schroeder, Superior Court Operations Manager Linda McDonald, and Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen. 

WASHINGTON – Aaron DeAndre Mercer, 33, and Ronald Lynn Dorsey, 30, both of Washington D.C. and members of the violent Kennedy Street Crew (KDY), were sentenced today to federal prison terms for their roles in a drug trafficking organization operating open-air drug markets in Northwest Washington D.C.

            Mercer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for being a bulk supplier of fentanyl, marijuana, and cocaine base for the KDY organization. Dorsey was sentenced to 30 months for laundering KDY’s trafficking proceeds by establishing phony businesses and shell companies and by using local casinos.

            The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, ATF Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office.

            Mercer, aka “Curby,” pleaded guilty on June 14, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, marijuana, and cocaine base before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell. Dorsey pleaded guilty on February 8, 2024, to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

            According to court documents, KDY members operated open-air drug markets on an 11-block stretch of Kennedy Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., as well as surrounding streets. Like many drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), KDY armed itself with fire power to facilitate the drug trade and defend its territory from rival crews.

            For his part, Mercer conspired with his KDY associates to traffic fentanyl in bulk in addition to cocaine base and marijuana.  Dorsey concealed the proceeds of KDY’s illegal operations, helping to smuggle bulk quantities of drugs by flying 15 times to the West Coast, and conducting retail sales of crack cocaine and marijuana in the open-air markets. Dorsey and co-defendant Kenneth Olugbenga created two businesses for money laundering: Heavy Baggz LLC and HBG LLC. The later purported to be a music, entrepreneurial, and car detailing business, but tax records for both entities confirmed that neither business reported income. Dorsey, aka “HBGeezy,” also used the businesses to apply for, and receive, two forgivable loans from the Small Business Administration during the Covid pandemic. He allegedly used the EIDL and PPP loans to purchase bulk narcotics to further fuel KDY’s drug trafficking. Dorsey and his co-conspirators also concealed illicit income at D.C. area casinos by using drug trafficking proceeds to wager bets, then cash out the funds after incurring small losses to make the funds appear as if they were legitimate.

            This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. 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.

            It was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the DEA’s Washington Division, ATF’s Washington Field Division, FBI Washington Field Office and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Office.

            It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Lynch.

DEFENDANTS

NAME

AGE

CHARGES

Kenneth Ademola Olugbenga

27

Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Cocaine Base, and a Detectable Amount of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.

Khali Ahmed Brown, aka “Migo Lee”

22

Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Aiding and Abetting; Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Possessing a Machine Gun During a Drug Trafficking Offense; Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun; Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number

Miasiah Jamal Brown, aka “Michael Jamal Crawford”

21

Pleaded Guilty to Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense

Tristan Miles Ware, aka “Greedy”

23

Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense

Herman Eric-Bibmin Signou, aka “Herman Signour”

23

Sentenced 3/22/2024, to 40 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana

Cameron Xavier Reid

26

Sentenced 5/31/2024, to Five Years for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana

Aaron DeAndre Mercer, aka “Curby,”

27

Sentenced 9/13/2024, to 10 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Marijuana, and Cocaine Base

David Penn, aka “Turtle”

30

Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl; and two counts of Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.

Ronald Lynn Dorsey, aka “Ron G” and “HBGeezy”

29

Sentenced 9/13/2024, to 30 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

Antonio Reginald Bailey, aka “Boy Boy,” and “Fellow King”

22

Sentenced 2/8/24, to 24 Months for Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment

Anthony Trayon Bailey, aka “Fat Ant,” and “Bizzle”

27

Sentenced 4/26/24, to 15 months for Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana Within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location

Angel Enrique Suncar, aka “Coqui”

29

Pleaded Guilty to Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense

Warren Lawrence Fields, III, aka B-Dub

26

Sentenced 5/16/24, to 90 months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

            Defendant Cameron Reid is from Falmouth, VA; all remaining defendants are from Washington, D.C.

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