Central District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Matthew T. Miller, 40, was sentenced on September 24, 2025, to 200 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the court considered evidence that between June and September 2024, Miller sold methamphetamine on three occasions, totaling 86.14 grams. During a traffic stop in September 2024, Miller, a passenger in the vehicle, refused to comply when officers ordered him to step out of the car. Officers saw Miller moving around in the car, attempting to destroy a large amount of apparent methamphetamine by dumping it out of the baggies. Miller was taken into custody by law enforcement officers who then located approximately 55.72 grams of methamphetamine (actual) and marijuana in and around the vehicle and on Miller’s person. Ultimately, Miller was accountable for 257.22 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, 55.72 grams of methamphetamine (actual), and 20.35 grams of marijuana.
Also at the hearing, Judge Mihm found Miller to be a career offender based upon his previous drug offenses.
Miller was arrested in September 2024 and indicted in October 2024. He entered a guilty plea in January 2025 and has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine (actual) are ten years to life imprisonment, followed by at least five years of supervised release. A fine of up to $10 million can also be imposed.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Resident Office, and Peoria Metropolitan Enforcement Group (PMEG) investigated the case, with assistance from the Peoria Police Department and Bartonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Miller is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender and Being Illegally Present in United StatesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Guatemalan national, Roberto Nicolas-Simon, 24, pleaded guilty on September 24, 2025, to being illegally present in the United States after a prior removal and failing to update his registration as a convicted sex offender. Acceptance of the plea is pending before U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce. Sentencing for Nicolas-Simon has been scheduled for February 2, 2026, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Nicolas-Simon admitted to illegally reentering the country and failing to update his sex offender registration. The government noted during the hearing, that Nicolas-Simon had previously been removed from the United States following his conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor in Champaign County, Illinois, in 2020. Due to that conviction, he was required to register his residential address under the Sex Offender Notification and Registration Act.
This year, an investigation revealed that Nicolas-Simon had illegally returned to the United States and was living in Champaign without registering his residence as required by law.
Nicolas-Simon remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Nicolas-Simon faces statutory penalties of up to ten years of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine for each offense. He could also receive up to three years of supervised release for being illegally present in the United States and at least a five-year term and a maximum life term of supervised release for failure to update his registration as a sex offender.
The case investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, in collaboration with the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney William J. Lynch is representing the government in the prosecution.
Former Peoria Store Owner Convicted of Twenty-One Felonies After Being a Fugitive for Fifteen YearsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict at approximately 9:00 pm on September 10, 2025, against Jalal Nimer Asad, 61, of Lindenhurst, Illinois, on twenty-one felony offenses for his role in separate but related conspiracies charged in two cases. In the first case, Asad was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the tax laws, six counts of tax evasion, and nine counts of mail fraud. In the second case, Asad was convicted of conspiracy to structure financial transactions and four counts of structuring financial transactions to avoid reporting requirements. Sentencing for Asad has been scheduled on January 8, 2026 at 10:00 am at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over seven days of testimony, the government presented evidence establishing that Asad had been the leader of a group of individuals that owned and operated several convenience and liquor stores in the Central District of Illinois. During trial, the government established that Asad and his cohorts (all of whom had pleaded guilty or been convicted following trial over 15 years ago) kept two sets of books, a true set and a false set, in order to underreport their earnings and pay less state and federal taxes. The government also proved that Asad structured financial transactions to withdraw more than $4 million in cash without triggering the bank’s reporting requirements.
A federal grand jury returned indictments against Asad and his co-defendants in 2009. While all the other defendants were convicted or pleaded guilty years ago, Asad remained at large overseas for 15 years until his recent return to the United States.
The Court allowed Asad to remain on bond pending sentencing. At sentencing, Asad faces statutory penalties of up to twenty years in prison.
The case investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and was carried out with the support of local law enforcement partners, including the Decatur Police Department. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller and Assistant United States Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government at trial.
Danville Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Carjacking and MurderRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Kevin Marshall, 35, was sentenced on September 8, 2025, to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on four charges, including two charges related to the carjacking and murder of Daniel Walter in Danville on April 25, 2020, and two charges related to drug trafficking and carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking. Marshall was also sentenced to an additional ten years for possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the judge considered evidence from Marshall’s August 2024 jury trial showing that after he was released from custody in January 2020, Marshall used a Taurus handgun to murder Walter at a rural home in Danville. The evidence at trial showed that Marshall lured Walter out of his truck around 4 a.m., and once they were in a concealed area between the home and detached garage, Marshall shot Walter four times at close range in the head and body. After initially leaving in Walter’s truck, Marshall returned and shot Walter five more times in the head and face, even though Walter was already deceased, and took Walter’s phone and wallet. After the murder, Marshall spent the summer of 2020 selling methamphetamine before his arrest on August 18, 2020. Forensic testing on a Taurus firearm seized during Marshall’s arrest connected the gun to Walter’s murder, as well as to a series of shootings in Danville in early 2020.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Marshall in August 2021, charging him with possessing a firearm as a felon. A superseding indictment including the same gun charge, as well as the charges related to the carjacking and murder of Walter, drug trafficking, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking, was returned by the grand jury in April 2023. The case went to trial from July 31 through August 7, 2024. During the trial, the evidence showed Marshall’s extensive efforts to tamper with witnesses and obstruct the proceedings, including ordering others to delete Facebook records and forcing witnesses to draft documents falsely claiming responsibility for Marshall’s own actions. Despite the obstruction, evidence of which was presented to the jury during the trial, the jury found Marshall guilty on all counts. Marshall has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service since his federal arrest on August 3, 2021.
Prior to this case, Marshall had been convicted of second-degree murder for the murder of Latifah Cross in Danville on May 21, 2013. In imposing four life sentences – one for each count of conviction – Judge Bruce noted both murders and said that the evidence from the case showed his involvement in other violence and tampering with witnesses, as well as a general lack of remorse. Judge Bruce said one of his major concerns was the need to protect the public from Marshall.
“The defendant’s violent murder of Daniel Walter, along with his armed distribution of dangerous drugs in our community, show a chilling disregard for human life,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “Our office is dedicated to pursing justice for victims of violence and to protecting our communities from those, like the defendant, who seek to sow harm. We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their invaluable work on this case.”
“I appreciate the commitment, diligent work, and collaboration of Danville Police officers and detectives, the Illinois State Police, federal agencies, Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing closure to this case and holding the convicted, Kevin Marshall, accountable for his actions,” said Danville Chief of Police Christopher S. Yates. “We also must recognize the courage of the witnesses who stepped forward. It takes all of us to keep our community safer from predators and those who want to do others harm. Though the conviction and sentencing of Kevin Marshall does not erase the damage, pain, and suffering he caused, hopefully this can contribute further to the healing process for family and friends of Daniel Walter, as well as our community.”
“This sentence holds Kevin Marshall accountable for his unforgivable crimes and the trail of violence and loss he left behind,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office, Christopher J. S. Johnson. “Our office and our partners worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. We hope it brings a measure of justice.”
The Danville Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Illinois State Police; the U.S. Marshals Service; Vermilion County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives all took part in investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and Eugene Miller represented the government in the prosecution, in cooperation with Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy.
Repeat Child Pornography Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley sentenced a Peoria, Illinois, man, Michael Dean Dupoy, 53, to 216 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Judge Hawley also sentenced Dupoy, who was serving a term of supervised release for an earlier conviction for receipt of child pornography, to 24 months’ imprisonment for violating the terms of that supervised release. He further ordered that the 24 months sentence be served consecutively to the 216-month sentence, for a total sentence of 240 months.
At the sentencing hearing on August 20, 2025, Judge Hawley heard arguments relating to Dupoy’s history of arrests, including his 2008 conviction for receipt of child pornography. For that offense, he was sentenced to 220 months’ imprisonment, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Dupoy began his supervised release in early October 2024. Later that same month, while visiting Dupoy at his residence, a United States Probation Officer noticed a SanDisk Model 512GB Micro SD card. Although Dupoy claimed it just contained movies, the officer seized the card and submitted it for analysis. While waiting for the analysis, the officer visited Dupoy in December 2024 at his home and found that Dupoy had an unmonitored cellular phone, which was prohibited under the conditions of his supervised release. Analysis of the SD card and the cellular phone revealed that Dupoy had 482 images and 58 videos of child sexual abuse materials. Also on the SD card and the phone were photos of children who came into the store where he worked.
Dupoy was arrested in December 2024 in relation to the supervised release violation. A federal grand jury returned an indictment in a new criminal case in February 2025 charging Dupoy with possession of child pornography. Dupoy pleaded guilty in April 2025. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Hawley found that the sentence was necessary to protect the public and deter Dupoy from further criminal conduct, noting that his criminal conduct began almost immediately upon his release from prison. The judge said that he saw “nothing to think [that Dupoy] would not immediately engage in this behavior again” and said that the “the surest way to deter” Dupoy was to have him in custody. The judge concluded that Dupoy needed “to be removed from society to protect the public.”
Because of Dupoy’s prior conviction, the statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are 10 to 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year to life term of supervised release.
The United States Probation Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Dupoy was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Pekin Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Pekin, Illinois, man, Joseph D. Perkins, 32, was sentenced today to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by seven years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor. He also is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the court considered evidence from Perkins’s April 2025 jury trial showing that from January 2023 until March 2024, he engaged in conversation with a person he believed to be a fourteen-year-old female. Throughout the 14-month conversation, Perkins made multiple attempts to obtain nude photos and repeatedly attempted to meet the individual to engage in sexual activities. He arrived at a planned meet-up in late March 2024 and was arrested by federal law enforcement officers.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Perkins in April 2024. The case went to trial in April 2025, and a jury found Perkins guilty. Perkins has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in March 2024 on a federal criminal complaint.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor include a mandatory minimum of ten years to life imprisonment, followed by a supervised release term of five years to life.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa P. Ortiz and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Perkins was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Tempe, Arizona, man, Terence Michael Carroll, 38, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for attempted distribution of more than 1,000 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the court considered uncontested evidence that in December 2023 Carroll mailed a parcel with approximately 11,757 tablets, or a total of 1,295.4 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, from Tempe to an address in Peoria, Illinois.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment in July 2024, and Carroll was arrested in Arizona at the end of that month. He was released on a recognizance bond. Carroll entered a plea of guilty in May 2025, at which time he was detained by the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
The statutory penalties for attempted distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl are ten years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at least a five-year term of supervised release. The court also may impose up to a $10 million dollar fine.
“Defendants who peddle deadly drugs like fentanyl introduce poison into our communities,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. “Our office is committed to pursuing these prosecutions in partnership with the United States Postal Inspection Services, Illinois State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, given the life-threatening consequences of this type of drug distribution.”
“This successful investigation demonstrates the role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “U.S. Postal Inspectors are federal agents committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service and fulfilling our obligations to safety in the communities we serve by dismantling drug trafficking organizations. U.S. Postal Inspectors will continue to aggressively investigate and bring to justice anyone utilizing the U.S. Mail for distribution of narcotics, as demonstrated by Mr. Carroll’s sentencing.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service, assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service Forensics Lab and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Carroll is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Bloomington Felon Sentenced to Thirty-Six Months in Prison for Possession of Firearms and Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bloomington, Illinois man, Dandre Antwan Williams, 36, of the 1200 block of Orchard Road, was sentenced on August 7, 2025, to 36 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and the distribution of cocaine.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the government provided information that in April 2024, Williams possessed and sold a Russian firearm, a Taurus .38 firearm loaded with 4 rounds of special ammunition, and 48.6 grams of cocaine. As a convicted felon, Williams was prohibited from possessing firearms. During the hearing, Judge Hawley also found that one of the firearms had a defaced serial number.
Williams was indicted in October 2024 and pled guilty in March 2025. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in October 2024.
The statutory penalties for a felon in possession of a firearm are, not more than 15 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. The statutory penalties for distribution of cocaine are not more than 30 years imprisonment, up to 6 years of supervised release, and up to a $2,000,000 fine.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Williams is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal Prisoner Sentenced to Additional Prison Term for Possession of ContrabandRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Darell Reed, 35, who is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin, Illinois (FCI-Pekin), was sentenced on August 5, 2025, to 15 months’ imprisonment and a special assessment of $100 for possession of a prohibited object in prison. This sentence will be served consecutive to the federal sentence Reed is already serving for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the government presented information that, on March 10, 2024, Reed, an inmate at FCI-Pekin, was visited at the prison, and that an object was transferred between the visitor and Reed. Reed was then monitored and personnel ultimately recovered two small orange balloons that contained 30 orange pieces of film, wrapped in cellophane. The strips were identified as containing Suboxone, and buprenorphine, Schedule III controlled substances, which are prohibited in the prison.
The statutory penalties for possession of contraband by an inmate are not more than five years imprisonment, to be served consecutive to the existing term of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, a mandatory special assessment of $100, and not more than three years supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man Jessie Bates, 38, was sentenced on July 17, 2025, to 17 years in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Bates sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine to an individual and undercover agent. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Bates, he fled at a high rate of speed proceeding the wrong way down a busy on-way road. He then fled to the state of Georgia where he was ultimately arrested. The government also presented evidence that Bates committed the offense while out on bond for a Sangamon County case involving aggravated discharge of a firearm.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that the Bates was a career offender and eligible for an obstruction of justice enhancement for recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person in the course of fleeing from law enforcement.
Bates pleaded guilty in March 2025. He remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his arrest in January 2024.
The statutory penalties for distribution of methamphetamine are at least 10 years and up to a life term of imprisonment, , at least five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $10,000,000 fine.
“The only thing to be gained from a career as a drug dealer is a prison sentence,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger. “I appreciate the work of the ATF agents who came to central Illinois and went into the field to ensure this was a successful operation. Their work has made our community safer.”
“This case was a direct result of our Violent Crime Initiative and our strong partnership with the Springfield Police Department,” said ATF Chicago Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “Through our targeted and collaborative enforcement efforts, and with the unwavering support of retired Chief of Police Ken Scarlette, a violent drug trafficker is now off the streets and behind bars.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. The Illinois State Police provided assistance at sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
Rossi Sentenced to an Additional Three Years in Prison for Healthcare Fraud Related to COVID TestingRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Aaron Rossi, 42, of Morton, Illinois, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, to an additional 37 months in prison for healthcare and wire fraud related to false billing for COVID tests at Reditus Labs. Rossi was also ordered to forfeit a recreational vehicle worth an estimated $1 million.
In addition, Rossi, who has been in county jail since August 2023 related to previous fraud convictions, was sentenced to a term of time served for possessing contraband while incarcerated.
At the sentencing hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, the government presented evidence that beginning in October 2020 and continuing until at least November 2021 Rossi, through his laboratory, Reditus, schemed to defraud Medicare, the State of Illinois, and several private health insurance companies. He did this by submitting claims with codes for services that were never performed and by receiving payments from more than one source for the same test. The government presented evidence showing that Rossi is responsible for a total combined loss of $525,520.61.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Rossi for the COVID test fraud in June 2024, charging him with 11 counts of healthcare and wire fraud. Rossi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of healthcare fraud in April 2025.
At the time of his indictment in the COVID test fraud case, Rossi was already in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on charges related to his scheme to defraud a former employer and file false income taxes. Rossi was ultimately sentenced to five years in prison in that case and ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution and fines following his convictions for mail fraud and filing a false tax return.
While Rossi was being held in the Peoria County Jail on the charges related to his fraud at Reditus, a federal grand jury returned a third indictment in March 2025 charging Rossi with possessing contraband while incarcerated (three counts). According to the indictment, the Peoria County Sheriff’s deputies found several items of contraband in Rossi’s possession, including a synthetic cannabinoid (K2), which was hidden in his bible; a battery for lighting substances on fire; and a marijuana vape pen. The statutory penalties for each of the three counts ranged from 6 months to 10 years’ imprisonment, fines of $5,000 to $250,000, and one- to three-year terms of supervised release. Rossi pleaded guilty to all three of these counts in April 2025.
During this week’s sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Darrow noted that Rossi’s behavior was, as in his previous fraud case, driven by greed and hubris. She stated that Rossi stepped in and offered to help in response to the COVID pandemic, but then used those same circumstance to take advantage of others. Judge Darrow said that Rossi was in a position that most people in the country would never be in, but that he was there, in part, because of his fraud. Judge Darrow imposed the 37-month sentence, in part, based on her observation that Rossi had a high risk of recidivism as he seemed to take every opportunity given to him as an occasion to take more than he deserved. This included not just his previous fraud and his fraud at Reditus, but also his conduct at the jail. Judge Darrow stated that Rossi behaved as if he was above the law.
The statutory penalties for healthcare fraud are up to ten years’ imprisonment, and the penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Each charge is to be followed by up to a three-year term supervised release and carries the possibility of a $250,000 fine.
“This case showcases the hard work of multiple law enforcement agencies,” said Acting United States Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “Their cooperation and dedication led to the just result in this case. Our office is committed to these prosecutions and to holding those who commit fraud accountable.”
“This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of U.S. law enforcement to protecting the integrity of the federal healthcare system by holding fraudsters accountable for submitting false claims,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard taxpayer funds to ensure that the Medicare and Medicaid programs serve patients effectively and as intended.”
“This additional sentencing underscores two critical points: first, Mr. Rossi is being held fully accountable for his actions, and second, the relentless work of these agencies continues until justice is served,” said Christopher J.S. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Springfield Field Office. “White-collar criminals often try to obscure the truth, but diligent investigation will always bring the facts to light.”
“This complex case required thousands of hours of investigation by U.S. Postal Inspectors and other investigative staff,” said Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The sentence rendered in this case makes every minute spent unraveling this scam worthwhile. We are proud of the combined efforts of our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office who worked with Postal Inspectors in bringing Mr. Rossi to justice.”
“The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration will take every opportunity to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners in these important investigations to protect participants in private sector health plans,” said Mark Underwood, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration, Kansas City Regional Office.
The Reditus case investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Internal Revenue Service; the U.S. Department of Labor -Employee Benefit Security Administration; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. The Peoria County Sheriff’s Office investigated the contraband case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
Wentzville, Missouri, Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Wentzville, Missouri, man, Mark Randle, 44, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 210 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Randle was indicted in October 2020 and pleaded guilty in March 2025.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine in this case were no less than 15 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Illinois State Police; the Quincy Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Randle is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Wentzville, Missouri, Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Wentzville, Missouri, man, Mark Randle, 44, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 210 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Randle was indicted in October 2020 and pleaded guilty in March 2025.
The statutory penalties for distributing methamphetamine in this case were no less than 15 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Illinois State Police; the Quincy Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Randle is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
British Man Sentenced to 42 Years in Prison for Three Counts of Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A British man, Scott West, 40, of Manchester, United Kingdom, was sentenced on June 23, 2025, to 42 years in prison following his convictions for three counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
At the sentencing hearing, the court was informed that West and another co-conspirator created an account on a popular social media platform in which the two men pretended to be a young woman. Both men used the account to reach out to young boys to solicit sexually explicit photos. Multiple minors contacted by West were in the Central District of Illinois. When a victim responded by sending sexually explicit photos to the account, West would solicit more photos, threatening to expose the victim if he did not comply. Independently, West would meet children online and engage in similar behavior, knowingly soliciting sexually explicit photos from underage boys in multiple different countries.
Also at the hearing, U.S. Chief District Judge Sara Darrow found that the offense involved the knowing misrepresentation of a participant’s identity to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
West was indicted in December 2022, and a request was made to the government of the United Kingdom for his extradition in June 2023. He was extradited to the United States in October 2024 by the United States Marshals Service and remained in their custody after United States Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley ordered his detention. West pleaded guilty in January 2025.
The statutory penalties for sexual exploitation of a child include not less than 15 years and up to 30 years’ imprisonment per count, to be followed by not less than 5 years and up to a life term of supervised release on each count. Judge Darrow further ordered that West serve a ten-year term of supervised release.
“West manipulated and preyed upon children on two continents in his quest to fulfill his own sexual desires.”said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger. “This extradition and sentence ensured that his American victims received justice in the United States for his crimes. We will continue to work with law enforcement across the globe to bring justice to victims of abuse.”
“Adults should protect children, not prey upon them online as the predator in this case did to victims in multiple countries. The sentencing in this case reflects the heinousness of this man’s insidious actions to threaten and harm kids,” said Michael Kurzeja, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Springfield Resident Office. “The Secret Service is committed to keeping children safe online and pursuing crimes committed against them. Thanks to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Central District of Illinois, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Greater Manchester Police Serious Crime Division in England, the Illinois State Police and all of our local law enforcement partners for helping bring this defendant to justice.”
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from the United Kingdom.
The United States Secret Service and the Greater Manchester Police Online Child Abuse Investigation Team in England investigated the case, with assistance from the Illinois State Police and several local Illinois police departments and sheriffs’ offices: the Geneseo Police Department, the Colona Police Department, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Kewanee Police Department, and the Moline Police Department. Significant assistance was also provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) encourage parents to discuss online safety with their children and to ask for help from adults or professionals if they have experienced threats online. Children should know it is always okay to speak with a trusted adult if something they are experiencing online makes them uncomfortable. For more information contact [email protected]. NCMEC also has a CyberTipline for reporting child sexual exploitation.
Eureka Chiropractor Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison and Ordered to Repay More than $2.3 Million for Defrauding MedicareRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Carrie Musselman, 48, of Eureka, Illinois, was sentenced on June 24, 2025, to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $2.3 million dollars in restitution following her convictions on multiple charges related to her scheme to defraud Medicare and twelve other insurance companies. A jury found Musselman guilty of one count of healthcare fraud and five counts of wire fraud after a 13-day trial in February 2025.
At the sentencing hearing before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government presented evidence that Musselman, a chiropractor in Eureka, engaged in a multi-year fraud to steal more than $2.5 million from Medicare and other insurance companies. As part of the scheme, Musselman submitted fraudulent insurance claims which indicated that services had been performed by medical doctors when they were actually performed by mid-level providers. That resulted in automatic pay increases for Musselman to which she was not entitled.
Musselman also made claims that falsely asserted patients had received services that were never provided. These claims included purportedly providing patients with allergy injections when no such injections were given. Instead, patients were sent home with oral drops that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, were considered “experimental,” and had not been proven to be effective.
And Musselman misrepresented services that were provided, again resulting in her receipt of payments to which she was not entitled. One of Musselman’s most highly reimbursed services, the placement of an electroacupuncture device, which she falsely billed as a surgically implanted neurostimulator, would not have qualified for any payment but for her deception.
Also at the hearing, Judge Mihm found that Musselman had committed perjury in her testimony. In doing so, the judge noted that Musselman’s statements lacked credibility. He stated that Musselman was well aware of the fraud she was committing and that she had directed and encouraged the fraud.
“This case should serve as a warning to anyone who would commit fraud against health insurance,” said Acting United States Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “We will seek out fraud, waste, and abuse and prosecute those who engage in it. Providers who take advantage of the trust placed in them to line their own pockets abandon their ethical responsibilities and raise health insurance costs for vulnerable patients.”
“The submission of false claims undermines the integrity of our federal healthcare system,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “We remain committed to holding healthcare providers accountable for complying with Medicare regulations so that enrollees can continue to rely on the program and receive the care they deserve.”
“Bad actors in healthcare, such as Dr. Musselman, think they can cover up fraud through clouded paperwork and technical healthcare jargon all while they commit illegal acts such as false claims, fraudulent services, and in this case, services not even rendered,” said Christopher J.S. Johnson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office. “This sentencing and ordered restitution are a testament to the FBI’s commitment to working these types of cases. It doesn’t matter how clouded the paperwork, or how many files there are to go through, if there is a victim, then there will be an agent investigating it.”
The case investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer, Bryan D. Freres, and Grace J. Hitzeman represented the government at trial.
Nevada Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MOLINE, Ill. – Luisito Espanola, 65, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced on May 21, 2025, to 32 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons following his convictions for wire fraud and money laundering. United States District Judge Sara Darrow ordered Espanola to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on June 23, 2025.
During the one-week jury trial, the government presented evidence that on December 2, 2020, and December 22, 2020, Espanola created and sent fraudulent emails to the City of Moline requesting that the City make ACH (payment information) changes for two vendors with which the City conducted business. As a result of that fraud, the City of Moline suffered a loss of $404,764.59.
“We thank the thorough and professional efforts of the Moline Police Department and the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter and bringing this fraudster to justice,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass.
Espanola faced a penalty of up to twenty years in prison on each of his two fraud convictions and a penalty of up to twenty years in prison on each of his two money laundering convictions.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bass and Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes National Police Week, Sacrifice and Dedication of Fallen OfficersRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In observance of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and pays tribute to the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. This year, National Police Week is observed Sunday, May 11, through Saturday, May 17, 2025.
“We honor the dedicated and brave law enforcement officers across the country and here in the Central District of Illinois, said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “Every day, these officers go to work to make our communities safer. Our office is incredibly fortunate to work with these public servants and has seen firsthand the good that they do for those in our own district. Their important work, however, all too often places them in danger, and, tragically, officers across the nation and in our district have lost their lives in the line of duty. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and colleagues.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
The Central District of Illinois grieves the officers who served and were killed in the line of duty in 2024 and this year. In this district, Illinois State Police Trooper Corey S. Thompson tragically lost his life in the line of duty in a traffic accident in Champaign County, Illinois, on October 18, 2024.
One hundred and forty-eight federal, state, county, municipal, military, tribal, and campus officers died in the line of duty in 2024, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
The names of more than 345 officers killed in the line of duty who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will be read on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the 37th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. To view a livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2025/candlelight-vigil/. To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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Reference to any specific organization or service(s) offered by an organization is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Department of Justice.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-led Nationwide Crackdown, Including Three in the Central District of IllinoisRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“Protecting our children from those who seek to exploit them and inflict harm is a top priority for our office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory M. Gilmore. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners whose dedicated work has made our community that much safer.”
“There will be zero tolerance for those who commit crimes against our children,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “There will never be a lead we do not follow or door we do not knock on. We will not stand by – we will stand together. This operation shows that with every partner at the table, from law enforcement to community advocates, we are united in one mission, to protect our children.”
The cases charged in the Central District of Illinois include the following:
Mark Peterson, 41, of Pekin, Illinois, was charged by federal criminal complaint on April 25, 2025, with attempted enticement of a minor. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Peterson on May 6, 2025.
According to the complaint affidavit, Peterson communicated via an internet-based social media platform with an individual whom he believed had access to a ten-year-old female, expressing multiple times that he wanted to engage in sexual activity with the child. Per the affidavit, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, Peterson drove to a location in Peoria to meet the child for the purpose of having sexual relations. Federal law enforcement agents arrested him upon his arrival.
If convicted of attempted enticement of a minor, Peterson faces a minimum sentence of ten years to life imprisonment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long ordered Peterson detained on April 29, 2025, and he remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz is representing the government in the prosecution.
Dalton Trader, 27, of Williamsville, Illinois, was charged by federal criminal complaint on April 29, 2025, with possession of child pornography.
According to the complaint affidavit, law enforcement agents discovered multiple child pornography videos, including a video of a prepubescent minor, on Trader’s computer pursuant to a search warrant.
If convicted of possession of child pornography, Trader faces a sentence of up to twenty years of imprisonment.
Trader is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending a detention hearing that is set for May 8, 2025.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with assistance from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Williamsville Police Department, Illinois State Police, Springfield Police Department, the Illinois Secretary of State Police, the Sherman Police Department, and Sangamon County Animal Control. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
James Yeager, 51, of Springfield, Illinois, was charged by federal criminal complaint on April 29, 2025, with possession of child pornography.
According to the complaint affidavit, law enforcement agents discovered multiple child pornography images, including photographs of prepubescent minors, on a micro-SD drive at Yeager’s residence, following the execution of a search warrant.
U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless ordered Yeager detained on May 6, 2025, and he remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; the Decatur Police Department; the Springfield Police Department; the Illinois State Police; the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Investigation Division, and the Illinois Secretary of State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
If convicted of possession of child pornography, Yeager faces a minimum sentence of ten years and maximum sentence of twenty years of imprisonment.
The following agencies provided further assistance during Operation Restore Justice: the Charleston Police Department; the Bradley Police Department; the Manteno Police Department; the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Police Department; and the Eastern-Central Illinois Task Force.
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
Other online resources:
Electronic Press Kit
Violent Crimes Against Children
How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids
A complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Guatemalan National Charged with False Use of Passport, Possession of False Social Security and Permanent Resident Cards, and Making False StatementRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury returned an indictment on May 6, 2025, charging Julio Cucul-Bol, 29, a Guatemalan national, with possessing a false permanent resident card, possessing a false Social Security card, false use of a passport, and making a false statement on a bank application. Cucul-Bol is associated with addresses in Rantoul, Illinois, and Urbana, Illinois.
The indictment alleges that on November 10, 2023, Cucul-Bol falsely stated that his name was Juan Jahaziel Saenz Suarez in an application to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and also falsely used a passport. The indictment further alleges that on January 19, 2025, Cucul-Bol allegedly possessed a Permanent Resident Card that was false and a Social Security card that was false.
If convicted of false use of a passport, possession of a false social security card and possession of a false permanent resident card, Cucul-Bol faces maximum statutory penalties of up to ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release on each count. The penalties for making a false statement on a bank application are up to 30 years of imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Urbana Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Vermilion County Man Sentenced to Five and a Half Years in Prison for Counterfeiting and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Bismarck, Illinois, man, Jacob R. Kirkley, 48, was sentenced on May 2, 2025, to four years in prison for his second federal counterfeiting conviction, as well as an additional 18 months in prison for violating his federal supervised release, which was imposed following his first counterfeiting conviction. When Kirkley completes his combined five-and-a-half year sentence, he will be required to serve three years of federal supervised release.
The sentences followed a trial last December in Urbana where a federal jury convicted Kirkley of manufacturing, selling, and possessing counterfeited United States currency. During two days of trial testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that, on December 7, 2023, Kirkley sold an undercover officer with the Illinois State Police $1000 of counterfeited U.S. currency that he had made for $250. On December 13, 2023, and January 8, 2024, Kirkley sold the same undercover officer another $1000 and $5000 in counterfeit U.S. currency that he had made, respectively. On January 11, 2024, agents of the U.S. States Secret Service and Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group executed a federal search warrant at Kirkley’s residence in Bismarck and recovered additional counterfeit currency, as well as various items used to counterfeit the currency.
At the time Kirkley committed those offenses, he was on federal supervised release for a previous federal counterfeiting conviction. In 2022, Kirkley was convicted of one count of manufacturing U.S. currency and two counts of passing U.S. currency after a 2020 incident where a Vermilion County Sheriff’s Deputy found over $20,000 of counterfeit U.S. currency in his truck and then learned Kirkley had passed counterfeit currency at Carnaghi’s Towing and McDonald’s in Danville, Illinois, and Dollar General in Tilton, Illinois. At the time, the Deputy also found over $20,000 counterfeit U.S. currency, plus four printers, a paper cutter, and numerous counterfeit-making implements in Kirkley’s hotel room at the Budget Inn in Danville. Kirkley served 27 months in federal prison for those offenses and was serving a three-year term of federal supervised release at the time that he committed his latest counterfeiting offenses. Kirkley was released from federal prison in May 2023, six months before committing these offenses.
At the time of sentencing, the government presented evidence that Kirkley violated his federal supervised release not only by committing a new counterfeiting offense, but also by testing positive for methamphetamine use on eight separate occasions. The government also presented evidence that Kirkley had told the undercover officer during a covertly recorded conversation that “my name’s a red flag for any kind of . . . counterfeit material at all,” that he learned how to use “Bible paper” to counterfeit currency when he was in federal prison the first time, and that he believed he would “be screwed” and would have “the book” thrown at him if he were caught counterfeiting again.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Kirkley had not accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct. Judge Bruce followed the government’s recommendation to impose a sentence above the range recommended by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines because Judge Bruce was troubled by Kirkley committing his offense while on federal supervised release for the same crime and so soon after being released from federal prison.
The maximum statutory penalties for each of Kirkley’s five counts of conviction are up to twenty years of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for Kirkley’s violation of his conditions of supervised release is up to two years of imprisonment.
“Counterfeiting offenses undermine the integrity and stability of our financial system and leave hardworking business owners who receive these false payments in the lurch,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory M. Gilmore. “Repeat offenses are particularly problematic. We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their dedicated investigative work.”
“Protecting the nation’s currency and financial infrastructure have long been key missions for the U.S. Secret Service, along with safeguarding our country’s leaders,” said Resident Agent in Charge Michael Kurzeja, of the U.S. Secret Service Springfield Resident Office. “The Secret Service goes to extraordinary lengths to detect, investigate, and stop those who manufacture and try to profit from counterfeit currency, and attempt to weaken the nation’s financial infrastructure. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Central District of Illinois, as well as all our local partners who helped in this case.”
“The impact of counterfeiting can be widespread with the potential of hurting both businesses and individuals as false currency circulates,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at all levels to help protect the integrity of our U.S. currency and hold those who break the law accountable.”
The case investigation was conducted by the Springfield Division of the United States Secret Service, Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and Illinois State Police. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at trial.
36-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Paul Graf, 36, of the 1000 block of West Willow Lane, was sentenced in federal court on April 17, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, it was established that Graf initiated contact with a purported 13-year-old minor female on multiple occasions, and the two corresponded between April 8 to April 18, 2024. During that time frame, Graf expressed a sexual interest in the alleged child and discussed specific sexual acts.
On April 18, 2024, Graf traveled to a prearranged location to meet with the presumed minor and was subsequently arrested. During his arrest, Graf was in possession of a cell phone, and a bag that contained multiple sex items.
Also at the hearing, the government presented testimony that a minor reported to an officer with the Peoria, Illinois, Police Department allegations of sexual abuse by Graf on multiple occasions and several years. Items removed from Graf’s home during a search following Graf’s arrest corroborated the minor’s statement. This finding resulted in a sentencing enhancement as a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors.
“Crimes against children are particularly heinous.” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz. “This case is a reminder of the inherent dangers the children of our community face every day, on the internet and elsewhere. The U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois and its law enforcement partners prioritize the protection of children, and we remain committed to fully seeking justice for these most vulnerable of victims.”
"This individual used the internet to prey on the vulnerable, believing anonymity would protect him. It didn’t.” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher J.S. Johnson. “Our agents, in collaboration with our partners, worked tirelessly to bring him to justice. Let this be a message to anyone else who would attempt to harm our children, you will be held accountable."
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are not less than ten years and up to life in prison; not less than five years and up to life on supervised release; and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Peoria Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Graf was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Pike County Man Sentenced to 30 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Anthony Westemeyer, 37, of Nebo, Illinois, was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to 30 years’ imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a child. The term of imprisonment is to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Westemeyer created a coercive environment of physical and emotional abuse. He forced the minor victim, through threats of violence, into engaging in sexual acts while he filmed the victim. Westemeyer provided compensation to other men, including two co-defendants, in exchange for their participation in sexual acts with the minor victim; some of these men knew they were being filmed and others did not. Westemeyer became verbally and physically abusive if the minor victim was not successful in filming the videos – even if it was one of the men who ended the contact. The government also presented evidence at sentencing that Westemeyer provided methamphetamine to others to entice them to or compensate them for engaging in sexual activity with the minor victim. He also provided methamphetamine to the minor victim.
Also at the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that multiple sentencing enhancements applied including one based on Westemeyer’s role as the leader of the offense and another based on the fact that the minor victim was in Westemeyer’s custody, care or supervisory control. Judge Lawless also referred to the “level of cruelty and abuse” to which the victim was subjected and noted the “heinous nature” of the crime.
“This case highlights that many children are victimized by someone known to them,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Seberger. “I applaud the victim’s resilience and courage throughout this prosecution. We are also grateful for our partnerships with state and local law, enforcement, which led to this outcome. It was a team effort.”
“Children should never be subjected to the depraved behavior demonstrated by this defendant,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “Thanks to the outstanding teamwork and tireless effort by HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners, this child predator has been removed from the community and put in federal prison for a 30-year sentence.”
The defendant pleaded guilty in July 2024. He has been detained since his arrest. The statutory penalties for a count of sexual exploitation of a child are 15 to 30 years’ imprisonment, up to a life term of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and various special assessments.
Agencies participating in the investigation include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; the Illinois Attorney General’s Office; the Pike County Sheriff’s Office; and the Pike County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Seberger and Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Pekin Man Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict today against Joseph Perkins, 32, of Pekin, Illinois, for attempted enticement of a minor. Sentencing for Perkins has been scheduled for August 13, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that from January 2023 to March 2024, Perkins communicated on an internet-based social media platform with an individual he believed to be a thirteen-year-old female, expressing multiple times that he wanted to engage in sex with her. In March 2024, Perkins drove to a location in Peoria to meet the girl for the purpose of having sexual relations. Federal law enforcement agents arrested him when he arrived at the location.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are a minimum of ten years to life imprisonment, followed by a minimum five-year to life term of supervised release. Perkins remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa P. Ortiz and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government at trial.
The case against Perkins was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Felon Sentenced on Two Federal Drug Counts Incurred While Awaiting Self-Surrender on Peoria County Drug Possession ConvictionRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Romel Michael Turner, 31, formerly of the 2500 block of West Wardcliffe Drive, Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced in federal court on March 25, 2025, to 151 months’ imprisonment for two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual).
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, evidence showed that Turner was sentenced in Peoria County Circuit Court on October 25, 2023, to 6 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (“IDOC”) for unlawful possession of methamphetamine. He was to self-surrender on January 5, 2024. Turner was found to have distributed methamphetamine at least three times in December 2023. He pled guilty in August 2024 and has remained in the custody of the IDOC since his self-surrender for the county charges in January 2024. His projected parole on the county case is December 2026.
At the hearing, the judge also ordered that the 151-month term should be served consecutive to his current IDOC sentence.
The statutory penalties for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) are: not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment; a minimum of 5 years’ supervised release; and a fine of up to $10 million.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Resident Office, Peoria Multi-Agency Enforcement Group (P-MEG), and Peoria Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Petersburg, Illinois Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison and a Lifetime of Supervision for Multiple Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Petersburg, Illinois man, Adam Power, 32, of the 500 block of South 8th Street in Petersburg, Illinois, was sentenced to 60 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release on March 13, 2025, after pleading guilty to a multitude of crimes of against children. Power pleaded guilty on May 2, 2024, to thirty-four counts which included charges for sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Collen R. Lawless, the government established that the defendant, a former substitute teacher, choir director, and theater director in the Central District of Illinois, used at least thirteen online accounts on multiple platforms to portray himself as a teenage girl in order to persuade and entice and attempt to persuade and entice, at least twenty-four boys between the ages of eight and sixteen years of age to produce images of child pornography for him. He also used the images of a female victim in order to engender the trust of his male victims. The government noted that the defendant had targeted not just strangers online but victimized children he knew or had met. Finally, the government commented that the defendant, because he had distributed victim images, had placed the minors in scenarios where their images could now be anywhere in the world.
In imposing the Court’s sentence, Judge Lawless found that Power’s actions had been heinous. She stated he had been methodical in his approach to obtaining the child pornography from his victims, and that the defendant, who had referred to himself as a perfectionist during the hearing, had used this perfectionism to prey upon the children in his community. Judge Lawless further observed the defendant’s use of his accomplishments and positions ultimately led to the loss of the victims’ security, privacy, and trust.
“The defendant believed he was untouchable online, and that the mask he wore in public disguised the predator he was underneath. However, with tremendous cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement we were able to put a stop to another internet-based offender.” said Assistant United States Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs.
“This case is a stark reminder that predators lurk where we least expect them – hiding behind screens, positions of trust, and false identities to exploit the most vulnerable among us. Power’s calculated and egregious crimes have forever impacted his victims, but today, justice has prevailed,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “Through the dedicated commitment of HSI and our law enforcement partners, we have ensured that this offender won’t have the opportunity to victimize another child.”
Power was indicted in July 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2024. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest in June of 2023.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Athens Police Department with assistance from the Menard County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Petersburg Police Department, and Illinois State Police investigated the case. The Menard County State’s Attorney’s Office provided valuable support. Assistant United States Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Two Peoria Men Sentenced for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Kelvin Eugene Patterson, Jr., 39, of Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced on March 4, 2025, to twelve years of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. Patterson also must pay a fine of $26,140, which is separate from monies forfeited in the case.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Patterson with drug and firearm charges in May 2023. The grand jury later returned a superseding indictment adding Patterson’s partner, Marcus L. Burnside (a.k.a. “Pooty”), 30, also of Peoria, to the charges.
In June 2024, Burnside pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Patterson pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count in November 2024.
Burnside was sentenced on October 23, 2024, to a total of 120 months’ imprisonment, consisting of two consecutive 60-month sentences for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The court also ordered that Burnside serve four years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
At the sentencing hearing before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government presented evidence that the two men engaged in a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, marijuana from March 2021 through April 2023. At the time, Patterson maintained a loft apartment on Main Street in Peoria that he and Burnside used for the purpose of storing and distributing marijuana. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement observed several individuals leaving the building, who were stopped and searched, and various quantities of marijuana were seized. In total, Patterson and Burnside were responsible for the distribution and possession of 310 kilograms (683 pounds) of marijuana.
Also at Patterson’s sentencing hearing, Judge Mihm noted that Patterson’s above-guideline sentence was justified given the severity of the conduct involved in this conspiracy.
The judge also required both Patterson and Burnside to forfeit items recovered by law enforcement during a raid of the Main Street apartment, including a Glock model 30, .45 caliber handgun; $23,860.00; and a money counter.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana are five to forty years’ imprisonment, and up to a $5 million dollar fine, followed by at least four years of supervised release. The penalties for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking are five years to life imprisonment, served consecutive to other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service, investigated the case.
The case against Burnside and Patterson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Decatur Siblings Sentenced to Multiple Decades in Prison for Kidnapping Local BusinessmanRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two Decatur siblings, Ademeko Maclin-Carney, 26, and Ausarian Carney, 23, were sentenced on March 5, 2025, to thirty and twenty-four years in federal prison, respectively, to be followed by multi-year terms of supervised release, for kidnapping and seeking ransom for a Decatur businessman on March 24, 2022.
During a five-day jury trial from October 7-11, 2024, the government presented evidence that Maclin-Carney lured a local businessman to an abandoned house in Decatur under the pretense of seeking a flooring estimate for the home. When the victim arrived to provide the flooring estimate, Maclin-Carney greeted him using an alias and led him inside, where she pepper-sprayed him in the eyes as he stood up from taking a measurement. As this was happening, her brother, Carney, entered from another room, pressed a firearm into the victim, and told him it was going to be a “very bad day” for him. After ordering the victim to the ground while holding him at gunpoint, Carney then zip-tied the victim’s hands, duct-taped his face, and put a bag over his head. The siblings instructed the victim that they wanted $400,000 for his release, otherwise they would kill him.
The kidnappers moved the victim to various locations, at one point instructing him to make a ransom call to his wife at their family business. Though the victim instructed his wife not to call the police, she nonetheless called 911 and the Decatur Police Department responded and began their investigation. Maclin-Carney went to the victim’s business and saw members of the Decatur Police Department there, which spurred her and Carney to again move the victim and to eventually dump him, zip-tied with a bag over his head, in the back of an abandoned van. The victim, left alone on a bed of broken glass in the rain, eventually pried a hand free and escaped his zip ties. He ran to a local business, where the authorities were contacted and came to his aid.
Meanwhile, the Decatur Police Department was conducting an extensive investigation and had located the victim’s car, which the defendants had dumped in an alleyway in Decatur. The defendants also had placed the victim’s belongings in the car, along with a notebook that listed the address of the home from which he had been abducted, the alias that had been used by Maclin-Carney, and traces of pepper spray that had been used against the victim. Ultimately, law enforcement discovered that the notebook contained the fingerprints of both defendants. Using this information, the Decatur Police were able to locate and search the home where the victim had been abducted and find more evidence implicating the two defendants.
The victim identified Maclin-Carney before and during the trial as the kidnapper who lured him to the home for the flooring estimate. A variety of forensic evidence, including fingerprints, DNA, business video footage, trace fiber evidence, and cellular location data all demonstrated that the siblings perpetrated the kidnapping. The jury convicted both siblings of kidnapping on October 11, 2024.
At the sentencing hearings before U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn on March 5, 2025, Judge McGlynn noted that the victim and his family would suffer long-lasting psychological trauma from the incident. Judge McGlynn also noted that neither defendant expressed remorse for the crime.
In imposing the thirty-year sentence for Maclin-Carney, Judge McGlynn highlighted that she was the leader of the kidnapping, specifically noting her research about the victim, his family, and his business before the crime. The court also noted that Maclin-Carney had researched the penalty for “third-degree murder” in the leadup to the kidnapping. After her arrest, Maclin-Carney also took steps while in pretrial detention both to prevent the victims from testifying against her, and to manufacture an alibi through false testimony about her own and her brother’s whereabouts during the kidnapping. Maclin-Carney had two prior violent felony convictions, both for aggravated battery, prior to committing this kidnapping.
In imposing the twenty-four-year sentence for Carney, Judge McGlynn noted that although Maclin-Carney was the mastermind of the operation and had a more serious criminal history, Carney was still the gunman and the muscle. Carney had been, in every way, a partner to his sister’s crime, had pressed the firearm into the victim multiple times to force his compliance, and like his sister, never expressed regret or remorse for his actions.
“The defendants’ violent kidnapping of the victim in this case shows their avarice for ill-gotten gains at any cost, including the terror they inflicted on the victim and his family,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “The significant sentences here reflect the gravity of the defendants’ crimes. I want to thank our law enforcement partners – the Decatur Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service – who all did excellent work investigating this crime.”
“Kidnapping cases are incredibly traumatic, and this one was no different,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Freres. “The husband and wife victims of this offense showed immense courage throughout this ordeal, including testifying at the trial. Throughout, I was deeply moved by their strength and faith. I am also deeply appreciative for all the hard work of law enforcement in investigating this case.”
“This case is a testament to the outstanding dedication and collaboration between the Decatur Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing these suspects to justice,” said Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel. “The investigators worked tirelessly on this complex case, demonstrating exceptional skill and commitment to ensuring public safety. We are grateful for our strong partnerships and the unwavering pursuit of justice by the prosecutors who brought this case to a successful conclusion. Most importantly, our thoughts remain with the victim, and we hope this resolution brings them a measure of healing and justice.”
“Quite often, successful investigative outcomes require resources from a variety of law enforcement partners,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Karen Marinos. “The Decatur Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and FBI Springfield brought their best to the table. Those efforts held the offenders accountable and led to justice for the victim.”
The statutory penalty for kidnapping is up to life imprisonment, followed by up to five years of supervised release.
The Decatur Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan D. Freres and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the United States in the prosecution.
Clinton, Indiana, Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Clinton, Indiana, woman, Davetta Cox, 32, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2025, to using facilities of interstate commerce in a murder-for-hire scheme. Sentencing for Cox has been set for July 18, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
At the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Cox admitted to seeking to hire someone she believed to be a hitman to kill another individual. During the hearing, the government provided information that Cox had offered the supposed hitman $6,000 to murder another individual.
Cox was arrested in January 2024 and remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, pending sentencing. Cox faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment; up to a $500,000 fine; and up to a six-year term of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Champaign Resident Agency, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Ritzer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Joshua Michael Williams, 43, was sentenced on March 5, 2025, to 135 months’ imprisonment for attempted enticement of a minor, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the court was informed that in January and February 2024, Williams engaged in online chats with an individual he believed to be the stepfather of an 11-year-old female who was willing to let his stepdaughter be used for sex acts. Williams expressed an interest in meeting with the purported minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts and said that he had wanted to engage in sexual acts with another minor female in the past. Williams arranged to meet the daughter, and, when he arrived at the pre-arranged meeting place, he was arrested.
Williams pleaded guilty in October 2024 and has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
In sentencing Williams, Judge Hawley noted that the only good thing about what happened was that there was no minor, stating that there easily could have been an 11-year-old whose life would be altered by such conduct.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are ten years up to life imprisonment, followed by a term of supervised release ranging from five years to life.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case.
The case against Williams was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Marquette Heights Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Unregistered Destructive DevicesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Marquette Heights, Illinois, man, Dalton Lee Mattus, 35, was sentenced on March 5, 2025, to an aggregate 57 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon, possessing a stolen firearm, and possessing an unregistered destructive device.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the court was informed that Mattus had multiple prior criminal convictions within Tazewell and Peoria Counties that prohibited him from possessing a firearm. In May 2024, he was the passenger in a car that was stopped by Pekin Police Department officers. During the traffic stop, the officers confiscated a locked bag from the car. After obtaining a search warrant for the bag, they found a stolen Springfield Armory XD-S .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol and two unregistered destructive devices. The devices were made from cardboard tubing, metal BBs, and chemical powder used to make explosives. The officers also obtained a search warrant for Mattus’s residence, where they found three additional unregistered destructive devices, along with materials to make several more. Officers also seized 50 rounds of live ammunition and equipment used to assemble and disassemble firearms.
In sentencing Mattus, Judge Mihm commented that while this was a very serious case, what was most troubling was that the explosives were homemade and were intended to harm others. The judge commented that this is “about as bad as it gets.”
Mattus was arrested by the Pekin Police Department in May 2024, and a federal complaint was filed two weeks later, followed by a federal indictment in June 2024. He entered a guilty plea in October 2024.
The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are not more than 15 years’ imprisonment. The maximum term of imprisonment for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing an unregistered destructive device is ten years’ imprisonment. Each count carries up to a three-year term of supervised release.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. The Pekin Police Department and Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department also participated in the investigation.
The case against Mattus is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Decatur Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Decatur, Illinois, man, Brian R. Lewis, 46, was sentenced on March 4, 2025, to 63 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by six years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.
Lewis was found guilty following a jury trial in Peoria, Illinois, in fall 2023.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government presented evidence that in July 2020 investigators found Lewis with a cellular phone containing images of child pornography. The investigation was initiated with a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the images found in Lewis’s possession included six known victims from previous cases.
Judge Mihm also ordered Lewis to pay restitution totaling $7,000 to two victims and to register as a sex offender.
The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are not more than 10 years’ imprisonment, five years to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Decatur Police Department investigated the case as a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Shannon O’Brien and Assistant United States Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
Six Individuals Charged in Quincy-Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Six individuals were arrested this month for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in the Quincy, Illinois, area and illegally using a communication facility. A list of the defendants follows.
Marcus T. Bush, 41, of Alton, Illinois, was arrested on February 21, 2025, and had an initial appearance before United States District Judge Colleen R. Lawless that same day. At a detention hearing on February 25, 2025, the judge ordered that Bush be detained pending trial. Bush remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, Bush faces statutory penalties ranging from 15 years up to a life term of imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least a ten-year term of supervised release. If convicted of illegal use of communication facility, Bush faces a maximum of four years’ imprisonment, not more than a $30,000 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release.
Lasha B. Lewis, 40, of St. Louis, Missouri, was arrested on February 21, 2025, and had an initial appearance before Judge Lawless that same day. At a detention hearing on February 25, 2025, the judge ordered that Lewis be released on bond.
Aamina R. Dorsey, 36, of St. Louis, Missouri, was arrested on February 21, 2025, and had an initial appearance before Judge Lawless that same day. At a detention hearing on February 26, 2025, the judge ordered that Dorsey be released on bond.
Nicholas A. Strieker, 27, of Quincy, Illinois, was arrested on February 21, 2025, and had an initial appearance before Judge Lawless that same day. At a detention hearing on February 26, 2025, the judge ordered that Strieker be detained pending trial. Strieker remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
Bruce L. Pinnick, 49, of Quincy, Illinois, was arrested on February 21, 2025, and had an initial appearance before Judge Lawless that same day. At a detention hearing on February 27, 2025, the judge ordered that Pinnick be detained pending trial. Pinnick remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
Michael A. Bloodson, 42, of Chicago, Illinois, was arrested on February 27, 2025, and had an initial appearance before Judge Lawless on February 28, 2025. The judge ordered Bloodson temporarily detained pending a detention hearing set for March 6, 2025, at 1 p.m.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, these defendants face statutory penalties ranging from 10 years up to a life term of imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least a five-year term of supervised release. If convicted of illegal use of communication facility, the five face a maximum of four years’ imprisonment, not more than a $30,000 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release.
A federal grand jury previously returned indictments against each of the defendants on February 4, 2025.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police West Central Illinois Task Force, with significant assistance from the Quincy Police Department and Adams County Sheriff’s Office. Additional support was also provided by the Adams County State’s Attorney’s Office; the Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Louis Field Office and Springfield Residence Office; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri; the Alton Police Department, and the Chicago Heights Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger.
Members of the public are reminded that the charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Eureka Chiropractor Convicted of Defrauding Medicare, Insurance Companies Out of More Than $1.5 MillionRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict late Friday evening against Carrie Musselman, 48, of Eureka, Illinois, for defrauding Medicare and other insurance companies out of more than $1.5 million dollars and for five counts of wire fraud in furtherance of her scheme to defraud. Sentencing for Musselman has been scheduled for June 24, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over 13 days of testimony, the government presented evidence establishing that Musselman, a chiropractor in Eureka, engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare and other insurance companies. As part of the scheme, Musselman disguised the identity of the people providing services and misrepresented the nature of the services that had actually been provided.
For instance, Musselman falsely claimed services were being provided by physicians when they were actually being provided by nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants. This resulted in an automatic pay increase for Musselman and her practice. In addition, one of Musselman’s highest reimbursement services, the placement of an electroacupuncture (which she was falsely billing as a surgically implanted neurostimulator), would not have qualified for any payment but for her deception. Musselman also billed for services that were not actually rendered. This included not only billing for neurostimulators that were never provided, but also for purportedly providing patients with allergy injections when, in reality, no such injections were given. Instead, patients were sent home with oral drops that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, were considered “experimental,” and had not been proven to be effective.
Musselman remains released on bond. At sentencing, Musselman faces statutory penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the healthcare fraud charge and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each of the wire fraud charges, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release on each of the counts. Each of the six convictions could also incur up to a $250,000 fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer, Bryan D. Freres, and Grace J. Hitzeman represented the government at trial.
Two Peoria Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Two Peoria, Illinois, men, Isaiah L. Holland, 29, and Tyrone Anthony Curtis, 23, were sentenced on February 14, 2025, to multiple years of imprisonment following their convictions for federal robbery and firearm offenses.
Holland previously pleaded guilty to committing a robbery involving United States currency and using a firearm during a crime of violence, while Curtis pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon.
U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley sentenced Holland to 12 months’ imprisonment for the robbery and 84 months’ imprisonment for the firearms offense. The judge ordered that the sentences are to be served consecutively for a total of 96 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The judge sentenced Curtis to 33 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearings in front of Judge Hawley at the federal courthouse in Peoria, the government presented evidence that Holland robbed another individual at gunpoint during an arranged sale of handguns and two machinegun conversion devices (also known as switches). Curtis set up the sale. During the transaction, Holland pulled a firearm from his backpack, racked the firearm, and robbed the would-be buyer of the $4,100 that was intended as payment for the weapons, in addition to taking that person’s wallet and car keys.
Holland and Curtis were later stopped by law enforcement. During the stop, law enforcement agents discovered a Glock Model 19, 9mm pistol, loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one in the chamber, in Holland’s backpack. They also found a loaded Canik, Model TP9SA, 9 mm pistol under Curtis’s seat. Both weapons are being forfeited to the government.
A complaint was filed in federal court in January 2024 against both defendants, followed by an indictment in February 2024. Both defendants have been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since their arrests.
The statutory maximum penalties for a robbery involving United States currency are not more than 25 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine. Use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence carries a sentence of seven years to life imprisonment, to be served consecutively to the sentence for the violent crime. A term of supervised release of up to five years may be imposed on each of those counts. The penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are not more than 15 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; the Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police investigated the case.
The case against Holland and Curtis is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
- Towanda, Illinois, Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison for Paying Adults to Sexually Assault Children During Online Video Chats
Tiptonville, Tennessee, Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Tiptonville, Tennessee, man, Jerry Braddy, 45, was sentenced on February 4, 2025, to ten years in federal prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor. He also must register as a sex offender once he is released.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the government established that between June 2, 2024, and June 12, 2024, Braddy communicated via an online platform with an individual he believed to be the stepfather of a nine-year-old child. Braddy agreed to meet the child and stepfather in Bloomington, Illinois, in order to engage in a sexual encounter with the minor. Federal law enforcement agents, with assistance from the McLean County Sherriff’s Office, arrested Braddy when he arrived at the location.
Braddy was charged by criminal complaint in June 2024 and indicted five days later. Braddy pleaded guilty in August 2024. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are a minimum of ten years to life imprisonment, followed by a minimum of five years to a maximum life term of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Braddy was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Macoupin County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Possession of Firearms as a FelonRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Chad Dickerson, 34, of Brighton, Illinois, was sentenced on February 6, 2025, to 36 months of imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a felon, to be followed by 36 months of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that Dickerson possessed four firearms and noted that all four were fully loaded.
Dickerson pleaded guilty on September 4, 2024.
The statutory penalties for possession of firearm by a felon are up to 15 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Dickerson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Drug Trafficking Associated with Street GangRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Derrick Bailey, 44, was sentenced on January 30, 2025, by Senior U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to 180 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for his role in a wide-spread drug conspiracy involving a Springfield street gang, Boss Playas, lasting from approximately May 2020 through November 2020.
At the sentencing hearing, Bailey was held accountable for trafficking over 10 kilograms of cocaine as a member of the conspiracy. Also during the hearing, Judge Myerscough noted that the group of conspirators were responsible for distributing large amounts of controlled substances in the Springfield area, which had a negative effect on the community.
Co-defendants in the case have received the following sentences of imprisonment: Denziel Witherspoon, 240 months; James Cooper, 180 months; Christopher Wallace 120 months; Isadore Montgomery, 120 months; Rashaud Brown, 84 months; Paul Davis, 40 months; and Taylor Cockrell, 36 months. Additional defendants Dorothy Jackson, Shelton Witherspoon, Lavar Maney, Haley Riley, and Haylee Vaughn have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Bailey was indicted on December 15, 2020, and pleaded guilty on September 18, 2024. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest on December 1, 2020.
The statutory penalties for the most serious charge of conviction include up to life in prison, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Illinois State Police; and Springfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Bailey was part of an investigation of the Springfield-based Boss Playas street gang and was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Assaulting United States Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Larry French Jr., 23, was sentenced on January 14, 2025, to eighteen months in federal prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release, for assaulting a United States Postal Service employee.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless, the government presented evidence that on May 15, 2024, French punched a United States postal carrier in the face after the carrier attempted to stop French from battering his sister on a public street in Springfield. French was involved in a physical altercation with his sister in the roadway, which prevented the USPS carrier from driving through an intersection. When the carrier yelled that the police were going to be called, French approached the carrier and punched the carrier through an open window in the delivery vehicle. The carrier suffered injuries that will require corrective surgery.
At the hearing, Judge Lawless said that French acted irrationally when he punched the victim and that his actions caused the victim serious bodily injury. Judge Lawless noted that the victim acted as a Good Samaritan in stopping the initial attack and by trying to call law enforcement.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging French with the assault in July 2024, and French pleaded guilty in September 2024. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for assaulting a federal officer are up to twenty years of imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Breaking Fellow Inmate’s JawRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Travis Jay Nyhoff, 42, who is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin, Illinois (FCI-Pekin), was sentenced on January 10, 2025 to 33 months’ imprisonment for aggravated battery. The sentence will run consecutive to the term of imprisonment Nyhoff is presently serving for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade, the court considered the following uncontested information regarding the assault. On December 8, 2023, Nyhoff had approached another inmate from behind as the inmate was watching television in the common area, yanked his chair out from beneath him, and proceeded to strike the inmate across the face with the chair and then hurl the chair at the wall. The unprovoked attack was documented by security footage. The inmate sustained a broken lower jawbone, a laceration to his face that penetrated his oral cavity, and several dislodged teeth. He later underwent surgery to repair his jawbone.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Nyhoff with assault in April 2024, and he entered a guilty plea in August 2024.
The statutory penalties for aggravated battery are two to five years’ imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris Announces DepartureRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory K. Harris announced today that he has submitted his resignation to President Joseph R. Biden, to be effective mid-day on January 2, 2025. Harris, a longtime federal prosecutor who has litigated both criminal and civil matters for the government, plans to retire on the same day.
Harris thanked Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin for their support in recommending him as a nominee to President Biden. Harris was nominated in October 2021, confirmed by the United States Senate in December 2021, and sworn in by the federal judiciary that same month. He is the first Black individual to serve as U.S. Attorney in the District.
In February of 2022, United States Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Harris to the Attorney General’s Advisory Commission, where Harris was one of 13 U.S. Attorneys to represent the nationwide community of 93 U.S. Attorneys.
“Serving as United States Attorney after more than thirty years with the office has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Harris. “Words cannot express my gratitude to the public servants in law enforcement who have dedicated their careers to protecting our community and to the prosecutors and staff in my office who work tirelessly every day in pursuit of justice.”
During Harris’s tenure, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted defendants in a wide range of cases involving, gun violence, financial fraud, drug trafficking, civil rights violations, and public corruption, among others. Those cases included the prosecutions of Illinois correctional officers for conspiracy to deprive civil rights and civil rights deprivations resulting in the death of Larry Earvin, an inmate at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mount Sterling, Illinois. The Office also prosecuted former Illinois State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann for fraudulent use of campaign funds, money laundering, and tax evasion. And the Office prosecuted a California man for wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering in connection with an investment fraud scheme that netted more than $22,000,000 from victims across the country, including more than fifty residing in the Central District of Illinois.
Harris, who received the Department of Justice’s prestigious Director’s Award in 2018 for his assistance in creating the Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force, also focused on that issue during his time as U.S. Attorney. Under his leadership, the Office successfully prosecuted several defendants for kidnapping, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit forced labor in a case where multiple victims – including two children – were compelled to work as domestic servants, hotel maids, and factory laborers and were subjected to physical and sexual abuse. One of those defendants received the first sentence of life imprisonment that had been imposed in over a decade in a forced labor case under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
Additional cases that were prosecuted during Harris’s tenure and are pending sentencing include the conviction of a Danville, Illinois, man for carjacking and murder, among other crimes; the weeks-long trial and convictions of two Quad Cities, Illinois, men for a violent string of armed robberies in that area that involved shootings, pistol whippings, and assaults; and the conviction of two Decatur, Illinois, siblings for the kidnapping of a local businessman.
The Office is also presently prosecuting cases against a Springfield man and others allegedly involving area prostitution businesses fronting as massage parlors.
Under Harris’s leadership, the Office recovered millions of taxpayer dollars through civil fraud actions, including a $12.5 million settlement with a Southern Illinois hospital that had overbilled federal healthcare programs. The Office also obtained restitution on behalf of crime victims, achieved access to public accommodations on behalf of disabled individuals, and recovered taxpayer dollars fraudulently obtained from pandemic-era programs.
“Every day individuals in our Office go to work to make the Central District of Illinois safer,” Harris said. “Members of our community deserve to live in a place where they are not subject to gun violence, where they are free from the far-reaching tentacles of financial fraudsters, where purveyors of opiates and other addictive substances are unable to prey on society’s most vulnerable, and where children are protected from the trauma of sexual abuse and exploitation. During my time as the U.S. Attorney, we prosecuted a number of cases in pursuit of these aims. It is my hope that these prosecutions have had direct, positive effects on the community.”
During his investiture, Harris also had stated that his goal was to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office with compassion, firmness, strength, and community support. “Looking back on my time with the Office, I believe we achieved that goal,” Harris said.
Prior to his nomination as U.S. Attorney, Harris served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Office for more than thirty years. He held various leadership positions, including Chief of the Criminal Division. He also handled over thirty-five jury trials and several other bench trials involving offenses such as guns, drugs, counterfeiting, armed bank robbery, fraud, child exploitation, political corruption, extortion, and racketeering. Harris won convictions in all but one of his trials.
Harris received his juris doctorate degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly known as The John Marshall Law School) in 1976 and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with a minor in Economics, from Howard University in 1971.
After law school, Harris moved to Springfield, Illinois, in 1976, where he worked for the Illinois Office of the State Appellate Defender as an Assistant Deputy Defender representing indigent defendants on appeal.
In 1979, Harris left the State Appellate Defender’s Office and was chosen as Legal Counsel for the Governor’s Office of Manpower and Human Development in Springfield, which later became the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Development. In 1980, Harris opened his own law firm. Harris was a solo practitioner until June of 1980.
In June of 1980, Harris was appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Springfield, where he worked for approximately eight years as a federal prosecutor in the criminal division.
In 1988, Harris left the U.S. Attorney’s Office and entered private practice at the law firm Giffin, Winning, Cohen and Bodewes as an associate. Four years later, Harris became an equity partner in the firm, making him the first Black individual to become a partner at a major Springfield law firm. Harris specialized in employment litigation and criminal defense work.
Harris left the law firm in 2001 to return to the U.S. Attorney’s Office where he served in the Civil Division as its health care fraud attorney representing the government against hospitals, nursing homes, and physicians charged with defrauding the United States. Shortly thereafter, Harris was promoted to the dual positions of Chief of the Criminal Division and Supervisor of the Springfield headquarters office. As the Chief of the Criminal Division, Harris supervised all of the criminal prosecutions within the district.
Harris is married to Hirut Fisseha and has two daughters, Maya and Leah Harris, and a son, Fanuel Harris, who passed away in 2022.
The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois serves as the chief law enforcement officer for the 46 counties across the mid-section of the state. The district’s headquarters office is in Springfield with district offices in Peoria, Moline, and Urbana, Illinois. The office is responsible for conducting federal criminal prosecutions and protecting the interests of the United States by pursuing and defending against claims in civil litigation.
Two Quad Cities Men Sentenced for Multiple Armed Robbery and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Two Quad Cities men, Emmanuel Lance Howard, 24, of Davenport, Iowa, and Evander Allen Jordan, 39, of Rock Island, Illinois, were sentenced on December 18, 2024, for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and multiple robbery and firearms charges. Howard was sentenced to a total of fifty years of imprisonment and Jordan was sentenced to a total of one hundred and fifty years and one month of imprisonment.
Howard and Jordan were found guilty following a two-week jury trial held in August 2024. The men have remained in federal custody since they were arrested in 2021.During the trial, the government presented evidence to establish that, in the summer and fall of 2020, Howard and Jordan committed ten separate armed robberies in the Quad Cities area, including five armed robberies of retail stores in Rock Island and Moline, one armed robbery and shooting of a man, and a carjacking of a woman in Rock Island, along with three armed robberies of retail stores in Davenport. During their violent crime spree, in which they stole firearms, money, jewelry, and other property, Howard and Jordan shot two men, pistol-whipped and assaulted others, and repeatedly threatened the lives of all of the more than 20 victims. One victim repeatedly begged for her life, and another was so terrified that she feared her young son at home, across the street from the robbery, would hear his mother being shot.
Following an extensive investigation involving the Rock Island, Davenport, and Moline police departments; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”); and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Howard and Jordan were charged in 2021 in a fifteen-count indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, five counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of carjacking, six counts of brandishing or discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. These charges were the result of Howard and Jordan committing the following armed robberies in Rock Island, Moline, and Davenport:
• July 31, 2020: Little Caesar’s on 18th Avenue Rock Island, Illinois
• August 14, 2020: Little Caesar’s on West Locust Street, Davenport, Iowa
• September 5, 2020: MidWest Title Loans on 11th Street, Rock Island, Illinois
• September 12, 2020: Pizza Hut on Locust Street, Davenport, Iowa
• September 12, 2020: Papa John’s on 19th Avenue, Moline, Illinois
• September 18, 2020, Carjacking, Rock Island, Illinois
• October 4, 2020: Domino’s Pizza on 14th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois
• October 9, 2020: Kwik Shop on Telegraph Road, Davenport, Iowa
• October 16, 2020: Pawn King on 11th Street, Rock Island, Illinois
At the sentencing hearing in front of Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, the government noted the violent nature of Howard and Jordan’s crimes and the need to protect the public. Also at the hearing, Judge Darrow commented on the relentless nature of their conduct, the physical harm that they inflicted on the victims of their crimes, and the lasting impact of their crimes on the lives of others.
In addition to the sentences of imprisonment imposed in this case, Jordan – who was on supervised release for conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, armed bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a robbery – also had that term of supervised release revoked.
“These crimes were committed with a viciousness that had life-altering consequences for the victims. A sentence of this magnitude will ensure these offenders are unable to harm others in the future.” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “The exemplary cooperation among the law enforcement professionals in Rock Island, Moline, Davenport; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, resulted in these individuals being held accountable and sent the message that violent crimes will not be tolerated in our communities.”
“The severity of this sentence holds accountable these two defendants who created fear throughout the community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “Working collectively with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office strengthens our ability to investigate and prosecute these important cases.”
“I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation and successful prosecution of Emmanuel Howard and Evander Jordan,” said Chief Timothy J. McCloud of the Rock Island Police Department. “Countless hours spent bringing dangerous individuals to justice are a testament to the strength of our partnerships and commitment to providing a safer Quad Cities. We can all breathe easier knowing these two criminals will no longer threaten the safety of our great community.”“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to those involved in this case and anyone considering terrorizing our communities with violence. It will not be tolerated.” said Darren J. Gault, Chief of Police for the Moline Police Department. “The Quad Cities is a great place to live, visit and do business. I am grateful to our federal partners for prosecuting this interstate crime spree and bringing the offenders to justice. The Quad Cities law enforcement community works very well together and contributes to strong public safety.”
The statutory penalty for the conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery charges is up to 20 years in prison; the statutory penalty for the carjacking charge is up to 15 years in prison; the statutory penalty for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence charge is a minimum consecutive sentence for each count charged of seven years to life in prison; the statutory penalty for the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence charge is a minimum consecutive sentence of 10 years to life in prison; and the statutory penalty for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon charge is up to ten years in prison. As a result, Howard faced a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 45 years to life in prison for just the firearms offenses. Jordan had a prior federal firearms conviction for brandishing a firearm during a robbery and faced a minimum of 150 years to life in prison for the firearms offenses alone.
The case investigation was conducted by the Rock Island, Davenport, and Moline Police Departments, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Mathew, Timothy Bass and Jeffrey Kienstra represented the government in the prosecution.
Kentucky Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years for his Role in a Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Kentucky man, Larry Beville, 62, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, to 15 years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. He will serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless, the government presented evidence that Beville delivered a kilogram of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer in the Central District of Illinois and was arrested with another kilogram of methamphetamine in Indiana approximately a month later. In total, Beville was held accountable for trafficking over 600 grams of methamphetamine.
Beville, along with five co-defendants, were charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in an indictment returned in April 2023. Many of his co-defendants are purported members of the Simon City Royals street gang. One of the co-defendants, has pleaded guilty and the other co-defendants are pending trial. Members of the public are reminded that the charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Beville pleaded guilty in August 2024. He has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in April 2023.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine are not less than 10 years, up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, and Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Beville was part of an investigation of the Simon City Royals street gang and was 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Dentist Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Stealing Drugs from Patients and Performing Surgery Without Proper Pain ManagementRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Rochester, Illinois, dentist, Phillip M. Jensen, 64, was sentenced on December 18, 2024, to 15 years in prison for stealing fentanyl from his patients, injecting them with adulterated drugs, and performing surgery without proper pain management. Jenson also was ordered to pay a $200,000 fine.
Jensen previously pleaded guilty to two counts of drug diversion, two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, one count of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of false statements relating to health care matters in August 2024.
Jensen, who prior to having his license suspended in 2022 had specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery, started stealing fentanyl form his patients as early as December 2019. This conduct first came to light when his staff began noticing patients who were moving, moaning, and otherwise showing signs of pain and distress during surgery.
Jensen admitted that he had stolen at least half of the fentanyl in every vial in the practice. He acknowledged removing the safety caps, withdrawing at least half of the fentanyl in the single-use vials, refilling the vials with saline, and gluing the caps back on to the vials. In a further effort to hide what he had done, Jensen made false entries into his surgical records claiming that he had given quantities of full-strength and unadulterated fentanyl to his patients to control their pain. He further billed both public and private insurance for these surgeries utilizing these same falsified records. In all, Jensen stole more than 40 grams of fentanyl for his personal use through his fraud.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government presented evidence of Jensen’s lengthy history with addiction, his previous efforts at treatment, and his ultimate decision to prey upon his patients by stealing the drugs that were meant to provide them with comfort during their surgeries. The government presented evidence of the elaborate steps Jensen took to disguise his theft and how his theft of this necessary pain medication impacted his patients.
During the hearing, Judge Lawless also heard from several of the more than 99 identified victims of Jensen’s fraud, including the statement of a mother who discussed looking into the face of their child immediately following the surgery as the child cried and stated that they had “felt everything.” The government also presented the statement of a patient that awoke during her surgery. When Jensen realized she was awake, he struck the patient in the head with an instrument and completed the surgery, which involved the extraction of multiple teeth as well as the shaping and smoothing of the bones in her jaw, while she was conscious and lacking pain management.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Lawless rejected Jensen’s argument that he was less culpable than an average drug dealer. She noted that Jensen profited from his crimes. She also stated that while a dealer provides drugs to knowing and willing participants, Jensen provided diluted drugs without the consent or knowledge of his victims. She noted that Jensen was a physician who used his position of trust to hurt others. Judge Lawless concluded by asking, “If you cannot trust your doctor, who can you trust?”
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Jensen in February 2022 charging him with twenty felony counts. He was originally released on bond, but a warrant was issued in July 2024 for violation of the terms and conditions of bond after he stalked and harassed a potential witness in the case. Jensen was detained at that time, and he has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
Judge Lawless, in imposing the fifteen-year sentence, rejected Jensen’s arguments for a lower drug weight and noted the egregious nature of his conduct. In addition to the $200,000 fine imposed, Judge Lawless also ordered Jensen to repay the government for the costs of the expert witness it had to hire. Jensen also lost his medical license as a result of his conduct.
“This case represents the commitment of the Department of Justice, both in the Central District of Illinois and beyond, to protect and defend the public from those that would prey upon them,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “People are never as vulnerable as when they place their faith in a health care provider to not only treat their condition but to administer anesthesia and pain medicine during that treatment. Jensen abused that faith and hurt others in the process. Because of this prosecution, Jensen will not be permitted to practice medicine again and will be prevented from hurting members of our community in the future.”
“Health care professionals who tamper with patient medications create a risk of harm to patients, and also put at risk the trust that U.S. consumers have in those who provide their medical care,” said Ronne Malham, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice health care professionals who take advantage of their unique medical positions and tamper with patients’ medications.”
“Medical professionals who violate their oaths to ‘do no harm’ must be held accountable,” said Sheila Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration – Chicago Division. “The DEA will continue working to keep Illinois families safe from medical professionals who illegally divert opioid painkillers from legitimate medical supplies.”
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, Springfield Resident Office, which focuses on cases involving pharmaceutical controlled substances diverted from the legal chain of commerce to the illegal drug market, investigated this case in conjunction with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Food and Drug Administration, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 102 Months in Prison for Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking Involving Firearms and for Violating Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Peoria, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Terrance J. Shaw, 43, was sentenced on December 12, 2024, to 102 months in federal prison for heroin and cocaine trafficking offenses involving firearms and for violating the terms of his federal supervised release. His sentence includes a six-year term of supervised release to be served upon completion of his term of confinement.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the government established that in early March 2024, Peoria Police responded to two ShotSpotter alerts of gunfire in the 700 Block of Lasalle Street. Officers located shell casings and focused their investigation on a residence associated with Shaw. At that time, Shaw was on federal supervised release for trafficking crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon. On March 7, 2024, federal agents of the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force and Peoria Police executed a search warrant at Shaw’s home. During the search, agents located 82 grams of heroin, 10 grams of cocaine, 312 grams of cannabis, drug packaging materials, digital scales and utensils with cocaine residue, multiple cellphones, a 9mm pistol and ammunition, and an AR-15 rifle with .223 caliber ammunition. Agents also located over $14,000 in U.S. currency in the home.
A criminal complaint was filed against Shaw in March 2024. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 19, 2024, charging him with drug trafficking offenses and firearms offenses. In August 2024 he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Shaw also admitted that he had violated the terms of his supervised release by committing the new drug and firearm offenses.
Shaw’s total sentence of 102 months is a combination of the terms of imprisonment on the drug trafficking and gun offenses and a term of imprisonment for violating supervised release.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute the quantities of heroin and cocaine involved in the case are up to 30 years imprisonment, followed by 6 years of supervised release. The penalties for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime are 5 years to life imprisonment, followed by 2 to 5 years of supervised release. Imprisonment on the firearm count must be served consecutive to the other counts.
The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Shaw is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Rantoul Man Convicted of Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on December 11, 2024, against Troy Burke, 40, of Rantoul, Illinois, for bank robbery. Sentencing for Burke has been scheduled for May 2, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois
During the two-day trial, the government presented evidence that on June 20, 2024, Burke walked into the Community Plus Federal Credit Union in Rantoul, Illinois indicating to the teller that he had a gun. He proceeded to remove the plastic partition separating the teller from the customer and threatened to hit her with it. Burke left the bank with more than $9,000 in cash and a GPS device the teller had secured in the stack of currency. Burke was stopped by Rantoul police a few blocks from the Credit Union and was found to be in possession of more than $9,000 cash and the GPS device from the bank.
Burke was arrested on June 20, 2024, and remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Statutory penalties for bank robbery are up to twenty years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.The case investigation was conducted by the Rantoul Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Timothy Sullivan and Bryan Freres represented the government at trial.
Multiple Federal Grants Awarded to Central Illinois Communities to Enhance Public SafetyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Department of Justice has announced Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grants to several agencies and communities in Central Illinois.
The Department awarded a $1,000,000 Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-Based Program grant to Marshall, Putnam, and Stark counties to support a multi-county program: Reaching Rural: Rural Roads to Recovery Program. The program is designed to develop a collaborative, research based, and multi-care level community-based program for individuals affected by substance-use disorder. Subrecipients include Maitri Path to Wellness, the Henry and Stark County Health Department, and The Society of Growth Inc.
The Department awarded over $400,000 in Justice Assistance Grants (JAGs) to fund multiple law enforcement agencies in Central Illinois, including $86,228 to the Champaign Police Department, Urbana Police Department, and Champaign County Sheriffs Office; $53,178 to the Vermillion County Sheriff’s Office and Danville Police Department; $58,510 to the Decatur Police Department; $49,719 to the Moline and Rock Island Police Departments; $11,482 to the Pekin Police Department; $33,963 to the Bloomington and Normal Police Departments and McLean County Sheriff’s Office; and $121,391 to the Springfield Police Department and Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. The grants will fund a wide variety of projects and initiatives designed to combat violent crime.
“These funds allow area agencies to expand on the excellent services they provide to their communities.” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “We commend the U.S. Department of Justice for its continued support of the Central District of Illinois.”
BJA is a leading source of federal funding to state, local and tribal governments, offering the critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement; prosecution; indigent defense; courts; crime prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment and enforcement; planning; evaluation; technology improvement; crime victim and witness initiatives; mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams; and implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives including but not limited to mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts, and extreme risk protection order programs.
Vermilion County Resident Convicted of Counterfeiting for Second TimeRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned five guilty verdicts on December 4, 2024, against Jacob R Kirkley, 48, of Bismarck, Illinois, for counterfeiting U.S. currency and selling and possessing counterfeit U.S. currency. Sentencing for Kirkley has been scheduled for May 2, 2025, at the federal courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
During two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that, on December 7, 2023, Kirkley sold an undercover officer with the Illinois State Police $1000 of counterfeited U.S. currency that he had made for $250. On December 13, 2023, and January 8, 2024, Kirkley sold the same undercover officer another $1000 and $5000 in counterfeit U.S. currency that he had made, respectively. On January 11, 2024, agents of the United States Secret Service and Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group executed a federal search warrant at Kirkley’s residence in Bismarck and recovered additional counterfeit currency, as well as various items used to create counterfeit currency.
In 2022, Kirkley was convicted of one count of manufacturing U.S. currency and two counts of passing U.S. currency after a 2020 incident where a Vermilion County Sheriff’s Deputy found over $20,000 of counterfeit U.S. currency in his truck and then learned Kirkley had passed counterfeit currency at Carnaghi’s Towing and McDonald’s in Danville, Illinois, and Dollar General in Tilton, Illinois. At the time, the deputy also found over $20,000 counterfeit U.S. currency, plus four printers, a paper cutter, and numerous counterfeit-making implements in Kirkley’s hotel room in the Budget Inn in Danville. Kirkley served 27 months in federal prison for those offenses and was serving a three-year term of federal supervised release at the time that he committed his latest counterfeiting offenses.
Kirkley remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
At sentencing, Kirkley faces statutory penalties of up to twenty years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on each of the five counts of conviction.
The case investigation was conducted by the Springfield Division of the United States Secret Service, Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and Illinois State Police. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at trial.
California Man Sentenced to 15 Years and 8 Months in Prison for Defrauding Central Illinois InvestorsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Brett Michael Bartlett, 37, of Fountain Valley, California, was sentenced on November 25, 2024, to 188 months in prison for wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. Bartlett was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment and to pay $22,502,092.66 in restitution to his victims.
During his previous plea of guilty, Bartlett admitted that, using his California-based companies, Dynasty Toys, and 7M E-group, he devised a scheme to defraud investors and obtain their money by making materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. Bartlett, through Dynasty Toys and 7M E-group, purchased items at liquidation sales and resold those items online, especially through Amazon. Bartlett solicited and accepted money from Central Illinois investors, first to purchase inventory to be resold by 7M E-group at promised annual returns of 20% to 40% and later to purchase Dynasty Toys’ preferred stock shares, which Bartlett claimed were expected to double in value.
Bartlett admitted that he induced investors to invest by dramatically overstating the success of the companies and the returns that the companies generated for investors, lying about the companies’ assets, failing to disclose the companies’ struggles even while continuing to solicit investments, and using investors’ funds for Bartlett’s own benefit. For example, Bartlett falsely told investors their existing shares were worth approximately $30 million in total, that Dynasty Toys owned hundreds of millions of dollars of gold assets, and that another company was going to purchase Dynasty Toys for $120 million. As a result, over 1,000 individuals, including over 50 investors from Central Illinois, invested over $22.5 million with Bartlett, 7M E-group, and Dynasty Toys.
Bartlett further admitted that in May 2020, he mailed to Central Illinois investors checks totaling millions of dollars, but the checks bounced. Nonetheless, after that, Bartlett transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal bank account and took his family members and employees to a luxury business retreat at Big Bear Lake in California. The Court found that
investors lost approximately $22.5 million as a result of Bartlett’s fraud.
At the sentencing hearing, the prosecution presented evidence that numerous victims experienced substantial financial hardship as a result of Bartlett’s fraud scheme, in some cases losing their entire retirement savings. Many of the victims were devastated not only by the financial loss, but also the sense of betrayal because they had trusted Bartlett, who had repeatedly told the investors that they were his “family” and that he shared their faith in God.
The prosecution told the sentencing judge that many of the victims felt guilty because they had encouraged other family members, friends, and church associates to invest with Bartlett based on his false representations.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that a sentencing enhancement was appropriate because Bartlett’s scheme involved sophisticated means, including offering to convert investor’s shares to “gold contracts” that turned out to be worthless. Judge Bruce also ordered the criminal forfeiture of a property held in Tennessee in the name of one of Bartlett’s corporations.
Bartlett faced a penalty of up to twenty years in prison on each fraud charge and a penalty of up to ten years in prison on the money laundering charge. Bartlett also faced a penalty of up to three years of supervised release on each charge. Although the charges also carried maximum fines of up to $6.25 million, the prosecution did not request a fine so that any money recovered from Bartlett would to go to restitution for his victims.
“The defendant’s reprehensible conduct had life-changing and devastating repercussions for his victims in Central Illinois and across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Our office is dedicated to pursuing those who deal in fraudulent investments. We are grateful to our federal law enforcement partners’ critical work in accomplishing that mission.”
“Brett Bartlett’s greed left a trail of victims in the path of his fraudulent schemes,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson.” And while the victims lives and financial futures were sadly changed forever, this significant sentence brings justice and underscores the investigative efforts of FBI Springfield and the FDIC–Office of Inspector General.”
“It is fitting that Mr. Bartlett was brought to justice for having engaged in a massive fraud that brought financial ruin to more than 1,000 unsuspecting and trusting investors,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Chicago Region. “His prison sentence and the restitution ordered is just punishment for luring investors with false representations and promises; betraying their trust; and selfishly using more than $22 million of their hard-earned funds for his personal benefit and to support his scheme. Adding insult to injury—he mailed some of them millions of dollars in checks that bounced. The FDIC OIG will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring a halt to such schemes that harm innocent consumers and undermine the integrity of our Nation’s banks.”
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Monroe City, Missouri, Man Sentenced to Twenty Years’ Imprisonment for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –Phillip C. Mayfield, 35, who lived in both Monroe City, Missouri, and Quincy, Illinois, was sentenced on November 7, 2024, to twenty years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
Mayfield was indicted in June 2023 and convicted after a jury trial in June 2024. Over three days of trial testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Mayfield sold over fifty grams of methamphetamine to another individual in a grocery store parking lot in Quincy in February 2023 and then made a second sale of over fifty grams of methamphetamine in an apartment parking lot in Quincy in March 2023.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government established that Mayfield was on bond in five separate state felony cases at the time he made the drug sales. During the hearing, Judge Lawless noted that Mayfield had a very significant criminal history which included two prior drug trafficking convictions. Judge Lawless also commented that Mayfield was motivated to commit his crimes because he liked the lifestyle of being a drug dealer and the financial means it provided him.
Mayfield remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service where he has been since his arrest on June 20, 2023. The statutory penalties for distribution of methamphetamine are not less than ten years’ and up to a life term of imprisonment; at least five years and up to a life term of supervised release; and up to a $10,000,000 fine.
The Illinois State Police West Central Illinois Task Force investigated the case, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Resident Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Seberger and Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Mayfield is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.