District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Wilbraham Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Public Officials, Private Individuals and ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wilbraham man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield, Mass. to making numerous violent threats on social media targeting public figures, private individuals, children in Wilbraham and Boston, and an elementary school in Springfield.
Funwayo Mbilini Nyawo, also known as “Jonathan Funwayo Nyawo,” “Michael Jacobs” “Robert, Jacobs,” and “Carl Fields,” 37, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of interstate transmission of threatening communications and one count of stalking through facilities of interstate commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Oct. 23, 2025. In March 2025, Nyawo was indicted by a federal grand jury. Nyawo was previously arrested on Feb. 5, 2025 in the Southern District of Florida and ordered detained until his appearance in federal court in Springfield, which will be scheduled at a later date.
Between July 30, 2024 and Oct. 1, 2024, Nyawo posted various threatening communications on X (formerly known as Twitter). These threats explicitly referenced killing, shooting, or bombing; targeted a wide variety of public figures, private individuals and sensitive public locations such as shopping malls and an elementary school; and often urged Islamic terrorist groups or holy warriors to commit these acts of violence.
Nyawo’s threats included threats to kill an elected United States official (and their family), a former United States official (and their family); a former member of a Massachusetts police department (and their family); two private individuals; local officials and their family members; the children of Wilbraham and Boston; members of the Wilbraham Police Department and Wilbraham Fire Department (and their families); and targeted two shopping malls and an elementary school in Springfield, among others.
In addition, between Aug. 17, 2024 and on or about Oct. 1, 2024, Nyawo used X to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass and intimidate the elected United States official, their spouse, their child, their child’s spouse and their grandchildren.
All of the charges provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and J. Thomas Manger of the United States Capital Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Wilbraham Police Department, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department and the Miami-Dade Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Trinitarios Leader Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former leader of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios was sentenced today in federal court in Boston on RICO conspiracy charges.
Aaron Diaz Liranzo, a/k/a “Sosa,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Nathaniel M. Gorton to 14 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2025, Diaz Liranzo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. Diaz Liranzo was arrested and charged in February 2025 at which time he was the Leader of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios.
The Trinitarios is a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Trinitarios adhere to a Magna Carta, employ an internal hierarchy to or organize and execute violence, and undertaken extensive efforts to maintain the secrecy of the organization and its members.
In February 2025, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. The charges were the result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation, which began in the aftermath of four murders as well as a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in Lynn in 2023, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise and its members.During a period from at least 2021 through 2025, Diaz Liranzo served as the Primera or Number One of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios. Diaz Liranzo admitted to participating in a shooting that took place in March 2019 that targeted multiple rival gang members outside of a Lynn nightclub. The victims were lured there by another member, who posed as a woman who needed a ride. Equipped with a firearm and knowledge of the victim’s whereabouts and vehicle they were driving, the defendant travelled to the nightclub and opened fire on the vehicle, discharging at least six rounds. During the incident, Diaz Liranzo shot two of the three victims seated in the car. Both victims suffered life-threatening injuries, but ultimately survived the incident.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office; the Rockingham County District Attorney’s Office (NH); and the Andover, Boston, Lawrence, Peabody and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Saugus Man Indicted for Role in Conspiracies to Distribute Thousands of Pills Containing Meth and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Saugus man was charged in an eight-count indictment for his alleged role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl.
George Krabey, 46, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; three counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Krabey was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint in May 2025.
According to charging documents, between December 2024 and April 2025, Krabey repeatedly met with a cooperating source working with law enforcement and sold the source thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. On April 22, 2025, Krabey was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement in Danvers. It is alleged that the Krabey was enroute to Salisbury to sell the cooperating source 4,000 counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine. During a search of the vehicle, a shoebox was located in the back seat area that contained 5,296 pills containing methamphetamine with a weight of approximately two kilograms.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jared A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Revere, Saugus and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Member of Drug Trafficking Organization That Distributed Controlled Substances Shaped to Resemble Candy Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In November 2023, millions of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder with street value estimated to be over $7 million, were seized from a stash location and clandestine laboratory used by organization.
Deiby Felix, 41, of Lynn, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In February 2025, Felix pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to manufacture and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Felix was arrested and charged along with Emilio Garcia and Sebastien Bejin in November 2023.
In July 2023, an investigation into an overdose death in Salem led investigators to a DTO led by Felix, Bejin and Garcia. On Nov. 1, 2023, searches were conducted at four locations in Lynn that resulted in what is believed to be one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy. Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized. During the course of the investigation over 75 kilograms (198 pounds) of fentanyl and methamphetamine was seized, along with multiple additional kilograms of cocaine and dozens of kilograms of cutting agents, including xylazine, that is used to adulterate controlled substances.
In total, an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million.
Searches of Felix’s residence resulted in the seizure of more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, a firearm and a clandestine drug laboratory that had been built into a small room in the basement. Multiple industrial pill presses, mixing equipment and other manufacturing paraphernalia and equipment were also recovered.
Bejin was sentenced in May 2025 to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Garcia was sentenced to 18 years in prison, to be followed five years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Lynn, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Massachusetts Couple Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A couple from Randolph, Mass., have pleaded guilty to running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded dozens of individual investors out of millions of dollars.
Milendophe Duperier, 33, and Vanessa Joseph, 26, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled both sentencings for Oct. 14, 2025. Duperier and Joseph were charged in May 2025.
Duperier acted as an investment advisor, soliciting investments from individuals and advising them that their funds would be invested in the securities markets. Joseph was Duperier’s girlfriend and business partner. Between early 2018 and December 2022, Duperier and Joseph defrauded dozens of individual investors by falsely representing that Duperier would use the entirety of their investments to purchase securities. However, instead of investing the funds in the securities markets as promised, Duperier and Joseph used the funds to pay prior investors and for personal purchases and expenses – including payments for luxury vehicles and mortgage and credit card debt.
In total, the charging documents allege that Duperier and Joseph defrauded individual investors, some of whom had invested their life savings, of more than $3.2 million. As part of the scheme, Duperier and Joseph applied for and received small business loans for various entities and used the loan proceeds to pay purported investment returns to victim investors. In addition, Duperier made false statements and excuses to investors as to why he had not made promised interest payments and/or could not return the investors’ principal.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
If you have questions, concerns or information about this case, please reach out to [email protected].
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie A. Queenin and Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Springfield, Mass. has been charged with illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Noe Yonildo Ambrocio-Perez, 38, a/k/a “Noe Perez,” “Noe Ambrocio,” Noel Perez,” Wilder Noel Perez,” “Noe Velazquez Ambrocio-Perez,” and “Rodolfo Lopez Velasquez,” was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Ambrocio-Perez was arrested on July 3, 2025 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield, the Court took the matter of detention under advisement. Ambrocio-Perez remains in federal custody.
According to court filings, Ambrocio-Perez illegally entered and was subsequently removed from the United States three times. The defendant was first encountered by immigration authorities in 2002, after he entered the United States illegally using the alias “Rodolfo Lopez-Velazquez,” and was processed for a voluntary removal.
It is alleged that sometime thereafter, Ambrocio-Perez illegally reentered the United States for the second time. In July 2008, he was arrested in Springfield, Mass. for assault and battery after he allegedly became drunk and punched his girlfriend in the face with a closed fist. The arrest report listed another alias for the defendant, “Wilder Noel Perez.” It is further alleged that Ambrocio-Perez was arrested again in Springfield in 2009, after he was involved in an accident while operating a motor vehicle that was both uninsured and unregistered. Ambrocio-Perez allegedly identified himself to police with another alias, “Noel Perez.” In 2010, in Springfield, he was allegedly placed into protective custody when law enforcement encountered him “too drunk to walk or care for himself,” and allegedly used a fourth alias, “Noe Yonildo Perez.”
According to court records, in 2012 Ambrocio-Perez was arrested for driving in an erratic and dangerous manner. During the arrest, he identified himself with a fifth alias, “Neri Perez,” and provided breath alcohol test samples of .255, .077, and .245. He was later convicted of motor vehicle crimes in 2013 and sentenced to a period of confinement. Following his release from state custody, Ambrocio-Perez was arrested by immigration authorities and ultimately released on order of recognizance that directed him to appear for immigration proceedings later that year. After the he failed to appear, an Immigration Judge ordered Ambrocio-Perez to be removed to Guatemala in absentia.
Two years later, in 2015, Ambrocio-Perez was arrested in West Palm Beach, Fla., for driving erratically and speeding. According to court records, at the time of the arrest, Ambrocio-Perez presented a Guatemalan consular identification card in the name of one of his aliases, “Noe Perez,” which had two outstanding warrants for two separate motor vehicle cases. Ambrocio-Perez subsequently pleaded guilty to driving without a license, was sentenced to three days in jail and was later remoted to Guatemala for the second time.
It is alleged that sometime thereafter, Ambrocio-Perez illegally entered the United States for the third time. In 2018, he was again arrested in West Palm Beach, Fla., for driving away from the scene of an accident and operating a motor vehicle beyond his normal faculties. In a subsequent case brought in the Southern District of Florida, Ambrocio-Perez pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of illegal reentry and was removed from the United States in 2019.
At some point after his 2019 removal, it is alleged that Ambrocio-Perez illegally entered the United States for the fourth time. According to court documents, he was arrested in May 2025 in Springfield, Mass. after he crashed his motor vehicle and attempted to drive away from the scene.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fitchburg Man Arrested for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man has been arrested and charged for allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via Kik Messenger.
Sean Pettigrew, 50, was charged with one count of distribution of child pornography. Pettigrew was arrested today and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for July 18, 2025 in federal court in Worcester.
According to the charging document in April 2025, Pettigrew was identified as a member in a Kik Messenger group devoted to the sexual abuse of children. It is alleged that Pettigrew sent multiple images depicting CSAM in private messages to an undercover agent posing as a member of the chat. A subsequent search of Pettigrew’s Kik Messenger account allegedly revealed that he had sent multiple CSAM files to other users on the app.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Boston Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Kyvon Ross, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 46 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Ross pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number.
Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.
Weymouth Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Weymouth man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to submitting fraudulent information in an effort to obtain unemployment benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
Dominik Manigo, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. In January 2025, Manigo was indicted along with co-conspirator Nelson Roche Diaz.
In May 2020, Manigo, and allegedly Roche, submitted fraudulent claims for PUA on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance portal. Further, Manigo, and allegedly Roche, submitted fraudulent letters claiming the pandemic had impacted their employment at a restaurant in Boston. Neither Manigo nor Roche ever worked at the restaurant. Manigo and allegedly Roche, each received over $43,000 in PUA and related funds.
The charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Weymouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two MS-13 Members Sentenced for RacketeeringRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two members of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for their roles in a previously-unsolved murder.
Jose Vasquez, a/k/a “Cholo,” a/k/a “Little Crazy,” 31, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 25 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Vasquez pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. Vasquez was already serving a 212-month prison sentence for a May 2018 federal conviction for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. In total, Vasquez will serve a total of 37 years for his MS-13-related crimes.
William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 31, a Salvadoran national who was unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced by Judge Young to 16 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. He is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2023, Pineda Portillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (RICO) conspiracy.
Pineda Portillo and Vazquez were indicted by a federal grand jury along with other MS-13 members in September 2024. Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea, Mass. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, the victim was found with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.
In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed the victim belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a vehicle registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea where Vasquez and the other gang members led the victim to an area under an on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood also was found on the knife.
An undercover recording obtained approximately six weeks after the murder, captured one MS-13 member acknowledging his participation in the murder and other gang members disciplining him for leaving Massachusetts after the murder without the gang’s permission.
Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the United States, he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness, in exchange for money. On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man. . . . You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”
Pineda Portillo originally was indicted in 2017. Shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the United States, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico. According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated that there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts where he remained in custody.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Shumeane Benford of the Somerville Police Department; and Chief Keith Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; United States Customs and Border Protection; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Meghan C. Cleary and Brian A. Fogerty of the Office’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Racketeering and Drug and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
Felisberto Lopes, also known as “Chee-B,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Lopes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and multiple counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2025. In May 2023, Lopes was one of 22 individuals named in a multi-count superseding indictment charging him and others with racketeering conspiracy, drug and firearms trafficking and other offenses.
Lopes was identified as a member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in Dorchester that uses violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote fear and enhance its reputation. According to the charging documents, members use social media applications to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes committed by the gang, as well as denigrate rival gangs. Cameron Street members allegedly possess, carry and use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds. Cameron Street members also allegedly distribute controlled substances and firearms, commit armed robberies and engage in human trafficking in part to generate income for the Cameron Street enterprise.
During the investigation Lopes distributed several firearms as well as cocaine to a cooperating witness. On Feb. 26, 2022, law enforcement responded to a shooting that took place at Lopes’ residence in Dorchester. During a search of his residence, a half kilogram of cocaine, over $25,000, two plastic bags containing crack cocaine, two scales with cocaine residue, a bag of oxycodone pills and over 400 rounds of various calibers of ammunition were seized. Lopes was taken into custody nearby.
Lopes had previously been convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and served a four-year state prison sentence.This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Woman Charged with Leaking Grand Jury InformationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dracut, Mass. woman has been charged with allegedly disclosing information presented to a federal grand jury to unauthorized individuals.
Jessica M. Leslie, 34, was charged on Friday, July 11, 2025 with one count of criminal contempt. The defendant has agreed to plead guilty and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging document, on various dates between Aug. 11, 2022 and March 4, 2024, the defendant disclosed sealed information to unauthorized individuals, including the names of various witnesses appearing before a federal grand jury, the substance of witness testimony and other evidence presented to the grand jury, in violation of the Federal Rules and court order.
The charge of criminal contempt provides for a sentence of any term of years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Chief of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two New Bedford Men with Significant Criminal Histories Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two New Bedford men have been arrested for their alleged participation in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other drugs.
Jose Santiago, 43, and Samuel Rodriguez, 39, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The defendants were arrested on July 13, 2025 and, following initial appearances in federal court in Boston, were detained pending further proceedings on July 16, 2025.
According to the charging documents, Santiago has previously been convicted of multiple felonies including: two state convictions in 1999 for distribution of a class A substance and for possession of a firearm, for which he was sentenced to six months in prison and 2.5 years in prison, respectively; a 2001 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm, for which he was sentenced 46 months in federal prison; and a 2006 state conviction for trafficking controlled substances for which he was sentenced to 15-20 years in prison.
According to the charging documents, Rodriguez’s criminal history includes: 2003 convictions for assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest; 2004 convictions for disturbing the peace and motor vehicle offenses; 2005 convictions for possession of a class B controlled substance and motor vehicle offenses; 2006 convictions for breaking and entering with the intent to commit a felony and a firearm offense for which he was sentenced to two years in prison; a 2007 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a class D substance; 2010 convictions for motor vehicle offenses; 2011 convictions for disturbing the peace and threats; 2013 convictions for carrying a dangerous weapon, property damage, and motor vehicle offenses; a 2015 conviction for assault and battery on a police officer; and 2017 convictions for carrying a dangerous weapon and trafficking heroin for which he was sentenced to six to eight years in prison. Additionally, Rodriguez has pending 2024 state charges of assault and battery using a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury for allegedly stabbing another person multiple times.
In early 2025, an investigation began into Santiago and Rodriguez’s alleged distribution of narcotics in New Bedford and other communities. The investigation revealed that, from at least March 2025 through the present, the defendants allegedly utilized at least 10 storage units in New Bedford, and other locations, to further their drug trafficking activities – including to store narcotics and drug trafficking materials as well as to conduct drug deals. The defendants allegedly rented several of these storage units under the names of others, including under the name of a living 101-year-old woman. It is further alleged that, over the course of the investigation, the defendants routinely closed a number of storage units and moved their operations to new units in different facilities – in an effort to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Search warrants executed at the storage units and other locations resulted in the seizure of various drugs and drug trafficking materials. Among other items, significant amounts of suspected fentanyl, cocaine and unidentified pills; cutting agents; multiple small “presses” used to compress powdered fentanyl into finger-sized packages for drug distribution; and two large hydraulic presses were seized.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Jason Thody, Chief of the New Bedford Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Attleboro, Brockton, Fairhaven, Fall River, Norton, Scituate, Taunton and Westport Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to Five Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in New Bedford was sentenced today for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose De Leon Ventura, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to five months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, De Leon Ventura pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. De Leon Ventura was arrested in April 2025 and has remained in custody since.
De Leon Ventura was previously removed from the United States in December 2019, after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, Ariz. Sometime after his removal, De Leon Ventura unlawfully reentered the United States. Federal authorities became aware of De Leon Ventura’s presence in the United States following his arrest in August 2023 for operating under the influence of liquor and operating after a suspended license.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons prosecuted the case.
Former State Employee Charged with Providing K2-Laced Paper to a Federal Prison Inmate; Inmate Indicted for Possessing K2Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bridgewater, Mass. woman and a federal inmate have been charged with providing and possessing a controlled substance in the form of a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” at the federal prison FMC Devens. The inmate had been granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025, reducing his 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution.
Tasha Hammock, 43, a former employee with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, is charged by Information with providing contraband to a prison inmate. Raymond Gaines, 45, an inmate at FMC Devens, has been indicted by a federal grand jury with possessing contraband by a prison inmate. In March 2025, Hammock and Gaines were charged by criminal complaint.According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time he committed the offenses, he was on federal supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. In both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston. On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his current federal sentence to five years in prison.
It is alleged that on Aug. 18, 2024, Hammock, while visiting Gaines in the prison, surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he pocketed. At the time, Hammock was employed with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Hammock also allegedly previously handled money connected with the distribution of K2 to Gaines in FMC Devens and she allegedly received K2 at her residence for distribution into the prison. Court records allege that law enforcement obtained a cellphone that had been smuggled to an inmate in the prison (“Inmate A”). In September 2023, Inmate A allegedly sent messages on the cell phone to another person (“Person 1”), discussing obtaining K2 in prison. Inmate A allegedly told Person 1 that the drugs could be delivered to a particular address in Bridgewater - later determined to be Hammock’s residence - and that Inmate A’s “co” would arrange for the drugs to be brought into the prison from there.
As described in court documents, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke.
The charges of providing a prohibited object to a prison inmate, and receiving a prohibited object by a prison inmate, each carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; and Ryan Geach, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Regional Office of DOJ-OIG, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Special Investigative Services Unit at FMC Devens. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Defense Contractor Berg Co. Agrees to Pay $3.3M to Resolve Allegations of Causing Fraudulent BidsRead the Press Release
Berg Companies Inc. (Berg) has agreed to pay $3.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting, or causing the submission of, false claims under prime vendor contracts with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), which the Department of Defense (DoD) uses to purchase goods and services.
Berg, based in Spokane, Washington, manufactures rigid wall shelters and sells them to the federal government, including through various prime vendor programs. In September 2019, Berg was acquired by Hunter Defense Technologies, Inc., which is a defense contractor that is based in Solon, Ohio.
Berg was a vendor to Noble Sales Co. Inc. doing business as Noble Supply & Logistics (Noble), which is a Boston-based prime contractor to DLA for Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) contracts for the European Command. Under the MRO contracts, the DoD can place orders for goods and services through Noble. Noble is then required to solicit bids from two independently competing vendors for transactions below $25,000 and from three independently competing vendors for transactions at or above $25,000. According to DLA, MRO contracts are “a partnership aimed at achieving infrastructure savings, inventory cost reductions and favorable product pricing through leveraged buying.”
Pursuant to the settlement agreement, Berg admitted that, from 2019 to 2021, Berg coordinated with Noble and two other Noble vendors to submit inflated quotes for Berg-made rigid wall shelters so that the other vendors would win the awards at inflated prices. In the first scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on two solicitations for the sale of 10 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that Noble awarded to a New Mexico-based vendor. In the second scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on 26 solicitations for the purchase of 29 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that Noble awarded to a Florida-based vendor. As a result of these schemes, the United States contends that the requirements were not competed as required by the prime vendor contract and the military customers were overcharged for the Berg-made rigid wall shelters.
“Bid rigging of this type inhibits competition on the products and on prices, thereby creating the risk that the government is purchasing inferior products at exorbitant prices,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reinforces the Department’s commitment in using the FCA to pursue anti-competitive fraud.”
“As evidenced in this settlement agreement, these contractors manipulated and undermined the fair and open bidding process designed to save our military and taxpayers money,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “We commend Berg for cooperating with the government to resolve this matter and taking responsibility for this conduct. As this settlement demonstrates, not only will my Office continue to use the False Claims Act to help root out fraud, waste and abuse involving taxpayer funds, but it will reward those that accept responsibility and cooperate with the government.”
“Collusion in government contracting erodes public trust, distorts fair competition, and drives up costs for taxpayers and service members,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “Such conduct undermines the integrity of the procurement process and betrays the public’s expectation that government funds will be used responsibly. This resolution demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, ensuring a level playing field for all businesses, and holding accountable those who seek to profit by manipulating federal contracting. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to defend the integrity of government procurement and safeguard the interests of the American people.”
“Today’s settlement announcement demonstrates the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), along with our law enforcement partners, to aggressively pursue those who undermine the integrity of the DoD contracting process,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Gosch of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS will use all available resources to hold accountable those who betray the trust of the American taxpayer by corrupting the DoD procurement system for personal gain.”
“GSA OIG will continue to work with its investigative partners to hold government contractors accountable for concealing relevant information that may affect the award or performance of government contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dattoria of the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Division.
Berg cooperated with the government in this matter. As part of the settlement, Berg acknowledged and accepted responsibility for the facts that form the basis of this settlement.
This settlement resolves claims brought against Berg under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and to receive a share of the recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblowers, Mark G. Davis and Andrew G. Gunn, to receive a $561,000 share of the recovery. Davis is a U.S. Army veteran and former salesperson for one of the sub-vendors involved in the conspiracy allegation. Gunn is the managing director of a United Kingdom company that manufacturers storage equipment for United States military customers and sold its equipment through this prime vendor’s MRO contracts. The remainder of the matter remains under seal.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Mexico and District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Services, the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Samson Asiyanbi of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cunniff of the District of New Mexico, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Ross and Brian LaMacchia of the District of Massachusetts.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Defense Contractor Berg Co. Agrees to Pay $3.3 Million to Resolve Allegations of Causing Fraudulent BidsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Berg Companies, Inc. (Berg) has agreed to pay $3.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting, or causing the submission of, false claims under prime vendor contracts with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), which the Department of Defense (DoD) uses to purchase goods and services.
Berg, based in Spokane, Wash., manufactures rigid wall shelters and sells them to the federal government, including through various prime vendor programs. In September 2019, Berg was acquired by Hunter Defense Technologies, Inc., which is a defense contractor that is based in Solon, Ohio.
Berg was a vendor to Noble Sales Co., Inc. d/b/a Noble Supply & Logistics (Noble), which is a Boston-based prime contractor to DLA for Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) contracts for the European Command. Under the MRO contracts, the DoD can place orders for goods and services through Noble. Noble is then required to solicit bids from two independently competing vendors for transactions below $25,000 and from three independently competing vendors for transactions at or above $25,000. According to DLA, MRO contracts are “a partnership aimed at achieving infrastructure savings, inventory cost reductions and favorable product pricing through leveraged buying.”
Pursuant to the settlement agreement, Berg admitted that, from 2019 to 2021, Berg coordinated with Noble and two other Noble vendors to submit inflated quotes for Berg-made rigid wall shelters so that the other vendors would win the awards at inflated prices. In the first scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on two solicitations for the sale of 10 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that Noble awarded to a New Mexico-based vendor. In the second scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on 26 solicitations for the purchase of 29 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that Noble awarded to a Florida-based vendor. As a result of these schemes, the United States contends that the requirements were not competed as required by the prime vendor contract and the military customers were overcharged for the Berg-made rigid wall shelters.
Berg cooperated with the government in this matter. As part of the settlement, Berg acknowledged and accepted responsibility for the facts which form the basis of this settlement.“As evidenced in this settlement agreement, these contractors manipulated and undermined the fair and open bidding process designed to save our military and taxpayers money,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We commend Berg for cooperating with the government to resolve this matter and taking responsibility for this conduct. As this settlement demonstrates, not only will my Office continue to use the False Claims Act to help root out fraud, waste and abuse involving taxpayer funds, but it will reward those that accept responsibility and cooperate with the government.”
“Bid rigging of this type inhibits competition on the products and on prices, thereby creating the risk that the government is purchasing inferior products at exorbitant prices,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reinforces the Department’s commitment in using the FCA to pursue anti-competitive fraud.”
“Collusion in government contracting erodes public trust, distorts fair competition, and drives up costs for taxpayers and service members,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “Such conduct undermines the integrity of the procurement process and betrays the public’s expectation that government funds will be used responsibly. This resolution demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, ensuring a level playing field for all businesses, and holding accountable those who seek to profit by manipulating federal contracting. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to defend the integrity of government procurement and safeguard the interests of the American people.”
“Today’s settlement announcement demonstrates the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), along with our law enforcement partners, to aggressively pursue those who undermine the integrity of the DoD contracting process,” said Chad Gosch, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS will use all available resources to hold accountable those who betray the trust of the American taxpayer by corrupting the DoD procurement system for personal gain.”
“GSA OIG will continue to work with its investigative partners to hold government contractors accountable for concealing relevant information that may affect the award or performance of government contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dattoria of the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Division.
U.S. Attorney Foley; AAG Shumate; D-NM USA Ellison; DCIS Southwest Acting SAC Gosch; GSA-OIG SAC Dattoria; and the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter, along with Trial Attorney Samson Asiyanbi of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cunniff of the District of New Mexico.Ashland Man Indicted for Transportation, Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ashland man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on charges involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Brent Vreeland, 36, was indicted on one count of transportation of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on July 17, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. Vreeland has remained in federal custody since being arrested and charged by complaint on April 23, 2025.
According to the charging documents, Vreeland was flagged for secondary screening at Boston’s Logan Airport upon arrival from Reykjavik, Iceland in October 2024. It is alleged that during a review of Vreeland’s cell phone, images and videos depicting CSAM were found in his Telegram Messenger app. A subsequent forensic examination of the device allegedly revealed approximately 30 media files depicting CSAM in direct messages with other unknown Telegram users. It is further alleged that Vreeland received and distributed three such videos in October 2021, depicting the abuse of minor victims between the ages of four and 10 years old. In one exchange, Vreeland allegedly asked another user to trade CSAM files for “the youngest [they] hve [sic].”
The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Patrol, Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Vietnamese National Sentenced to Prison for Using Stolen Identity of Deceased Child for Six YearsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Vietnamese man residing in Braintree, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. The defendant stole the identity of a deceased minor victim and ultimately used the stolen identity to work as a paramedic and firefighter, attending the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and securing employment at the Melrose Fire Department in the name of the victim. Defendant also previously worked for the Norwell Firefighters Union as officer of the union.
Truong Nguyen, 50, “a/k/a John Doe,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 25 months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In March 2025, Nguyen, whose identity was not known at the time he was charged, pleaded guilty to passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. Nguyen was arrested and charged in May 2024 and released on conditions including an unsecured bond of $50,000. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024.
“This defendant has illegally resided in the Unites States for over 30 years, assuming false identities to dodge deportation resulting from a 1991 felony conviction. For the last six years, Mr. Nguyen exploited the identity of a deceased child to avoid accountability for a litany of criminal offenses, including attempting to obtain a U.S. passport and falsifying information to become a firefighter,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Such identity fraud undermines the integrity of our identification systems. Our office is committed to holding accountable those who steal American identities and manipulate our public institutions for personal gain.”
“Deterring, detecting, and investigating U.S. passport and visa fraud are essential to protecting the integrity of consular processes and safeguarding our national security,” said Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office. “DSS, working with our law enforcement partners, successfully led this investigation which brought charges and a conviction against this individual who committed identity theft, passport fraud, and then evaded U.S. law enforcement by assuming the identity of a deceased child for many years.”
In March 2023, the defendant submitted a passport application in-person at the U.S. post office in Weymouth, presenting himself to be an individual identified as HH (the victim). In support of the application, Nguyen provided the victim’s name, date of birth and Social Security number, a copy of the victim’s U.S. birth certificate, as well a Massachusetts driver’s license with the victim’s information purporting to be his own.
In June 2023, the Boston Passport Agency forwarded the defendant’s passport application and supporting documents to federal law enforcement, after verifying a death record for the victim when reviewing the application. The Social Security number, date of birth and parental information provided by Nguyen in his passport application matched the records for the deceased victim. It was ultimately confirmed that the victim died in Boston in 2002 at the age of 13. The passport was not issued to the Nguyen.
A subsequent investigation determined that Nguyen used the victim’s identity to obtain and use multiple government-issued identification documents in the victim’s name, including Massachusetts driver’s licenses in June 2018, January 2019 and April 2023, as well as a Social Security card in the victim’s name in 2018.
Nguyen also used the deceased victim’s identity to obtain an EMT-Basic Certification in 2021 and an EMT-Paramedic Certification in 2023, before applying for employment as a paramedic, again using the stolen identity.
From November 2023 to January 2024, Nguyen used the deceased victim’s identity to attend the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. After graduating, Nguyen began employment with the Melrose Fire Department in the name of the victim, where he worked until his arrest in May 2024.
The investigation further revealed that Nguyen (while using the identity of the victim) was the subject of an RMV fraud hearing in August 2018, after facial recognition determined the Nguyen had been issued Massachusetts driver’s licenses under two separate identities – that of an individual identified as Truong Nguyen issued in February 2018 and that of the deceased victim issued in June 2018. At the fraud hearing, Nguyen claimed the victim’s identity was his true identity and presented a birth certificate and Social Security card issued under the deceased victim’s identity. As a result of the hearing, RMV closed the case – believing the victim was Nguyen’s true identity – and suspended the license he had in the name of the deceased victim for six months, while suspending the license in his real name without reinstatement.
According to court records, “John Doe” matched the identity of Nguyen and the individual’s corresponding records which span from 1997 to 2018. Specifically, Nguyen entered the United States from Vietnam in 1979 as a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR). In 1995, Nguyen’s LPR status was revoked and he was ordered deported after being convicted of second-degree burglary in 1991. Although ordered deported, the investigation revealed that Nguyen was not deported to Vietnam. Nguyen was later arrested in 2010 under the name Truong X. Nguyen for embezzlement and larceny after allegedly stealing over $46,000 from the Norwell Firefighters Union while working as an officer of the union.
At his March 2023 plea hearing, “John Doe” stated under oath that his true identity is Truong Nguyen.
U.S. Attorney Foley and DSS SAC O’Brien made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Melrose Fire Department; Braintree and Melrose Police Departments; and the Middlesex County and Norfolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition After Being Convicted of a FelonyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon from Springfield, Mass. was sentenced on July 3, 2025, in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for unlawfully possessing a firearm. At the time of the offense, the defendant was on supervised release for a federal heroin trafficking conviction.
Sean Krasin, 31, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni to 80 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Krasin pleaded guilty to being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On June 20, 2022, Krasin possessed a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Krasin was arrested after attempting to evade arrest by jumping from the second-floor parking garage at the Holyoke Mall and running through a heavily wooded area adjacent to the mall. At the time of the offense, he was on supervised release for a 2018 heroin trafficking conviction out of federal court in Springfield, for which he was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms in New England; Colonel Geoffrey Nobel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brian Keenan, Chief of the Holyoke Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Leader of International Drug Gang Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An influential leader of a large-scale international gang based in Southern Arizona was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for attempting to facilitate the trafficking of narcotics into Massachusetts via inmate phone calls while serving four concurrent life sentences.
Noel Haro, 50, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 188 months in prison, to be served concurrent to the life sentences he is currently serving at the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The court also imposed five years of supervised release. On March 11, 2025, Haro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; aiding and abetting; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; aiding and abetting. He was indicted in April 2023 along with his brother Marcos Haro.
“Even behind bars, Noel Haro continued to direct the operations of an international drug trafficking network and peddle poison into our communities. This level of audacity is precisely why we remain vigilant and aggressive in dismantling drug trafficking networks at every level,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Our office and our agency partners will not allow prison cells to serve as command centers for criminal activity. We will pursue every lead, intercept every coded message, and hold every conspirator accountable.”
“While locked up for life, Noel Haro thought he had nothing more to lose so he used his ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card to solicit help in trafficking deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine across the country, but today’s lengthy prison sentence shows he could not have been more wrong,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This case should make it crystal clear to anyone who thinks they can flagrantly violate the law and manage a drug trafficking organization while behind bars. It’s only a matter of time before you will get caught.”
“The DOC remains steadfast in advancing the policies, safety measures, and technology that support our ability to detect and deter illegal activity,” said Shawn Jenkins, Commissioner of the Department of Correction. “This case underscores our commitment to rooting out criminal activity within our facilities and holding accountable those who attempt to undermine the safety and integrity of our institutions. I’m grateful to the DOC staff for their dedication and vigilance and commend our state and federal law enforcement partners for their invaluable support.”
Noel Haro is a member and influential leader of the “Border Brothers” gang – a large-scale international gang known to be heavily involved in drug, weapon and human trafficking in Southern Arizona with a presence in Nogales, Mexico and the Arizona prison system. Noel Haro is currently serving a life sentence at a Massachusetts Department of Correction facility in connection with convictions in Arizona for drug distribution, conspiracy and money laundering. He was previously serving his sentence at a facility in Arizona but was transferred to serve his sentence in Massachusetts upon being deemed a security concern due to his alleged influence over other inmates and repeated introduction of cell phones and narcotics into Arizona facilities.
Beginning in or about April 2019, and investigation began into Noel Haro’s attempts to facilitate the trafficking of narcotics to Massachusetts during his inmate phone calls. Specifically, during his inmate calls, Noel Haro worked to recruit friends and family members to continue his drug trafficking business while he was incarcerated and to transport narcotics from Arizona to Massachusetts on his behalf.
In April 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Correction intercepted a letter that Noel Haro had sent to co-conspirator Denise Guyette, whom he had recruited and connected with his drug suppliers in Arizona. Inside the envelope, a “Get out of Jail Free” card from the board game Monopoly was found with a handwritten “key” on the back – which was to be used to discuss drug trafficking in code. For example, the number “736” was written above the word “coke,” the number “747” was written above the word “meth,” the number “766” was written above the word “fety,” and the number “746” was written above the word “heroin.” After sending Guyette this key card, the defendant instructed her to travel to Arizona to meet with his drug suppliers and send drugs back to Massachusetts for further distribution.
The defendant also worked with his brother, Marcos Haro, to arrange drug deals outside of prison. In June 2022, Marcos Haro agreed to supply an individual with samples of multiple narcotics – including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Marcos Haro later mailed the narcotics to the individual concealed in a purple teddy bear inside a postal package. On July 13, 2022, the package was retrieved and found to contain fentanyl, five fentanyl pills, methamphetamine and approximately three grams of black tar heroin. On July 25, 2022, during a recorded inmate call, Noel Haro and his brother discussed selling one pound of methamphetamine to the same individual and agreed on a sale price of $5,000. On July 27, 2022, a package sent from Marcos Haro was retrieved and found to contain approximately 446.6 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
During a recorded inmate call on Aug. 10, 2022, Noel Haro directed his brother to arrange the sale of five pounds of methamphetamine to the individual. Later, on Sept. 12, 2022, two packages sent from Marcos Haro were retrieved and each found to contain approximately 892.3 grams of 86% pure methamphetamine and approximately 1,320.2 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine.
Guyette was charged in a separate indictment and, in April 2025, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to drug trafficking offenses. Marcos Haro pleaded guilty on March 19, 2025 and is currently scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and MADOC Commissioner Jenkins made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Salem Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salem, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his participation in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine and laundered the proceeds.
Gino Castillo, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 37 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Castillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Castillo was among 27 individuals charged, beginning in October 2022, in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. Castillo was charged, by indictment, on April 24, 2024. All 27 individuals have pleaded guilty; 22 have been sentenced.
The DTO distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, among other drugs, to individuals in the Lynn area. In May 2022, Castillo bought 500 pills containing fentanyl from members of the DTO for redistribution to others. In October 2022, Castillo was observed assisting a DTO leader, Lawrence Michael Nagle Jr., with moving into an apartment on Phillips Street in Salem where drugs would be stored. During a search at the Salem location on Oct. 25, 2022 counterfeit pills were located in a safe in the bedroom and hidden in the tank of a toilet.
Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr. pleaded guilty in April 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. Nathaniel Yeager, Samuel R. Feldman, John O. Wray and Alexandra Amrhein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.Dedham Man Pleads Guilty to Submitting Multiple Fraudulent Bank Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dedham man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to bank fraud and money laundering.
Wyoming Killingbarrows, 30, who was born with the name Patricio Junio Brito Pontes Barros, pleaded guilty to four counts of bank fraud and one count of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Oct. 2, 2025. Killingbarrows was charged by Information in April 2025.
Between June 2, 2021 and July 17, 2021, Killingbarrows submitted 18 fraudulent bank loan applications. In the various loan applications, Killingbarrows used his birth name of Patricio Barros, misrepresented his income, and submitted fraudulent paystubs from a company in support of his applications. Based on these misrepresentations, various banks issued loans to Killingbarrows totaling $329,002. Killingbarrows failed to pay back any of the loans and used the money for various personal expenses, including investments.
The charges of bank fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The money laundering charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Seven Chinese Nationals Charged for Alleged Roles in Multi-Million-Dollar Money Laundering, Alien Smuggling and Drug Trafficking EnterpriseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Seven Chinese nationals were charged today in connection with a multi-million-dollar conspiracy to cultivate and distribute marijuana across the Northeast that used interconnected grow houses concealed inside single-family properties in Massachusetts and Maine. It is alleged that Chinese nationals were smuggled into the United States to work in these grow houses without access to their passports until they repaid their smuggling debts.
The following individuals have been indicted on one count each of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, as well as additional charges listed respectively:
- Jianxiong Chen, 39, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy, 11 counts of money laundering and one count of bringing aliens into the United States;
- Yuxiong Wu, 36, of Weymouth, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and four counts of money laundering;
- Dinghui Li, 38, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering;
- Dechao Ma, 35, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering;
- Peng Lian Zhu, 35, of Melrose, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy;
- Hongbin Wu, 35, of Quincy, Mass.; and
- Yanrong Zhu, 47, of Greenfield, Mass. and Brooklyn, N.Y.
Six defendants were arrested this morning. Yanrong Zhu remains a fugitive.
“This case pulls back the curtain on a sprawling criminal enterprise that exploited our immigration system and our communities for personal gain. These defendants allegedly turned quiet homes across the Northeast into hubs for a criminal enterprise – building a multi-million-dollar black-market operation off the backs of an illegal workforce and using our neighborhoods as cover. That ends today,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.
“Today, we arrested members of an alleged Chinese-run drug trafficking organization who are accused of running a massive marijuana cultivation and distribution scheme that has raked in millions and contributed widely to the illegal drug trade here in the Northeast,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Equally disturbing is that Jianxiong Chen – the accused ringleader of this organization – is charged with paying to smuggle a Chinese national across the Mexican border to work at his grow houses. This takedown highlights the need for a sustained law enforcement effort, across all levels, to shut down and thoroughly investigate the organized criminal enterprises behind these unlicensed and illegal operations.”
“The Massachusetts State Police share the resolve of our federal and local partners to support safer communities across the Commonwealth,” said Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “Troopers assigned to our Special Services Section used their training and skill in this Operation to respond to the concerns of our neighbors, disrupt these illicit growing activities, and improve the quality of life across Massachusetts. Each of these properties can now return to their intended purpose as homes which our communities desperately need.”
According to the charging documents, from in or about January 2020, the defendants allegedly owned, operated or partnered with a network of interconnected grow houses in Massachusetts and Maine to cultivate and distribute kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana in bulk. Specifically, the enterprise allegedly operated grow houses in Braintree, Mass.; Melrose, Mass.; and Greenfield, Mass., among other locations in Massachusetts, Maine and elsewhere. It is alleged that the grow house operators maintained contact with each other through a list of marijuana cultivators and distributors from or with ties to China in the region called the “East Coast Contact List.”
It is alleged that Chen controlled several grow houses in Maine as well as a home in Braintree, Mass., which served as a base of operations for the enterprise. Marijuana manufactured by the interconnected grow house network, as well as bulk cash from dealers, was allegedly delivered to and redistributed by Chen at this Braintree residence. It is further alleged that co-conspirators concealed the marijuana and cash they were delivering to Chen inside the engine compartments of their vehicles. During a search of the home in October 2024, over $270,000 in cash was allegedly recovered from the house and from a Porsche in the driveway, as well as several Chinese passports and other identification documents inside a safe.
Data extracted from Chen’s cell phone allegedly revealed that he helped smuggle Chinese nationals into the United States – putting the aliens to work at one of the grow houses he controlled while keeping possession of their passports until they repaid him for the cost associated with smuggling them into the country.
It is alleged that profits from the marijuana sales, which totaled in the millions of dollars, were used to purchase luxury homes, automobiles, jewelry and other items in Massachusetts including to expand the enterprise through the purchase of real estate.
Additional October 2024 searches of grow houses located in Braintree and Melrose where Ma and Zhu resided, respectively, allegedly resulted in the seizure of over 109 kilograms of marijuana, nearly $200,000 in cash and numerous luxury items including a gold Rolex watch with a $65,000 price tag still on it.
It is further alleged that the enterprise conducted bulk cash transactions with operators located in the Eastern District of New York. According to court documents, in June 2023, Hongbin Wu and Yanrong Zhu were stopped by law enforcement after leaving a grow house in Greenfield, Mass., during which $36,900 in cash was seized from the defendants.
The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, at least two years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The charge of bringing aliens into the United States provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of three years and up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and MSP Superintendent Colonel Noble made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; New York State Police; Maine State Police; and the Braintree, Westchester County and New York Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
H Block Gang Member Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A long-time member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, was sentenced today in federal court for drug conspiracy offenses.
Dennis Wilson, a/k/a “Deuce,” 36 of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 77 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Wilson was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation that began in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.
According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.
From 2022 through 2023, Wilson participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, including fentanyl, powdered cocaine and cocaine base (crack). On numerus occasions, Wilson accompanied a co-conspirator on various drug deals with undercover officers.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Loan Officer Charged and Agrees to Plead Guilty to Million-Dollar Heloc SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former loan officer was charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with defrauding his employer out of almost $1 million.
Brian Socha, 45, of Brookfield, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging document, Socha hacked into co-workers’ computers on over 20 occasions to covertly raise the credit limit and lower the interest rate on the home equity line of credit (HELOC) on the home he owned with his wife. Over a period of six years, Socha allegedly increased the HELOC credit limit from $135,500 to $995,000 and adjusted the HELOC interest rate from 7.25% to 1.99%.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Arsenio Valladares, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2025. Valladares was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025.
Valladares was deported from the United States on or about April 23, 2008. Sometime after his removal, Valladares illegally reentered the United States without permission.
Prior to his removal, Valladares was convicted of offenses including assault and battery with a deadly weapon, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery, operating under the influence, larceny and malicious destruction of property. In November 2024, federal immigration authorities became aware of Valadares’ presence in the United States after being notified that his fingerprints were taken in connection with criminal charges in Massachusetts. Valladares was detained by immigration authorities on March 18, 2025.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Benjamin is prosecuting the case.
Brazilian National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Brighton, Mass. has been arrested and charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Fagner Storck, a/k/a “Tiago Santos,” 41, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Storck made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on July 1, 2025. The Court took the matter of detention under advisement following a hearing earlier today.
According to the charging documents and statements made in open court, Storck was first removed from the United States in 2015. It is alleged that sometime after his removal, Storck illegally reentered the United States without permission and was deported to Brazil six years later in April 2021. Sometime thereafter, it is alleged that Storck illegally entered the United States for the third time.
Storck has multiple prior convictions for domestic violence, including a 2017 conviction for assault and battery on a family/household member, strangulation/suffocation and intimidation; and a 2020 conviction of assault and battery on a family/household member. Storck was arrested in 2023 on state charges of kidnapping and assault and battery against a pregnant woman. These incidents have resulted in restraining orders filed against Storck by three separate women.
Additionally, according to court records, Stock has at least four motor vehicle violations for driving with a suspended license.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case with assistance from Student Attorney Brendan J. Brosnihan.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Azumi Limited Restaurants Agree to Pay $3.6M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
Azumi LLC; Zuma NYC LLC; Zuma Las Vegas LLC; Zuma Japanese Restaurant Miami LLC; Inko Nito Garey St. LLC; and Beach Chu Hallandale LLC (collectively, the “Azumi Entities”) have agreed to pay $3,602,423 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
“PPP loans were intended to assist eligible small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When ineligible businesses improperly obtained loans, they harmed both the taxpayers who funded the program and the eligible businesses who were denied relief.”
“The Paycheck Protection Program limits were put in place to prevent large corporate groups from obtaining a disproportionate share of the limited funds that were available to assist small businesses struggling during COVID,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who misappropriated taxpayer-funded relief program limits.”
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Borrowers were eligible to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan proceeds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. In January 2021, SBA announced that certain parties that had previously received PPP loans were eligible to apply for a second loan, typically referred to as a second-draw PPP loan.
When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications and agree that they would comply with all PPP rules. Among other things, PPP rules limited the total amount of funding a single “corporate group” could receive in connection with both first-draw and second-draw loans.
The Azumi Entities are limited liability companies, each of which operates a restaurant in the United States and each of which is either fully or partially owned by Azumi Limited. As part of the settlement, the Azumi Entities admitted that they collectively received and were granted loan forgiveness for second-draw loans in a total amount that exceeded the applicable corporate group limit for second-draw loans.
The claims resolved by the resolution announced today include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Azumi LLC et al., No. 22-cv-11822 (D. Mass.). As part of today’s resolution, GNGH2 Inc. will receive approximately $360,000.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Kimya Saied and Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin Wei, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele for the District of Massachusetts.
Except for the facts admitted by the Azumi Entities, the claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Azumi Limited Restaurants Agree to Pay $3.6 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Regarding Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Azumi, LLC; Zuma NYC, LLC; Zuma Las Vegas, LLC; Zuma Japanese Restaurant Miami, LLC; Inko Nito Garey St., LLC; and Beach Chu Hallandale, LLC (collectively, the “Azumi Entities”) have agreed to pay $3,602,423 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Borrowers were eligible to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan proceeds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. In January 2021, SBA announced that certain parties that had previously received PPP loans were eligible to apply for a second loan, typically referred to as a second-draw PPP loan.
When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications and agree that they would comply with all PPP rules. Among other things, PPP rules limited the total amount of funding a single “corporate group” could receive in connection with both first draw and second draw loans.
The Azumi Entities are limited liability companies, each of which operates a restaurant in the United States and each of which is either fully or partially owned by Azumi Limited. As part of the settlement, the Azumi Entities admitted that they collectively received and were granted loan forgiveness for second draw loans in a total amount that exceeded the applicable corporate group limit for second draw loans.
“The Paycheck Protection Program limits were put in place to prevent large corporate groups from obtaining a disproportionate share of the limited funds that were available to assist small businesses struggling during COVID,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who misappropriated taxpayer-funded relief program limits.”
“PPP loans were intended to assist eligible small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When ineligible businesses improperly obtained loans, they harmed both the taxpayers who funded the program and the eligible businesses who were denied relief.”
The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Azumi, LLC, et al., No. 22-cv-11822 (D. Mass. 2022). As part of today’s resolution, GNGH2, Inc. will receive approximately $360,000.
U.S. Attorney Foley and AAG Shumate made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter along with Trial Attorney Kimya Saied and Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin Wei of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section.
Two Lynn Men Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Lynn men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
Lexus Perez, 30, and Denys Gonzalez Hernandez, 32, were indicted on charges of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and methamphetamine. The defendants are also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Perez is separately charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The defendants were previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2025.
According to the charging documents, during a February 2025 search of Perez and Gonzalez Hernandez’s shared apartment in Lynn, it is alleged that two loaded firearms, 465 grams of fentanyl, 34 grams of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 21 grams of methamphetamine were seized. Following the search, Gonzalez Hernandez was located outside the apartment and taken into custody. During a search of his person, 16 baggies of cocaine and two baggies of fentanyl were allegedly located in Gonzalez Hernandez’s sock.
Several days later, Perez was located in a hotel room in Saugus. It is alleged that when law enforcement knocked on the hotel room to execute a search warrant, the sound of a toilet flushing could be heard. He was immediately taken into custody.
Before these charges, Perez had been convicted in state court for drug distribution and armed assault with intent to murder resulting in state prison sentences.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Perez is subject to enhanced sentencing due to his prior criminal history. Perez faces at least 25 years and up to life in prison, at least 10 years and up to a lifetime supervised release and a fine of $20 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carries a sentence of at least five years consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; and Christopher P. Reddy, Chief of the Lynn Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
El Salvadoran National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An El Salvadoran national has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Miguel Angel Ortiz-Rivera, 39, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Ortiz-Rivera was arrested by Immigration authorities on May 24, 2025.
According to the indictment, Ortiz-Rivera was most recently deported from the United States to El Salvador on March 11, 2015. It is alleged that sometime after his March 2015 removal, Ortiz-Rivera illegally reentered the United States without permission. Ortiz-Rivera had previously been deported to El Salvador in November 2011 and April 2013.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra W. Amrhein of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
D Street Gang Associate Arrested for Selling Firearm and Fentanyl to Undercover Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the D Street Projects gang in the South Boston area has been arrested and charged for allegedly selling a firearm and fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement agent.
Junior Martinez-Perello, 25, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl. Martinez-Perello was arrested this morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester, was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the charging documents, Martinez-Perello communicated with undercover law enforcement about selling 100 grams of fentanyl and a firearm. It is alleged that Martinez-Perello agreed to meet on May 30, 2025 in Boston for the drug and gun deal. On that date, Martinez-Perello allegedly informed the undercover agent that he would always have firearms available and not to be concerned about purchasing firearms from him, and that he would be able to obtain and distribute half-kilogram quantities of fentanyl in the near future.
It is further alleged that, during the controlled purchase, Martinez-Perello explained how the safety feature worked on the firearm. At one point, Martinez-Perello allegedly pointed the loaded firearm towards the ground, manipulated the firearm in a fashion that was consistent with rendering the firearm safe and attempting to remove the live ammunition from the firearm. During this process, Martinez-Perello disengaged the safety mechanism on the firearm and fired one round into the floor.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran National Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national unlawfully residing in Brockton has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Oscar Lopez, 41, a/k/a “Luis Maldonado,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to time served (approximately 2.5 months) to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. Lopez pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of unlawful reentry.
Lopez is a citizen of Honduras who entered the United States illegally in 2003. Lopez did not appear for an immigration court date in 2003 and was ordered removed. Lopez defaulted on that removal and was unable to be found for nearly a decade. He was eventually located by immigration authorities in the fall of 2012 and subsequently removed from the United States in January 2013.
Just a few months later, Lopez illegally reentered the United States without permission and was removed for the second time in May 2013. At some point after his 2013 removal, Lopez illegally reentered the United States. Immigration officials became aware of Lopez’s unlawful presence in the United States after he was arrested by state authorities in March and April 2024 for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and furnishing false identification to law enforcement. He was arrested by immigration officials in April 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.Brazilian National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Milford has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Wadriam Jose Ferreira Do Carmo, 23, is charged with unlawful reentry of deported alien. The defendant was previously charged by criminal complaint on May 19, 2025.
On June 2, 2023, United States Border Patrol arrested Ferreira Do Carmo after determining he illegally entered the United States. He was subsequently deported from the United States on July 20, 2023. Thereafter, on an unknown date and at an unknown location, Ferreira Do Carmo allegedly reentered the United States without being inspected.
On May 6, 2024, immigration authorities became aware that Ferreira Do Carmo was unlawfully present in the United States after he was arrested by local law enforcement in Sherborn on an outstanding warrant.
On May 19, 2025, immigration authorities conducted surveillance of Ferreira Do Carmo at his last known residence in Milford. There, it is alleged that Ferreira was observed arriving to the residence in a white van, exiting the van and fleeing towards the residence. Once Ferreira Do Carmo was inside the residence, law enforcement allegedly heard the sound of a window slamming inside the apartment which caused items to fall onto the porch. When law enforcement approached and knocked on the door, Ferreira Do Carmo allegedly refused to answer the door or leave the residence.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston; and John E. King, Chief of the Milton Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Brockton Man Detained After Allegedly Attempting to Purchase 15 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was ordered detained pending trial in federal court in Boston on June 24, 2025, on drug charges.
Jose Perez, 47, is charged via a criminal complaint with one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. He was arrested on June 11, 2025 and following an initial appearance and detention hearing in federal court in Boston, the Court ordered Perez detained pending trial.
According to court documents, in May 2025, Perez communicated with undercover law enforcement about purchasing 15 kilograms of cocaine. It is alleged that Perez agreed to meet on June 11, 2025 in Framingham for the drug deal. On June 11, 2025, Perez was allegedly observed traveling from his residence in Brockton to his autobody shop, JP Auto Body in Dorchester, and then back to his Brockton residence, before travelling to meet the undercover officers in Framingham for the drug deal.
It is alleged that upon arriving at the agreed-upon meeting location, Perez removed $150,000 from a hidden compartment in his vehicle and provided the cash to undercover law enforcement in exchange for 15 kilograms of cocaine. The narcotics provided to Perez was sham cocaine. Perez then allegedly placed the kilograms of sham cocaine into the hidden compartment in his vehicle before being taken into custody.
The charge of attempted possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Boston, Framingham, Brockton, Bedford, Waltham, Braintree, Middleborough, Lynn, Lowell and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Barnstable Man Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for Drug Possession and Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Barnstable man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for felony narcotics charges.
John Kirk Costello, 45, originally of Milton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William G. Young to 30 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. On July 11, 2024, Costello pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On Jan. 13, 2021, Costello sold approximately 1,000 counterfeit Adderall pills to an undercover law enforcement officer. The pills were illegally manufactured and laced with methamphetamine. During a search of Costello’s home in November 2021, a substantial quantity of drugs was seized, specifically: approximately 264 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine; approximately 6 kilograms of 7% pure methamphetamine; approximately 2,472 counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine; and approximately 1,707 counterfeit Percocet pills laced with fentanyl.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Nine Charged with Alleged Scheme to Generate Revenue for North Korean Government and Its Weapons of Mass Destruction ProgramRead the Press Release
UPDATE: This press release was revised on July 3, 2025 to reflect that a 10th individual was charged in a separate charging document that was unsealed on July 2, 2025.
BOSTON – Nine individuals have been indicted in Boston, Mass. including one New Jersey man and eight overseas actors from China and Taiwan in connection with an alleged scheme to generate revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The alleged scheme involved the dispatchment of skilled information technology (IT) workers who, using stolen identities of U.S. persons, posed as domestic workers to obtain remote IT jobs with U.S. companies, including several Fortune 500 companies and a defense contractor.
The following defendants have been indicted for their roles in the scheme, which generated at least $5 million in revenue for North Korea:
- U.S. national Zhenxing “Danny” Wang of New Jersey;
- Chinese national Jing Bin Huang (靖斌 黄);
- Chinese national Baoyu Zhou (周宝玉);
- Chinese national Tong Yuze (佟雨泽);
- Chinese national Yongzhe Xu (徐勇哲 andيونجزهي أكسو), currently residing in the United Arab Emirates;
- Chinese national Ziyou Yuan (زيو), currently residing in the United Arab Emirates;
- Chinese national Zhenbang Zhou (周震邦);
- Taiwanese national Mengting Liu (劉 孟婷); and
- Taiwanese national Enchia Liu (刘恩)
Zhenxing Wang was arrested earlier today in New Jersey. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. A second U.S. national, Kejia “Tony” Wang of New Jersey, has also been charged in a separate charging document for his role in the scheme and has agreed to plead guilty.
As alleged in court documents, in response to U.S. and U.N. sanctions, the DPRK government has dispatched thousands of skilled IT workers around the world, who stole identities of U.S. persons and posed as domestic workers to obtain remote IT jobs with U.S. companies and generate revenue for DPRK weapons of mass destruction WMD programs. The DPRK IT workers’ scheme involved the use of pseudonymous email, social media, payment platform and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and third-party enablers in the United States and abroad. According to the court documents the IT workers employed under this scheme also gained access to sensitive employer data and source code, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations data from a California-based defense contractor that develops artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technologies
“The threat posed by DPRK operatives is both real and immediate. Thousands of North Korean cyber operatives have been trained and deployed by the regime to blend into the global digital workforce and systematically target U.S. companies,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We will continue to work relentlessly to protect U.S. businesses and ensure they are not inadvertently fueling the DPRK’s unlawful and dangerous ambitions.”
“These schemes target and steal from U.S. companies and are designed to evade sanctions and fund the North Korean regime’s illicit programs, including its weapons programs,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for the Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, along with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners, will persistently pursue and dismantle these cyber-enabled revenue generation networks.”
“The FBI will continue to work with our partners to expose and mitigate these fraudulent IT schemes and provide unwavering support to victims of North Korean cyber actors. While we have disrupted this group, this is merely the initial phase of the problem. The government of North Korea has trained and deployed thousands of IT workers to carry out similar schemes against U.S. companies daily. Protect your business by thoroughly vetting fully remote workers. The FBI strongly advises organizations to closely monitor their data, strengthen their remote hiring processes, and report any suspicious activity or fraud to the FBI,” said Rafik Mattar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Las Vegas Division.
“These Indictments should act as a deterrent for individuals and foreign entities attempting to illegally export critical defense information,” said John E. Helsing, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Western Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who threaten our National Security and America’s Warfighters.”
“This multiagency case demonstrates the power of law enforcement agencies collaborating to dismantle international fraudulent schemes involving technology,” said Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Diego. “Let this investigation prove that HSI will aggressively identify and bring to justice those who seek to steal intellectual property through illegal access to computer networks in order to financially profit and jeopardize U.S.-based businesses who have fallen victim to these actors.”
According to the indictment, from approximately 2021 through October 2024, the defendants and other co-conspirators perpetuated a massive fraud scheme resulting in the transmission of false and misleading information to dozens of U.S. companies, financial institutions, and government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Social Security Administration (SSA). Specifically, these defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly compromised the identities of more than 80 U.S. persons; fraudulently obtained remote jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, including several Fortune 500 companies and a cleared defense contractor; received laptops and other hardware from U.S. companies; accessed, without authorization, the internal systems of these U.S. companies, including sensitive employer data and source code; generated at least $5 million in revenue for the overseas IT workers; and caused U.S. victim companies to incur legal fees, computer network remediation costs, and other damages and losses of at least $3 million.
The overseas IT workers were allegedly assisted in this scheme by Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and at least four other identified U.S. facilitators. These facilitators allegedly received and/or hosted laptops belonging to U.S. victim companies at their residences to deceive the U.S. companies into believing the IT workers were in the United States. It is further alleged that they facilitated remote access to the computers for the overseas IT workers through illicit means, including downloading software to the computers without authorization from the U.S. companies, connecting the U.S. companies’ computers to internet-connected KVM switches, and creating shell companies with corresponding websites and financial accounts, including Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC and Independent Lab LLC to make it appear as though the overseas IT workers were affiliated with legitimate U.S. businesses. These facilitators also allegedly established accounts at U.S. financial institutions and online money transfer services to receive money from victimized U.S. companies, much of which was subsequently transferred to overseas co-conspirators. In exchange for their services, it is alleged that Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and the other U.S. facilitators collected at least $696,000 in fees.
According to court documents, in October 2024, seven locations in New York, New Jersey and California were searched and voluntary interviews at so-called “laptop farms” were conducted (that is, premises used to host U.S company laptop computers used in furtherance of the scheme), resulting in the recovery of more than 70 victim company devices. Additionally, 21 fraudulent web domains used to facilitate North Korean IT work have been seized, and 29 financial accounts, holding tens of thousands of dollars in funds, used to launder revenue for the North Korean regime through remote IT work.
Also today, the Northern District of Georgia unsealed an indictment charging four North Korean nationals with a scheme to steal virtual currency held by two victim companies valued at over $750,000 and laundering the proceeds overseas. Unlike traditional North Korean IT workers, who usually seek employment with the goal of remitting their salaries back to North Korea, the defendants charged by the Northern District of Georgia allegedly sought employment with virtual currency-related businesses to earn the trust of those businesses and then stole those businesses’ virtual assets.
Today’s announcement is the culmination of a multi-year investigation by federal law enforcement agencies and is one of several announced today as part of the Justice Department’s initiative, DPRK: Domestic Enabler. Under the initiative, Department prosecutors and agents continue to prioritize high-impact, strategic, and unified enforcement and disruption operations targeting DPRK’s illicit revenue generation efforts through remote IT workers, and the U.S.-based individuals who enable them.
The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt North Korea’s illicit financial activities, including for certain information related to individuals who are sent outside of North Korea to work to generate money for the North Korean government or who facilitate the activities of such North Korean nationals.
The charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to cause damage to a protected computer provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of conspiracy to commit identity theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley; AAG Eisenberg; FBI Las Vegas Acting SAC Mattar; DCIS San Diego Acting SAC Helsing; and HSI San Diego SAC Shawn Gibson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section. Valuable assistance was provided by FBI New York, Newark and San Diego Field Offices; HSI Newark Field Office; United States Postal Inspection Service’s San Diego Field Office; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of New York and the Southern District of California.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Canton Man Charged in National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Today, as part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, a Canton, Mass. man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with an alleged fraud scheme to defraud Medicare of over $4 million by submitting claims for durable medical equipment (DME) that was medically unnecessary, not wanted by the Medicare beneficiaries, and tainted by kickbacks.
Krishna Gidwani, 55, of Canton, Mass., was charged by an Information with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The Court has scheduled a plea hearing for July 30, 2025.
According to the charging documents, Gidwani allegedly worked with Raju Sharma, and other co-conspirators to own and operate a DME company that paid telemarketing companies for DME orders for orthotics such as ankle, wrist, knee and back braces. Often, the Medicare beneficiaries did not need or want the braces the defendants shipped them and, as further alleged in the information, the doctors whose signatures appeared on these DME orders often did not treat these beneficiaries and did not prescribe the DME. In May 2025, Sharma, agreed to plead guilty to health care fraud conspiracy for his alleged role in the scheme. His plea hearing is scheduled for July 8, 2025.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
“Mr. Gidwani is accused of manipulating Medicare to enrich himself – misusing the names of unwitting doctors to push unwanted and unnecessary medical equipment onto elderly patients. Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. It drives up costs, exploits vulnerable patients and undermines public trust in our medical system,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s charges are part of a historic, nationwide effort to hold accountable those who abuse federal health care programs for personal gain. Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud and ensure that Medicare dollars support genuine patient care, not criminal profit.”
“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”
“The scale of today’s Takedown is unprecedented, and so is the harm we’re confronting. Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system and put vulnerable patients at risk will be held accountable,” said HHS-OIG Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins. “Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding patient care.”
“Health care fraud affects everyone. Not only does it put a strain on our country’s vital health care system, but it costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “FBI Boston will continue to work with our law enforcement and private sector partners to identify and investigate individuals like Krishna Gidwani who are accused of submitting claims that are medically unnecessary and tainted by kickbacks.”
U.S. Attorney Foley; AG Bondi; HHS-OIG Acting IG Hodgkins; and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Sarah B. Hoefle of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Today’s announcement is part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown.
The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle, District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle, District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of North Dakota, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Washington, and Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting the cases in the National Health Care Fraud Takedown, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national has been indicted for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose Mendoza-Zarrate, 41, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Mendoza-Zarrate was arrested on May 20, 2025 and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield, Mass. at a later date.
According to the charging documents Mendoza-Zarrate was previously deported on May 16, 2006; July 3, 2006; May 30, 2007; and Aug. 30, 2007.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Court Orders over $1.5 Million in Restitution for Survivors of Convicted Sex TraffickerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – This week, a federal judge in Boston ordered restitution in the amount of $1,510,300 to be paid to the survivors victimized by Jermall Anderson who sex trafficked seven women over the span of four years.
On March 12, 2025, Anderson, 45, of Tewksbury, Mass. was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sex trafficking women throughout New England, New York and New Jersey. In November 2024, Anderson pleaded guilty to seven counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; one count of coercion and enticement; and one count of interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution. He was indicted in August 2023 along with two co-conspirators.
The Court awarded the following restitution amounts directly payable to each of the seven separate survivors, based upon their testimony and other information regarding Anderson’s sex trafficking operation:
- Survivor 1: $508,000
- Survivor 2: $40,000
- Survivor 3: $91,300
- Survivor 4: $252,000
- Survivor 5: $264,000
- Survivor 6: $10,000
- Survivor 7: $345,000
From 2012 through 2016, Anderson, along with his co-conspirators, used physical violence, threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force seven different women to prostitute on their behalf. Anderson and his co-conspirators targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling from drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources. Anderson recruited women struggling with drug addiction directly from detox and drug rehabilitation facilities and forced and coerced them into providing commercial sex for his financial benefit.
Under federal criminal code, 18 USC § 1593, victims of sex trafficking offenses are entitled to restitution for losses associated with the criminal offense. The United States Attorney’s Office is charged with the enforcement of court-imposed restitution orders or judgments. Collection will continue for 20 years after a defendant has completed any period of incarceration or until restitution is paid in full.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Conn., the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments (Mass.) and the Hampden (Conn.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Construction and Engineering Firms Agree to Pay $1.37 Million to Resolve Allegations of Shoddy Runway Construct at Airport Used by Massachusetts Air National GuardRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Eurovia Atlantic Coast, LLC d/b/a Northeast Paving, a Maine-based paving and construction company; the Lane Construction Corporation, a Connecticut construction company; and Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., a New York engineering firm, have agreed to pay $1.37 million collectively to resolve allegations that they submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims for payment concerning the rehabilitation of Runway 2-20 at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield, Mass. As part of the settlement agreement, Northeast Paving, Lane Construction and Stantec each admitted to and accepted responsibility for facts underlying the covered conduct.
The Westfield-Barnes Airport is the operational center of the Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing, which includes the 131st Fighter Squadron – an operational combat wing that provides combat ready fighter pilots to perform alert missions over the northeastern United States.
In 2012, the City of Westfield began the process of rehabilitating Runway 2-20, using a mix of federal, state and local funds, including funds from the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. To receive the federal funds, the City had to periodically submit claims to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense, including during and after construction.
In 2013, the City and Stantec entered into an agreement for Stantec to provide certain design services, project management, bidding support and related engineering services for the Project, which included developing specifications and drawings. The City subsequently selected and entered into an agreement with Lane Construction to complete the rehabilitation. After completion of the rehabilitation, Northeast Paving purchased some Lane Construction’s assets.
In 2019, the runway began cracking in the area where the concrete center of the runway and the surrounding asphalt interfaced. The project specifications and plans for the rehabilitation project had provided for a track at the interface between the concrete inlay and surrounding asphalt. Although Lane and Stantec certified that the rehabilitation project met the requirements of the plans and specifications, the track was never constructed. Due to the cracking in the area where the track should have been constructed, the City of Westfield and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation undertook a repair project to address the cracking. During the repair project, 104th Fighter Wing was forced to relocate.
“Federal contractors must fulfill their obligations and perform the work they promise to provide, especially where their work impacts the safety of our military,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We will continue to hold contractors to their commitments to ensure that federal agencies and taxpayers get what they paid for.”
“The defendants cut corners and misrepresented their work wasting taxpayer dollars," said Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. “This settlement reflects our commitment and ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold contractors accountable for failing to meet contract performance and quality standards.”
“Ensuring the safety of the warfighter is a critical part of the DCIS mission,” said Christopher M. Silvestro, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Northeast Field Office, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “This settlement demonstrates our collaboration with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to ensure DoD contractors adhere to the requirements outlined in each contract.”
U.S. Attorney Foley, DOT-OIG SAC Gallagher and DCIS Acting SAC Silvestro made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Morgan of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled this matter.
Brazilian National Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry and Selling Green Cards and Counterfeit Social Security CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Woburn, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation as well as selling fraudulent Social Security cards and Legal Permanent Resident cards, often referred to as “Green Cards.”
Liene Tavares DeBarros, Jr., 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, Tavares DeBarros pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature and one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Tavares DeBarros was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2025.Tavares DeBarros was previously deported from the United States in July 2010. Sometime after his removal, Tavares DeBarros unlawfully reentered the United States.
In mid-2024, law enforcement was notified that Tavares DeBarros was selling counterfeit identity documents. As part of the investigation, law enforcement contacted the defendant in an undercover capacity requesting his services. Subsequently, in October 2024, Tavares DeBarros sold a counterfeit Social Security Number Card and a Green Card to an undercover officer in exchange for $250. Later, in December 2024, Tavares DeBarros sold two more counterfeit Social Security cards and two Green Cards to another undercover officer in exchange for $500. In addition, before his arrest, DeBarros agreed to sell an additional three sets of identification documents. During a search of his home, three Social Security cards, as well as a false set of documents for DeBarros himself, were located.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Romance Scam and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nigerian national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his involvement in the theft of more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims by transferring their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled.
Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, 35, of Abuja, Nigeria, pleaded guilty to mail fraud, aiding and abetting money laundering and money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 23, 2025. Nwadavid was arrested in April 2025 after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. In January 2024, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nwadavid on charges of mail fraud and money laundering.
According to the charging documents, “romance scams” recruit victims through advertisements for online relationships on dating or social media websites. Individuals perpetuating romance scams create fictitious profiles and then use them to gain victims’ trust through a purported romantic relationship. Perpetrators then direct their victims to send money or to conduct financial transactions involving other victims’ money under false pretenses, such as an urgent need for money to secure a multi-million dollar inheritance or to pay for an unexpected hospitalization.
Between in or about 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid participated in romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad. In an effort to conceal the ultimate recipient of the victims’ funds, a victim from Massachusetts was tricked into receiving funds from five other victims around the United States. The victim then passed the funds to Nwadavid through a series of cryptocurrency transactions. Nwadavid repeatedly accessed accounts in the victim’s name from overseas, to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform.
The mail fraud charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss to the victim, restitution and forfeiture. The money laundering charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the laundering transactions, restitution and forfeiture. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Kosto and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national unlawfully residing in New Bedford has pleaded guilty to one count of illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Bernardo Lorenzo-Guatemala, 38, pleaded guilty on June 24, 2025 to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in May 2025.
Lorenzo-Guatemala was deported from the United States on June 4, 2019. Sometime after his removal, Lorenzo-Guatemala unlawfully reentered the United States. immigration officials became aware of Lorenzo-Guatemala’s unlawful presence in the United States following his arrest on July 2, 2024 for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Former Massachusetts Resident Living in California Pleads Guilty to PPP FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Los Angeles man who formerly resided in Randolph, Mass. has pleaded guilty to submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of multiple companies he owns and controls.
Rindal Pierre-Canel, 30, pleaded guilty on June 24, 2025 to three counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Oct. 1, 2025. The defendant was arrested and charged in January 2025.
Between March 2021 and May 2021, Pierre-Canel submitted three fraudulent applications seeking and receiving over $50,000 in PPP funds. Two of the applications were submitted in Pierre-Canel’s own name and the third application was submitted using the stolen personal identifying information of a victim. The submissions included false representations about the existence and income of businesses and included false tax documents in support of these false representations. Pierre-Canel used the funds he received from the fraudulent PPP loan applications on personal expenses, including flights to California and purchases of designer clothing.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Cambridge and Hermosa Beach (Calif.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at: Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
Boston Gang Member Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug conspiracy charges.
Avery Lewis, a/k/a “Wave,” 33, of Dorchester was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 46 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Lewis pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Lewis was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation that began in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. Over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.
According to the charging documents, the H-Block street gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H-Block. Current members of H-Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.
Lewis was a long-time H-Block gang member and daily street-level dealer with a regular roster of customers. Over the course of the investigation, Lewis sold cocaine to an undercover officer on several occasions and coordinated other drug trafficking criminal activities with H-Block gang members.
On April 5, 2023, Lewis was arrested with approximately 250 grams of cocaine in his vehicle. In addition, in March 2024, Lewis was involved in an altercation with a Boston Police Department officer, leading to the officer being struck by a bullet fired by a concealed gun in Lewis’s possession resulting in state charges. Lewis was sentenced to seven to nine years in state prison in that matter.
According to court records, Lewis’ criminal history includes a 2017 cocaine conviction for possessing 86 bags of cocaine inside his apartment as well as a 2013 conviction for unlawfully possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Lewis is the first defendant to be sentenced in the case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Serial Bank Robber Arrested for Allegedly Robbing Weymouth Bank at GunpointRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man has been arrested and charged in connection with the December 2024 armed robbery of a Santander Bank in Weymouth.
Glenn Legere, 46, of Quincy, was charged with one count of armed bank robbery. The defendant was arrested this morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for July 8, 2025.
According to the charging document, at approximately 4:52 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2024, local law enforcement was dispatched to a Santander bank branch in Weymouth for a reported bank robbery. There, it is alleged that a bank teller told law enforcement that as employees were preparing to close the bank, a man wearing a sweatshirt, baseball hat, face covering and gloves entered the bank through the main entrance. It is alleged that the suspect approached the victim teller’s window, removed a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt, opened a black cloth bag and demanded all the money. As the bank teller handed the suspect money from the cash box, the suspect allegedly yelled words to the effect of “I need money,” “I want the money” and “I don’t play.” At various times, the suspect allegedly pointed the firearm directly at the victim teller. It is further alleged that the suspect ran towards other teller windows, gesturing d towards the cash box areas and demanding more money, but the victim teller explained that there was no more money and displayed an empty cash drawer. The suspect allegedly then left the bank with approximately $947 in stolen cash.
According to court documents, a subsequent review of surveillance video footage from nearby locations determined that the suspect drove to and from the robbery location in a silver or grey Jeep Grand Cherokee. A vehicle matching the description was captured on cameras in Quincy immediately before and after the robbery. It is alleged that the vehicle was registered to Legere.
Legere has multiple prior convictions for committing armed and unarmed robberies, including a 2011 conviction of armed robbery in Norfolk Superior Court for which he was sentenced to three to five years in state prison, as well as a 2010 conviction for armed and unarmed robbery of banks in Braintree, Hanover, Duxbury and Plymouth for which he was sentenced to three years in state prison.As stated in open court at the defendant’s initial appearance today, when Legere was arrested, a firearm and some of the clothing believed to be used by Legere during the robbery were recovered.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Weymouth Police Chief Richard M. Fuller made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the Wellesley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Russian National Who Allegedly Lied About Smuggling Undeclared Biological Items into Boston Indicted by Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Russian national was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with attempting to smuggle clawed frog embryos and embryonic samples into the United States.
Kseniia Petrova, 31, a Russian citizen, was indicted on one count of concealment of a material fact, one count of false statement and one count of smuggling goods into the United States. Petrova was taken into immigration custody on Feb. 16, 2025 and was charged by criminal complaint on May 14, 2025 in connection with the federal case. She is currently on pretrial release.
According to the charging documents, on Feb. 16, 2025, Petrova arrived at Logan International Airport in Boston on a flight from Paris. Upon her arrival, Petrova was stopped by Customs & Border Protection agents after a law enforcement canine allegedly alerted its handler to the defendant’s checked duffel bag on the baggage carousel. Per protocol, the bag was removed from the carousel and brought to an agricultural secondary inspection area for further screening. There, an officer inspected the contents of the bag and allegedly discovered undeclared biological items, including a foam box containing clawed frog embryos in microcentrifuges, as well as embryonic samples in paraffin well stages and on mounted dyed slides. All individuals are required to declare any articles brought into the United States to Customs & Border Protection at the port of first arrival.
It is alleged that, when approached by law enforcement, Petrova initially denied carrying any biological material in her checked baggage. However, when asked again, Petrova allegedly admitted that she was carrying biological material. During an interview under oath, Petrova allegedly claimed to be unsure that she was required to declare the embryos when entering the United States.
According to the charging documents, however, Petrova’s phone revealed text messages from an individual identified as one of Petrova’s colleagues informing Petrova that she was required to declare the biological material: “if you bring samples or antibody back, make sure you get the permission etc. Like that link I sent to leon-/group chat about frog embryos because TSA went through my bags at customs in Boston.”
It is alleged that in another text message conversation, an individual identified as her principal investigator asked Petrova, “What is your plan to pass the American Customs with samples? This is the most delicate place of the trajectory.” After the principal investigator again asked how Petrova planned to get through customs with the biological samples, she replied: “No plan yet. I won’t be able to swallow them.”
The charges of concealment of material fact and false statements provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of smuggling goods into the United States provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini, Chief of the National Security Unit and David M. Holcomb, also of the National Security Unit, are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Drug Distribution and Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Michigan man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a conspiracy to import and sell illegal pharmaceuticals, including opioids, and to fund the operation of the scheme by fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 pandemic relief loan.
Donald Nchamukong, 37, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to two years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Nchamukong was also ordered to pay $200,000 in restitution. In March 2025, Nchamukong pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, committing loan fraud and distributing controlled substances.
Starting in 2019 and continuing to 2022, Nchamukong and co-conspirator, Doyal Kalita, conspired to distribute drugs to persons in the United States over the internet and using call centers in India. Nchamukong used shell companies, including a purported dietary supplements company and an auto parts supplier, and associated bank and merchant accounts to process sales of illegal foreign drugs, including the Schedule IV opioid, tramadol. Nchamukong and Kalita also received shipments of tramadol from India and reshipped the drug to customers across the United States, including in Massachusetts. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Nchamukong and Kalita fraudulently obtained a $200,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan to fund their illegal drug scheme.
In June 2024, Kalita was sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating the online drug distribution scheme, a technical support fraud scheme and related money laundering.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New York, the Small Business Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.