District of Massachusetts

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.

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. 
 

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.

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.
 

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 – 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.
 

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.  

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.

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.

BOSTON – A Lowell man has been arrested on federal charges of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Anthony Saint Jean, 34, was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Saint Jean was arrested at his residence this morning and made his initial appearance in federal court today in Boston. He has been detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 26, 2025.

According to the indictment, between March 17, 2024, and Aug. 20, 2024, Saint Jean knowingly distributed online videos depicting CSAM. It is further alleged that Saint Jean possessed CSAM, some of which depicted the abuse of minor victims younger than 12 years old.

The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a of up to 20 years in prison, at least 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.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or 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 Lowell Police Department; the Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member 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.

BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass., was indicted on June 11, 2025 by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Marcos Riquiac-Ordonez, 41, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Riquiac-Ordonez was arrested by immigration authorities on May 12, 2025.

According to the indictment, Riquiac-Ordonez was deported from the United States on April 26, 2016. It is alleged that sometime after his April 2016 removal, Riquiac-Ordonez illegally reentered the United States without permission.

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 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.
 

BOSTON – A previously convicted felon from Springfield, Mass. pleaded guilty today to possessing cocaine intended for distribution and firearms offenses. 

Pedro Deleon, 32, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine; being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug distribution. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Sept. 25, 2025. Deleon was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025.

On Oct. 22, 2024, Deleon possessed with the intent to distribute drugs and two firearms. Deleon was previously convicted of a crime punishable for a period exceeding one year.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug distribution provides for a sentence of up to life 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; Matt Lawlor, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Colonel Geoffrey Nobel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announced today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
        
Melvin Villar, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.  U.S. District Court Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Sept. 16, 2025. Villar was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025.

Villar was arrested by immigration authorities on Feb. 2, 2025, at the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton following his release from state custody on narcotics trafficking charges. In 2004, 2009, 2019 and 2021, Villar was previously removed following criminal convictions for immigration, drug and firearm offenses – including two prior convictions for unlawful reentry.  

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 Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A Hyannis man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

Donnell Pina, 52, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge William G. Young to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2025, Pina pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In November 2022, Pina, along with co-defendant Ryan Diefenbach, was indicted by a federal grand jury.

In September 2021, Pina and Diefenbach possessed a Chinese SKS .762 caliber rifle. In September 2021, Pina sold two firearms – the Chinese SKS .762 caliber rifle and a Walther Colt M4 Carbine .22LR caliber semi-automatic rifle – to a confidential informant working with federal law enforcement in two separate transactions on Cape Cod.

Due to prior felony convictions, both Pina and Diefenbach are prohibited from possessing firearms. In October 2024, Diefenbach was sentenced to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

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 United States Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
 

BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Danbury, Conn. pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to obtain driver’s licenses for ineligible applicants, principally illegal aliens.  

Helbert Costa Generoso, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents, and one count of furnishing a false passport to another for use. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 2, 2025. In December 2024, Costa Generoso was charged along with four co-conspirators.
  
From in or about November 2020 through in or about September 2024, Costa Generoso and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently procured driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who resided in states that prohibited illegal aliens from obtaining driver’s licenses. Prior to July 2023, illegal aliens residing in Massachusetts were not permitted to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Beginning in 2019, illegal aliens residing in New York became eligible to obtain New York driver’s licenses. Costa Generoso and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to fraudulently obtain New York driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in New York, including Massachusetts residents, and after July 2023 to fraudulently obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in Massachusetts. In exchange for fraudulently obtaining the driver’s licenses, the co-conspirators allegedly typically charged approximately $1,400 per customer. Costa Generoso also charged $1,400 to obtain fraudulent foreign passports in the customers’ names, to be used as identification in the driver’s license applications. 
 
In New York, before obtaining a driver’s license, applicants were required to pass a written permit test and complete driver’s education coursework from a New York driving school. Online permit test-takers were required by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) to take a picture of themselves with a web camera during the test. This was to ensure that the test-taker was indeed the applicant and that there was not a person sitting with and helping the applicant with the test.

To avoid the customers having to take the permit tests, the co-conspirators allegedly conspired to obtain several pictures of the customers sitting down, making it look as if the customers were taking the tests. They also allegedly conspired to complete the permit tests for the customers online and, when prompted by the NY DMV to take pictures during the tests, they uploaded the pictures that the customers previously provided – purporting to show that it was the customers who were taking the tests, not the defendants. Costa Generoso and his alleged co-defendants also conspired to create fraudulent driver’s education certificates of completion, purportedly from New York driving schools, and conspired to forge the signatures of driving school staff on the fake certificates.

The NY DMV also required that applicants appear at a NY DMV location and provide documents to prove their identity and residence in New York. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to meet Massachusetts-based customers at locations in Massachusetts – typically several customers at a time – and drive them to NY DMV branch locations. When they arrived at the NY DMV locations, the defendants allegedly gave the customers fraudulent documents falsely purporting to demonstrate that the customers resided in New York. The customers provided these fake records to the NY DMV staff, and the NY DMV relied on the misrepresentations to issue New York driving permits to the customers. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to arrange for the NY DMV to mail the permits to locations in New York that were controlled by the defendants and provided the permits to the customers in-person. The defendants then allegedly conspired to schedule road driving license tests for the customers with the NY DMV and, again, drive the customers to New York for them to take the road tests. If the customers passed the tests, the NY DMV sent the driver’s licenses to mailing addresses in New York that the defendants allegedly controlled, and the defendants then provided the licenses to the customers.  

The defendants allegedly conspired to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for out-of-state residents, in generally the same manner as they allegedly obtained the New York licenses for Massachusetts residents. Collectively, the co-conspirators allegedly fraudulently applied for licenses for more than 1,000 customers, obtained licenses for more than 600 of the customers and collected at least hundreds of thousands of dollars.    

Costa Generoso is the second defendant to plead guilty in the case. The three remaining alleged co-conspirators have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial.

The charge of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents provides 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 furnishing a false passport to another for use provides for a sentence 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Kelly Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the NY DMV Division of Field Investigation; the Boston, Danbury (Conn.) and Waterbury (Conn.) Police Departments; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. 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 remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Boston man, who is a Level 3 sex offender, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Bryan Horgan, 59, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 18, 2025. Horgan was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025 after being charged by complaint and arrested on April 26, 2024. He has remained in custody since that time.

Horgan was identified as the owner of a Microsoft account uploading CSAM. During a search of Horgan’s residence, law enforcement identified an  electronic device that was found to contain several video files of CSAM depicting children as young as infants. Another device contained filenames with words and phrases indicative of CSAM.

Horgan was previously convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of rape of a child, assault to rape a child, indecent assault and battery on a child, disseminating obscene material to a minor, and possession of child pornography.  

Due to Horgan’s prior convictions, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 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. 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto 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.
 

BOSTON – A Haverhill man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.

Cordell Miller, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 42 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2025, Miller pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting and one count of trafficking in firearms and conspiracy to do so. Miller was arrested and charged in November 2023 along with co-conspirators Malcolm Desir and Alan Robinson.

Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. In August 2023, Miller arranged for the sale of distribution weight cocaine and several firearms to a cooperating witness. Prior to his arrest in November 2023, Miller and Robinson facilitated the sale of four separate firearms: an AR-15 “ghost gun” rifle; a Polymer 80 “ghost gun” pistol; a HIPOINT 9mm rifle; and a Ruger .38 caliber pistol.

In April 2025, Robinson was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Desir was sentenced on June 18, 2025 to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, with the first year to be served in home detention.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
 

BOSTON –Two alleged members of the Trinitarios gang have been charged with a May 2024 kidnapping in Andover, Mass.. During the alleged kidnapping, the suspects wore law enforcement jackets and held the victim at a location for multiple days.

Isiah Medina, a/k/a “Ice”, 25 and Rodderith Peralta, a/k/a “Mago”, 26, both of Lawrence were charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Both defendants are in custody on unrelated state charges and are alleged to be members of the Lawrence Chapter of the Trinitarios gang. The defendants will appear in U.S. District Court next week.  

According to charging documents, Medina and Peralta allegedly burst into the victim’s apartment in Andover on May 5, 2024, and forced him into a vehicle. Nearby residents called 911 and reported the incident and that the victim was screaming for help as men wearing law enforcement raid jackets put the victim into an SUV. The victim was allegedly held for multiple days, until he was released in Lowell, Mass. The victim made numerous statements to police concerning the kidnapping and the circumstances that allegedly aligned with the 911 caller information and physical evidence.

Medina was arrested on an unrelated in case in April 2025, and his phone was searched pursuant to a search warrant. In the cell phone, investigators located videos and photographs allegedly taken while the victim was held captive that depict victim in handcuffs in a basement. During one video, Peralta’s hand, identified by a tattoo, can allegedly be seen interacting with the victim’s face.

The charge of conspiracy to commit a kidnapping provides for a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, and 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; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Andover Police Chief Patrick Keefe made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang 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.

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.
 

BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for embezzling over $18,000.

Christine Hedges, 47, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to three years of probation. Hedges was also ordered to pay $18,939.58 in restitution and forfeiture. In March 2025, Hedges pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. In March 2025, Hedges was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Hedges began working for USPS around 2020 and worked for the last year of her tenure as a Lead Sales & Service Associate in Brockton. From approximately October 2021 to August 2023, Hedges engaged in a scheme to steal USPS funds for her personal use. As part of this scheme, Hedges generated, for her own use, no-fee money orders without a customer physically present at her customer window and which a customer did not request. Hedges also stole cash from her USPS workstation and often attempted to conceal her theft by replacing the cash with the fraudulent money orders. During the relevant period, Hedges generated approximately 64 fraudulent no-fee money orders. Of those no-fee money orders, 11 were made out to her boyfriend or a family member. From on or about Aug. 1, 2023 to on or about Aug. 14, 2023, video surveillance from above Hedges’ workstation showed Hedges on at least one occasion removing cash from her assigned drawer and putting it in her pocket. In all, Hedges stole approximately $18,939 in postal funds.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
 

BOSTON – An Ecuadorian national unlawfully residing in Lawrence has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The defendant attempted to enter the U.S. six times and was arrested in Lawrence, Mass., in November 2021 on state charges of assault and battery for which he received a suspended sentence and was released from state custody without notice to immigration authorities.

Carlos Guaico-Bano, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for September 15, 2025. Rios-Nolasco was arrested in May 2025.

On Feb. 4, 2020, Feb. 10, 2020, Feb. 19, 2020 and March 3, 2020, Guaico-Bano was encountered by Border Patrol in Brackettville, Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. In each of these four instances, Border Patrol determined that Guaico-Bano had no lawful right to be present in the United States and returned him to the Mexican side of the border.

During his March 3, 2020 encounter with Border Patrol, Guaico-Bano was served with a Notice to Appear at removal proceedings on March 10, 2020. However, instead of appearing for removal proceedings as directed, Guaico-Bano attempted to enter the U.S. without permission for a fifth time. Guaico-Bano was immediately placed into custody and processed for removal back to Ecuador. He was ordered removed from the United States the same day.

In September 2020, Guaico-Bano was caught attempting to illegally enter the United States for a sixth time and was removed back to Ecuador.

On Nov. 23, 2021, immigration authorities became aware that Guaico-Bano had illegally reentered the United States following his arrest on Nov. 17, 2021, in Lawrence, for assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was later convicted of these charges and received an 18-month suspended sentence. However, Guaico-Bano was released from custody before immigration authorities could take action.

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 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 Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a drug distribution offense involving fentanyl. The defendant is currently awaiting trial on murder charges in Massachusetts state court.

Csean Skerritt, a/k/a “Shizz Grimmy,” a/k/a “Black,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 68 months federal prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In March 2025, Skerritt pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In March 2025, Skerritt was indicted by a federal grand jury.

As part of a drug trafficking investigation, on Feb. 1, 2023, Skerritt agreed to sell 50 grams of fentanyl to an individual in exchange for $1,500. Following a series of communications, Skerritt met the individual at a pre-arranged location. There, Skerritt entered the individual’s car and provided approximately 52.3 grams of fentanyl in exchange for the agreed-upon amount.

On March 9, 2023, Skerritt was indicted for murder in the Massachusetts Superior Court and is awaiting trial.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.
 

BOSTON – A former Worcester resident with known ties to the Eastside gang in Worcester was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for firearms offenses and distributing cocaine.

Juan Otero, 23, a/k/a “Nene” or “Blockz,” of Franklin, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In February 2025, Otero pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license; one count of receiving a firearm while under indictment; one count of possession of a machinegun; and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine. Otero was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.

In late August 2023, a cooperating witness working with federal law enforcement made contact with Otero via Snapchat about purchasing cocaine from the defendant. Subsequently, Otero sold the cooperating witness a total of 14 grams of cocaine over two separate occasions, on Nov. 15, 2023 and Dec. 6, 2023. Prior to the second drug sale, on Nov. 27, 2023, Otero also sold the cooperating witness a Taurus 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, ammunition and a 17- round magazine.

Then, over a 12-day period in January 2025, Otero sold four additional firearms to the cooperating witnesses: a Colt MK IV Series 80 .45 caliber pistol, ammunition and a large capacity .45 caliber magazine on Jan. 11, 2025; a Walther PPK 9mm Kurz caliber pistol, a Ruger Security Six .357 caliber revolver with a defaced serial number, ammunition and a magazine on Jan. 17, 2025; and a Glock 30S .45 caliber pistol with a machinegun conversion device attached to the back, a 40- round drum magazine and two additional magazines loaded with ammunition on Jan. 23, 2025.

In addition to the five pistols Otero sold, he offered to sell the cooperating witness additional firearms – including a different Glock pistol, a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber, a Walther .22 caliber, a different Taurus pistol and an AR-style rifle.

At the time of the offenses, Otero was on release pending trial for state firearm charges. Specifically, in 2022, Otero was indicted in Worcester Superior Court for multiple state crimes, including the unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity firearm and ammunition and attempted assault and battery.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Paul Saucier, Chief of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin, Mansfield and Auburn Police Departments.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN. 
 

BOSTON – A Honduran national was sentenced June 18, 2025, in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Manuel A. Padilla, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In April 2025, Padilla pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In February 2025, Padilla was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Padilla first entered the United States unlawfully in 2003. On March 4, 2003, Padilla was voluntarily removed to Mexico.

At an unknown date, Padilla returned to the United States and in 2007 was charged and convicted of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and intimidation of a witness. On March 15, 2010, Padilla was removed to Honduras pursuant to a court order.

After his 2010 removal, Padilla once again entered the United States unlawfully. In January 2013, Padilla was charged with multiple counts of assault and battery. On June 28, 2013, Padilla was once again removed to Honduras.

Sometime after his 2013 removal, Padilla unlawfully reentered the United States for a fourth time. Since his return, Padilla was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and operation under the influence of alcohol. On Aug. 2, 2024, Padilla received a continuation without a finding on one count of operation under the influence of liquor. In January 2025, Padilla was arrested by immigration authorities.

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. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings, and other acts of violence, against the Haitian people.

Jean Morose Viliena, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the sentence imposed. On March 28, 2025, Viliena was convicted of three counts of visa fraud following a two-week jury trial.

“Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortably in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain. Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe haven for human rights abusers. Lying to gain entry into this country and then lying again under oath to avoid accountability, strikes at the heart of our immigration and legal systems. I commend the tremendous courage of the victims and witnesses who stood up and spoke the truth, despite the risks, and made this outcome possible.”

“In Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena was involved in the violent killings, beatings, and assaults of whomever he believed threatened his power as mayor,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His lies to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to unlawfully enter this country and obtain lawful permanent resident status. Individuals who commit violent crimes in their home countries should take note: we do not tolerate human rights abusers who lie to take refuge here. We will find you, investigate you, and prosecute you to ensure that you are held accountable to the maximum extent of U.S. law for your heinous criminal conduct.”

“Today's sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to ensuring that individuals who commit heinous acts of violence and fraud are held accountable, regardless of where those crimes were committed” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “Jean Morose Viliena's actions were not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his community. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to bring justice to victims and protect the American people from foreign criminals seeking to escape justice in their home countries.”

“The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.

Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence.

As Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.

On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms.  

On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.  

On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States, including after visiting his family in Les Irois. Since unlawfully gaining entry into the United States, Viliena has received sufficient income through employment and raised a child who is now a U.S. citizen by birth.

On March 22, 2017, a civil lawsuit was filed against the defendant alleging various violations under the Torture Victim Protection Act and Alien Tort Statute. On March 21, 2023, a jury found the defendant liable for the extrajudicial killing of Ecclesiaste Boniface, and the attempted extrajudicial killing and torture of Juders Yseme and Nissage Martyr. The plaintiffs were awarded $11 million in punitive damages.

U.S. Attorney Foley; DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; CBP Director De La O; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department and HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case along with Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP).
 

Note: See indictment here.

Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, was sentenced today to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release by Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV for the District of Massachusetts for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating that he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people. A federal jury convicted Viliena in March 2025 of three counts of visa fraud.

“In Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena was involved in the violent killings, beatings, and assaults of whomever he believed threatened his power as mayor,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His lies to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to unlawfully enter this country and obtain lawful permanent resident status. Individuals who commit violent crimes in their home countries should take note: we do not tolerate human rights abusers who lie to take refuge here. We will find you, investigate you, and prosecute you to ensure that you are held accountable to the maximum extent of U.S. law for your heinous criminal conduct.”

“Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortably in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain. Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe haven for human rights abusers. Lying to gain entry into this country and then lying again under oath to avoid accountability strikes at the heart of our immigration and legal systems. I commend the tremendous courage of the victims and witnesses who stood up and spoke the truth despite the risks and made this outcome possible.”

“Today's sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to ensuring that individuals who commit heinous acts of violence and fraud are held accountable, regardless of where those crimes were committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “Jean Morose Viliena's actions were not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his community. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to bring justice to victims and protect the American people from foreign criminals seeking to escape justice in their home countries.”

Viliena, 53, was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until February 2010. As a candidate and as mayor, Viliena was backed by Korega, a political machine that used armed violence to exert power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and other armed supporters aligned with Korega and directed them to engage in armed violence to quash opposition to his authority.

According to evidence presented at trial, on July 27, 2007, Viliena violently retaliated against an activist who had previously spoken at a judicial proceeding on behalf of a neighbor whom Viliena had assaulted. In a brutal act of reprisal, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to the activist’s home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the activist’s younger brother and then smashed the brother’s skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

Viliena committed another act of violent retribution in April 2008, when he and his associates attacked community members who had founded a radio station that Viliena opposed. According to multiple witnesses’ testimony, Viliena mobilized armed members of his staff and supporters to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. Viliena distributed firearms to his men, some of whom also carried machetes and picks. According to the evidence presented at trial, during this incident, Viliena beat one man and ordered an associate to shoot him when he tried to flee. As a result, the man’s leg was later amputated above the knee. Viliena also beat a student who was at the radio station; when the student tried to flee, a bullet struck his face, leaving him permanently blind in one eye.

Less than two months after the radio station attack, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he applied for a visa to enter the United States. The visa application specifically requires an applicant to state whether they are a member of any class of individuals excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded “no,” indicating that this category did not apply to him. Viliena thereafter swore to and affirmed before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application.

Based on Viliena’s false representations, the United States approved his visa application and permitted him to enter the country. The United States later granted Viliena lawful permanent resident status and a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “Green Card.” For years, through the use of his fraudulently obtained Green Card, Viliena enjoyed a job; sufficient income; a comfortable home; a safe community; the ability to visit his family in Les Irois at any time; and the privilege of raising and educating a son who is now a U.S. citizen by birth.

The HSI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Invaluable assistance was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Boston Logan Airport.

Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.

Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp. 

BOSTON – A former United States Marine was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for submitting a false Purple Heart application.

Paul John Herbert, 54, of Shelburne Falls, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to two years of supervised release with the first year to be served in home confinement. In March 2025, Herbert pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements. In September 2023, Herbert was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Beginning on Oct. 13, 2010, Herbert submitted numerous false statements to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) concerning IED-related injuries in support of a claim for disability compensation. Based upon these false claims, between January 1, 2010 and March 1, 2023 the VA overpaid Herbert $344,040.  

On Oct. 24, 2018, Herbert issued a request to his Congressman to assist with the application for a Purple Heart. The request contained a notarized letter from Herbert, that falsely stated he had been injured by a roadside explosion.  

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office; and Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
 

BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.

Malcolm Desir, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, with the first year of probation to be served in home detention. In February 2025, Desir pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting; four counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm; one count of firearms trafficking; and one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Desir was arrested and charged in November 2023 along with co-conspirators Cordell Miller and Alan Robinson.

Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. Over a three-month investigation beginning in August 2023, Miller sold several firearms to a cooperating witness during controlled purchases and coordinated multiple sales of distribution-weight cocaine, which were handled by Desir. During one controlled purchase, Desir also sold the cooperating witness a firearm he had purchased from Miller two years prior. More than 1.5 kilograms of powdered and crack cocaine, unknown prescription pills, indicia of distribution and two illegal firearms were recovered during a search at Desir’s residence.

In April 2025, Robinson was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Miller pleaded guilty in February 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in New Bedford pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

Manuel Ruiz Luis, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 18, 2025. In May 2025, Ruiz Luis was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Ruiz Luis was first deported from the United States to Guatemala in April 1996 and reentered the United States illegally sometime thereafter. Ruiz Luis was removed from the United States a second time on March 28, 2012. Sometime after his March 2012 removal, Ruiz Luis illegally reentered the United States without permission.

Prior to his 2012 removal, Ruiz Luis had multiple criminal convictions including one charge of operating under the influence and four separate charges of operating a motor vehicle without a license.

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 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.

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling heroin in 2014. Following his conviction, the defendant evaded facing justice for a decade by removing his location monitoring equipment and assuming a false identity.

Ranyel Reyes, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On Oct. 16, 2014, Reyes was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2014. In August 2015, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.

On three occasions in 2014, Reyes sold or directed the sale of heroin to a confidential source. On the date of the first sale, Reyes was on probation related to a 2012 state court conviction for possession of cocaine. Subsequently, it was confirmed that the defendant sold 74.6 grams of heroin to the confidential source in 2014.

Following his arrest in 2014, Reyes was released on a bond with pretrial conditions. In 2015, he was detained in immigration custody for a short period of time before being released again on bond with pre-trial conditions. On Aug. 13, 2015, following his plea hearing, Reyes was released on the same conditions, awaiting sentencing. He was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2, 2015.

On Nov. 29, 2015, days before his scheduled sentencing, the defendant removed his location monitoring equipment and absconded from pretrial supervision. A warrant was immediately issued for his arrest.

The defendant’s whereabouts were unknown to law enforcement until 2025, when it was discovered that the defendant had been living in Lawrence under the name “Eric Yavier Rivera Velasquez” to evade capture. On March 28, 2025, Reyes was arrested pursuant to the warrant issued in 2015.

Reyes’ prior criminal record includes an arrest for assault and battery, as well as convictions for cocaine distribution and shoplifting.

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. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna 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.

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally using the personal identifying information of a United States citizen for nearly a decade, using the stolen identity to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and apply for a United States passport.

Luis Alison Roa Lara, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 27 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In March 2025, Luis Alison Roa Lara pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a U.S. passport application, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of misuse of a Social Security number. The defendant was arrested and charged in August 2024.

For nearly a decade, Luis Alison Roa Lara has been using the personal identifying information of a Puerto Rican citizen. Luis Alison Roa Lara used the misappropriated identifying information to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and attempted to use it to obtain a United States passport.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, Detroit Resident Office; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and the Lorain (Ohio) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Santo Beato Aybar-Aybar, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2025. Aybar-Aybar was indicted in April 2025.

Aybar-Aybar was previously deported from the United States three times, the last time on or about Sept. 21, 2021. Sometime after his September 2021 removal, Aybar-Aybar illegally reentered the United States without permission.

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 Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Brazilian national illegally residing in Waterbury, Conn. pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025 to conspiring to obtain driver’s licenses for ineligible applicants, principally illegal aliens.  

Cesar Agusto Martin Reis, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents, and one count of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawfully identification documents. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 10, 2025. In December 2024, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis was charged along with four co-conspirators.

From in or about November 2020 through in or about September 2024, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently procured driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who resided in states that prohibited illegal aliens from obtaining driver’s licenses. Prior to July 2023, illegal aliens residing in Massachusetts were not permitted to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Beginning in 2019, illegal aliens residing in New York became eligible to obtain New York driver’s licenses. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to fraudulently obtain New York driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in New York, including Massachusetts residents, and after July 2023 to fraudulently obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in Massachusetts. In exchange for fraudulently obtaining the driver’s licenses, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators typically charged approximately $1,400 per customer.
 
In New York, before obtaining a driver’s license, applicants were required to pass a written permit test and complete driver’s education coursework from a New York driving school. Online permit test-takers were required by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) to take a picture of themselves with a web camera during the test. This was to ensure that the test-taker was indeed the applicant and that there was not a person sitting with and helping the applicant with the test.  

To avoid the customers having to take the permit tests, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators obtained several pictures of the customers sitting down, making it look as if the customers were taking the tests. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to complete the permit tests for the customers online and, when prompted by the NY DMV to take pictures during the tests, and to upload the pictures that the customers previously provided – purporting to show that it was the customers who were taking the tests, not the defendants. The defendants also allegedly created fraudulent driver’s education certificates of completion, purportedly from New York driving schools, forged the signatures of driving school staff on the fake certificates and gave these documents to the customers to provide to the NY DMV.

The NY DMV also required that applicants appear at a NY DMV location and provide documents to prove their identity and residence in New York. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to meet Massachusetts-based customers at locations in Massachusetts – typically several customers at a time – and drive them to NY DMV branch locations. When they arrived at the NY DMV locations, the defendants allegedly gave the customers fraudulent documents falsely purporting to demonstrate that the customers resided in New York. The customers provided these fake records to the NY DMV staff, and the NY DMV relied on the misrepresentations to issue New York driving permits to the customers. Cesar Agusto Martin Reis conspired with his alleged co-conspirators to arrange for the NY DMV to mail the permits to locations in New York that were controlled by the defendants and provided the permits to the customers in-person. Additionally, the defendants allegedly conspired to schedule road driving license tests for the customers with the NY DMV and, again, drive the customers to New York for them to take the road tests. If the customers passed the tests, the NY DMV sent the driver’s licenses to mailing addresses in New York that the defendants allegedly controlled, and the defendants then provided the licenses to the customers.  

The defendants allegedly conspired to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for out-of-state residents, in generally the same manner as they allegedly obtained the New York licenses for Massachusetts residents. In Massachusetts, the defendants allegedly conspired to fraudulently obtain purported foreign passports to provide to the customers to use as proof of identity with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in support of customer driver’s license applications.

Collectively, Cesar Agusto Martin Reis and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently applied for licenses for more than 1,000 customers, obtained licenses for more than 600 of the customers, and collected at least hundreds of thousands of dollars.    

The charge of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents carries up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000; and the charge of possession with intent to use or transfer unlawfully identification documents, carries up to 15 years in prison, supervised release of up to 3 years, 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Kelly Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the NY DMV Division of Field Investigation; the Boston, Danbury (Conn.) and Waterbury (Conn.) Police Departments; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. 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 remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

BOSTON – A Feeding Hills, Mass. woman pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025 in federal court in Springfield, Mass. to defrauding commercial lenders by providing false and fraudulent rent rolls and forged lease agreements for properties located in Springfield, Mass.; East Longmeadow, Mass.; and Enfield, Conn.

Christine Gendron, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30, 2025. In a related case, on April 22, 2025, Louis R. Masaschi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. United States Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled Masaschi’s sentencing for July 23, 2025.

Gendron was a certified public accountant who worked as the Financial Manager for JLL Realty Developers, LLC (JLLRD), a limited liability company for which her sister, Jeanette Norman, and brother-in-law, Masaschi, served as partners. Masaschi and, allegedly Norman, were partners in dozens of limited liability companies, including JLLRD, through which they owned primarily commercial and some residential property in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. Gendron conspired with Masaschi, and allegedly Norman, to defraud various financial institutions and a commercial lender.

Specifically, Masaschi, Gendron, and allegedly Norman, provided materially false, fictitious and fraudulent financial information, including false rent rolls and forged lease agreements, to obtain loans for their companies. After receiving the loans, Masaschi, and allegedly Norman and their companies made some or no payments and ultimately defaulted on the loans, causing substantial losses to the financial institutions and commercial lenders totaling more than $19 million.

Jeanette Norman has pleaded not guilty and is pending trial, scheduled for October 2025.

The charge of conspiracy to commit 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 or twice the gross gain or loss. 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. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.  

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.

BOSTON – A Lynn pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to making threats to an elected official.

Justin David Gaglio, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting interstate threats. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 9, 2025. Gaglio was charged in October 2024.

Beginning in or around January 2023, Gaglio began contacting the elected official via online submissions through the elected official’s website. Between January 2023 and September 2024, Gaglio submitted over 80 separate messages to the elected official via the website, sometimes sending multiple messages within minutes of each other.  

On or about Sept. 8, 2024, Gaglio submitted a contact request to the elected official’s website in which he threatened to violently murder the elected official and the elected official’s family.

The charge of transmitting interstate threats carries a maximum penalty 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 and Ted. E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capital Police, the Massachusetts State Police and the Lynn and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in West Springfield, Mass. pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025 in federal court in Springfield, to possessing a forged immigration document and unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Prior to these charges, the defendant reentered the United States unlawfully four times; was previously convicted in Arizona of human smuggling; was charged in Illinois with domestic battery/bodily harm; and was twice charged with assault on a police officer in Massachusetts.

Jose Martinez-Lopez, a/k/a “Amalio Mendez-Molina,” 33, pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of a forged immigration document and unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2025. Martinez-Lopez was arrested in March 2025.

On Aug. 28, 2009, Martinez-Lopez was removed from the United States to Guatemala after he entered the United States illegally at an unknow prior date. Sometime after his removal, Martinez-Lopez unlawfully reentered the United States and was subsequently deported on May 10, 2011.

After his deportation, Martinez-Lopez re-entered the United States illegally for a third time. On Aug. 8, 2011, he was found guilty in Phoenix, Ariz. of human smuggling conspiracy and sentenced to a one-year probationary period. On Aug. 23, 2011, Martinez-Lopez was again removed from the United States.

Sometime after his removal, Martinez-Lopez re-entered the United States illegally for a fourth time. On Nov. 25, 2022 and June 17, 2023, Martinez-Lopez was twice arrested in Cook County, Ill. for domestic battery/bodily harm. Both times, immigration authorities lodged detainers, but Martinez-Lopez was released from state court custody before any removal action could be taken.

On March 10, 2025, Martinez-Lopez was arrested in West Springfield for assault and battery on a police officer, which led to his apprehension by immigration authorities. At the time of the arrest, Martinez-Lopez possessed a forged permanent resident card in the name of “Amalio Mendez-Molina.” On March 11, 2025, Martinez-Lopez admitted to immigration authorities that he was unlawfully present in the United States and had re-entered the United States illegally in 2021.

The charge of possession of a forged immigration document 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 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 Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A Saugus man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for embezzling bank funds while working as a teller at a Boston branch of a national bank.

Derek Aut, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 25 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Aut was also ordered to pay $183,677.73 in restitution. In March 2025, Aut pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee and aggravated identity theft.  

While working as a bank teller in Boston, Aut stole from the bank accounts of two customers by forging the victims’ names on withdrawal slips, among other things. When one of the victims noticed money missing from her account, Aut attempted to cover his theft by taking money from the other victim’s account and depositing it into the first victim’s account. In total, Aut caused the bank losses of more than $180,000.  

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Worcester, Mass. pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Thiago Aquino-De Paula, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 28, 2025. In April 2025, Aquino-De Paula was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Aquino-De Paula was deported from the United States on three previous occasions including on or about Nov. 4, 2021. Sometime after his removal, Aquino-De Paula illegally reentered the United States without permission. Aquino-De Paula was found in Massachusetts after being arrested in Uxbridge for allegedly operating under the influence.

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 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 Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Newton man pleaded guilty on June 10, 2025 in federal court in Boston to illegally possessing two firearms and ammunition.

James Welch, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2025. Welch was charged in February 2025.

On Feb. 28, 2025, during a search of the defendants Newton residence a pistol and a rifle, as well as ammunition were recovered. Welch is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.

The charge of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of a $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 Foley and Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Newton Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
 

BOSTON – A former Miami-based hedge fund manager was arrested today in connection with his alleged role in a multi-million-dollar insider trading scheme and obstruction of justice.

Kris Bortnovsky, a/k/a “Kris Bort,” 44, of Bal Harbour Village, Fla., has been charged in a six-count indictment unsealed today. The indictment charges Bortnovsky with two counts of securities fraud; two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud; one count of making false statements; and one count of witness intimidation. The defendant was arrested today in the Southern District of Florida and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the indictment, Bortnovsky served as a hedge fund manager and, from at least 2017 through 2019, allegedly conspired with others to trade in the stocks of several publicly traded companies based on material non-public information regarding the earnings results and merger-and-acquisition activity of those companies. It is further alleged that, when interviewed by agents, Bortnovsky made several materially false statements. It is further alleged that, after being charged with securities fraud, and in violation of his pre-trial conditions of release, Bortnovsky intimidated and attempted to intimidate a then-cooperating witness.

Charges against three other defendants who have previously pleaded guilty to their involvement in the insider trading scheme were also unsealed today. A fifth defendant who participated in the scheme previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year in prison.  The government’s investigation remains ongoing.

The charge of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in violation of Title 18 provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in violation of Title 15 provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of securities fraud in violation of Title 18 provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of securities fraud in violation of Title 15 provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million.  The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of obstruction of justice through witness intimidation provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, with an additional maximum potential 10-year consecutive prison term because the offense was allegedly committed while Bortnovsky was on pre-trial release, as well as 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 and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division made the announcement today. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, provided valuable assistance in this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian J. Stearns and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of Foley’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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.
 

BOSTON – A Dominican man residing in Lawrence was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Elian Ortiz Baez, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to time served (approximately four months in prison) and three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation. On June 4, 2025, Ortiz Baez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

Ortiz Baez was deported from the United States on March 15, 2022. Sometime after his removal, Ortiz Baez unlawfully reentered the United States without permission. He was encountered by immigration authorities on or about Feb. 13, 2025.  

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston; and Chief Maurice Aguiler of the Lawrence Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – Gotbit Consulting LLC (Gotbit), a financial services firm known in the cryptocurrency industry as a “market maker,” was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for criminal charges relating to Gotbit’s fraudulent manipulation of cryptocurrency trading volume on behalf of client cryptocurrency companies.  

Aleksei Andriunin, 26, of Russia and Portugal, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to eight months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In March 2025, Andriunin pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud. Andriunin was arrested in Portugal on Oct. 8, 2024 and extradited to the United States on Feb. 25, 2025.

As part of its criminal resolution, Gotbit was ordered to forfeit a total of approximately $23 million in seized cryptocurrency. The court also sentenced Gotbit to a term of probation for five years, during which time Gotbit shall cease to exist or operate.

Gotbit and Andriunin were indicted by a federal grand jury on the same charges in October 2024. The indictment also charges two of Gotbit’s directors, Fedor Kedrov and Qawi Jalili.

Gotbit was a well-known “market maker” in the cryptocurrency industry. Between 2018 and 2024, Gotbit provided market manipulation services to create artificial trading volume for multiple cryptocurrency companies, including companies located in the United States and companies whose cryptocurrencies traded on platforms available to investors located in the United States. Andriunin was Gotbit’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer. In a 2019 interview, Andriunin described how he developed a code to “wash trade” cryptocurrencies to artificially inflate trading volume for the purpose of getting cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarketCap (a website that published information about “trending” cryptocurrencies) and trading on larger cryptocurrency exchanges. Andriunin and Gotbit’s employees marketed these wash trading tactics to prospective clients and explained how Gotbit used multiple accounts to avoid detection of the wash trades on the public blockchain. Gotbit made wash trades worth millions of dollars on behalf of clients and received tens of millions of dollars in payments from clients.

Gotbit admitted that it engaged in manipulative trades to artificially increase the trading price and volume of tokens for clients that included Robo Inu and Saitama. Leaders of those cryptocurrency companies were charged in separate cases unsealed in October 2024.

Gotbit is the third market maker to resolve criminal charges relating to wash trading in the cryptocurrency industry. In October 2024, the founder of MyTrade pleaded guilty in connection with providing an unlawful wash trading service identified through an undercover law enforcement operation. In April 2025, CLS Global FZC LLC was sentenced in connection with offering illegal “volume support” services uncovered by the same operation.

The Securities & Exchange Commission brought a related civil enforcement action against Gotbit alleging violations of the securities laws.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the forfeiture matter.
 

BOSTON – A Salvadoran national residing in Chelsea, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Rigoberto Hernandez Mancia, 34, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Hernandez Mancia was arrested by immigration authorities on May 12, 2025.

According to the charging document, Hernandez Mancia was deported from the United States on July 31, 2024. It is alleged that sometime after his July 2024 removal, Hernandez Mancia illegally reentered the United States without permission.

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 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 Allegra Flamm 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.
 

BOSTON – An Oklahoma man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple (TST) in Salem, Mass. on April 8, 2024. 

Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2025, Palmer pleaded guilty to one count of using an explosive device to damage and attempt to damage a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. He was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on April 17, 2024, in Perkins, Okla. 

TST is a non-theistic religious organization headquartered in Salem, Mass. According to the charging documents, at approximately 4:14 a.m. on April 8, 2024, surveillance cameras captured a man, subsequently identified as Palmer, walking towards TST wearing a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves. As Palmer approached TST, he ignited a pipe bomb – a type of improvised explosive device or “IED” – threw it at TST’s main entrance, and then ran away. The IED did not fully detonate and therefore caused only minor damage to TST’s exterior. 

The pipe bomb was constructed from a roughly two-foot section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails attached to the pipe with duct tape. The inside of the pipe was filled with smokeless gunpowder. During the investigation, Palmer’s DNA was found on the outside of the IED.

A six-page handwritten note was found in a flower bed adjacent to TST, near the area where Palmer threw the IED. Among other things, the letter stated: 

DEAR SATANIST
ELOHIM SEND ME 7 MONTHS AGO TO GIVE YOU
PEACEFUL MESSAGE TO HOPE YOU REPENT. YOU SAY
NO, ELOHIM NOW SEND ME TO SMITE SATAN AND I
HAPPY TO OBEY. AND ELOHIM WANT ME TO CONTACT
YOU TO TELL YOU REPENT. TURN FROM SIN. ELOHIM
NO LIKE THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DESTROY IT. MAYBE
SALEM TOO? ELOHIM SEND ME TO FIGHT CRYBABY
SATAN, BUT WANT ME TO MAKE HARD EFFORT SO NO
ONE DIES. I OBEY.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Lucas J. Miller, Chief of the Salem Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office; Payne County Sherriff’s Office; Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Stillwater (Okla.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A New Hampshire man was arrested today in connection with an ongoing firearm trafficking investigation.

Isaiah Johnson, 24, of Merrimack, N.H., was charged with firearm trafficking by unlawful delivery. Johnson was arrested today and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 2:00 PM today.

According to the charging documents, a co-conspirator from Brockton, who was ineligible for a license to carry firearms, paid Johnson to purchase a particular firearm from a gun store in New Hampshire. It is alleged that on Feb. 3, 2024, Johnson went to the gun store, texted photographs of a tan-colored Glock 19X and an extended magazine to the co-conspirator, before purchasing the firearm. The following week, Johnson allegedly texted another photograph of the firearm to the co-conspirator, before ultimately delivering it to the co-conspirator on or about Feb. 11, 2024.

In December 2024, the co-conspirator was arrested at his Brockton residence on state charges in connection with an investigation into a high-end car theft enterprise. During a search of the residence, the tan-colored Glock 19X that Johnson had allegedly purchased was located, as well as two large-capacity magazines. It is further alleged that videos posted online showed the co-conspirator firing what appeared to be the same firearm while it was equipped with a “selector switch,” rendering it a fully-automatic weapon. The video was allegedly filmed nearby a public school in Brockton, where approximately 43 9-millimeter shell casings and 10 .40 caliber shell casings were later located.

The charge of firearm trafficking by unlawful delivery provides 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. 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Brockton (Mass.), Merrimack (N.H.) and Manchester (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.

BOSTON – A Lynn woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking.

Latasha Anderson, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 20 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2025, Latasha Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement. Latasha Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023, along with her co-defendants Jermall Anderson and Jennifer Fortier.

From 2012 through 2016, Latasha Anderson, along with her co-conspirators and at the direction of Jermall Anderson, used threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force two different victims to prostitute on their behalf. Jermall Anderson’s wide-ranging sex trafficking operation targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling with drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources and coerced them into providing commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit. Latasha Anderson coerced and enticed these victims to engage in prostitution throughout New England, New York and New Jersey.  

In March 2025, Jermall Anderson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2025, Fortier was sentenced to 58 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or 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.
 

BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Marlborough, Mass. has been charged with assaulting multiple federal officers during an immigration arrest.

Guido Andres Cuellar Batres, 24, was charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties. The defendant is currently in ICE custody and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, Cuellar had overstayed his non-immigrant visa by more than four years and, as a result, there was an outstanding immigration warrant for his arrest. It is alleged that at approximately 9:45 a.m. on May 4, 2025, four federal officers – three Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and a Drug Enforcement Administration agent – set up surveillance in a parking lot in Marlborough. There, a vehicle was observed entering the parking lot, with Cuellar sitting in the front passenger seat. It is alleged that the officers – wearing outer garments identifying themselves as law enforcement – approached the vehicle and ordered Cuellar, in both English and Spanish, to step out of the car. Cuellar allegedly refused. The officers then allegedly instructed Cuellar and the driver to unlock the vehicle, but they did not do so. It is alleged that after being instructed by the officers to keep his hands visible, Cuellar reached down in the front passenger seat such that the officers lost sight of his hands – raising concern that he might be reaching for a weapon. Given this concern and the refusals to comply with orders, the officers broke the rear passenger side window, through which they gained entry and unlocked the front passenger door.

It is alleged that, upon being removed from the vehicle, Cuellar forcibly resisted officer efforts to bring his arms behind his back for handcuffing. It is further alleged that, Cuellar bit one of the officers in the wrist, attempted to bite another officer in the leg and struck an officer in the head multiple times, among other acts. According to the charging documents, the officers ultimately handcuffed Cuellar and applied leg restraints. During this process, it is alleged that Cuellar continued to forcibly resist including, among other things, by kicking at the officers.

Additionally, it is alleged that while officers attempted to secure Cuellar in rear seat of their vehicle, Cuellar jumped numerous times to prevent being put in the vehicle. As a result, one of the officers entered the opposite side of the vehicle to pull Cuellar into the rear seat. As the officer took hold of Cuellar, the defendant allegedly head-butted the officer and spat directly into the officer’s face and eyes.

The charge of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties provides for a sentence of up to eight 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; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson 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.  

BOSTON – A Salvadoran national unlawfully residing in Chelsea was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Juan Carlos Gil-Ochoa, 36, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Gil-Ochoa was arrested by immigration authorities on May 12, 2025.

According to the indictment, Gil-Ochoa was deported from the United States to El Salvador in April 2013. It is alleged that sometime after his April 2013 removal, Gil-Ochoa illegally reentered the United States without permission and was encountered by immigration authorities in October 2023.  

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien with a prior felony criminal conviction 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 Jennifer Zacks 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.

BOSTON – A New York-based director of operations and sales for the Northeast region of a mobile medical diagnostics company pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiring to offer and pay kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.

James Rausch, 57, of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2025. Rausch was charged in May 2025.

From approximately March 2015 through approximately September 2020, Rausch conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain. Rausch and his alleged co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks, some in cash and others by check, based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. Rausch and his alleged co-conspirators created purported rental and administrative service agreements, which on paper made it appear as if doctors were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space and administrative resources of the ordering doctor’s practice based on fair market value and not based on the volume or value of referrals. These agreements were shams that hid the true nature of the arrangement of paying per test.  

The scheme as a whole resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare. Medicare paid approximately $27.2 million to the TCD company for the fraudulent claims.

The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides 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; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Lynn was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Domingo Valentin Solis-De Leon, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On April 8, 2025, Solis-De Leon pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

On Jan. 8, 2014, United States Border Patrol arrested Solis-De Leon near Hidalgo, Texas after entering the United States illegally. Solis De-Leon was ordered removed and was sent back to his home country of Guatemala. On Jan. 6, 2024, immigration authorities learned that Solis-De Leon was present in the United States following his arrest in Lynn, Mass. According to court documents, Solis-De Leon was arrested on state charges for assault and battery on a family or household member and the matter is currently pending in Lynn District Court. He was subsequently released from state custody and Solis-De Leon was arrested by immigration authorities on Jan. 28, 2025 in Lynn.

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 Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – An Ecuadorian national illegally residing in Yarmouth has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Jose Tomas Lema Pugo, a/k/a Jose Luis Ledezma, 59, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Lema Pugo was arrested by immigration authorities on May 9, 2025.

According to the indictment, Lema Pugo was deported from the United States to Ecuador in November 2013. It is alleged that sometime after his November 2013 removal, Lema Pugo illegally reentered the United States without permission.  

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien with a prior felony criminal conviction 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 Jennifer Zacks 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.