District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
South Yarmouth Resident Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Yarmouth man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for possessing a firearm and ammunition. Defendant barricaded himself in basement following domestic disturbance.
Michael Giampapa, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns to 45 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2024, Giampapa pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On March 16, 2022, police responded to a call reporting a domestic disturbance at a residence in South Yarmouth involving Giampapa and a family member. Giampapa was barricaded in the basement when police arrived. He spoke by phone with a family member and during that call, stated he has a gun. After a standoff with law enforcement Giampapa eventually exited the residence and was arrested.
Following a search of the residence where Giampapa was staying a Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard loaded .380 handgun was recovered inside a cereal box on open shelving in the basement. Giampapa had previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Chief Kevin Lennon of the Yarmouth Police Department made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit.
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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A registered sex offender has pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester to child pornography charges.
Corey Bouchard, 34, of Douglas, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information charging him with accessing with intent to view child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2025 in Worcester. Bouchard was charged by complaint in April 2024.
During a November 2023 search of Bouchard’s home, a cache file was found on Bouchard’s cell phone, which contained approximately 72 videos depicting child pornography. The file names of approximately 56 of those videos matched the file names from media files shared by others to Kik messenger group chats that Bouchard was in. Bouchard admitted to accessing child pornography with the intent to view it.
Bouchard has a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography and is a registered sex offender. The charge of access with intent to view child pornography provides for a sentence of a minimum of 10 years in prison and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, an assessment of $5,000, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3014, and assessment of up to $17,000, a mandatory special assessment of $100, restation, and forfeiture. 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 Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Uxbridge and Douglas Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
West Wareham Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Wareham man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joshua Roe, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled for April 17, 2025. In January 2025, Roe was charged by Information. He was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the same offenses in September 2024 and has remained in federal custody since.
On Sept. 6, 2024, during a search of Roe’s home, approximately 11 electronic devices belonging to Roe were recovered. While on site, a forensic examination was conducted on at least one device, which revealed images and videos depicting CSAM. At a later date, further forensic examinations of the seized devices were conducted and CSAM was found on seven of those devices, including deleted CSAM files.
The receipt charge provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of no less than five years and a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine. The possession charge provides for up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations; and Chief Walter Correia of the Wareham Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
United States Attorney Announces Appointment of First Assistant U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Leah B. Foley has announced that Katherine Ferguson has been appointed to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Ms. Ferguson, a career prosecutor, has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for more than a decade.
“Ms. Ferguson’s leadership, dedication, and prosecutorial excellence have earned her widespread respect within our office and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Foley. “Her deep understanding of federal law enforcement and her commitment to upholding the rule of law make her an invaluable asset. I am confident that she will bring the same integrity and vision to her new role as First Assistant U.S. Attorney as she has throughout her career.”
Ms. Ferguson has served as Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2017 and Lead Task Force Attorney for the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force since 2021. As Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit, Ms. Ferguson was responsible for overseeing federal narcotics and money laundering investigations and prosecutions. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney for 15 years, she has extensive experience working collaboratively with other federal, state and local partners to dismantle multi-jurisdictional and international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Ferguson served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. There, she handled over 600 cases in Boston Municipal Court from arraignment to disposition and oversaw the prosecution of child abuse and narcotics offenses in Superior Court. From 2006-2007, Ms. Ferguson served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra L. Lynch with the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ms. Ferguson graduated from Princeton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics with Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa. While at Princeton, Ms. Ferguson earned Certificates in Political Economy and French Language & Culture. She also received a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was an Executive Editor for the Harvard Law Review.
Repeat Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Four Women Using Violence and ThreatsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man, previously convicted of multiple counts of sex trafficking, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking multiple adult women.
Marvin Pompilus, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Pompilus will also be ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. In October 2024, Pompilus pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Pompilus was previously arrested and charged in November 2023, and indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024.
In February 2018, Pompilus was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support for prostitution. He was sentenced to six years in state prison and was released in October 2021.
“Marvin Pompilus is a criminal recidivist and vile perpetrator who deserves a significant sentence to protect our community. His prior conviction did nothing to deter further acts of violence on women and continuing to push drugs onto our streets,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s sentence highlights our ongoing efforts to hold accountable those who prey on vulnerable victims and denigrate human dignity.”
“The cruelty and inhumanity displayed by Marvin Pompilus is overwhelming. This twice convicted felon forced four women into sexual servitude, unleashing significant physical and emotional abuse for his own financial gain,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “While it’s gratifying to see Mr. Pompilus receive a lengthy prison term, no sentence can make up for the significant harm he inflicted on these women. We hope the victims in this case continue to heal with each new day that passes. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove sex traffickers from our communities.”
Following his release from state custody in October 2021, Pompilus conspired to exploit and recruit multiple women into the commercial sex trade, using a combination of physical and sexual violence, threats and verbal abuse and withholding of controlled substances from drug dependent victims to coerce and/or force them to engage in commercial sex acts. He then collected all of the proceeds. Pompilus required his victims to check in with him, forbade them from interacting with other men, and precluded them from obtaining drugs from anyone other than him. If one of the victims attempted to keep any of the proceeds from commercial sex or attempted to refuse to see a sex buyer, Pompilus would become physically violent, at times striking the victim in the face and kicking them. Pompilus would also engage in other forms of abuse such as using degrading names toward his victims, spitting on them, and throwing drinks on them, as well as isolating them from others.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston and Randolph Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Trial Attorney Meghan Tokash of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Protection Unit prosecuted the case.
Repeat Sex Trafficker Sentenced in MassachusettsRead the Press Release
Marvin Pompilus, 40, of Stoughton, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 13 years in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. The court will order restitution at a later date. A federal judge earlier accepted Pompilus’s guilty plea in October 2024 to four counts of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of possession of cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
“Marvin Pompilus is a criminal recidivist and vile perpetrator who deserves a significant sentence to protect our community. His prior conviction did nothing to deter further acts of violence on women and continuing to push drugs onto our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “Today’s sentence highlights our ongoing efforts to hold those accountable who prey on vulnerable victims and denigrate human dignity.”
“The cruelty and inhumanity displayed by Marvin Pompilus is overwhelming. This twice convicted felon forced four women into sexual servitude, unleashing significant physical and emotional abuse for his own financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. “While it’s gratifying to see Mr. Pompilus receive a lengthy prison term, no sentence can make up for the significant harm he inflicted on these women. We hope the victims in this case continue to heal with each new day that passes. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove sex traffickers from our communities.”
In February 2018, in a separate case by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a Suffolk Superior Court jury convicted Pompilus of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support from prostitution. He was sentenced to six years in prison and was released in October 2021. In the weeks following his release, Pompilus conspired with others to again target vulnerable women suffering from substance abuse disorders. Once Pompilus identified the victims he could target, he exploited their vulnerabilities — including the fear of suffering from opioid withdrawal — and created a climate of fear to compel these women to engage in commercial sex acts multiple times a day every day of the week. The investigation revealed that sex buyers paid the victims between $100-$200 per commercial sex act, and Pompilus kept all the proceeds for himself.
At his October 2024 plea hearing, Pompilus admitted to conspiring to exploit four Boston-area women who were suffering with substance abuse disorders and compelled them to engage in commercial sex by using drugs, intimidation, threats of violence and actual physical violence as means to control them. Pompilus also admitted to possessing quantities of cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute these drugs in and around the Boston area.
The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston and Randolph Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley for the District of Massachusetts and former Trial Attorney Meghan Tokash of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Protection Unit prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Plymouth Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to a Decade Long Cyberstalking Campaign Against Multiple Victims and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Plymouth, Mass. man has agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to cyberstalking numerous Massachusetts victims through social media, email and various online platforms. The defendant allegedly programmed multiple artificial intelligence-driven chatbots to mimic human conversation through text or voice interactions with unknown users of social media platforms and used generative artificial-intelligence tools to create pornographic images of the victims in order to post them online to websites that focus on shaming and degrading women.
James Florence Jr., 36, has agreed to plead guilty to seven counts of cyberstalking and one count of possession of child pornography. Florence was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2024. According to the charging documents, on or about January of 2014 through September of 2024, Florence engaged in an extensive cyberstalking campaign targeting victims and those associated with them. Florence used a variety of techniques and methods to allegedly harass and intimidate his victims and others in the community, including making fake nude images of the victims, doxing or exposing victims’ personal information, creating vulgar fake accounts in the victims’ names and accessing online accounts without authorization (i.e. “hacking”) the victims’ accounts.
Florence’s cyberstalking campaigns allegedly included obtaining, -and then widely distributing, private information about the victims, such as private photographs or photographs shared amongst friends on social media. These photographs were frequently doctored to appear sexual or pornographic in nature. According to court documents Florence also allegedly accessed online accounts without authorization; created accounts in the name of his victims; and solicitated fantasy sexual encounters on their behalf. In the case of one victim, those fabricated sexual encounters allegedly included building a profile of the victim on an interactive platform with information about the victim’s apparent underwear preference, information that the victim was sexually adventurous, used sex toys and had a sex swing in her home. Florence allegedly listed the victims home address; posed as his victims by creating impersonation accounts in their names and then posted or sent various harmful content from those accounts; encouraged others to extort, shame, defame and intimidate victims for pornographic material; and stole victims’ underwear and used photos of the underwear to both harass those victims or engage with others on the internet to further mutual sexual fantasies.
In addition to having received threatening messages from social media and email accounts believed to be controlled by Florence, the victims also allegedly received harassing and extorting communications that are believed to be from users who messaged the victims as a result of Florence’s posts encouraging them to do so. Florence allegedly created and posted photo collages of one of the victims to a website, including images edited to make her appear nude or semi-nude along with all her personal identifying information and captions that encouraged viewers to “Post & Share Her Everywhere. Make The Whore Famous.”
The charge of stalking by electronic means 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 possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Plymouth Police Department and Plymouth Fire Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Operator of Home Health Care Company Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Multimillion Dollar Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Westford woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a home health care fraud scheme.
Faith Newton, 56, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. to 12 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Newton was also ordered to pay a fine of $250,000 and restitution in the amount of $99,734,517.
In July 2024, Newton was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of health care fraud and three counts of money laundering. The jury found the defendant not guilty on one count of money laundering conspiracy. Newton was arrested and charged along with co-defendant Winnie Waruru in February 2021.
“Ms. Newton used the home health care agency she operated to perpetrate a massive, years-long fraud scheme that siphoned over $100 million from a program designed to support our most vulnerable residents. She used the stolen money to fund her lavish lifestyle, showing a callous disregard for those who were in dire need of care and assistance. Her actions not only defrauded taxpayers but also compromised the integrity of essential home health care services. The significant prison term imposed today reflects the seriousness of her crimes and the harm she caused to patients, providers, and the public,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Those who exploit vital health care programs like MassHealth for personal gain will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prioritize greed over the well-being of others.”
“Faith Newton seemed to think she could execute a $100 million health care fraud scheme at the expense of American taxpayers and get away with it, but she was grossly mistaken,” said Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “HHS-OIG is committed to protecting taxpayer-funded health care programs from fraud and abuse, and our message is clear: those who exploit our nation’s health care system for personal gain will be caught, and justice will be served.”
“The sentencing of Faith Newton demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to the prosecution of all financial crimes that impact the citizens of the United States,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Newton orchestrated an elaborate healthcare scheme, stealing at least $100 million from Medicaid and MassHealth with the sole purpose of funding her lavish lifestyle at the expense of the American taxpayers. Newton’s self-serving actions impacted the tens of thousands of U.S. citizens that depend on the finite funds that these government programs provide in order to obtain even the most basic of medical care.”
“Faith Newton betrayed the trust of her patients and their families when she used them as pawns in a massive $100 million home health care fraud scheme to fund her lavish lifestyle by paying kickbacks and billing for services she never provided, treatments that were not medically necessary, and visits by sham home health aides who were not certified or trained,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “It’s clear that the guiding principle here was greed. Anyone involved in, or entertaining, similar activity should know that health care fraud is a priority for the FBI, and we will pursue anyone trying to steal from this country’s vital health care system.”
From January 2013 to January 2017, Newton operated Arbor Homecare Services LLC. Newton and others engaged in a conspiracy to use Arbor to defraud MassHealth of at least $100 million.
Specifically, Arbor, through Newton and others, billed for home health services that were never provided. Co-conspirators were instructed by Newton to create and submit falsified copy-and-paste notes from nursing visits that did not happen. In addition, Arbor, through Newton and others, paid kickbacks for patient referrals, regardless of medical necessity. They also entered sham employment relationships with patients’ family members to provide home health aide services that were not medically necessary and routinely billed for fictitious visits that Newton knew did not occur. Newton and Arbor would flood clinics with Plans of Care that were not medically necessary, pressuring doctors to sign off.
At Newton’s direction, Arbor would submit false claims to MassHealth for services by HHA’s who were not trained and certified as required by law. Arbor never provided the required 75 hours of training to the people it hired. Newton covered up the lack of HHA training by forging training documents and giving hires sham exams along with answer keys.
In 2017, after learning that Mass Health had cut off Arbor, Newton cut herself and her husband each a $2 million dollar check from the Arbor payroll account. Newton backdated the checks to 2016 to make them appear as Christmas bonuses, when in fact, Newton wrote and negotiated the checks in January 2017.
Newton’s co-defendant, Waruru, pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy in September 2022. A sentencing date for Waruru has not yet been scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Foley; HHS SAC Coviello; IRS Acting SAC Demeo; and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Brady and Christopher R. Looney of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Carol Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Keolis Assistant Chief Engineer Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Keolis Commuter ServicesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Assistant Chief Engineer of Facilities for Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis) pleaded guilty today to defrauding Keolis of over $8 million and to defrauding the IRS.
John P. Pigsley, 59, pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of tax evasion, one count of filing a false tax return and four counts of structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2025. Pigsley and his co-conspirator John Rafferty were charged in April 2023.
Keolis has operated the MBTA commuter rail system since 2014 under an annual contract of $291–$349 million. Between 2014 and November 2021, Pigsley was employed as Keolis’ Assistant Chief Engineer of Facilities and was responsible for the maintenance of MBTA Commuter Rail Facilities and their engineering operations, including corrective repair and project management for assets and maintenance and ordering and approving his subordinates’ orders of electrical supplies from outside vendors for Keolis. Pigsley also operated a separate construction company called Pigman Group. Rafferty was the general manager of LJ Electric, Inc., an electrical supply vendor to which Keolis paid over $17 million between 2014 through 2021.
Between July 2014 and November 2021, Pigsley and Rafferty defrauded Keolis of over $4 million through a false LJ Electric invoicing scheme. Specifically, Rafferty purchased vehicles, construction equipment, construction supplies and other items for Pigsley, Pigman Group and others, and Pigsley directed Rafferty to recover the cost of these items by submitting false and fraudulent LJ Electric invoices to Keolis. Rafferty spent more than $3 million on items for Pigsley and others – including: at least nine trucks; construction equipment including at least seven Bobcat machines; at least $1 million in home building supplies and services; and a $54,000 camper– for which Keolis paid Rafferty more than $4 million based on false LJ Electric invoices.
In addition to the false invoicing scheme, Pigsley directed Keolis to purchase copper wire which he then stole and sold to scrap metal businesses, keeping the cash proceeds for himself. To conceal the theft, Pigsley personally picked up the copper wire orders from vendors or had the orders delivered to his Beverly home. Pigsley then personally transported the wire to scrap yards where he traded it for thousands of dollars in cash several times a month and sometimes more than once a day. Pigsley obtained more than $4.5 million in cash by stealing and scrapping the copper wire.
In addition, Pigsley defrauded the IRS by failing to withhold and pay federal income taxes on income he received from the LJ Electric invoicing scheme and from scrapping copper wire. Pigsley also filed a false tax return for the tax year 2016. Additionally, Pigsley deposited over $1.9 million in cash into his bank accounts between 2014 and 2021 and structured some of those deposits to evade currency transaction reporting requirements applicable to financial institutions.
The charges of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of tax evasion 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 filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated structuring 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.
In June 2023, Rafferty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Rafferty is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, 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 Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the cases.
Former Bosnian Prison Camp Supervisor Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Concealing Participation in Wartime PersecutionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Swampscott, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for a 25-year scheme to conceal his persecution of ethnic Serbs during the Bosnian War as well as making false claims to become a refugee to the United States and ultimately a United States citizen.
Kemal Mrndzic, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 65 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Mrndzic was convicted by a federal jury of engaging in a scheme to conceal his involvement in the persecution of Serb prisoners at the notorious Celebici prison camp in Bosnia in 1992; making a false statement to federal agents about his role at the camp; possessing a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate and Social Security card; and using a fraudulently obtained passport and certificate of naturalization.
“For over two decades, Mr. Mrndzic evaded accountability for his participation in the persecution and torture of countless victims at the camp. By holding him accountable for his lies and fraudulent conduct, this sentence reinforces our resolve to ensure that those responsible for war crimes and human rights abuses are identified, exposed, and prosecuted. This case underscores that we will not allow our nation to be a refuge for those who seek to escape justice,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The government will be working to ensure that his fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship is revoked.”
“Through the brave testimony of the survivors of the Celebici prison camp, the persecution Mrndzic attempted to conceal was finally brought to light after over 30 years. Though we can never undo what the survivors endured, I hope this sentence brings some measure of justice, no matter how long delayed,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “HSI remains tireless in our effort to pursue war criminals and human rights violators who attempt to evade justice.”
Mrndzic served as a supervisor of the guards at the notorious Celebici prison camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the sectarian war which fractured the country in the 1990s. Twenty-one former detainees described Mrndzic as one of the most notable guards at the camp, who was widely known for his particularly vicious treatment of prisoners and his close association with the camp deputy commander. Mrndzic participated in the systematic and pervasive brutal torture and deprivation of basic human needs of hundreds of captive victims – some of whom were elderly – at the Celebici prison camp. For seven months, victims were forcibly detained with starvation rations, at times forced into lightless, airless manholes that were sealed for hours at a time. Victims also endured daily and nightly beatings that were administered by the guards at the camp — with baseball bats, wooden poles and rifle buts.
Camp survivors who testified at trial in October 2024 recounted murders, the burning of one detainee’s tongue with a heated knife blade, the wrapping of another detainee with a long explosive fuse cord and then lighting it on fire, sexual abuse and other harrowing acts committed over a period of many months. One survivor recounted the beating death of a 70-year-old detainee whom guards pinned a military badge to his forehead while he was still dying. Survivors also testified about being starved and deprived of the most basic needs, including sleeping on the concrete floor of a sheet metal hanger for months on end while being fed only a slice of bread a day.
A United Nations tribunal investigated the crimes committed at Celebici in the 1990s and convicted the two top commanders of the camp and one particularly sadistic guard on numerous crimes including murder and torture. While Mrndzic was interviewed by investigators in connection with that case in 1996, he was not charged by international authorities. Mrndzic subsequently concocted a scheme to leave Bosnia by crossing the border into Croatia and applying as a refugee to the United States using a fabricated story. In his refugee application and interview, he falsely claimed that he fled his home after he was captured, interrogated and abused by Serb forces, and could not return home for fear of future persecution. As the government argued at trial, Mrndzic used his own experience as a persecutor to press a false narrative that he had been persecuted. He was admitted to the U.S. as a refugee in 1999, and ultimately became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2009.
Many Celebici survivors became refugees during and after the Bosnian War. Some came to the United States and have since become U.S. citizens. The survivors living in the United States played a central role in the investigation and prosecution of this case. They provided critical trial testimony and submitted moving victim impact statements.
U.S. Attorney Foley; HSI SAC Krol; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement. 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 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the United States Embassies in Sarajevo, Belgrade and Helsinki. The Australian Federal Police, Bosnian and Herzegovinian Ministry of Justice, Serbian Ministry of Justice, law enforcement authorities in Finland and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police all provided valuable assistance. The Cook County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Office and Swampscott (Mass.) Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. McNeil and Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Cocaine and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale fentanyl and cocaine distribution operation that trafficked narcotics throughout southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Luis Alfonso Mejia-Diaz, aka “El Bello,” 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On April 5, 2023, Mejia-Diaz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Mejia-Diaz was charged in October 2020 along with 14 others. The investigation, which began in March 2017, identified Mejia-Diaz as a large-scale fentanyl and cocaine distributor who operated under his alias, El Bello, and served as a supply source for others in the conspiracy. During the investigation, 991 grams of fentanyl intended for Mejia-Diaz were seized. At the time of his arrest in October 2020, over a kilogram of fentanyl and a loaded firearm from a hidden compartment inside an air compressor in Mejia-Diaz’s residence were also seized in addition to a kilogram press from on top of the air compressor.
Mejia-Diaz is the 13th defendant to be sentenced in the case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Fall River Police Chief Kelly Furtado; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; Westport Police Chief Christopher A. Dunn; and Providence Police Chief Oscar L. Perez, Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Taylor and Katherine Ferguson of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Aiding and Abetting Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Connecticut man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a Martha’s Vineyard bank robbery.
Romane Andre Clayton, 22, of New Haven, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2024, Clayton pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting bank robbery. In March 2023, Clayton was indicted by a federal grand jury and a superseding indictment was filed in April 2023.
Clayton met Omar Johnson, Tevin Porter and Miquel Jones in Martha’s Vineyard on Nov. 16, 2022 to plan a bank robbery. Jones identified the bank they would be robbing and provided the others with dark-colored clothing and plastic masks that resembled an elderly man with exaggerated facial features. On the morning of Nov. 17, 2022, the group drove to the area of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. Porter, Jones and Johnson hid in bushes near the rear of the bank, and Clayton drove their car to the Manuel Correllus State Forest. Clayton then rode a bicycle back to the bank, where he stood outside to serve as a lookout during the robbery. Clayton had a walkie talkie to communicate with the others inside the bank.
As bank employees arrived to open the bank for the day, Porter, Jones and Johnson forced their way through the rear door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. The men were armed with two semi-automatic handguns and wearing the clothes and masks that Jones had provided. Once inside the bank, one of the individuals held a gun to the head of one of the bank employees, forced the employee to open the bank’s vault and took approximately $39,100. The bank employees were bound with duct tape and plastic zip ties while their belongings were searched and the robbers demanded access to one of their vehicles.
Jones, Porter and Johnson then left the bank in an employee’s car, picked up Clayton outside the bank and drove to the Manuel Correllus State Forest where they abandoned the employee’s car in a parking lot. They then fled in the vehicle that Clayton had left for purposes of their escape.
Later that morning, Porter and Clayton left Martha’s Vineyard together on a ferry. Meanwhile, Johnson and Jones drove to a local farm associated with Jones’s landscaping job to dispose of the equipment that had been used during the bank robbery. At the farm, they buried the two firearms used in the robbery in a hole in the ground and burned the remainder of the robbery equipment, including the plastic masks.
After the evidence was disposed of, Jones returned home to his residence where he hid the approximately $39,100 that had been stolen from the bank, in his bedroom under a bureau. Johnson left Martha’s Vineyard, reconvened with Porter and Clayton in Woods Hole and then drove them to the area of Johnson’s home in New Hampshire.
In December 2024 Jones was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Johnson and Porter have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts State Police; the Tisbury, West Tisbury, Edgartown, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Aquinnah, Canterbury (N.H.) and New Haven (Conn.) Police Departments; United States Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and United States Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Brookline Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brookline, Mass. man was arrested today and charged with production of child pornography.
Scott Cunha, 24, is charged with recruiting a 15-year-old child to produce and send him to him child pornography. Cunha was arrested at his home in Brookline and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 12 p.m. today.
According to the complaint, beginning in at least 2022, Cunha communicated over Snapchat with multiple minor children between 10 and 16 years old from across the country. He allegedly recruited the children to take nude images and videos of themselves and send to him over Snapchat, often in exchange for the promise or actual transfer of money. It is alleged that Cunha victimized children in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Indiana, Michigan and Missouri by enticing them to send child pornography and offering to pay them money in exchange for meeting up with him in person and engaging in sex acts with him. According to the charging document, Cunha did, in fact, meet up with at least one minor victim.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this individual or alleged crime should contact call (617) 748-3274.
The charge of production of child pornography carries with it a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings and Elizabeth Riley of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights 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 Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Escape from Residential Re-Entry CenterRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for leaving a residential re-entry center where he was serving the remainder of his federal sentence for drug distribution. He was also sentenced for violations of supervised release on a prior federal conviction.
Derek Rego, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Rego was also sentenced to a term of eight months in prison to run concurrent with the escape sentence after being found in violation of the multiple terms of his supervised release on a prior federal drug trafficking conviction. In September 2024, Rego pleaded guilty to one count of escape after being indicted in in September 2020.
In September 2012, Rego was sentenced in federal court in Boston to 120 months in prison for distribution of cocaine. On Jan. 8, 2020, Rego was transferred from a correctional institution to a residential re-entry center (“RRC”) in Boston to serve the remainder of his sentence until his release date on June 5, 2020.
Prior to his transfer, in October 2019, Rego signed the furlough application which notified him, in part, that while on furlough status, he remains in the custody of the Attorney General. While residing at the RRC, Rego was permitted to work and was employed. On March 25, 2020, after informing the RRC that two co-workers tested positive for COVID-19, Rego was instructed to quarantine for 14 days at an approved “pass site” location and told that he would receive random phone calls and pass site visits to ensure his compliance. Rego was informed that after his 14-day quarantine ended on April 9, 2020, he was required to return to the RRC. Initially, Rego was compliant. However, on April 3, 2020, RRC staff attempted an in-person spot check at Rego’s temporary pass site and placed several calls to the temporary pass site landline and to Rego’s personal cell phone with negative results. Rego never returned to the RRC and his whereabouts were unknown for almost one month. On May 4, 2020 Rego was arrested in Boston on unrelated state domestic violence charges that were later dismissed.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Brian Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus, David G. Tobin and Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced for Federal Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Nicholas Carle, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 42 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2024, Carle pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition after being charged in April 2023.
On Dec. 18, 2022, after being stopped for a traffic violation, Carle ran from law enforcement, dropping his coat. Inside the coat, a Smith & Wesson .357 revolver, loaded with six rounds of ammunition was recovered. Inside of the trunk of the vehicle, approximately 2.5 pounds of a substance that appeared to be marijuana was located.
Due to prior felony convictions including a conviction for possession of a firearm without a permit, Carle is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William F. Abely and Julien M. Mundele prosecuted the case.
Wareham Woman Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wareham resident was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for selling fentanyl to a 42-year-old man who died of an overdose.
Kayla Nightingale, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 52 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $7,868 in restitution to the family of the victim for funeral expenses. In August 2024, Nightingale pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. In October 2020, Nightingale and her co-conspirator, Troy Jones, were indicted by a federal grand jury.Jones and Nightingale worked together from January 2019 through at least April 3, 2019 to distribute fentanyl in Wareham, including to a 42-year-old Wareham resident. On April 2, 2019, that resident died of a fentanyl overdose.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Wareham Police Chief Walter Correia; and the Barnstable Police Chief Jean Challies made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Dolan and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Appointed for District of MassachusettsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Belaire Foley was appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts by Acting Attorney General James McHenry on Jan. 20, 2025. With more than two decades of experience as a federal prosecutor within the Department of Justice, Ms. Foley brings extensive experience in prosecuting complex federal crimes and leading significant Department operations. Ms. Foley was sworn in this afternoon by the U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton.
“I can think of no greater mission than that of public service and it is the honor of a lifetime to now serve in the capacity of U.S. Attorney. I am profoundly humbled by the opportunity to serve our great nation as the chief federal law enforcement officer in Massachusetts,” said Ms. Foley. “I look forward to working with the outstanding men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to protect our communities and support the principles of the rule of law.”
Ms. Foley has been a federal prosecutor for 23 years, first serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and, most recently, the District of Massachusetts after joining the office in 2006 as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division. Prior to being appointed as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Foley served as Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit where she supervised international and domestic narcotics investigations and international money laundering, immigration, human trafficking and firearms cases. She also served as the Lead Attorney for Boston’s Organized Crime & Drug Enforcement Task Force since 2013.
As an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia, Ms. Foley prosecuted violent crimes, sex crimes, felony narcotics and firearms cases. She also authored appellate briefs and argued before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Prior to her tenure with the Department of Justice, Ms. Foley Served as Counsel to the United States Senate, Committee on the Judiciary from 1998-2002, where she advised Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee on drug policy and other criminal law matters; negotiated policy issues with representatives of elected officials, federal agencies, public interest groups and private organizations; traveled to foreign countries to assess American law enforcement initiatives abroad; and liaised with foreign law enforcement and officials to combat international drug trafficking.
Before she began her career in public service, Ms. Foley worked as an Associate at diGenova & Toensing in Washington D.C., representing clients in tax, antitrust, securities fraud and FEC violations cases.
Ms. Foley received a Master of Laws (LLM) from Georgetown University Law Center in 1996 after receiving her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she studied, English, Philosophy and French.
Cryptocurrency Financial Services Firm Agrees to Plead Guilty to Charges Related to Cryptocurrency “Wash Trading”Read the Press Release
BOSTON – CLS Global FZC LLC, a financial services firm known in the cryptocurrency industry as a “market maker,” has agreed to resolve criminal charges relating to its fraudulent manipulation of cryptocurrency trading volume.
As part of the criminal resolution, CLS Global will plead guilty to the charges in a September 2024 indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Boston, including one count of conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. If its plea is approved by the court, CLS Global will also pay a total of $428,059 to the government, representing both seized cryptocurrency and a fine and will be prohibited from participating in U.S. cryptocurrency markets.
As alleged in the Indictment, CLS Global provided “market making” and other services for cryptocurrency companies through its public website and other promotional materials. CLS Global was a company registered in the United Arab Emirates that employed over 50 individuals, all located outside the United States, but offered services to related to cryptocurrencies available to investors inside the United States.
The charges against CLS Global followed an undercover law enforcement operation targeting cryptocurrency “wash trading,” sham trading activity intended to attract investors. The investigation included the creation of NexFundAI, a purported cryptocurrency company that had a website (https://nexfundai.com) and an Ethereum-based token that traded on the Uniswap cryptocurrency exchange before being disabled by law enforcement.
CLS Global has admitted that it agreed to provide market making services for the NexFundAI token that included “wash trading” to fraudulently attract investors to purchase the token. During several videoconferences between July and August 2024, a CLS Global employee explained that the company could “help with volume generation” so that NexFundAI could meet cryptocurrency exchange listing requirements and attract purchasers of the NexFundAI token. The employee explained that CLS Global used an algorithm that “basically does self-trades, buying and selling . . . from multiple wallets so it’s not visible” and so “it looks like organic buying and selling that is happening.” The employee further explained, “It’s very hard to track. . . . We’ve been doing that for many clients.” The employee also acknowledged, “I know that it’s wash trading and I know people might not be happy about it.”
CLS Global’s employee provided a “Market Making proposal” which, in a section titled “Volume Support,” contained an illustration of the CLS Global “dashboard” that reflected “total volume,” “CLS volume,” and “external volume.” Traders employed by CLS Global subsequently bought and sold the NexFundAI token on the Uniswap cryptocurrency exchange using CLS Global’s trading wallets and provided reports on the trading activity created by the “volume generation algorithm.”
As part of the criminal resolution, CLS Global will be prohibited from participating in cryptocurrency transactions on trading platforms available to investors located in the United States or providing services to cryptocurrency clients based in the United States, as set forth in the plea agreement. CLS Global has also committed to make annual certifications that its business practices conform to these prohibitions.
The Securities & Exchange Commission brought a related civil enforcement action alleging violations of the securities laws and has entered into a separate resolution with CLS Global. Moneys seized from or paid by CLS Global will be credited in the SEC resolution, and vice versa.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Money Couriers for Colombian-Based Drug Money Laundering Organization Convicted by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men from Jamaica were convicted yesterday following a four-day jury trial for their involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering organization that laundered more than $6 million in drug trafficking proceeds from Colombian cartels through the United States, Caribbean and European banking systems.
St. Devon Anthony Cover, 61, was convicted of one count of money laundering conspiracy and seven counts of laundering of monetary instruments. Dennis Raymond Rowe, 59, was convicted of one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering and two counts of laundering of monetary instruments. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns will schedule sentencing for a later date. The defendants were among 20 individuals from Colombia, Jamaica and Florida who were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2022 in connection with the money laundering conspiracy.
Over the course of the investigation, $1 million was seized from corporate bank accounts and other investigative activity. Nearly 3,000 kilograms of cocaine – with a street value of over $90 million – was traced back to the money laundering organization. This includes approximately 1,193 kilograms of cocaine seized at sea, 60 miles south of Jamaica, in July 2019, as well as 1,555 kilograms of cocaine seized in nine scrap metal shipping containers at the Port of Buenaventura, Colombia, in March 2019.
“Today’s convictions reflect the relentless efforts of this office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle the sophisticated financial networks that fuel international drug cartels. These defendants were key players in a scheme that laundered millions in drug proceeds – enabling the flow of deadly narcotics onto our streets,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This case demonstrates that we will hold accountable all players in the illicit drug operations that have had a devastating impact on Massachusetts.”
“Those who choose to launder money from drug proceeds are endangering the general public in Massachusetts. Maintaining public safety requires that they be prosecuted aggressively,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “We will continue to work closely each day with our law enforcement partners to target those who seek to profit from the sale of deadly substances.”
In or about October 2016, law enforcement began an investigation into a sophisticated money laundering organization located primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia. During an extensive five-year investigation, the organization laundered over $6 million in drug proceeds through intermediary banks in the United States, including banks in Massachusetts, as well as additional proceeds through banks in the Caribbean and Europe by use of the Colombian Black Market Peso Exchange (BMPE). By using the BMPE, the defendants and their co-conspirators sought to conceal drug trafficking activity and proceeds from law enforcement as well as evade currency exchange requirements in the United States and Colombia through the illegal currency exchange process. As part of the conspiracy, members of the organization held roles and responsibilities relative to the needs and opportunities of the scheme, such as drug suppliers, peso brokers, money couriers and business owners/dollar purchasers.
Through the BMPE, Colombian drug trafficking organizations with drug proceeds generated in the United States use third parties – generally referred to as “peso brokers” that are also based in Colombia – who agree to exchange Colombian pesos they control for the drug supplier’s dollar proceeds. Peso brokers then use money couriers in the United States and elsewhere to physically secure the drug proceeds, often in suitcases or bags on the street, and transfer the proceeds into the United States banking system. To avoid detection, peso brokers deposit the drug proceeds into bank accounts in company or individual names intended to appear as legitimate business activity, or through multiple small deposits into different bank accounts which are then consolidated into larger accounts. As a result, Colombian peso brokers control a pool of drug-derived proceeds in United States bank accounts. These dollar proceeds are then purchased by individuals or companies in Colombia seeking to exchange pesos for United States dollars at a favorable exchange rate and in a manner that avoids currency exchange and income reporting requirements. The dollar drug proceeds are transferred at the direction of the purchaser, and often end up in bank accounts of individuals or companies who appear to have no direct involvement in drug trafficking crimes.
During the course of the conspiracy, Cover laundered approximately $268,000 and Rowe laundered over $600,000 by delivering bulk cash drug proceeds to undercover law enforcement.
The charges of money laundering conspiracy and laundering of monetary instruments each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Levy; DEA Acting SAC Belleau; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Aura Liliana Trujillo Rojas, Delegate for Criminal Finance for the Colombian Attorney General’s Office; Ricardo Sánchez Silvestre, Brigadier General of the Colombian National Police Anti-Narcotics Directorate; Jervis Moore, Chief of the Narcotics Division for the Jamaica Constabulary Force; and Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of Cover, Rowe, and other co-defendants from Colombia and Jamaica. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This effort 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 remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Indicted for Staged Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men were indicted yesterday for the Sept. 24, 2024, robbery of the Energy Credit Union in West Roxbury, Mass. The defendants allegedly stole $197,146 from the Credit Union where one of them was employed as a teller.
Jenel Flounoury, 29, and Justin Flounoury, 33, both from Brockton, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy and one count of larceny from a credit union. The defendants were arrested and charged by criminal complaint in December 2024 following an arrest by state authorities on the night of the robbery.
According to the charging documents, Jenel Flounoury arranged for a large cash deposit to be stored in a section of the vault that he could access. Jenel Flounoury then allegedly arranged for his brother, Justin Flounoury, to stage a “robbery,” passing Jenel Flounoury a note demanding money. When Justin Flounoury passed Jenel Flounoury the note, Jenel Flounoury allegedly bypassed his teller cash drawer, went straight to the vault, and loaded nearly $200,000 into a bag he retrieved himself, before delivering it to the “robber.”
The night of the robbery a search was executed at the residence of Justin and Jenel Flounoury Over $160,000 in cash was recovered, including ten $100 bills whose serial numbers had been recorded by Energy Credit Union employees as being present in the vault prior to the robbery. According to court documents, cell site location information for Justin Flounoury’s phone places it within .25 miles of the credit union at the time the robbery occurred.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of larceny from a credit union provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
New York Man Who Tried to Withdraw Money from Massachusetts Bank Accounts Using Fake Passports Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to using counterfeit United States passport cards in the name of three Massachusetts residents in order to withdraw money from their bank accounts.
Jean Andre Bontiffe, 41, pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud, one count of forgery or false use of a Passport and one count of aggravated identity theft. Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2025. Bontiffe was previously charged by criminal complaint in October 2023.
On Aug. 9, 2022, Bontiffe was arrested in New York for attempting to pass through TSA screening at LaGuardia Airport using a counterfeit California driver’s license in the same name as one of the Massachusetts victims. A subsequent investigation revealed that, between July 20 and July 22, 2022, Bontiffe traveled to Massachusetts from New York, and made nine attempts to withdraw money from bank accounts that belonged to three victims from Massachusetts – stealing a total of $13,800. On July 20, 2022, Bontiffe entered a TD Bank branch in North Andover, Mass. and presented a United States passport and a Discover credit card, both in the name of a Massachusetts resident who had an account at the bank, as proof of identity and attempted to withdraw $4,500 from that account. Due to unmatched signatures, the bank denied the transaction and confiscated the passport and credit card prior to Bontiffe fleeing the scene.
The charge of making or using a forged passport 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 bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other 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 Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Paul Creazzo, Chief of the Mamaroneck (New York) Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.New Bedford Man Sentenced to Prison for Stealing over $450,000 in Veterans Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced today for stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits issued by the United States Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) intended for a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps who was suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Joseph Smith, 71, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 23 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Smith was also ordered to pay $459,550,86 in restitution. In September 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government benefits and one count of conspiracy to steal government benefits. Smith was charged in June 2024.
Shortly after the victim’s ALS diagnosis in August 2015, the VBA approved the victim’s application for disability benefits and awarded him approximately $8,318 in monthly payments. The VBA began issuing payments in September 2015 via monthly checks mailed to the victim’s former residence in New Bedford, where he had resided with Smith’s relative.
Between approximately 2015 and 2020, while the victim was hospitalized for ALS, Smith and others received monthly VBA disability checks intended for the victim and deposited those checks into bank accounts they controlled. Smith first deposited the disability checks into a bank account in his own name and then began depositing the checks into a bank account that he and others fraudulently opened in the name of victim. Shortly after depositing the disability checks, Smith withdrew the funds in cash and used the money for personal expenses.
In total, between in or around 2015 and 2020, Smith and others stole more than $450,000 in VBA disability benefits intended for the victim.
“Every American owes a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have worn the uniform. Stealing from them is simply immoral and Mr. Smith will now pay a heavy price for his egregious betrayal of a veteran who sacrificed for all of us to keep our country free and safe,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Stealing from a Marine Corps veteran who bravely served for 20 years as he battled a devastating illness is about as low as it gets.”
“Military veterans deserve our highest reverence and respect,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Joseph Smith egregiously stole a disabled veteran’s benefits to enrich himself. Smith was sentenced today for his appalling crime. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the mail stream and all customers who use it.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that individuals who steal VA benefits from disabled veterans will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “VA’s programs and services are established to justly compensate deserving veterans and the VA OIG is committed to investigating those who would exploit or defraud these programs.”
“Mr. Smith admitted to stealing federal disability benefits, which he gained access to by misusing someone else’s identity, including their Social Security number. This sentence holds him accountable for his role in this deplorable conspiracy to defraud the government,” stated Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division. “I commend the investigators from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General and prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent efforts in working this case.”
U.S. Attorney Levy, USPIS INC Larco-Ward, VA-OIG SAC Algieri and SSA-OIG SAC Connelly made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican Man Previously Convicted of Drug Offenses Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man was sentenced yesterday for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Edward Tejeda Pimental, a/k/a “Miguel Carrillo Rodrigues,” a/k/a “Angel Matos,” 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 37 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In November 2024, Tejeda Pimental pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry.
Tejeda Pimental was first removed from the United States following a federal conviction for an immigration offense in the Western District of Texas in 2003. He was removed a second time following narcotics convictions in the District of Massachusetts in 2008. Later, Tejeda Pimental was removed from the United States for a third time in 2018, following a drug-related arrest in New Hampshire. Tejeda Pimental is currently facing an additional drug charge in Massachusetts state court following a 2022 arrest for fentanyl trafficking.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, 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 Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced to Prison for Firearm Offenses and Straw Purchasing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms.
Gustavo Rodriguez, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2023, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL. Rodriguez was charged by complaint on Jan. 17, 2023 along with Cory Daigle and Shakim Grant. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on March 16, 2023.
From in or about August 2022 through November 2022, Rodriguez and Daigle conspired to create false entries in records required to be maintained by Daigle, an FFL, in order to conceal the illegal sale of multiple firearms through Grant to Rodriguez, who could not lawfully purchase or possess firearms. Specifically, Grant and Daigle made and signed false representations on required forms to disguise Rodriguez’s identity as the true firearm purchaser. Rodriguez is prohibited from possessing a firearm. The defendants also attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement.
Daigle and Grant each pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. On Jan. 10, 2025, Daigle was sentenced to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On Oct. 18, 2024, Grant was sentenced to three years of probation.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.Worcester Roofer Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a commercial and residential roofing business has been charged with, and has agreed to plead guilty to, concealing $1.6 million in income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Jake Miller, 42, of Worcester, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax evasion. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, Miller owned and operated Kostas Roofing, a business that he conducted under the alias “Paul Kostas” rather than under his own name. It is alleged that, between 2013 and 2021, Miller cashed the checks that he received from roofing customers and deposited the proceeds into his personal bank accounts. Despite receiving at least $1.6 million from the roofing business during this period, Miller allegedly filed no income tax return for any of these years. As a result, Miller allegedly evaded income taxes of approximately $450,000.
The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Taunton Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in an oxycodone conspiracy.
John Campbell, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Campbell was also ordered to pay a fine of $25,000. In September 2024, Campbell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills. Campbell was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.
Between approximately July 2022 and June 2023, Campbell distributed oxycodone pills to others for further re-distribution. He also obtained oxycodone pills from his co-conspirator and co-defendant Kenneth Veiga. The quantities of oxycodone pills distributed ranged from hundreds to more than 1,000 on several occasions. Campbell also distributed oxycodone pills to an undercover agent on at least four occasions. Laboratory testing of pills seized as part of the conspiracy confirmed that the pills contained oxycodone. During intercepted calls, Campbell was overheard discussing oxycodone prices and quantities in telephone calls and text messages. On July 12, 2023, during a search of Campbell’s residence, agents seized evidence of drug trafficking including a digital scale and rubber bands.
Veiga pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and, in July 2024, was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, Yarmouth and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort 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 document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm and ammunition.
William Scott, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2024, Scott pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking felonies.
On Oct. 12, 2023, Scott possessed cocaine intended for distribution and a Glock .380 semi-automatic handgun after being convicted of a felony.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence E. Akers; and Brian A. Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.Owner of Three North Shore Restaurants Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner and operator of three restaurants in Salem, Peabody and Seabrook (N.H.) was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service of federal employment taxes and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue of state meals taxes over a six-year period.
John Drivas, 66, of Hampton, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Drivas was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,596,775 to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and $439,341 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in addition to a $20,000 fine. In September 2024, Drivas pleaded guilty to five counts of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes owed to the IRS and four counts of wire fraud for state meals taxes he collected from restaurant customers but failed to pay to the state Department of Revenue.
Between January 2016 to October 2022, Drivas was the owner and operator of three restaurants: Red’s Sandwich Shop in Salem, Red’s Kitchen and Tavern in Peabody and Red’s Seabrook in Seabrook, N.H. He was the sole shareholder of the Salem restaurant until he sold it to an employee in September 2022. He was the 100% owner of the Peabody restaurant with his wife and the 52% owner of the Seabrook restaurant with his children.
From at least January 2017 to June 2022, Drivas paid “under-the-table” wages of $1,496,417 to multiple restaurant employees and did not report those wages to the IRS or pay employment taxes on them. Federal tax law requires employers to withhold from any employee wages an amount for income taxes and other amounts for Social Security and Medicare taxes. Drivas caused more than $439,000 in employment tax losses.
Drivas also collected the state and local “meals taxes” paid by restaurant customers, which he failed to pay over to the state as required by law. In Massachusetts, all owners and operators of restaurants and bars are required to collect 6.25 sales taxes on meals. Salem and Peabody also require restaurants and bars to collect an additional 0.75% local option meals excise tax. Although Drivas collected the taxes from restaurant customers, he intentionally withheld $1,596,775 of those taxes from monthly reports and payments owed to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office and Katherine Mulligan, Chief of Investigations for the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s Criminal Investigations Bureau. Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
James Rodrigues, 34, of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 30, 2025.
Rodrigues was identified as a member Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Cameron Street members use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds.
Rodrigues worked with other Cameron Street members to distribute hundreds of grams of cocaine and cocaine base, more commonly referred to as “crack” cocaine, from a stash house in Somerville. On Aril 15, 2022, during a search of the stash house, 398 grams of cocaine along with packaging materials, two hydraulic presses, a digital scale, a cell phone, and $14,986 in U.S. currency were seized.
The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of 20 years, at least three years and up to lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy with the Asian Boyz street gang.
Brian Gingras, a/k/a “Cheech,” 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2025.
Gingras was a drug supplier in an extensive trafficking network allegedly involving Asian Boyz gang member, Bill Phim. Between May 2022 and September 2022, Gingras allegedly delivered counterfeit pills made to resemble the pharmaceutical product, Adderall, to Phim on at least five occasions. Phim then allegedly sold the pills to an undercover federal agent for more than $18,000. Chemical testing confirmed that the pills were not actually Adderall but a dangerous compound of methamphetamine and caffeine, instead. When investigators searched Gingras’ residence, they discovered hundreds more counterfeit “Adderall” pills, counterfeit “Xanax” pills, and a pill press. The search also revealed that Gingras maintained a storage unit where he was keeping a loaded firearm and even more counterfeit pills.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. The charges also involve the forfeiture of property derived from or used to commit the offenses, including a 2014 Mercedes Benz C Class car that Gingras used to transport the drugs to Phim. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Phim has pleaded not guilty and his case is pending trial.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, and Superintendent Greg Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting 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 https://www.justice.gov/PSN.
This case is also 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 remaining defendants in the case are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Relief Fraud and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining and misusing COVID-19 relief funds and stealing Social Security benefits totaling over $200,000.
Randolph Dominguez, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2025.
In June 2020, Dominguez submitted a loan application on behalf of an interpreter business he owned and operated, Dominguez SP Interpreters, to the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provided loans to small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dominguez fraudulently obtained $74,900 in EIDL funds from the SBA in July 2020 when he claimed falsely on his EIDL application that his gross business revenue was $600,000 the previous year, when it was only $16,989. Further, Dominguez improperly spent all of the EIDL funds received on non-business expenses.
Separately, from April 2001 through April 2023, Dominguez stole approximately $163,642 in Social Security benefits. Dominguez’s father was receiving Social Security benefits at the time of his death in March 2001. His death was never reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the agency continued to pay monthly benefits on his behalf. Dominguez used his deceased father’s debit card to withdraw the improperly paid benefits at ATMs and to make purchases more than 22 years after his death.The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Postal Service Employee Sentenced for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former employee for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for stealing packages he was responsible for delivering.
William J. Paige, 35, of Duxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to two years’ probation. Paige was also ordered to pay $5,119 in restitution to the victims. In September 2024, Paige pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of mail matter by a Postal Service employee.
Paige worked as a mail carrier with USPS in Whitinsville. Between January and February 2022, Paige stole collector’s coins and other items from packages he was entrusted to deliver, collectively valued at over $5,000.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Falmouth Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Embezzling more than $1.3 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former bookkeeper for a Falmouth flooring company was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for embezzling more than $1.3 million from her employer.
Susan Figuerido, 73, of Falmouth, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Figuerido was also ordered to pay $1,714,921.01 in restitution. In October 2025, Figuerido pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Between June 2015 and February 2023, Figuerido embezzled more than $1.3 million from her employer by writing checks to herself drawn on her employer’s bank account. To conceal her scheme, Figuerido did not record the checks that she wrote to herself in her employer’s accounting system. Figuerido did not report or include the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $353,000.
U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Falmouth Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Violent Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Counterfeit Pills to Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man who sold over a kilogram of counterfeit pills to an undercover officer was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine.
Shavon Gurley, a/k/a “Soo Soo,” 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2024, Gurley pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Gurley was identified as being involved in trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in conjunction with a Brockton-based drug trafficking organization.
As part of the investigation, between Aug. 2-5, 2024, undercover law enforcement communicated with Gurley about purchasing methamphetamine pills. On Aug. 5, 2024, Gurley sold 6,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing over a kilogram, to an undercover officer. During the interaction, Gurley stated that he would drop the price per pill if the undercover officer were to buy 10,000 or 20,000 pills. Gurley continued to discuss his drug operation with the undercover officer and boasted about selling kilograms of fentanyl that his customers then go on to sell in Maine.
During the controlled purchase with the undercover officer, Gurley stated that he sells kilograms of fentanyl for $30,000, and that the fentanyl is such high quality that it can be adulterated with cutting agents into 10 kilograms. Gurley then stated he also sells a higher quality and purity fentanyl for $50,000, which can be adulterated into 50 kilograms. Gurley also boasted about property he has already acquired through selling narcotics and that he intends to reach $600,000 in profits. Gurley complimented the undercover officer’s “aura” and promised to do business with the officer in the future. At the time of the sale, Gurley was on pretrial release for a domestic violence offense.
Lastly, during the execution of search warrants at Gurley’s residence and vehicle, law enforcement recovered a loaded black firearm, two posters depicting cherubim – with captions that read, “I Only Fear the Feds,” and “Rats Don’t Make it To Heaven,” – a bag containing an amount of controlled substances believed to be fentanyl, as well as a number of plastic bags containing approximately 10,000 counterfeit Adderall pills believed to contain methamphetamine.
Gurley has a lengthy juvenile record and criminal history that includes a number of prior firearm and violent offenses – including a 2012 conviction for assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon for attacking a man with a pistol and pointing the firearm at the victim’s head, for which he served a six to 10 year term in state prison.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
U.K. Man Pleads Guilty to Lying on Immigration ApplicationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A U.K. man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to making false statements in an immigration matter.
Duncan Hollands, a/k/a Duncan Herd, 58, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Cambridge pleaded guilty to one count of falsely swearing in an immigration matter. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2025. In August 2024, Hollands was charged by criminal complaint.
In May 2021, Hollands applied for lawful permanent residence status (more commonly known as a green card) and attended an interview for that application. The application form requires applicants to answer various background questions, such as prior names or aliases and any criminal history, so that immigration authorities can determine whether the applicant is eligible for the sought status. On his application and during his interview in February 2022, Hollands falsely reported that he had never used another name and denied having any history with the criminal justice system. However, Hollands did in fact have a prior name, Duncan Herd, under which he was previously convicted and sentenced to over three years in prison for obtaining property by deception along with other charges. Hollands also had other interactions with the criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and France.
The charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; 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 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Cambridge and Woburn, Mass. Police Departments and U.K. law enforcement authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Member of Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In November 2023, millions of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder with street value estimated to be over $7 million, were seized from a stash location and clandestine laboratory used by organization.
Sebastien Bejin, a/k/a “Bash,” 34, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2025. Bejin was charged in November 2023 along with alleged co-conspirators Emilio Garcia and Deiby Felix. The defendants were later indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023.
In July 2023, an investigation began into an overdose death in Salem, which ultimately led investigators to the drug trafficking organization allegedly led by Benjin, Garcia and Felix.On Nov. 1, 2023, searches were conducted at four locations in Lynn that were identified as locations frequented by Garcia and Bejin. The searches resulted in what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy. Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized. During the course of the investigation over 75 kilograms (198 pounds) of fentanyl and methamphetamine were seized, along with multiple additional kilograms of cocaine and dozens of kilograms of cutting agents, including xylazine, that is used to adulterate controlled substances.
Surveillance during the investigation revealed that Garcia and Bejin would travel to the stash location on a daily basis and then bring quantities of suspected controlled substances from the premises to supply lower-level dealers. A search of Felix’s residence resulted in the seizure of more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl and a firearm. A subsequent search of the residence also revealed a clandestine drug laboratory that had been built into a small room in the basement. Multiple industrial pill presses, mixing equipment and other manufacturing paraphernalia and equipment were also recovered.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life 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 Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Lynn, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Lexington Attorney Arrested and Charged for Allegedly Embezzling at Least $2.5 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An attorney working as a bookkeeper for three Massachusetts companies has been arrested and charged with embezzling at least $2.5 million from the companies.
David Smerling, 74, of Lexington, was charged by complaint with wire fraud. He was arrested yesterday and released on conditions.
According to court documents, between January 2016 and May 2020, Smerling allegedly embezzled from the companies by transferring funds from the companies’ bank accounts to accounts in his name. To conceal his scheme, Smerling allegedly transferred some funds through an intermediary account owned by one of the victims before transferring funds to his accounts. The complaint also alleges that Smerling caused bank statements to be mailed to his home address, rather than the victims’ addresses, to further hide his conduct.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his role in a fentanyl and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Jose Mercado Aponte, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 70 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Mercado Aponte pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and five counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Between April 2023 and Nov. 13, 2023, Mercado Aponte conspired with others, including Hector Soto Gonzalez, to knowing and intentionally distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Mercado Aponte met up with a cooperating witness (CW) on at least seven occasions to provide fentanyl and cocaine in exchange for money in Worcester and Leominster, Mass. During some of these meetings, Mercado Aponte discussed selling a firearm to the CW.
This investigation culminated on Nov. 13, 2023, when Mercado Aponte arranged to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the CW that day. On that date, Mercado Aponte communicated with the CW to coordinate the deal and then made three calls to Soto Gonzalez who resided at a location in Hartford, Conn. Later that afternoon, law enforcement conducting surveillance of the residence in Hartford, Conn., observed Soto Gonzalez leave his residence and put something in his trunk. Soto Gonzalez subsequently departed his residence in his truck and travelled from Connecticut to Massachusetts where a traffic stop was conducted. Inside of Soto Gonzalez’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl.Soto Gonzalez is scheduled to change his plea on January 16, 2024.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police; and Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation New Haven Division, Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord, Waltham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Hartford (Conn.) and Manchester (Conn.) Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.This effort 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.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Thomaston, Conn. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield in connection with a scheme to obtain bank loans and money for projects in Saudi Arabia.
Hanibal Tayeh, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 27 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In August 2024, Tayeh pleaded guilty to a superseding indictment with two counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. Tayeh was originally charged and arrested in July 2018.
In 2013 and 2014, Tayeh used fake documents and misrepresentations to obtain a $9.1 million loan package and later a $400,000 extension of credit from a bank. A number of the fake documents and misrepresentations pertained to a business venture Tayeh claimed to be pursuing in Saudi Arabia. Further, he financially defrauded an individual by making misrepresentations related to construction projects he claimed to be pursuing in Saudi Arabia. Tayeh then laundered the proceeds of his fraud schemes through payments made to third parties for his personal obligations. Additionally, Tayeh made a false statement during a bankruptcy proceeding when he denied knowledge of a fake letter of credit that he created.United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Morgan of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
New York Man Sentenced for Role in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that shipped dozens of parcels containing kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses throughout Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Felix Baez Munoz, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2024, Baez Munoz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Baez Munoz was identified as a drug and money courier for a DTO that trafficked kilograms cocaine from Puerto Rico through the mail. The cocaine inside these packages was typically hidden inside innocuous consumer goods, such as air fryers. The packages were addressed to various addresses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In May 2020, federal agents surveilled Baez Munoz as he transported a duffle bag from Massachusetts to New York. After stopping Baez Munoz in New York, he consented to a search of the duffle bag, which resulted in the seizure of $387,030 of suspected drug proceeds.
U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division and Homeland Security Investigations in Boston provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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.
Littleton Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Littleton man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to his involvement with a conspiracy to traffic cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.
Alan Robinson, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, firearms trafficking, and knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2025. Robinson was arrested on Nov. 3, 2023.
Robinson engaged in a controlled purchase with a cooperating witness to sell four firearms – which included two ghost guns, one of which was an assault rifle, knowing that the cooperating witness was a prohibited individual. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at Robinson’s residence, where approximately 3.3 kilograms of powdered cocaine was recovered, as well as several firearms and accessories including a ghost gun assault rifle.The charge possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, 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 charge of firearms trafficking 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 knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of a minimum of five years and 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 Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, 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.
Fugitive Arrested After More Than Three Years on the RunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was taken into custody on Jan. 10, 2025 after he was discovered inside a Lowell residence and identified as a person wanted for his role in alleged drug trafficking conspiracy.
Darasy Chhim, a/k/a “Mystickal,” a/k/a “Rizzus,” 39, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, MDMA, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Chhim was charged by indictment along with 14 co-conspirators in June 2021 and evaded apprehension until his arrest on Jan. 10, 2025.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Chhim was a member of the One Family Clique street gang. From approximately February 2019 to June 2021, it is alleged that Chhim and a dozen co-defendants conspired to distribute drugs in and around Lowell, elsewhere in Massachusetts, and in other parts of the country, including Virginia and California. It is alleged that the group trafficked various different substances in large amounts, including especially dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine. Chhim was alleged to be part of the leadership of One Family Clique, whose members were engaged in firearm trafficking, money laundering, acts of violence against rival gangs and other criminal activity.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, MDMA, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge also includes forfeiture of assets traceable to or involved in the alleged drug distribution offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Superintendent Greg Hudon of the Lowell Police Department; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III are 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 defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Northeastern University Employee Sentenced for Staging a Hoax Explosion and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Northeastern University employee was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for staging a hoax explosion and making false statements to a federal law enforcement agent about the hoax.
Jason Duhaime, 47, formerly of Massachusetts and San Antonio, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In June 2024, Duhaime was convicted of intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive device and two counts of making materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent. Duhaime was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 2, 2022, and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 27, 2022.“Bomb hoaxes are not a harmless act, they inflict fear, divert resources and put both first responders and the public at real risk as they race to the scene,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This sentence should send a clear message to everyone who engages in bomb threats and swatting incidents that you will be held accountable and that one phone call may land you in jail.”
“Jason Duhaime apparently thought he could get away with staging a hoax explosion and lying to us about it, but this sentencing proves how wrong he was,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Hoax explosive devices and fictious letters threatening violence cause real-world damage. It drains law enforcement resources, diverts us from responding to an actual crisis, puts innocent people at risk, and instills unnecessary fear in the community. FBI Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force takes all threats to life seriously and so should anyone thinking about making one. We will investigate, identify you, and ensure you’re held accountable for your actions.”
In September 2022, Duhaime was employed as the New Technology Manager and Director of the Immersive Media Lab (the “Lab”) at Northeastern University (“Northeastern”). At approximately 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2022, Duhaime called the Northeastern Police Department and reported that he was injured by sharp objects expelled from a plastic case he opened inside the Lab that evening. Specifically, Duhaime told an emergency police dispatcher that he and a Northeastern student who was working in the Lab that evening had collected several packages—including two plastic “Pelican cases”—from a mail area and brought them into the Lab. Duhaime said that when he opened one of the cases inside a storage closet, “very sharp” objects flew out of the case and under his shirt sleeves, causing injuries to his arms. Duhaime also reported that the case contained an anonymous “violent note” threatening to “destroy the lab” and stating: “In the case you got today we could have planted explosives but not this time!!! Take notice!!! You have two months to take operations down or else!!!!! WE ARE WATCHING YOU.”
Duhaime’s report and concern about a second, unopened Pelican case triggered a significant law enforcement response that included, among other things, the assistance of the Boston Police Department’s bomb squad, multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies and the evacuation of a portion of the Northeastern campus.
In statements to first responders and in subsequent interviews with law enforcement on both Sept. 13 and 14, 2022, Duhaime provided statements about the incident that were consistent with what he told the emergency police dispatcher. He expressly denied fabricating his story about the Pelican case, the anonymous threat letter and the injuries to his arms.
During a search of Duhaime’s office at Northeastern on Sept. 14, 2022, several laptop computers were found. A subsequent forensic examination of one of the computers revealed a word-for-word electronic copy of the anonymous threat letter that Duhaime claimed was inside the Pelican case. According to evidence presented during the trial, this electronic copy of the threat letter was created and printed between approximately 2:50 p.m. and 3:56 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2022, just hours before he reported the incident to the police. Duhaime printed the letter using a removable USB drive, which he disposed of at the campus fitness center shortly before the incident.
U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen; Michael A. Davis, Vice President of Campus Security and Chief of Police at Northeastern University; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Timothy H. Kistner of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case.Brockton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced yesterday for lying that his United States passport had been lost in order to secure a replacement to enter the country, when in fact, the passport had been confiscated by the prosecutor’s office in Cabo Verde following his arrest for the murders of two victims.
Johnny Barros Brandao, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In October 2024, Brandao was convicted of one count of passport fraud.
On March 27, 2014, in Cabo Verde, Brandao allegedly shot an individual in the head using a .45 caliber revolver, took one million and five hundred thousand Cape Verdean Escudos from the victim and then dumped the victim’s body on the side of a road next to a waste dump. On July 26, 2021, Brandao allegedly shot and killed another individual using a 9mm caliber firearm and threw the victim’s body off a bank at the same place as the 2014 victim.
Brandao was arrested in Cabo Verde on these charges. On Dec. 12, 2022, after a period of pretrial detention, Brandao was released subject to supervision. The Cabo Verde court also ordered that Brandao not depart Cabo Verde – confiscating his Cabo Verdean national ID card as well as his United States and Cabo Verde passports.
On Dec. 28, 2022, Brandao applied for a replacement United States passport at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal. In the section of the form that directs the applicant to explain how his prior passport was lost or stolen, Brandao reported he had lost his passport in Dakar, Senegal while out to dinner on Dec. 25, 2022.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Services. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Cleary, David Tobin and Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Johnny Barros Brandao, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to five years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In October 2024, Brandao was convicted of one count of passport fraud.
On March 27, 2014, in Cabo Verde, Brandao allegedly shot an individual in the head using a .45 caliber revolver, took one million and five hundred thousand Cape Verdean Escudos from the victim and then dumped the victim’s body on the side of a road next to a waste dump. On July 26, 2021, Brandao allegedly shot and killed another individual using a 9mm caliber firearm and threw the victim’s body off a bank at the same place as the 2014 victim.
Brandao was arrested in Cabo Verde on these charges. On Dec. 12, 2022, after a period of pretrial detention, Brandao was released subject to supervision. The Cabo Verde court also ordered that Brandao not depart Cabo Verde – confiscating his Cabo Verdean national ID card as well as his United States and Cabo Verde passports.
On Dec. 28, 2022, Brandao applied for a replacement United States passport at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal. In the section of the form that directs the applicant to explain how his prior passport was lost or stolen, Brandao reported he had lost his passport in Dakar, Senegal while out to dinner on Dec. 25, 2022.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Services. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Cleary, David Tobin and Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Owner of Construction Companies Sentenced to Prison for Tax and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hopkinton man was sentenced on Jan. 10, 2025 in federal court in Boston for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Travelers Insurance Company in relation to wages he paid to employees of his two construction companies.
Dariusz Pietron, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to serve 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Pietron was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,107,000 to the IRS and $244,000 to the Travelers Insurance Company. In May 2024, Pietron pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes to the IRS and one count of mail fraud relating to underpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums.
Between 2012 and October 2018, Pietron owned and operated TJM Construction, Inc. (TJM) and Point Construction, Inc. (Point). Pietron failed to report to the IRS the wages he paid to employees, failed to withhold required income taxes and failed to pay required employment taxes. Pietron also failed to disclose to Travelers Insurance Company the actual wages he paid to employees, which resulted in him paying less in workers’ compensation insurance premiums than he owed. As part of the scheme, Pietron recruited and paid two employees to establish three shell companies – companies that would make it appear as if TJM and Point’s employees were subcontractors to whom Pietron had no tax or workers’ compensation obligations. Pietron thereby failed to pay more than $1.1 million in employment taxes and defrauded Travelers of approximately $244,000.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Katherine Mulligan, Chief of Investigations for the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a sex trafficking conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Angelo Dominic Lombardo, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion, and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for April 8, 2025. In May 2022, Lombardo was indicted by a federal grand jury.
“Mr. Lombardo deceived his victims with promises of a better life, and then he delivered the exact opposite. He forced them into a life of sexual servitude, all for his own personal gain,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Human trafficking is a deplorable crime and this office will continue to hold individuals like Mr. Lombardo accountable for their deplorable conduct.”
“What Angelo Lombardo admitted to doing today is horrific—using force, fraud, and coercion to traffic vulnerable women for his own financial benefit, even going as far as threatening one at gunpoint,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Mr. Lombardo came to Boston because he thought it would be easy to stay off law enforcement’s radar, but he was clearly wrong. We want victims to know that we will work very hard to make sure they receive the services they need and deserve, and our Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force will do everything it can to ensure that anyone who profits from the detestable exploitation of human beings will be brought to justice for perpetrating these egregious crimes.”
From in and around June 2020 to July 12, 2021, Lombardo conspired with others to traffic four victims to engage in commercial sex acts by physically assaulting the victims, coercing the victims psychologically, making false promises of a better life and making explicit threats to one of the victims with a firearm, among other things.
In June 2020, Lombardo recruited a victim in Florida to work for him engaging in commercial sex in various states, including Massachusetts, where she engaged in commercial sex at Lombardo’s direction. Lombardo promised the victim a better life, however the money that she was paid engaging in commercial sex was turned over to Lombardo. On multiple occasions, Lombardo was violent with the victim who reported that she did not feel able to leave him because she would leave with nothing.
Another victim recruited by Lombardo in or around October 2020 in Florida, travelled with Lombardo to other states, including Massachusetts, to engage in commercial sex. Lombardo threatened the victim that if she did not do what she was told, she would not see her family again. On one occasion when the victim did not want to participate in any more commercial sex dates, Lombardo confiscated her license and punched her repeatedly.
Around May 2021, Lombardo met a homeless victim in Portland, Ore., provided her with a place to stay and then advertised her on commercial sex websites. Lombardo would set up dates and drive the victim who travelled to Boston, Mass. on two occasions to engage in commercial sex. In addition to taking the money, he verbally abused the victim and on one occasion put a gun to the victim’s head and told her to go and make more money.
Finally, another victim was recruited to work for Lombardo in June 2021, in Portland, Ore., shortly after she turned 18 years old. Lombardo promised the victim financial stability and a better life if she worked for him. In reality, Lombardo kept the money that the victim was paid, for himself. The victim reported that Lombardo was verbally abusive toward her.
Ultimately, one of the victims went to the police and reported that Lombardo was trafficking her in July 2021. On July 12, 2021, following a traffic stop in Boston, Lombardo was arrested on state trafficking charges. At the time of his arrest, Lombardo had approximately $3,310 in his possession. A subsequent search of a hotel room in Revere associated with Lombardo resulted in the recovery of a firearm with a laser attached matching the descriptions provided by two of the his victims, and a loaded large capacity magazine with 20 live rounds of ammunition. Due to at least one prior felony conviction, Lombardo is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this individual or alleged crime should contact [email protected]. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
The charge of sex trafficking conspiracy provides for up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; FBI SAC Cohen and BPD Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Revere and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley-Cunniffe, Chief of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.
Federal Firearms Licensee Sentenced to Prison for Firearm Trafficking and Straw Purchasing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms.
Cory Daigle, 30, of Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In August 2024, Daigle pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in firearms; one count of illegal possession of a machine gun; one count of receipt or possession of unregistered firearm; one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL; and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL.
Daigle was charged by criminal complaint in January 2023 along with Gustavo Rodriguez and Shakim Grant. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.
“Mr. Daigle utilized his status as a licensed firearms dealer to recklessly amass an alarming number of firearms. He knowingly sold multiple firearms to a person he knew was not eligible to own them he – and then aided in concealing such criminal conduct in the immediate after one of those firearms was then used in the shooting,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This sentence and moreover, this case entirely, should be a warning to other licensed federal firearms dealers in Massachusetts, particularly in the Littleton Mill, that by selling illegal deadly weapons, you’re not only gambling with public safety – you’re gambling with your freedom.”
“The illegal sale and transfer of firearms threaten the safety of our communities,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who exploit firearms laws for personal gain will be held accountable. ATF will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt these dangerous networks and uphold the integrity of lawful gun ownership.’”
Daigle was a licensed firearms dealer doing business as Steelworks Defense Solutions in Littleton. In late 2022, Rodriguez – a previously convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms – asked Grant if he would purchase a number of firearms for him. Rodriguez proposed to make the purchases through Daigle, whom Rodriguez knew to be an FLL and with whom Rodriguez had an existing relationship. Grant knew that Rodriguez – a known Wood Avenue gang associated – was prohibited from possessing firearms, but agreed to purchase the firearms nonetheless. At some point prior to Oct. 27, 2022, Rodriguez and Daigle agreed upon the firearms that would be purchased and Rodriguez paid Daigle for the firearms.
To complete the purchase and obtain the firearms, Rodriguez later accompanied firearms-licensee Grant to Steelworks Defense Solutions. There, Daigle presented Grant with three firearms intended for Rodriguez, which Rodriguez had previously selected and paid for: a Glock 23, .40 caliber pistol; a Glock 29, 10mm pistol; and a Glock 19X, 9mm pistol. Daigle then provided Grant with paperwork required to be maintained by an FFL, documenting the sale of the three firearms. This included a required Firearms Transaction Record to be completed by the buyer, in which Grant falsely claimed that he was the actual buyer of the firearms. Daigle signed the form, knowingly endorsing the false claim.
Less than two weeks later, on Nov. 6, 2022, one of the firearms that Daigle had sold to Rodriguez was used in shooting outside of Rodriguez’s apartment. During a search of Rodriguez’s apartment, a Glock 23 pistol and the Glock 29 pistol were discovered, but only the manufacturer’s box for a Glock 19X pistol – which was later identified as the firearm used in the Hyde Park shooting. That same firearm was subsequently recovered from a juvenile in New Bedford.
During a search of Daigle’s residence in January 2023, multiple firearms were found in numerous safes, on furniture, in bedrooms, in drawers and in open areas throughout the home. An incendiary device was also located. During the search, Daigle attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement. He also stated that if anyone came to take his guns away, he would fight the government until he died. The firearms were immediately seized.
Additionally, at the time of his arrest, Daigle was carrying four tactical/military style knives on his person.
Grant and Rodriguez each pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. On Oct. 18, 2024, Grant was sentenced to three years of probation. Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2025.
U.S. Attorney Levy, ATF SAC Ferguson and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Fall River Man Charged with Shipping Cocaine Through the MailRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River man has been charged in federal court in Boston with a drug trafficking offense arising from his shipment of cocaine through the U.S. mail from California to Massachusetts.
Justin Dupras, 42, was charged by criminal complaint on one count of attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. Dupras will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document, Dupras mailed a package containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine from a Post Office in Los Angeles, Calif. to Fall River, Mass. on Dec. 17, 2024. Dupras then returned to Massachusetts and, on Dec. 19, 2024, drove to the Fall River Post Office. Another individual signed for the package containing cocaine and handed it to Dupras.
The charging document also alleges that Dupras mailed packages containing cocaine from California to Massachusetts on multiple prior occasions. For example, on Sept. 17, 2024, Dupras mailed a box containing more than two kilograms of cocaine from Chino Hills, Calif. to Fall River, Mass.. On Oct. 29, 2024, Dupras mailed a box containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine from Los Angeles, Calif. to Fall River, Mass. Flight records show Dupras returning to Massachusetts on the same day that he mailed the two packages.
The charge of attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to life and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. The Fall River Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
West Wareham Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Wareham man was charged today in federal court in Boston and has agreed to plead guilty to possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joshua Roe, 37, was charged by Information with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Roe was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the same offenses in September 2024 and has remained in federal custody since.
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 6, 2024, during a search of Roe’s home, approximately 11 electronic devices belonging to Roe were recovered. A forensic examination of at least one device allegedly revealed images and videos depicting CSAM.
The receipt charge provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of no less than five years and a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine. The possession charge provides for up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations; and Chief Walter Correia of the Wareham Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 identity 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.
Former Quincy Official Indicted for Embezzling City FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was arrested today in connection with an alleged scheme to embezzle funds from the City of Quincy, Mass.
Thomas F. Clasby, Jr., 60, was charged in an indictment with embezzlement, mail and wire fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property. Clasby will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 12:45 p.m. today.
According to the indictment, Clasby was the Director of the Quincy Department of Elder Services (Elder Services) between approximately 1999 and April 2024. Beginning in 2019, Clasby allegedly used the City’s purchasing process to pay personal expenses and generate cash for himself. For example, Clasby allegedly arranged for the City to pay $8,950 to a music studio to produce recordings of Clasby singing songs; $2,236 to food service vendors for 153 pounds of bourbon steak tips; $4,800 for a Toyota Prius; and $1,658 for a signature, lacquered, mounted, and framed self-portrait, all of which were personal expenses.
The indictment further alleges that Clasby arranged for the City pay over $38,000 to a New York consulting company owned by Clasby’s friend. The consulting company never provided goods or services to any City department. Instead, Clasby’s friend allegedly cashed the City checks and delivered the cash to Clasby at a rest stop in Framingham, Mass., a ferry terminal in Bridgeport, Conn. and at the friend’s New York apartment. The indictment further alleges that, starting in June 2021, Clasby stole the vast majority of cash receipts generated by Elder Services at the Kennedy Center in Quincy.
“Thomas Clasby’s alleged betrayal of trust is not just a theft from the City of Quincy but an affront to the seniors he was sworn to serve and the taxpayers who funded these programs,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “As Director of Elder Services, Mr. Clasby was entrusted with protecting vulnerable members of his community. Instead, he allegedly used his position to fund personal indulgences, from bourbon steak tips to a custom-framed self-portrait, and even went so far as to collect cash handoffs at ferry terminals and rest stops. Let this indictment serve as a reminder: public officials who exploit their positions for personal gain will be found out and held accountable for their crimes.”
“Stealing money from programs that are set up to help our seniors is utterly disgraceful,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today, the FBI arrested Thomas Clasby for allegedly padding his paycheck in a big way, using tens of thousands of dollars belonging to the city’s coffers as his own personal slush fund. In doing so, we believe he cheated the city of Quincy’s Department of Elder Services, the taxpayers who help fund it, and all the honest municipal workers who do the right thing, in the right way, every day. We’d like to thank the Quincy Police Department for its assistance in bringing Mr. Clasby to justice.”
The charge of embezzlement 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 charges of mail and wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transportation of stolen property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions 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.