District of Maryland
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Business Email Compromise ScamRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Nigerian national learned that he is headed to federal prison for eight years, today, after he executed a business email compromise scam to steal millions from two charitable organizations.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sentenced Olusegun Adejorin, 32, to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. In August 2024, the FBI extradited Adejorin from Ghana to stand trial for this case. In December 2025, after a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Adejorin of all charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
According to the evidence presented at trial, between June and August 2020, Adejorin perpetrated a scheme to defraud Victim 1, a charitable organization located in Maryland, that provided investment services to other organizations. Additionally, through the scheme, Adejorin defrauded Victim 2, a charitable organization located in New York, by gaining access to employee email accounts and impersonating employees to induce financial transactions.
Among the acts in furtherance of the fraud scheme, Adejorin registered spoofed domain names, which he used to pose as employees of Victim 2 to request withdrawals of Victim 2’s funds from Victim 1. Adejorin also fraudulently obtained access to email accounts of Victim 1, which he used to send emails falsely confirming the fraudulent requests made in Victim 2’s name. He ultimately caused more than $7.5 million of Victim 2’s funds to be sent, pursuant to the fraudulent withdrawal requests, from Victim 1 to bank accounts that were not Victim 2’s bank accounts.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its work in the investigation along with the FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, Ghana, Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, Republic of Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Police Services – INTERPOL, and National Intelligence Bureau, for their valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the International Cooperation Unit of the Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana to secure Adejorin‘s extradition to the United States. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Darren Gardner, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Washington D.C. Man Charged with Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A repeat fraud offender faces indictment in connection with access-device-fraud and identity theft charges, stemming from an 11-month credit card scam.
Curtis Larnell Russell, 73, of Washington D.C., is charged with one count of unauthorized use of access devices and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Chief Scott Brecht of the United States Park Police (USPP).
According to the indictment, beginning in April 2025, and continuing into March 2026, Russell used one or more access devices, such as credit cards, issued to other people. He engaged in this crime to receive things of value exceeding $1,000. As alleged in the affidavit in support of a criminal complaint, Russell used credit cards stolen from vehicles parked at recreational areas and other locations. Soon after the thefts, Russell used the stolen credit cards fraudulently to purchase gift cards, merchandise, and other items.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Russell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for access-device fraud and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPP for its work in the investigation, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maryland-National Capital Park Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and other local police departments for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Andrea Duvall who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Father and Son Charged in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that authorities arrested and charged a Maryland father and son with illegally distributing more than a kilogram of fentanyl.
Rashad Deondre Hicks, 36, of Largo, is charged by complaint with distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Lawrence Alonzo Hicks, 62, of District Heights, is also charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. The charges are in connection with a months-long investigation involving multiple sales of fentanyl.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the arrests with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox, FBI Washington Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); Interim Chief of Police Jeffery W. Carroll, Metropolitan Police Department; Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); and Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
According to court documents, beginning in January 2026, the DEA, FBI, and CCSO began investigating Rashad Hicks, who authorities believed was selling large quantities of fentanyl that was provided to him by Lawrence Hicks. During the investigation, law enforcement utilized an undercover officer to make eight controlled purchases of fentanyl from Rashad Hicks. The controlled purchases totaled more than 1,300 grams of fentanyl with a street value of more than $100,000.
Additionally, at the time of the arrests, law enforcement executed several search warrants. Law enforcement recovered from Rashad Hicks’s residence approximately 230 grams of suspected fentanyl, 1018 grams of suspected cocaine base, two loaded firearms, and approximately $5,000 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement recovered from Lawrence Hicks’s residence approximately 9.51 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 2.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine base, 4.4 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, and approximately $10,000 in U.S. currency. The street value of the recovered illegal narcotics is approximately $1,700,000.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by criminal complaint are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Rashad and Lawrence Hicks face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of up to life in federal prison for distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, USMS, MPD, PGPD, and CCSO for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and William Moomau who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Annapolis Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland felon received a federal-prison term, today, for firearm-possession charges.
Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Dalonte Ray Jones, 22, of Annapolis, to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Acting Chief Amy Miguez, Annapolis Police Department (APD).
According to court documents, on November 11, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jones’s apartment. During the search, law enforcement found a Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun, with an extended magazine, in Jones’s bedroom. The magazine, which can hold 45 rounds of ammunition, was loaded with 17 live rounds. In 2023, the firearm was reported stolen. Jones’s DNA, along with the DNA of three other individuals, was on the firearm.
Investigators also searched Jones’s iPhone pursuant to a warrant. Law enforcement uncovered numerous videos of Jones holding a variety of firearms, including the firearm he possessed on November 11.
Jones’s previous felony convictions prohibited him from possessing a firearm and ammunition and included two separate convictions for second-degree assault in January 2023 and April 2023. Jones was on probation for the April 2023 assault conviction at the time he possessed the handgun in this 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 violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and APD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced for Setting Residential FiresRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man entered a guilty plea and received a federal sentence, today, for intentionally setting fire to multiple North Baltimore properties.
Justin Michael Reeves, 29, pled guilty to malicious destruction of property by fire, in connection with the incidents. After Reeves pled guilty, the Honorable Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced him to 63 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Chief James W. Wallace, Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD).
According to his guilty plea, on May 10, 2025, Reeves set a fire at a North Baltimore residence. After setting the fire, Reeves returned to the residence at various points to spread the burning materials across the structure and the garage door. An adjacent property’s surveillance camera captured Reeves setting the fire. Additionally, location information from Reeves’ cellphone also shows the phone in the area at the time of the incident.
Additionally, in the early morning hours of May 14, Reeves set another fire at the same residence. This time, the fire extended to the property next door before fire personnel extinguished it. Surveillance video from the rear of the residence captured Reeves walking back and forth before and after the fire. Location information from Reeves’ cell phone also shows the phone in the area during the time Reeves is observed on surveillance footage. On May 16, Reeves returned to the rear of the property to take pictures of the fire-damaged residence.
Then on May 25, Reeves set a fire at another North Baltimore residence, which was occupied by an individual sleeping in a second-floor bedroom. Surveillance footage captured Reeves on the premises. The captured video shows Reeves walking back and forth near the residence and wearing the same clothing and carrying the same backpack from the May 14 fire.
On May 28, BPD officers arrested Reeves and seized his cellphone. A search of Reeves’s phone uncovered internet searches about the fires, property records in the area of the fires, and searches relating to additional fires that occurred in the same area in 2024.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, MSP, BPD, and BCFD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man entered a guilty plea in federal court, today, stemming from an incident in which he assaulted a law enforcement officer while resisting arrest.
Demetris White, 44, pled guilty to a superseding information charging him with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers or employees.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Regional Director Jose Ortiz-Diaz, U.S. Federal Protective Service (FPS), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Office, and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Boston- New York- Philadelphia Field Division.
According to his guilty plea, on May 19, 2025, White entered a Baltimore Social Security Administration (SSA) field office to inquire about his SSA disability benefit payments. Some SSA-benefit recipients access their monthly benefit payments via a Direct Express Debit Mastercard. At the time, White was unable to access his benefit payments because he lost his debit card.
During his visit, White became upset when an SSA customer-service representative attempted to explain the process to receive a new debit card. He began berating the customer service representative who then pressed a duress button to notify security.
Security personnel responded and asked White to leave the building. Then White berated and threatened to physically assault and spit on security personnel before eventually leaving the building. But due to White’s threats, a federal law enforcement officer responded to the scene.
The law enforcement officer found White outside of the building, approached him, and attempted to place him under arrest. But White was still irate and physically resisted the law enforcement officer’s attempt to arrest him. In response, the law enforcement officer pointed a taser at White and warned him that he would tase him if he continued resisting.
White then allowed the law enforcement officer to place him in handcuffs. After the law enforcement officer, who was standing behind White, handcuffed him, White forcibly backwards headbutted the officer, causing a laceration to his lip, resulting in bleeding and swelling.
White is facing up to eight years in federal prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended FPS and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation, along with the Baltimore Police Department, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal-prison term, today, for the armed robbery of a Prince George’s County convenience store.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sentenced Zebedee Alexander Johnson, 36, to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, in connection with the crime.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the guilty plea, on April 29, 2022, Johnson and four others traveled to a Clinton convenience store, where they pointed a firearm at a store employee and ordered him to lie down. They then used a circular saw to break open the store’s ATM and take trays containing approximately $35,020. At the time of the armed robbery, Johnson was on federal supervised release in connection with a 2018 drug-distribution conviction. Johnson admitted that he violated the supervised-release terms, which prohibits him from committing any new crimes, by committing the armed robbery.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and William Moomau who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Former Serviceman Sentenced for Child Sexual Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A former serviceman received a federal-prison term, today, for committing child sexual abuse crimes.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox sentenced Daniel Lara-Salazar, 33, to 15.5 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexually exploiting a child. Lara-Salazar committed these crimes while serving in the U.S. Military.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; and J. Charles Smith III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County.
According to his guilty plea, Lara-Salazar, who was stationed in Puyallup, Washington, coerced and enticed a minor female victim, who resided in Maryland, to engage in sexually explicit conduct. From June 2024, through July 2024, Lara-Salazar sexually exploited her by producing and causing the production of sexually explicit images and videos.
In June 2024, Lara-Salazar began using Snapchat to message the minor victim. Then Lara-Salazar demanded the minor victim send sexually explicit images and videos to him. Snapchat has a feature that causes images to disappear upon receipt. In some instances, the minor victim sent images to Lara-Salazar that were not retained or visible when law enforcement reviewed the account.
Law enforcement later discovered that Lara-Salazar used Snapchat to communicate with three other minor females, who lived in Texas and elsewhere. He also coerced and enticed them to send sexually explicit images.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joyce R. King who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md.
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Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for Escaping from Custody and Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A convicted sex offender received a federal-prison sentence for escaping from a Baltimore halfway house and then failing to register as a sex offender.
United States Chief District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Ronnie Holmes, 42, of Washington, D.C., to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for escaping from federal custody and failing to register as a sex offender.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS).
According to court documents, in June 2013, Holmes was convicted of sex trafficking a child in the Eastern District of Virginia. Holmes then received a 168-month sentence, followed by five years of supervised release. As a result of the conviction, Holmes is a Tier II sex offender and required to register for 25 years.
In January 2025, after serving approximately 11.5 years in a correctional facility, Holmes was transferred to a halfway house in Baltimore to serve the rest of his sentence. He was placed under surveillance via an ankle monitor. Then in July 2025, Holmes escaped from the halfway house and cut off his ankle monitor. Holmes remained on the run for almost a year before authorities apprehended him in June 2026. During his time on the run, Holmes was required to register as a sex offender but failed to do so.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USMS for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandria A. Bell and Colleen E. McGuinn who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Cross-Country Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Nigerian national pled guilty in federal court to charges stemming from his involvement with a cross-country unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme.
Akinpelumi Olawale Oyewusi, 60, of Hyattsville, Maryland, is charged with wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with the white-collar crime. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), and Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, (DOL-OIG).
According to his guilty plea, beginning in September 2020, and continuing through at least March 2021, Oyewusi and others conspired to defraud state workforce authorities, including the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), to obtain fraudulent UI funds. Through the conspiracy, Oyewusi and his co-conspirators used the identities of real people to obtain fraudulent UI from the state of Maryland and other states. After obtaining access to these UI funds, Oyewusi subsequently transferred and withdrew the stolen funds through electronic transfers and ATM withdrawals.
Oyewusi and his co-conspirators victimized individuals through identity theft, the state workforce authorities through stealing UI funds, and a financial institution by misdirecting UI fund transfers and fraudulent transactions. He was directly connected to at least $415,874.63 of actual losses and personally obtained at least $25,000 through his participation in the scheme.
The co-conspirators used victims’ personally identifiable information (PII) to submit false UI claims to various state workforce authorities— including the MD-DOL and the California Employment Development Department. The claims contained victims’ real social security numbers and names but falsified their unemployment status and prior work history to obtain UI funds.
Co-conspirators elected to receive the UI funds through bank-issued debit cards linked to a bank account. Oyewusi and his co-conspirators ensured that the bank mailed the debit cards to one of several addresses in Maryland and elsewhere. He then accessed the UI funds from the fraudulently opened UI claims and transferred the funds downstream to other members of the conspiracy after obtaining his portion of the fraudulent proceeds.
Additionally, throughout the scheme, Oyewusi received incoming mail alerts from the U.S. Postal Service, allowing him to track the fraudulent UI debit cards. Oyewusi also personally withdrew thousands of dollars from the UI debit cards in the names of the victims. Typically, Oyewusi withdrew the maximum amount allowed from each card. Oyewusi would then use the same cards to make additional withdrawals at later dates. Between December 2020, and March 2021, at least 18 ATM photos captured Oyewusi withdrawing $18,000 from UI debit cards issued to six different fraudulent claims. Bank records indicate that Oyewusi withdrew approximately $69,000 from the same UI debit cards throughout the scheme.
Sentencing is set for Thursday, December 3, at 2 p.m. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DHS-OIG and DOL-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wenner who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Colorado Man Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Minor in Mexico with WifeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted a Colorado man for his role in conspiring with his wife to sexually exploit a minor victim.
The jury found Alekzander Quinn Bywater, 32, formerly of Colorado Springs, guilty of conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States, sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and advertising CSAM.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice Criminal Division, and Assistant Director Heith Janke, FBI Criminal Division.
“This guilty verdict holds this defendant accountable for the horrific abuse of a child and for his role in distributing videos that documented that abuse. Mr. Bywater’s depraved actions cost him his freedom, so now he’ll be separated from society where he can’t harm other children,” Hayes said. “Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our community and law-enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served as we relentlessly pursue and prosecute predators who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community, whether that abuse occurs here or abroad.”
“Alekzander Bywater left the United States for Mexico and preyed upon the most vulnerable among us, a young child,” Duva said. “Child exploitative hands-on violations are among the most depraved. This defendant and his wife, Anika, perpetrated this heinous crime together, and even tried to profit off their conduct. This case is core to the Criminal Division’s mission of hunting down child predators and removing them from society.”
“The FBI and our partners are working every day to hold criminals accountable for their participation in child sexual exploitation and abuse,” Janke said. “Bywater will now face the consequences for his disturbing and illegal actions, and we are proud to have played our part in making that happen.”
According to court documents, and information provided during the trial, while in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, Bywater, and his wife Anika, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, created two separate videos of them sexually abusing a young child. In January 2024, on two separate occasions, the Bywaters agreed to create two videos, Video-1 and Video-2, that depicted them jointly engaging in sexually abusing the minor victim in Mexico. Law-enforcement officers learned about the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet.
Alekzander Bywater uploaded Video-1 and Video-2 to Website A, a publicly available website, where he advertised them for sale. Then, on Feb. 6, and 7, 2024, an undercover FBI agent in Maryland purchased and downloaded the videos.
Additionally, FBI agents recovered Video-1 and Video-2 from a desktop and laptop that were used to commit the offense. The devices also housed a different video of Alekzander Bywater sexually abusing the minor victim and thousands of CSAM images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children other than the minor victim.
Alekzander Bywater is facing up to 150 years in federal prison for conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States and distribution of CSAM. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In March 2026, U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Anika Bywater to 25 years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. She pled guilty to the charges in December 2025.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit for its work in the investigation, and the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood and Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds, Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Colorado Man Convicted at Trial of Sexually Abusing a Child on Camera and Advertising the Videos for Sale over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Colorado man yesterday for conspiring with his wife to film themselves sexually abusing a prepubescent child in Mexico and for advertising the videos for sale online.
“Alekzander Bywater left the United States for Mexico and preyed upon the most vulnerable among us, a young child,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Child exploitative hands-on violations are among the most depraved. This defendant and his wife, Anika, perpetrated this heinous crime together, and even tried to profit off their conduct. This case is core to the Criminal Division’s mission of hunting down child predators and removing them from society.”
“This guilty verdict holds this defendant accountable for the horrific abuse of a child and for his role in distributing videos that documented that abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Mr. Bywater’s depraved actions cost him his freedom, so now he’ll be separated from society where he can’t harm other children. Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our community and law enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served as we relentlessly pursue and prosecute predators who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community, whether that abuse occurs here or abroad.”
“The FBI and our partners are working every day to hold criminals accountable for their participation in child sexual exploitation and abuse,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Bywater will now face the consequences for his disturbing and illegal actions, and we are proud to have played our part in making that happen.”
The jury found Alekzander Quinn Bywater, 32, formerly of Colorado Springs, CO, guilty of conspiracy to sexually exploit a minor outside the United States, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor outside the United States, and two counts of advertisement of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents and information provided during the trial, while living in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, Bywater, and his wife Anika, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, created two separate videos of themselves sexually abusing a young child. In January 2024, on two separate occasions, the Bywaters agreed to create two videos, Video-1 and Video-2, that depicted them jointly engaging in sexually abusing the minor victim in Mexico. Law enforcement officers learned about the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet.
Alekzander Bywater uploaded Video-1 and Video-2 to Website A, a publicly available website, where he advertised them for sale. Then, on Feb. 6, and 7, 2024, an undercover FBI agent in the District of Maryland purchased and downloaded the videos.
Additionally, FBI agents recovered Video-1 and Video-2 from a desktop and laptop that were used to commit the offense. The devices also housed a different video of Alekzander Bywater sexually abusing the minor victim and thousands of CSAM images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children other than the minor victim.
Bywater will be sentenced on a date to be set in the future. Alekzander Bywater is facing a maximum penalty of 150 years in prison for the charges. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Anika Bywater was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release in March for conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. She pled guilty to the charges in December 2025.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and FBI Washington Field Office.
Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Baltimore man to prison, today, in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher sentenced Jeremy Bethea, 47, to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Through an investigation, law enforcement caught Bethea and his co-conspirators with more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 28 grams of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine,” and a quantity of cocaine intended for distribution. Bethea pled guilty to the charges in April 2026.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, from August 2022, through October 2023, Bethea conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Bethea and his co-conspirators regularly obtained quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine to sell to customers in the Baltimore area.
Beginning in November 2022, and continuing through May 2023, undercover investigators conducted 15 controlled purchases of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine from Bethea. In January 2023, Bethea sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an undercover investigator.
Additionally, from June 2023 through August 2023, investigators received authorization to utilize a federal wiretap to intercept communications from three cellphones. The cellphone users included Bethea and other members of the conspiracy.During the wiretap investigation, law enforcement intercepted numerous conversations between Bethea and his co-conspirators discussing and coordinating fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine sales.
Then on April 17, 2023, as a result of the intercepted calls, BPD officers stopped a vehicle en route to a planned drug transaction. During the traffic stop, law enforcement encountered Bethea and recovered several hundred gelcaps from the source of supply. A DEA laboratory performed an analysis of the substance found inside the recovered gel caps and confirmed it as fentanyl with a total weight of more than 400 grams.
During the investigation, law enforcement also discovered that Bethea used a Sharp-Leadenhall residence to store fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine for distribution. On August 22, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the residence. Investigators uncovered 105 grams of crack cocaine packaged for retail sale and more than 300 grams of marijuana at the location.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Hyattsville Resident Pleads Guilty to Participating in COVID-Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland woman pled guilty in federal court, today, for her role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $2.3 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.
Carmen Hernandez, 49, of Hyattsville, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the scheme. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge John T. Perez, Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It authorized up to $659 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for employee retention and certain business expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The business must use PPP loan proceeds on payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities.
According to her guilty plea, in 2014, Hernandez and her co-conspirators opened a tax-preparation business, Integrated Multi Services Inc. (IMS), in Silver Spring, Maryland, that they registered under Hernandez’s name. Beginning in May 2020, and continuing until at least May 2023, Hernandez and her co-conspirators knowingly and willfully engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP loans guaranteed by the SBA.
As part of the scheme, Hernandez solicited IMS clients and others to use IMS’s services to apply for PPP loans. Hernandez also instructed PPP-loan applicants about what documents they needed to provide IMS in support of their PPP-loan applications. One of Hernandez’s co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that contained false information and fabricated supporting documents, including tax documents and business records to obtain larger loans for their clients. In some cases, the PPP-loan applications listed businesses that did not exist in any legitimate capacity. Hernandez and her co-conspirators then charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
In total, Hernandez and her co-conspirators caused the submission of at least 120 fraudulent PPP-loan applications on behalf of at least 80 PPP loan borrowers, resulting in at least $2.3 million in fraudulent PPP loans.
Additionally, as she admitted in her guilty plea, Hernandez caused the submission of two false PPP-loan applications for herself. These loans, submitted in June 2020, and March 2021, contained multiple material representations and were supported by fabricated tax documents. As a result of these fraudulent PPP-loan applications, Hernandez obtained $37,224 in PPP funds that she was not eligible to receive.
Hernandez is facing up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and FRB-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Alex P. Treiger who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Former Prince George’s County Police Officer Sentenced in Connection with Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A former Prince George’s County police officer received a federal-prison sentence for his role in an auto-insurance fraud scheme.
Judge Lydia Griggsby sentenced Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., 37, of Accokeek, Maryland, to six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, with the first six months served on home detention, for the falsification of records in connection with the scam. Judge Griggsby also ordered Owen to pay $17,585 to the victim of one of his insurance fraud schemes.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).According to court documents, between August 2018 and February 2020, Owen and Jaron Earl Taylor, 32, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, a former Anne Arundel County Police Department officer, conspired with fellow police officers to engage in mail and wire fraud. Taylor and Owen, along with officers Candace Tyler, 39, of Bowie, Maryland, Conrad D’Haiti, 56, of La Plata, Maryland, Davion Percy, 40, of Suitland, Maryland, and others, devised a scheme for insurance companies to pay out the remaining financing costs of unwanted vehicles.
Members of the conspiracy reported fictitious losses to insurers to obtain money or avoid paying off vehicles that were worth less than the amount owed on them. The co-conspirators used their statuses as police officers to assist each other’s claims by writing false police reports. Then co-conspirators submitted fictitious police reports to insurers to validate the claim. The false police reports were intended to impede, obstruct, or influence subsequent investigations of the false insurance claims.
In August 2018, Owen and Taylor staged the theft of Taylor’s Chevrolet Tahoe. After Taylor filed a fraudulent police report, he and Owen stripped the vehicle and drove it deep into the woods of a Maryland State Highway property near Largo. Taylor then made a false claim to the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) for the loss, for which USAA paid out a total of $38,670.
Then in January 2020, Owen assisted D’Haiti in avoiding payment on the loan balance of a Jaguar XKR. In cooperation with D’Haiti and Percy, Owen devised a scheme to fake the vehicle’s theft. On January 4, D’Haiti parked his Jaguar behind Marlow Heights Shopping Center where Percy worked as police chief.
D’Haiti then paid Percy $350 to arrange for another co-conspirator to tow the vehicle and extensively vandalize it for the purpose of creating a total insurance loss. Tyler subsequently filed the fictitious police report that D’Haiti used to substantiate his claim against Liberty Mutual Insurance. In February 2020, Liberty Mutual paid the Jaguar’s lienholder, Navy Federal Credit Union, $17,585, on the false claim.
Additionally, in January 2020, Owen and Taylor assisted with disposing of an Infiniti sedan to help a co-conspirator avoid making further payments on the vehicle while on extended overseas duty. The co-conspirator gave Taylor $1,000 via CashApp to stage the theft. Taylor then forwarded the money to Owen who filed a false police report with PGPD, stating the vehicle was stolen.
But Owen, Taylor, and others moved the car to the top floor of a Camp Springs, Maryland, apartment-complex parking garage. The co-conspirators attempted to conceal the car’s identity by removing the vehicle’s license plates and replacing them with different ones registered to another vehicle. The owner and co-conspirator filed a claim with GEICO that was eventually denied on grounds of fraud.
In connection with this scheme, in June 2026, a federal jury found Percy guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with the auto-insurance fraud scheme. Then in July 2026, Judge Griggsby sentenced Taylor, 32, to three years of probation, with the first five months served on home detention, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Griggsby also ordered Taylor to pay $38,670 in restitution to the United States Automobile Association. Additionally, Tyler pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and D’Haiti, 56, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Percy’s sentencing is scheduled for Friday, October 16, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Baldwin who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced for Drug-Trafficking and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man received a federal-prison sentence, today, for drug-trafficking and firearm crimes, stemming from a local drug-trafficking investigation.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Dwone Bryant, 29, to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to evidence presented at trial, on November 6, 2023, law-enforcement agents used a surveillance camera to monitor the 200 block of North Eutaw Street near the Lexington Market metro and bus stops. During the surveillance, agents observed Bryant sitting on a bench at the bus stop. While at the bus stop, Bryant engaged in a hand-to-hand drug transaction.
During the transaction, Bryant sold 10 buprenorphine strips (commonly referred to as Suboxone) in exchange for $50. Law enforcement arrested Bryant and recovered a handgun, loaded with nine rounds of live ammunition; 16 additional buprenorphine strips; a schedule III controlled substance; 11 pills containing methamphetamine; a schedule II controlled substance; a small baggie of suspected marijuana; and $166.75. Bryant is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to multiple prior drug-related felonies.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Former Senior NIAID Official Pleads Guilty to Charges Connected to Concealing Federal Records During COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee pled guilty in federal court, today, to a conspiracy charge stemming from a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and the Federal Records Act in connection with communications about coronavirus research grants.
David M. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States. Morens served as a senior advisor in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
According to his guilty plea, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, Co-Conspirator 2, and others conspired during the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the United States after NIH terminated Co-Conspirator 1’s grant. NIH terminated the grant, Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence, based on allegations that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China. NIAID awarded the grant to Company 1 and Co-Conspirator 1, who made a subaward to the WIV.
Following the termination, Morens and Co-Conspirator 2 pledged to help Co-Conspirator 1 restore the termination of the bat coronavirus grant and counter the narrative that COVID-19 leaked from a lab. In anticipation that their communications would be requested through FOIA Requests, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, and Co-Conspirator 2 agreed in writing to intentionally hide their communications from public view by corresponding using Morens’s personal Gmail account, rather than his official NIH email account.
The co-conspirators used Morens’s personal Gmail account to exchange non-public NIH information; correspond about their efforts to influence NIH to fund Company 1; exchange edits to drafts of letters addressed to NIH leadership for Company 1 and Co-Conspirator 1; and “back-channel” information to Senior NIAID Official 1. According to court documents, each of these matters fell within Morens’s role as senior advisor and constituted federal records that needed to be created, maintained, and exchanged on government systems.
Additionally, as admitted to in his guilty plea, Morens and Co-Conspirator 1 conspired to pay illegal gratuities. Co-Conspirator 1 gifted Morens wine for his “behind-the-scenes shenanigans,” and arranged for its delivery to Morens’s Maryland residence. Morens then allegedly identified an official act that he could perform to “deserve” the gift, which was to author a scientific commentary in a prominent medical journal advocating that COVID-19 had natural origins. Co-Conspirator 1 suggested he would provide Morens with additional things of value, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Morens is facing up to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Bijon A. Mostoufi who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Baltimore Felon Sentenced for Drug-Trafficking and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with drug-trafficking and firearm charges, stemming from a local drug-trafficking investigation.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher sentenced Alonzo Plenty, 35, to 11 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Plenty also agreed that this offense violated the conditions of his previous federal supervised release, stemming from a prior possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person conviction.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
According to evidence presented at trial, on March 5, 2024, law-enforcement agents observed Plenty walking near the 800 block of Pontiac Avenue displaying characteristics of an armed person. When he noticed law-enforcement agents observing him, Plenty fled on foot down an alley. Law-enforcement agents exited their vehicle and pursued Plenty. While in pursuit, law-enforcement agents saw Plenty discard a firearm. Law enforcement then recovered the firearm and continued pursuing Plenty.
After law enforcement caught up with Plenty, the agents arrested him. Upon Plenty’s arrest, agents recovered 32 individual baggies of cocaine base, 26 gelcaps of containing a counterfeit controlled substance, two cell phones, and $3,255. The recovered firearm was reported stolen from a BPD officer in 2006.
Law enforcement took Plenty to the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center for booking. During a routine strip search, Plenty attempted to flee from the facility. During the unsuccessful escape attempt, Plenty discarded a clear plastic bag into a holding cell that he removed from his underwear. DPSCS officers recovered the bag, which contained 50 buprenorphine strips, commonly referred to as Suboxone, a schedule III controlled substance.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane Kozik who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Multiple Individuals Indicted in Federal and State Court for Roles in Multi-State Theft RingRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office (PGCSAO) jointly announced, today, that multiple individuals face federal and state indictments in connection with a multi-state organized retail-theft ring that impacted Prince George’s County and other areas in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
Cyan Simone Rocke, 25, of Washington, D.C.; Marco Pernell Morgan, 37, of Washington, D.C.; and Daryl Michael-Lashon Jackson, 30, of Laurel, Maryland, are charged in federal court with conspiracy to violate federal law, namely, the interstate transportation of stolen goods. Additionally, Rocke; Tia Courtney, 31, of Capitol Heights, Maryland; Chyna Parker, 26, of Capitol Heights, Maryland; and Quasaan Parker, 22, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, are further charged in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court with offenses associated with organized retail theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson, PGCSAO, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP) and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
“Organized-retail theft is an assault on the sanctity and security of our communities, and a real threat to our local businesses,” Hayes said. “This prosecution should send a clear message: our office takes these organized-theft rings seriously, and we will not hesitate to investigate and federally prosecute these crimes.”
“Last week, a grand jury in Prince George’s County returned indictments for multiple individuals with charges related to this organized retail theft scheme,” State’s Attorney Jackson said. “Addressing commercial and business crime is a priority for my office. We want businesses to choose Prince George’s County as a place to invest, create jobs, and thrive. Furthermore, I am always pleased when we are able to work with our partners across the region to keep our communities safe.”
According to the federal indictment, between October 2025, and April 2026, Rocke, Morgan, and Jackson conspired to engage in the interstate transportation of stolen property. Through the scheme, the co-conspirators sought to enrich themselves and others by stealing items from Victim Business 1 — a nationwide retail corporation operating in interstate commerce — and other businesses selling goods, and then subsequently offered the products for sale on Instagram and other sites. Customers then paid for the stolen items by cash, bank transfers, or money transfer applications, including CashApp.
Between October 2025, and April 2026, the co-conspirators stole more than $48,000 in merchandise from Victim Business 1 stores, located in Columbia, Maryland; Rockville, Maryland; Timonium, Maryland; Newark, Delaware; and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The co-conspirators engaged in serial, coordinated thefts from Victim Business 1 locations throughout the Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC region.
The State’s indictment charges several defendants with participating in a criminal organization, organizing retail theft $1500 to $25,000, theft $1,500 to $25,000, theft scheme $1,500 to $25,000, and conspiracy to participate in a criminal organization.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted on the federal charges, Rocke, Morgan, and Jackson each face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes and State’s Attorney Jackson commended the HSI, MSP, PGCSAO, and PGPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Arlington County Police Department (Virginia) and Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, DC), for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Medinger, Deputy Criminal Chief Gerald Collins, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn Williams who are prosecuting the federal case. Ms. Jackson thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy Hatfield who is prosecuting the state case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Law-Enforcement Agency Quotes
Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations – Maryland“As alleged, these defendants moved tens of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise across state lines and converted social media into a marketplace for illicit profit. Organized retail theft is not a nuisance crime; it is a deliberate criminal enterprise that harms businesses, raises costs for consumers, and threatens our communities,” Baldwin said. “This indictment reflects the power of partnership, and HSI Maryland, as a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue working with our local, state, federal and retail partners to disrupt organized theft networks and hold those responsible accountable.”
Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police
“This collaborative multi-agency effort highlights our commitment to dismantling an organized retail theft enterprise and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice,” Jackson said. “Along with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to work in coordination to keep our communities safe.”
Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department
“I commend our investigators and partner agencies for their professionalism and dedication. This case sends a clear message that local law enforcement and our federal partners will work with our retail community to hold accountable people who commit retail theft,” Nader said. “I want to thank U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes and her team for their steadfast commitment to protecting the District of Maryland. Their commitment has not gone unnoticed and is making a difference in our communities.”
Member of Maryland National Guard Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A member of the Maryland National Guard acknowledged his involvement in a money laundering scheme in federal court. This conspiracy laundered funds from at least 33 different victims.
Alagborenepakake Opuiyo, 32, pled guilty to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Allison Russo, Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki, FBI Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Jason Scalzo, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General Electronic Crimes Unit (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker, Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Washington, DC.
According to his plea agreement, from May 22, 2019, through November 28, 2022, Opuiyo conspired to launder funds which were stolen through a variety of fraudulent means, including romance fraud and business email compromise schemes. Opuiyo and his co-conspirators, including some who resided in Maryland, opened bank accounts that served as drop accounts. These accounts were opened or controlled as part of the scheme to receive money from the fraud victims.
After receiving the funds in the drop accounts, Opuiyo and his co-conspirators transferred the money to other accounts that either they or their co-conspirators controlled. Additionally, Opuiyo and his co-conspirators directly withdrew money in cash.
As a part of the scheme, romance-fraud victims believed they were communicating with individuals on online dating websites. The victims wired thousands of dollars to bank accounts that Opuiyo and his co-conspirators controlled.
Opuiyo and his co-conspirators used these bank accounts to initiate account transfers, such as withdrawing cash, obtaining cashier’s checks, and writing checks to other individuals and entities to hide the true ownership and source of the assets. As detailed in the plea agreement, the intended loss totaled $2,951,930.36. The actual loss resulting from these transactions was at least $2,270,668.40. Additionally, the amount of laundered funds that went into bank accounts that Opuiyo controlled was $244,614.35.
According to the plea agreement, Opuiyo is required to pay a money judgment of at least $244,614.35, and restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties agree is at least $2,270,668.40.
Opuiyo is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027, at 2 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, FDIC-OIG, FRB-OIG, DCIS, and HSI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Oki who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.# # #
Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing over a Kilogram of Heroin in HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court, today, to drug trafficking crimes in connection with a drug investigation.
Kevin Lomax, 49, is charged with possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to his guilty plea, in January 2024, DEA agents received information that Lomax, a high-volume drug dealer, was trafficking drugs in Baltimore. Then law enforcement began investigating Lomax’s drug-trafficking activities.
On March 19, 2025, DEA agents executed a search warrant on Lomax’s Baltimore home. During the search, agents found and seized more than 1,000 grams of heroin; more than 3,000 grams of cocaine; more than 105 grams of oxycodone; more than 15 grams of MDMA; and 1,787 grams of Psilocin. Additionally, law enforcement recovered three firearms; 25 rounds of ammunition; $151,178 in cash; seven cellphones; a satellite phone; and a journal with ledger notes.
If convicted, Lomax faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and maximum of life in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation and thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Convicted Sex Offender Indicted on New Child Sex Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a Maryland man, today, in connection with child sex abuse crimes.
David Lee Mangum, 29, of Frederick, is charged with five counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of transferring obscene material to a minor, and one count of possession of CSAM.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – Office of Investigations, and Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO).
According to the indictment, during 2025, and early 2026, Mangum utilized internet-based social media accounts to receive visual depictions of at least five minor victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On at least one occasion, Mangum sent one of the minor victims a video of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A subsequent law enforcement search of Mangum’s cellular phone also revealed numerous other CSAM images.
Mangum previously pled guilty in October 2021, in Frederick County, Maryland, Circuit Court, to three felony counts related to the filming, soliciting, and promoting CSAM. Mangum received a 10-year prison term, with all but 18 months suspended.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Mangum faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison for each count of receipt of CSAM. In addition, Mangum faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years for the CSAM possession charge, along with a maximum sentence of 10 years on the transfer of obscene material to a minor charge.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DSS and FCSO for their work in the investigation, along with the Madison Police Department (Wisconsin); Collier County Sheriff’s Office (Florida); Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (Florida); and New York State Police for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven T. Brantley and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Multiple Men Charged in Connection with Cross-Country Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Three men are facing a superseding indictment in connection with a drug conspiracy that spanned from California to Maryland.
Samir Footman, 38, of Halethorpe, Maryland; Kenny Guyton, 44, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; and Marcus McDaniel, 45, of Stockton, California, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Footman is also charged with firearm trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm. The co-conspirators possessed with the intent to distribute nearly six kilograms of pure crystal methamphetamine and approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine pills. Additionally, Footman sold a firearm as part of his role in the conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; and Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP).
According to public filings, in September 2025, ATF agents began investigating Footman, a suspected narcotics dealer in the Annapolis area. Throughout the investigation, the ATF used confidential informants (CIs) and undercover agents (UCs) to conduct multiple controlled narcotics purchases from Footman. Investigators later identified Guyton as Footman’s narcotics supplier.
During the undercover operation, UCs purchased quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, along with more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine pills and approximately 450 grams of crystal methamphetamine from Footman and Guyton. Footman also sold a Glock 19X 9mm pistol to a recipient knowing or having reason to believe that the possession of the firearm by the recipient would constitute a felony.
On April 24, 2026, investigators executed search and arrest warrants at residences associated with Footman and Guyton. Investigators seized a firearm, ammunition, pill press, and approximately 2.7 kilograms of additional methamphetamine pills. Law enforcement also recovered Guyton’s cell phone.
In Guyton’s cell phone, investigators located a message exchange between Guyton and a contact saved as “Blindman.” Guyton sent this individual a Maryland address, to which the individual wrote, “Money order or cashier’s check.” Investigators also located a United States Postal Service (USPS) tracking number connected to a package in the phone. Inside the package, law enforcement uncovered approximately 5.3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. Since law enforcement recognized the company brand of the shipping materials, investigators obtained transaction information from the California-based location of the company. Additionally, investigators obtained footage of the transaction depicting McDaniel buying the shipping materials.
Upon further review of Guyton’s cell phone revealed a second USPS tracking number that Guyton sent to “Blindman.” Investigators located the second parcel which contained a cashier’s check in the amount of $6,700 payable from Guyton to McDaniel. The payment was in exchange for the crystal methamphetamine shipment.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Footman, Guyton, and McDaniel, each face a minimum of 10 years and maximum of life in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, DEA, USPIS, and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Agency Quotes
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland
“Law enforcement collaboration is a powerful tool that we leverage to keep Marylanders safe. This indictment showcases our commitment to teaming with our partners to relentlessly pursue justice against individuals who fuel criminal activity in our communities,” Hayes said. “No matter where you are, if you’re involved in trafficking drugs and/or firearms in Maryland, we will find and prosecute you.”
Charles Doerrer, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Baltimore
“This investigation shows how hard ATF agents, with our federal partners, work to purse justice,” Doerrer said. “Mr. Footman and his associates flooded our streets with dangerous drugs and firearms, and ATF will work tirelessly to hold him accountable.”
Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Division
“Our foremost priority is to eradicate violent crime and protect American lives in the communities we serve. DEA Washington Division wants to ensure our communities are safe for all citizens to flourish and feel secure in their everyday activities,” Goumenis said. “This indictment underscores our dedication to rigorous law enforcement efforts and working closely with local and federal agencies to dismantle the criminal networks that jeopardize public safety.”
Damon E. Wood, Postal Inspector in Charge,
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division“On the 251st anniversary of the US Postal Inspection Service, the success of this investigation reaffirms our commitment along with our law enforcement partners, to ensure the sanctity of the US Mail and rid our communities of poisonous substances and illegal firearms,” Wood said.
Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police
“Our continued partnership between local, state, and federal law-enforcement agencies is critical to disrupting illegal gun and drug trafficking operations,” Jackson said. “We are committed to combining our resources, sharing intelligence, and holding others accountable to keep Marylanders safe.”
Former Employee of Maryland State Contractor Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Benefits Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A former Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) insider pled guilty in federal court to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
Katrina McCant, 41, of Baltimore, pled guilty to charges in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) claim benefits during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
According to her guilty plea, beginning in January 2021, and continuing until December 2021, McCant used her position as a contractor for Company #1 to advance the scheme. Company #1 provided support services to MD-DOL. While working for the MD-DOL, McCant enriched herself by fraudulently obtaining UI benefits.
McCant used her insider access to MD-DOL data and databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of UI claims. Some of the claims she initiated herself while others she took over by changing the claimant’s email address and name to her own.
In furthering the scheme, she removed holds on UI claims, certified weeks, and engaged in other actions to facilitate fraudulent UI benefit payments. As part of the scheme, McCant changed the names of the claimants to facilitate the direct deposit of funds into her financial accounts. She also used the personal identifiable information (PII) of multiple real people, who were aggravated identity theft victims, to make changes to UI claims in the MD-DOL system.
Additionally, McCant used her insider access to MD-DOL data and databases to upload and approve certain documents submitted in support of UI claims. McCant also used her access to remove fraud holds on UI claims, certify weeks, and engage in other actions to facilitate the payment of fraudulent UI benefits for other individuals. These individuals paid McCant a one-time fee, often through PayPal, to fraudulently approve or facilitate fraudulent claims. McCant’s fee varied depending on the size of the claim, as she received amounts that ranged from approximately $500 to $8,000 per claim.
As part of the plea, McCant agreed to pay restitution to the Maryland Department of Labor of at least $550,000. McCant also agreed to a forfeiture of at least $550,000.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared W. Murphy and Harry Gruber who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Immigration-Related Prosecutions Against Previously Deported Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced, today, that it secured, in July, multiple immigration-related prosecutions against illegal aliens who re-entered the United States after prior removals in connection with the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the prosecutions with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Field Office Director Robert Guadian, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
On July 31, U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Carlos Amador Lopez, 30, to 10 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of an alien after a prior conviction and removal. In 2018, authorities convicted Amador Lopez of robbery, an aggravated felony, in Nebraska. According to court documents, following his conviction for aggravated felony, authorities removed Amador Lopez from the United States. As part of his removal, authorities advised Amador Lopez that, due to his conviction, he is excluded from re-entering the U.S.
Additionally, on July 28, an illegal alien from Guatemala, residing in Beltsville, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to illegal re-entry after prior removal. According to federal and state court documents, Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 64, unlawfully re-entered the United States after authorities removed him on three separate occasions. Authorities removed Perez Batres in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO and HSI for their work in these investigations. Ms. Hayes also thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Trial Attorneys who are prosecuting these federal cases.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Taiwan LED Manufacturer Agrees to $5.15M Settlement of False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations of Evading Customs DutiesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that Everlight Electronics, a publicly traded Taiwanese company that manufactures light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and Everlight Americas, its Texas-based subsidiary, agreed to pay the United States $5.15 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act, common law, and the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, by knowingly failing to pay duties owed on LEDs imported from the People’s Republic of China.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the settlement with Executive Assistant Commissioner Susan S. Thomas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Trade.
“Companies that seek to import goods into the United States must comply with customs laws and pay the rightful duties owed,” Hayes said. “As evidenced by this case, we will use all tools available to identify and hold accountable those who commit trade fraud by falsely identifying the country of origin of imported goods to pay lower customs duties than actually owed.”
“Trade fraud undermines the U.S. Government’s ability to collect the proper revenue, hurts legitimate companies, and puts American consumers at risk,” Thomas said. “Trade fraud isn’t a victimless crime, and we work around the clock with our partners to ensure that bad actors face consequences.”
When entering goods into the United States, an importer must declare, among other things, the country of origin of the goods, the classification of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, and pay the amount of duties owed. CBP collects applicable duties, including Section 301 tariffs imposed by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Section 301 tariffs protect U.S. industry by imposing trade sanctions on foreign countries that violate U.S. trade agreements or engage in other unreasonable acts that burden U.S. commerce. During the relevant time period, Chinese-manufactured LEDs were subject to Section 301 tariffs.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from July 2018, through January 2022, Everlight knowingly misrepresented the country of origin on Chinese-manufactured LEDs. More specifically, the U.S. alleged that Everlight knew these products were manufactured in China, and then transshipped to Taiwan, before shipping them to the U.S. Everlight allegedly misrepresented to CBP that the products originated in Taiwan rather than China to avoid paying applicable Section 301 tariffs. The settlement also resolves allegations that, from January 2022, through November 2025, Everlight continued to import LEDs from Taiwan, some of which were manufactured in China based on the country of origin of the dice of the LED, without further segregating the Chinese-made dice from the Taiwanese-made dice during LED manufacturing.
This civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Tao Wang, a former employee of Everlight. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Relator’s share of the proceeds of the settlement will be $876,146. The qui tam action is captioned United States ex rel. Wang v. Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd., et al., No. TDC-21-cv-1607 (D. Md.).
On Aug. 29, 2025, the Department of Justice launched a cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force to enhance efforts to combat and prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force augments existing coordination mechanisms within the Department of Justice, leveraging expertise from both the Civil and Criminal Divisions, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against any parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to utilize the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended CBP for its work in the investigation and providing critical support through the Electronic Center of Excellence and Expertise and the Office of Assistant Chief Counsel, Baltimore Northeast Region. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields and DOJ Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening who handled this case.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man received a sentence of more than eight years in federal prison, today, for drug trafficking and firearm charges in connection with a local drug trafficking investigation.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox sentenced Davon Taylor, 35, to 97 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Taylor also agreed that this offense violated the conditions of his federal supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on April 9, 2025, law enforcement agents used a surveillance camera to monitor a large Northwest Baltimore parking lot, known as “the panyard.” Agents observed Taylor arrive at the panyard and engage in hand-to-hand drug transactions before removing an object from his waistband. He then placed the object inside of a pizza box on top of a recycling bin.
Law enforcement arrested Taylor and then agents recovered a handgun, loaded with a magazine containing 12 rounds of live ammunition, that was reported stolen in May 2022. Agents also searched the area and found a bag containing additional plastic bags with numerous vials and jugs of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, along with a digital scale with white residue on it. Additionally, law enforcement found $1,549 in cash.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Maryland Man and Illegal Alien Indicted in Connection with Southern Maryland HSTF Drug InvestigationRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that it filed a two-count indictment against two drug traffickers, a Maryland man and an illegal alien, stemming from a federal drug investigation.
Jamar Rashard Whitaker, 42, of Waldorf, and Pedro Antonio Guardado Rivera, 33, of El Salvador, made their initial appearances to face the charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Charles County Sheriff’s Department (CCSD); and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department (SMCSD).
According to the indictment, beginning in July 2025, and continuing into at least October 2025, Whitaker and Guardado Rivera conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. On July 22, 2025, the co-conspirators sold approximately 594 grams of cocaine to an undercover officer. They are both charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Whitaker and Guardado Rivera face a minimum mandatory of five years and up to life in prison for conspiring, distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, DEA, MSP, CCSD, and SMCSD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Elizabeth Wright who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Maryland Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal prison term in connection with firearm charges.
U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Keith Cook, 32, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, Cook is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on January 27, 2023, a BPD officer, monitoring a West Baltimore neighborhood via CitiWatch camera, observed Cook and other individuals in front of a mini mart. During the surveillance, Cook reached into a blue backpack and took out a clear plastic Tupperware container. Then Cook opened the container and took out a clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana. Cook then took some of the suspected marijuana out of the bag and gave it to an unidentified male.
Minutes later, Cook again took out suspected marijuana and handed it to a second unidentified male. Based on their observations via the Citiwatch camera, officers proceeded to the mini mart.
Upon arrival, officers located and handcuffed Cook and then searched him. During the search, officers found a firearm, equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 26 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition; 14 Alprazolam pills; 88 Oxycodone pills; a Buprenorphine foil strip; $906 in cash; an iPhone; and a flip phone.
Additionally, law enforcement recovered the backpack that contained the Tupperware filled with bags of suspected marijuana and a clear bag and gelcaps containing a heroin and fentanyl mixture. Law enforcement also discovered a clear bag with 33 clear gelcaps containing a tan powder that didn’t test positive as a controlled substance; a digital scale; and various drug-packaging materials.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Houston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Houston man pled guilty in federal court, today, to child sex abuse crimes.
Dazhon Darien, 34, formerly of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to sexually exploiting a child. Darien admitted that he sexually exploited eight minor victims.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to his guilty plea, on five occasions, between April 2023, and June 2024, Darien persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced Minor Victim 1, age 15 and 16, respectively, at the time, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Darien then used CashApp to pay Minor Victim 1 for the production and transmission of CSAM videos. Additionally, Darien admitted to sexually exploiting seven other victims who were between ages 14 and 17. Darien stored the exploitation videos on his cellphones and in internet-based accounts. He lived in Maryland until approximately June 2024, before moving to Texas.
Darien faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. Sentencing is set for Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Silver Spring Woman Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Role in COVID Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland woman received a federal-prison term, today, for her role in an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud conspiracy.
District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Elizabeth Maria Ceballos, 50, of Silver Spring, to 40 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in connection with the scheme. Judge Maddox also ordered Ceballos to pay $638,889 in restitution. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also authorized increased UI benefits.
According to public documents, beginning in at least May 2020, and continuing through at least September 2021, Ceballos, and co-conspirator Vanessa Valdez, 42, of Burtonsville, Maryland, engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud and obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, in connection with an UI fraud scheme. Specifically, Ceballos received money in exchange for fabricating false tax documents that were filed in support of fraudulent UI benefits claims submitted to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL).
As a part of her guilty plea, Ceballos also admitted assisting Valdez with fraud related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Established by the CARES Act, the PPP — administered through the Small Business Administration — along with the EIDL, helped businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance does not have to be repaid, and small businesses can receive an advance, even if they are not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount is $10,000.
In December 2025, Valdez also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. A sentencing date for Valdez is forthcoming.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and HSI Maryland, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Motsay who prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Honduran Alien Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry After Previous DeportationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a national from Honduras, residing in Halethorpe, Maryland, today, in connection with an illegal immigration crime.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Carlos Amador Lopez, 30, to 10 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of an alien after a prior conviction and removal. In 2018, authorities convicted Amador Lopez of robbery, an aggravated felony, in Nebraska.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Field Office Director Robert Guadian, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Washington D.C. Field Office.
According to court documents, following his conviction for an aggravated felony, authorities removed Amador Lopez from the United States. As part of his removal, authorities advised Amador Lopez that, due to his conviction, he is excluded from re-entering the U.S.
After his initial removal, Amador Lopez voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the U.S. without inspection or permission on two separate occasions. Authorities removed Amador Lopez from the U.S. in 2021, and 2024, respectively. He never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for readmission.
On December 31, 2025, law enforcement encountered Amador Lopez and took him into custody. Then on June 1, 2026, Amador Lopez pled guilty to illegal re-entry after prior removal and conviction of an aggravated felony.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared W. Murphy who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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14 Indicted in Connection with Federal Investigation into West Baltimore Drug OperationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced, today, that 14 Baltimore men face indictment stemming from a federal investigation into a group running an open-air drug market in West Baltimore.
A federal grand jury indicted Walter Epps, 41; Luther Amos, 54; Antoine Benjamin, 34; Wendell Boykins Jr., 37; Davon Brown, 30; Zy’quin Coleman, 24; Xavier Cooper, 20; Antonio Curtis, 41; Keith Fryson, 22; James Keene, 62; Antonio Mason, 33; Miayon Medley, 25; Gregory Alexander Partlow, 38; and Darien Whitaker, 39. The co-conspirators are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances; possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances; and aiding & abetting, in connection with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Operation Tug of War.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, ATF; Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City; and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the indictment, the co-conspirators operated multiple “street shops” in open-air markets where they sold narcotics, including fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine. They primarily ran shops in the 1800 blocks of North Carey and Woodyear Streets.
Epps served as an overseer of one of the street shops. He worked alongside Amos, Boykins, Brown, Curtis, Keene, Medley, Partlow, and other co-conspirators, who held supervisory roles. Epps and the other supervisors coordinated drug sales; resupplied subordinates with drugs; collected money from subordinates and counted it after sales; and, in some cases, conducted sales themselves.
The co-conspirators, who typically sold drugs daily, used multiple “stash” locations to store drugs for distribution, including outdoor “ground-stash” locations for immediate resupply. Additionally, the co-conspirators used residences, such as Amos’s, and others nearby, to hold larger quantities of narcotics.
On some occasions, the co-conspirators, and others, unknowingly sold drugs to a confidential informant (CI) or undercover investigator (UI). The CI and UI ordered larger distribution-level quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and/or crack cocaine.
On July 29, law enforcement executed arrest and search warrants in connection with the operation. During the execution of the warrants, law enforcement seized seven firearms; more than 450 rounds of ammunition; several hundred gel caps of suspected fentanyl; more than one kilo of suspected cocaine; several hundred grams of suspected fentanyl; more than six pounds of marijuana; approximately 1,500 pills containing an unknown, suspected controlled dangerous substance; approximately $15,000 in cash; and 32 phones.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, the co-conspirators face up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, the co-conspirators are facing up to 20 years for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, with some facing a five-year mandatory minimum, and up to 40 years, for knowingly distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City Major Investigations Unit, and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the U.S. Department of Treasury IRS-Criminal Investigation Maryland Financial Intelligence Crimes Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service, Anne Arundel County Police Department, and Baltimore County Police Department for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai Everett and Alexander Levin who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Agency Quotes
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland
“This operation and arrests highlight our continued commitment to holding individuals accountable who endanger the welfare of others,” Hayes said. “Illicit drug activity — whether in open-air markets or elsewhere — threatens public safety and has no place in our communities. We’re committed to collaborating with our law-enforcement partners to hold those who traffic drugs accountable and to eradicate criminal activity throughout Maryland.”
Charles Doerrer, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Baltimore
“I am proud of the work our ATF special agents did with our federal, state, and local partners,” Doerrer said. “ATF agents worked tirelessly in this case to hold those who flood our neighborhoods with dangerous drugs accountable.”
Ivan J. Bates, Baltimore City State’s Attorney
“Open-air drug markets wreak lasting harm on our neighborhoods by fueling violence, driving addiction, and robbing residents of the safe, healthy communities they deserve. These indictments demonstrate what is possible when our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners work together with a shared mission to dismantle criminal enterprises that threaten public safety,” Bates said. “I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, ATF Baltimore, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the Baltimore Police Department, and every agency involved in this investigation for their unwavering commitment to protecting the people of Baltimore. Together, we are sending a clear message that those who profit from poisoning our communities will be identified, investigated, and held fully accountable for the trauma they have inflicted.”
Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department
“Today's announcement reflects the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Baltimore Police Department, who continue to work tirelessly alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to dismantle the drug trafficking organizations that threaten our neighborhoods,” Worley said. “These investigations are about more than making arrests, they’re about improving the quality of life for our residents by disrupting the violence and crime that accompany open-air drug markets. Together, and with the support of our community, we remain committed to making Baltimore safer.”
North Carolina Man Sentenced for Investment Fund Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A North Carolina man, who posed as an investment advisor, is headed to prison for running an investment fund theft scam in which he stole from at least 64 investors in the District of Maryland.
Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox sentenced Hunter Haithcock, 25, aka Hunter Elliott, of Matthews, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for committing wire and investment adviser fraud. Judge Maddox also ordered Haithcock to pay $655,498.93 in restitution and forfeiture. Through Haithcock’s scheme, he stole at least $650,000 in funds from the victims.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
According to court documents, beginning in September 2019, and continuing through October 2022, Haithcock stole at least $655,498.93 from the victims. The victims entrusted Haithcock with their funds after he deceptively claimed he worked for Company #1 with a registered investment adviser (the “victim investment advisor”). Then Haithcock told the victim investors if they invested with him, he would guarantee their investment principal and provide them significant returns on their investments.
In connection with the scheme, Haithcock routinely provided investors with fabricated reports that purported to show investors’ portfolio gains. But Haithcock created the fictitious documents to perpetuate and conceal his scheme. Instead of investing his clients’ investment funds, Haithcock stole them. Haithcock funneled the money to accounts he controlled and used the funds for his own purposes. Specifically, he used the stolen funds to pay for credit card bills, meals, entertainment, car payments, travel expenses – including hotels and flights, and to trade cryptocurrency for his own benefit.
As described in his plea agreement, Haithcock met his victims in a variety of ways, including through a local church and by word-of-mouth referrals. Haithcock routinely represented himself as Hunter Elliott, a licensed securities broker for Company #1, who could invest their money in securities and provide them with very large, 100-200 percent or larger, returns. But Haithcock was never employed with Company #1 or any other broker-dealer. Haithcock also never had a license to trade securities and does not know the victim investment advisor.
Additionally, Haithcock promised investors that their investment principal was protected from loss regardless of the risk of the performance of the market and the size of their initial investment. Some victims invested tens of thousands of dollars while others invested $10,000 or less. Haithcock routinely lied about the future projected performance of anticipated investments.
After victims invested funds with Haithcock, he routinely provided investors with fraudulent “Statement Reports,” often on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. These reports purported to list, among other things, each investor’s portfolio value and purported stock trades Haithcock made on their behalf. Eventually, when investors began to ask for the return of their funds, Haithcock fabricated reasons why he could not return their money. Haithcock used a small portion of the client investor funds he received from other investors to pay a few of them back, but most victims received nothing. Eventually, Haithcock stopped returning their calls and text messages.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and praised the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Cecil County Sherriff’s Office, and the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Maryland for their assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wenner who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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West Virginia Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexually Exploiting MinorRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a West Virginia man to more than two decades in prison, today, for child sex abuse crimes.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Donald Robert Wilt Edwards, Sr., 30, to 25 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexually exploiting a minor. A federal grand jury indicted Edwards in connection with the charges in April 2025.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Colonel Jack Chambers, Superintendent, West Virginia State Police.
According to court documents, in June 2024, while he still lived in Baltimore, Edwards captured himself sexually abusing and exploiting a three-year-old minor victim. Edwards produced two images and one video of the abuse and distributed the files online using the Kik messaging application. He also possessed other child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone and within his social media accounts.
In December 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Edwards’ Elkins, West Virginia, residence, seizing multiple electronic devices. Throughout the course of the investigation, law enforcement uncovered additional CSAM on Edwards’ devices and in his social media accounts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, BPD, West Virginia State Police, and West Virginia Parole and Probation Office for their work in the investigation. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reema Sood and Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Armed Gas Station CarjackingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to prison after a federal judge sentenced him, today, in connection with an armed carjacking at a local gas station.
U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Ron Wardlow, 27, to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for carjacking, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. A jury convicted Wardlow of the charges in April 2026. Additionally, Wardlow was previously convicted of a robbery at the same Baltimore gas station where he was later arrested.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to evidence presented at trial, on February 27, 2025, Wardlow approached Victim 1 and Victim 2 at a Fells Point gas station. Wardlow, who was wearing a mask and gloves, approached the victims and asked them for a ride.
When Victim 1 refused, Wardlow followed Victim 1 around the car and pulled out a 9mm Glock loaded with an extended magazine that held 31 rounds. Wardlow then pointed the gun at Victim 1 and demanded the car keys. Victim 1 complied and gave Wardlow the keys. Wardlow entered the car and drove off. Then the victims called 911 to report the carjacking.
Some of the victims’ digital devices remained in the car, which enabled them to track the devices. Activity stopped in the Liberty Heights neighborhood, so the victims assumed Wardlow tossed them from the car.
Later, the victims went to the spot where the devices were. There, they found Victim 1’s car still running, but then the car backed up and drove away. Victim 1 again called the police to alert law enforcement to the car’s location.
Then officers from the Regional Auto Theft Task Force (RATT) located the car at a nearby gas station. When law enforcement arrived at the gas station, Wardlow saw them and fled on foot.
Officers pursued Wardlow with the assistance of aerial surveillance. Law enforcement eventually found Wardlow hiding in the cellar entryway of a nearby residence. When officers searched Wardlow, they found the mask and gloves he wore during the carjacking. Additionally, officers found a bag in the car that contained the loaded Glock 9mm Wardlow pointed at Victim 1.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, BPD, and BCPD for their work in the investigation and RATT for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and John W. Sippel, Jr., who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Maryland Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, stemming from a firearms incident in a convenience store.
U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Tevin Williams, 33, of Halethorpe, to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. Williams, a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, attempted to conceal a backpack containing the firearm in a convenience store.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on July 28, 2025, a BPD officer performed a business check at a convenience store located in Baltimore. While inside, the officer observed an individual in the back corner of the store standing next to a backpack stuffed between an ice-cream cooler and the wall. The officer asked the individual if the backpack belonged to him and the individual responded, “no.” Then the officer picked up the backpack and immediately recognized the shape and weight of a firearm inside. The officer opened the black backpack and recovered a pistol, equipped with a large-capacity magazine loaded with 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Law enforcement later reviewed the convenience store surveillance footage from that day and confirmed that the individual standing near the backpack did not manipulate or possess the backpack prior to its recovery. Instead, further review of surveillance footage revealed that Williams entered the convenience store after an unidentified individual approached him and they walked to the back of the store to the location of the backpack. He reached into the narrow space between the ice-cream cooler and the wall and pulled out the backpack.
Williams eventually opened the backpack and handed items to the unidentified individual. THhen Williams closed the backpack and placed it back between the ice cream cooler and the wall. He later admitted that he possessed the recovered firearm and ammunition equipped with a large-capacity magazine.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Tsuei who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Illegal Alien from Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry After Previous DeportationRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – An illegal alien from Guatemala, residing in Beltsville, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court, today, to illegal re-entry after prior removal.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
According to federal and state court documents, Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 64, unlawfully re-entered the United States after authorities removed him on three separate occasions. Authorities removed Perez Batres in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010.
Then on Sept. 6, 2024, law enforcement arrested Perez Batres in Maryland on state charges relating to sexual abuse of a minor. Perez Batres pled guilty to the charges on Sept. 2, 2025. At no time did Perez Batres receive consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, as required for him to legally enter the country.
Perez Batres faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Li and Brooke Oki, along with Trial Attorneys Matthew Thiman and Sean F. Mulryne, Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.
The indictment and plea announced today were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). JTFA also leads and supports U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) in the prosecution of crimes related to unaccompanied alien children (UACs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 464 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 414 U.S. convictions; and more than 360 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Illegal Alien Sex Offender from Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry after Previous DeportationRead the Press Release
An illegal alien from Guatemala pleaded guilty today to illegal reentry after previously being deported.
According to federal and state court documents, Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 64, who resided in Beltsville, Maryland, unlawfully reentered the United States after having been previously removed. On Sept. 6, 2024, Perez Batres was arrested in Maryland on state charges relating to sexual abuse of a minor. After his arrest on state charges, it was established that he was illegally present in the United States and that he has been previously removed to Guatemala on three separate occasions – in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010. He was charged with illegal reentry in the present case on Nov. 13, 2025. He pleaded guilty to state sexual abuse charges on Sept. 2, 2025 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison in October 2025.
Perez Batres is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 20 and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland; and Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Maryland made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew Thiman and Sean F. Mulryne of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Li and Brooke Oki for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
The indictment and plea announced today were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). JTFA also leads and supports U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) in the prosecution of crimes related to unaccompanied alien children (UACs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP/U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 424 U.S. convictions; and more than 368 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Five Individuals Indicted for Roles in Cross-Country Drug Trafficking and Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced, today, that five men face indictment in connection with a cross-country drug trafficking operation, which included a plot to rob a California-based narcotics supplier.
Tyler Michael "Dink" Watson, 28, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; Akop Akop “Jack” Terzian, 30, Chatsworth, California; Nathan Andrew Jackson, 25, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; Dominick Terrell Johnson, 23, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; and Gary Bailey Jr., 28 of Glen Burnie, Maryland, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland, and Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD).
According to the indictment, from March 2023, and continuing through May 2025, the co-conspirators sought to unlawfully distribute and possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine. On multiple occasions Watson, Jackson, Johnson, and Bailey traveled from Maryland to California to purchase controlled substances through Terzian, who would then ship the narcotics back to Maryland for distribution.
Additionally, in July 2024, Watson, Jackson, Johnson, and Bailey conspired with Terzian to steal narcotics from a California source of supply. The Maryland co-conspirators purchased drugs from this supplier previously and knew where the controlled substances were stored. The co-conspirators intended to enrich themselves by selling the controlled substances they obtained from the robbery.
The Maryland co-conspirators then traveled to California, where they met with Terzian and obtained a firearm to use in the planned robbery. On July 15, the Maryland co-conspirators met with the California source of supply. While holding him at gunpoint, they robbed him of approximately 11 kilograms of cocaine, several bags of marijuana, and U.S. currency.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Watson, Jackson, Johnson, Bailey, and Terzian face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, the co-conspirators are facing up to 20 years for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, and AACOPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Role in Deadly CarjackingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man learned his fate in federal court, today, for his role in multiple carjackings, including one that resulted in a murder.
U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Antonio Purisima, 25, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for carjacking resulting in death. Purisima engaged in a carjacking spree with multiple co-conspirators.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, in June 2022, Purisima conspired with co-conspirators Jerritt Barron, 24, Jeremy Matheny, 27, and Nefertiti Moore, 23, all from Baltimore, to commit several armed carjackings. On June 15, Purisima, Barron, and Matheny followed a victim from Maryland Live! Casino, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to her Glen Burnie residence.
After the victim parked near her home, two co-conspirators approached her, as they brandished handguns, and demanded money and her car keys. The two masked suspects then drove away in the victim’s car which was recovered less than one hour later in Baltimore.
Then on June 19, Purisima, Barron, Matheny, and Moore, who rode in a black pick-up truck, attempted to carjack a vehicle near an Interstate 95 ramp in Baltimore. Moore exited the truck and flagged down the victim. Then the co-conspirators blocked the victims’ vehicle with their car from entering the ramp to I-95. Purisima and Barron then exited their vehicle and approached the victim. A co-conspirator then shot the victim who later died from the injuries. The co-conspirators then fled the scene.
Historical cell site data placed Purisima, Matheny, and Moore at or near the scene of the murder. In May 2026, Judge Bredar sentenced Barron to 40 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and Matheny to 24 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for their roles in the deadly carjacking.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement extracted latent fingerprints from the Glen Burnie victim’s carjacked vehicle that matched Matheny and Purisima. Additionally, historical cell-site data placed Matheny and Purisima at Maryland Live! Casino and at the scene of the carjacking. Additionally, when law enforcement arrested Matheny on June 22, they confiscated a cellphone in Matheny’s possession.
After searching the phone, law enforcement uncovered photos of Purisima, Barron, and Matheny posing with firearms while at Maryland Live! Casino. The casino’s video surveillance shows the co-conspirators entering a vehicle and then following the victim as she drove her car.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI and BPD, for their work in the investigation, along with the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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California Man Sentenced in Connection with Cross-Country Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a California man, today, for his involvement in a cross-country money laundering conspiracy involving proceeds from marijuana trafficking.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Nicholas Parks, 54, of Winnetka, California, to three years in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiring to commit money laundering. Judge Maddox also ordered Parks to pay a forfeiture amount of $329,071. Parks, who pled guilty to the charges in April 2026, acknowledged that he and his co-conspirators laundered $329,071, between October 2020 and January 2021, in connection with the scheme.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
According to court documents, Parks admitted that from October 2020 through January 2021, he participated in a conspiracy to launder proceeds he and his associates generated through selling marijuana in Maryland. As part of the conspiracy, female co-conspirators transported marijuana from California to Maryland, usually via commercial air travel. Parks traveled separately from the co-conspirators to Maryland, but he sold the marijuana with local co-conspirators after arrival.
When the co-conspirators finished distributing the drugs, Co-Conspirator 1 used a couple of methods to launder the funds. Co-Conspirator 1 either drove U.S. currency across the country to California or provided the proceeds to a Maryland laundering contact. The contact then moved the money through financial institutions, resulting in two levels, or layers, of laundering transactions.
HSI agents identified several occasions that the co-conspirators laundered marijuana trafficking proceeds. Law enforcement used evidence obtained through multiple methods, including controlled money pick-ups, text messages between co-conspirators, along with recorded calls and meetings, to link the co-conspirators to the conspiracy.
On October 15, 2020, Texas Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of Co-Conspirator 1 in Carson County, Texas. During the stop, officers recovered approximately $109,071 in U.S. currency from Co-Conspirator 1’s vehicle. Officers also seized Co-Conspirator 1’s cell phone.
Following a search of Co-Conspirator 1’s phone, law enforcement uncovered a lengthy text message exchange between Parks and Co-Conspirator 1. The text-message exchange appeared to show Parks’ involvement in the money laundering and drug trafficking conspiracy.
Messages included detailed ledgers of drug sales Parks and his associates conducted along with the money owed to each of them for their participation. The most recent messages showed that Parks provided Co-Conspirator 1 with U.S. currency to transport from Maryland back to California. Additionally, the text messages revealed that Co-Conspirator 1 was supposed to drop off a portion of the proceeds to a location in Oklahoma. Based on the messages, the amount of U.S. currency found in Co-Conspirator 1’s vehicle was consistent with the remaining money bound for California and money he was paid for his services.
Co-Conspirator 1 later confirmed to HSI agents that the money found in his vehicle consisted of proceeds from the marijuana trafficking conspiracy in Maryland. He also admitted he was driving the money back to California and was supposed to make a drop in Oklahoma.
Then between December 2020, and January 2021, HSI agents conducted three controlled money pick-ups. Co-Conspirator 1 unknowingly provided the drug proceeds to confidential informants (CIs) to launder funds from Maryland to California. On each occasion, Co-Conspirator 1 provided U.S. currency to one of two CIs, who then provided the funds to HSI agents. HSI agents then deposited the funds into an HSI Riverside government-controlled bank account. Then the HSI agents withdrew the cash and utilized undercovers and/or cooperating witnesses to deliver the funds to co-conspirators in California. Over the course of the three controlled money drops, Co-Conspirator 1 provided the CIs with approximately $220,000.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in the investigation and Texas Highway Patrol for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Prominent Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion and Mortgage FraudRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a prominent appellate attorney, who argued more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and co-founded the widely read legal website SCOTUSblog, today, in connection with a tax-evasion and mortgage-fraud scheme.
U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Thomas C. Goldstein, 56, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for tax evasion; assisting with preparing false tax returns; willfully failing to timely pay taxes; and making false statements to mortgage lenders. Additionally, Judge Griggsby ordered Goldstein to pay $3,103,427 in restitution, and an indeterminate forfeiture amount. The Court also revoked Goldstein’s bond and remanded him into custody. A federal jury convicted Goldstein of the charges in February 2026.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald, DOJ National Fraud Enforcement Division; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Tyler, FBI Washington Field Office – Criminal Division.
“Thomas Goldstein built a distinguished legal career arguing that the rule of law matters. Yet, as the evidence at trial showed, he repeatedly chose to violate that very principle for his own financial benefit,” Hayes said. “Every taxpayer is expected to play by the same rules, and this sentence shows that those who deliberately cheat the system and lie for financial gain will be held accountable. We thank our law enforcement partners for their work on this case, and their unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of our tax and financial systems.”
“This sentence holds Thomas Goldstein accountable for cheating the tax system and lying to mortgage lenders,” McDonald said. “Mr. Goldstein concealed millions of dollars in income, disguised income with foreign bank accounts, and manipulated his law firm’s books– all to fund his gambling and lifestyle. He then repeatedly chose not to pay taxes the taxes owed. There is no tax case too big, no scheme too complex, and no hiding place too remote for the Fraud Division.”
“Today’s sentencing is a significant step towards holding the defendant accountable for his role in abusing our tax system,” Carter said. “IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents and our law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue those who attempt to defraud our tax system and financial institutions."
“Public prominence doesn't entitle anyone to break financial rules or secure an unfair advantage over those who follow them,” Tyler said. “The mortgage industry exists to serve hardworking, honest Americans, and the FBI will bring anyone who tries to exploit the system for personal gain to justice regardless of their social status.”
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2016 and 2023, Goldstein served as sole owner of Goldstein & Russell, P.C., a boutique law firm specializing in appellate litigation, including litigation before the United States Supreme Court. Goldstein was also a high-stakes poker player, frequently playing in games involving tens of millions of dollars.
During that timeframe, Goldstein stopped paying taxes on time, as required by law, and engaged in a scheme to evade paying his taxes for 2016. Goldstein took various steps to carry out the scheme, including concealing millions of dollars in poker wins and losses from the government. He also diverted legal fees, payable to his law firm, to his personal bank account to satisfy poker-related debts; directed people to pay his creditors instead of sending payments directly to him; and used the law firm’s assets to satisfy his poker debts. Then he caused those payments to be falsely classified as “legal-fee” expenses on the firm’s books and records. As a result, Goldstein underreported his income and did not pay all the taxes that he owed. Instead of paying his taxes, he spent millions on personal expenses such as poker, travel, and luxury goods.
In 2021, Goldstein submitted false mortgage applications to two separate mortgage lending companies, seeking financing to purchase a $2.6-million home in Washington, D.C. On those mortgage applications — which required Goldstein to list all his liabilities and debts — he omitted millions of dollars of liabilities, including more than $14 million he owed at the time on two promissory notes, as well as taxes he owed the IRS. His false statements to one of the mortgage lenders enabled him to obtain a $1.98-million loan.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the IRS-CI and FBI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adeyemi Adenrele, along with Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Emerson Gordon-Marvin and Hayter L. Whitman, DOJ Criminal Division Tax Section, who are prosecuting this federal case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Maryland Man Sentenced for Role in Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Norville Clarke, 56, of Clarksburg, Maryland, to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Clarke’s co-conspirator, Daniel Cruz, 39, of Los Angeles, California, is still awaiting sentencing. In March 2026, both men pled guilty to drug-trafficking charges in connection with the conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Secretary of State Police, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) transporting and distributing large quantities of cocaine from California to Maryland. The investigation began in March 2023, when MSP seized a parcel that contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine. The parcel was mailed from the Los Angeles area and was destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Through investigating the source of the parcel, postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators linked Cruz to the narcotics contained within the parcel.
In January 2024, postal inspectors and other investigators identified a freight-shipment container shipped from Los Angeles, destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Law enforcement identified Cruz on surveillance footage dropping off the freight shipment at the shipping company in California. The authorities further observed Cruz traveling to Maryland to follow the shipment for delivery.
Postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators observed Cruz and Clarke meeting at Clarke’s auto-repair shop several days after the freight shipment was sent from California. Investigators then located the freight shipment in Dulles, Viriginia, where a law enforcement K-9 officer scanned it. After the K-9 officer indicated the presence of narcotics in the shipment, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the freight container. Then postal inspectors and law-enforcement investigators located two automobile transmissions inside. Law enforcement found 20, one-kilogram bricks secreted in the oil pans of both transmissions that laboratory forensic tests later confirmed were more than 16 kilograms of cocaine.
Postal inspectors, DEA agents, MSP officers and other members of law enforcement then executed search warrants at Clarke’s District Heights auto-repair shop, Clarke’s Clarksburg residence, and Cruz’s hotel room in Capitol Heights, Maryland. At the auto-repair shop, law enforcement located an additional 502.4 grams of cocaine and then found two-kilogram bricks of cocaine and $45,730 in U.S. Currency at Clarke’s residence. Investigators later identified an additional nine historical freight shipments that mirrored the original shipment that contained cocaine that Cruz sent to Clarke’s auto-repair shop utilizing the same freight shipping company. In their plea agreements, Clarke and Cruz both agreed that they were involved in possessing almost 22 kilograms of cocaine in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, DEA, MSP, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Rigney and Michael Jaskiw who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced for Attempted Murder for HireRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Honduran illegal alien will spend more than a decade in federal prison for crimes including an attempted murder for hire.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Frelin Hernandez Guardado, 30, to 12 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and murder for hire. Authorities previously removed Hernandez Guardado from the United States twice. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, in October 2021, on two occasions, Hernandez Guardado sold firearms to confidential sources. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms. Then, in December 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants and arrests targeting a local drug trafficking network. After the arrests, Hernandez Guardado told two confidential sources that he intended to kill an individual that he believed cooperated with law enforcement which spurred the arrests. Hernandez Guardado offered to sell one of the confidential sources discounted cocaine in exchange for help committing the murder.
On January 12, 2022, Hernandez Guardado and a confidential source departed from his Virginia residence. Hernandez Guardado brought more than 900 grams of cocaine that he intended to sell, at a discount, to another confidential source to secure assistance with carrying out the murder. But before that plan could progress further, law enforcement stopped and arrested Hernandez Guardado in Maryland.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, and DEA for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jaskiw and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md.
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Former Harford County EMT Indicted on Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced, today, a federal grand jury indicted a Maryland man in connection with child sexual exploitation charges.
Jurel Daquone Leo Bowman, 32, of Lusby, is charged with producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, receipt of CSAM, and possession of CSAM. Bowman previously served as a Harford County emergency medical technician.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Andrew Parsons, Upper Allen Police Department (UAPD); Director Greg Mashburn, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI); and Alison M. Healey, Harford County State’s Attorney.
According to the indictment, between August 2022 and April 2026, Bowman sexually exploited minors using his cellphone and an online social media application. Bowman paid hundreds of dollars for sexually explicit images and videos of the minors. Additionally, Bowman repeatedly attempted to coerce minors to meet in person with him to engage in sex acts in exchange for money.
Investigators believe there may be other potential victims. If you have information related to this individual or victims, contact the FBI Baltimore Field Office at 410-265-8080.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, UAPD, and OSBI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore County Man Sentenced for Bribing Former Baltimore City Finance OfficialRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Baltimore County man for bribing a Baltimore City official.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced James Carroll Erny, Jr., 55, of Glen Arm, Maryland, to 13 months in prison, followed by eight months of home confinement, for bribery. Erny admitted to paying at least $25,000 in bribes to Joseph Gillespie, a former Baltimore City Department of Finance employee. In exchange, Gillespie extinguished various financial obligations Erny owed to the City of Baltimore. As a result of the criminal conduct, the City of Baltimore suffered financial losses of more than $145,000.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Lee Bacon, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region; and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to court documents, beginning in December 2019, and continuing until August 2023, Erny engaged in a bribery scheme in which Gillespie abused his position of trust as a public official for his own personal gain. During this period, Erny — who owned at least eight properties in Baltimore City — routinely paid bribes in exchange for Gillespie delaying, removing, or extinguishing financial obligations owed to the City. This included unpaid citations, tax obligations, and water obligations, thereby causing losses to the City.
Erny primarily paid these bribes by cash, providing Gillespie with envelopes containing as much as $1,000 each, while the former City employee worked at the Abel Wolman Municipal Building. Sometimes, Erny met Gillespie in a men's bathroom in the City-owned building to give him envelopes containing cash bribes. Erny also routinely provided Gillespie bribe payments via Cash App and Zelle.
Additionally, Erny admitted to engaging in a separate scheme to obtain fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans under both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Ultimately, Erny fraudulently obtained $996,240 in fraudulent PPP funds as part of the scheme, and he attempted to obtain more than a $100,000 worth of EIDL funds.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, SBA-OIG, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Joseph Wenner who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Filipino Child-Sex Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man pled guilty in federal court, today, to charges connected to purchasing livestreams of Filipino children engaging in sexual activity.
Philip Andrew Turner, 47, of Linthicum Heights, pled guilty to coercion and enticement.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); and Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County.
According to his guilty plea, from November 2017, through March 2018, Turner used Skype to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce minor victims, living in the Philippines, to engage in sexual activity. Turner communicated with a known Filipino trafficker who sold the minors, and directed them, as they live-streamed their sexual activity in exchange for monetary payment.
Law enforcement later recovered Turner’s chats with the Filipino trafficker from the platform’s server. Turner facilitated approximately 110 Skype calls and exchanged approximately 40 media files with the trafficker. The files included images of Filipino children for Turner to select who he wanted to engage in live-stream sexual activity along with several child sexual abuse material (CSAM) images of Filipino children.
Turner used online electronic financial transactions to pay for the live-streamed child sexual abuse shows. Records show between 2017 and 2025, Turner completed 437 successful payments, totaling more than $29,000 to traffickers in the Philippines.
On October 28, 2025, law enforcement executed a federal warrant at Turner’s Anne Arundel County residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered a laptop, which was opened to Turner’s Skype account. A forensic analysis revealed that Turner had just downloaded a trove of CSAM using the Tor network between October 11 and October 21. The CSAM collection included more than 600 images.
Turner faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for coercion and enticement. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
Know2Protect is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. Know2Protect’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent, combat and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit Know2Protect’s YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on DHS’ main channel. Additional resources are available at Know2Protect.gov, Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the MSP, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore County Felon Sentenced for Federal Drug-and-Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Baltimore County man to prison, today, in connection with drug-and-firearm charges related to a federal drug investigation.
U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Jacque “Hammer” Brown, 50, of Randallstown, Maryland, to 135 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, after law enforcement recovered 500 grams of fentanyl and two firearms from his home.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
According to court documents, in March 2025, the DEA began investigating Brown after learning that he was dealing fentanyl in the Baltimore region. After investigators identified Brown’s vehicles and Randallstown residence, the court authorized law enforcement to conduct electronic surveillance over his vehicles and cellular phone.
In April 2025, investigators observed a meeting between Brown and his drug supplier. It appeared that Brown engaged in a re-up with his supplier. A few days after the meeting, investigators saw Brown meet with multiple suspected drug customers throughout the day. Later that evening, law enforcement observed Brown leave his residence with a plastic bag of suspected drugs. When Brown left in his vehicle, investigators initiated a traffic stop.
During the traffic stop, a K-9 officer responded to the scene, scanned the vehicle, and positively detected the presence of narcotics. After the positive alert, Brown, who was standing with a patrol officer, ran away from the traffic stop. As he fled, Brown threw a clear plastic bag. Then investigators quickly apprehended Brown, placing him under arrest.
After apprehending Brown, investigators retraced his steps and discovered a clear plastic bag that contained 15 grams of fentanyl on the ground. Officers also recovered a cellphone from Brown and three additional cellphones from his vehicle.
Following Brown’s arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his Randallstown residence. Investigators searched Brown’s room, recovering 500 grams of fentanyl in multiple plastic bags; multiple digital scales; a hydraulic press; and sifters with drug residue. Law enforcement also found two firearms, a loaded 9mm Ruger, and a Mossberg Maverick 12-gauge shotgun. Brown, who is a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Additionally, investigators searched one of Brown’s phones and discovered messages between Brown and his fentanyl supplier. The messages revealed that Brown and his fentanyl supplier discussed the high potency of the fentanyl, and that Brown infused cutting agents in the narcotic to reduce the risk of overdosing.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Miner and Ari D. Evans who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Former Census Bureau Program Manager Sentenced to Prison for Bribery and Procurement Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former supervisory official with the U.S. Census Bureau was sentenced today to two years in prison followed by a year of supervised release for conspiring with a subcontractor to receive $790,000 in kickbacks. She was also ordered to forfeit the proceeds of the scheme.
On April 2, Camille T. Jones, 47, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging her with conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud in connection with a procurement fraud scheme.
According to court documents, as part of her guilty plea, Camille Jones admitted that she steered a large employee assistant program contract to a prime contractor and a subcontracting company, YMJ Consulting, which is owned by Camille Jones’s relative, Yolanda M. Jones. The contract was worth millions of dollars. In exchange for steering the contract and modifications, Jones received kickbacks from YMJ Consulting and Yolanda Jones.
Additionally, Camille Jones attempted to obstruct the investigation by drafting a service agreement between YMJ Consulting and a mental health company that she owned to make the kickbacks appear like legitimate consulting payments between the two companies. Both Camille Jones and Yolanda Jones signed the agreement in 2024 but backdated it to 2020. Yolanda Jones then provided the document to law enforcement during the investigation.
Camille Jones further admitted that she used her official position to share the Census Bureau’s confidential procurement information with another government contractor. While receiving preferential treatment, the contractor hired another one of Camille Jones’s relatives for a minimal-work job. Camille Jones largely performed the work but the relative received $83,000.
On Aug. 14, 2025, Yolanda Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud. She is awaiting sentencing. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland; and Eric Maddox, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations of U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Inspector General, made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the Inspector General.
Acting Chief Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.