District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Plaistow, New Hampshire, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Dennis Duquette, 46, to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Duquette pleaded guilty on January 16, 2026.
According to court records, on March 21, 2025, Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call at a residence in South Thomaston. Deputies encountered Duquetteoutside the home with a 9mm pistol in his hand. Duquette dropped the pistol after being ordered to do so by police and was subsequently taken into custody. Duquette is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of prior felony convictions.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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Former Machias Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Machias man pleaded guilty on May 14 in U.S. District Court in Bangor to one count of possessing child pornography.
According to court records, in May and June of 2025, Ryan Gatcomb, 19, possessed images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The minors lived in other states, and Gatcomb had received the depictions using the internet while he was in the state of Maine. Investigators recovered the images from Gatcomb’s computer and phone. He admitted that he had attempted to delete items from those devices on the morning of June 4, 2025, after being contacted by local law enforcement.
Gatcomb faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Waterville Man Sentenced for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Neil Wing, 39, to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Wing pleaded guilty on November 4, 2025.
According to court records, Wing began communicating with an undercover detective posing as a 12-year-old girl on the online chat platform Kik. These conversations quickly became sexual in nature, with Wing repeatedly asking for pictures. Wing subsequently sent the undercover detective a sexually explicit image of himself naked in the bathroom. Wing was interviewed while a search warrant was being executed at his residence and admitted to sending the image.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit–Special Victims investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2025, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received over 21 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Bangor Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Bradley Bellfleur, 33, to six years in federal prison and five years of supervised release. Bellfleur pleaded guilty on July 23, 2024.
According to court records, Bellfleur was enrolled in the Penobscot Adult Treatment and Recovery Court in Bangor as part of his sentence for a 2022 burglary conviction. While enrolled in that court, investigators received information that he was trafficking fentanyl. A search of his residence recovered fentanyl and drug trafficking paraphernalia. Additional evidence—such as messages obtained from his cellular phones—showed that Bellfleur was working with individuals from Massachusetts and obtaining fentanyl on a regular basis for distribution in the Bangor area. Bellfleur was convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine in 2016.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated this case, with assistance from the FBI, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Maine State Police, the Bangor Police Department, and the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (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. The Maine HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; DEA; Homeland Security Investigations; IRS-Criminal Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Border Patrol; Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.
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Portland Man Sentenced for Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Derren Wood-Peterson, 35, to seven years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Judge Neumann also ordered Wood-Peterson to pay $56,500 in restitution to victims whose images he possessed. Wood-Peterson pleaded guilty on October 2, 2025.
According to court records, Wood-Peterson sent a payment on Cash App for a link associated with child sexual abuse material. In December 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of two cell phones containing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material. When interviewed by investigators, Wood-Peterson admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet. Forensic analysis of his devices revealed multiple acts of distribution of this material over the Telegram Messenger application.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Veazie Man Sentenced for Enticing Minors and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Veazie man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for two counts of enticing a minor and one count of possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Austin Cocchiaro, 24, to 10 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Cocchiaro pleaded guilty on September 30, 2025.
According to court records, in 2022 and again in 2024, Cocchiaro used his cell phone to induce a minor to participate in the production of child pornography. He also offered to pay for images using an online payment application. On November 14, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Cocchiaro’s home in Veazie resulting in the discovery of additional child pornography on two cell phones he owned.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to distributing controlled substances.
According to court records, beginning in February 2025, a confidential source working with the FBI made several controlled purchases of drugs from Dashane Seamster, 30. On April 1, 2025, the confidential source purchased approximately four ounces of methamphetamine and 120 grams of heroin from Seamster in Lewiston. Investigators surveilled and recorded the transaction.
Seamster faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a maximum fine of $10 million, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated this case.
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Illegal Alien from Guatemala Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Guatemalan man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for reentering the United States after a prior removal.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neuman sentenced Elmer Enrique Ramirez-Ardon, 33, to time served. He pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026.
According to court records, on March 12, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Franklin County were driving near Stratton when they observed a white box truck heading north towards the U.S.Canadian border. Ramirez-Ardon was in the truck’s passenger seat. After observing the truck and its occupants, the agents suspected it contained aliens. They stopped the truck after it reversed direction and began travelling south towards the interior of the state.
During a subsequent roadside immigration inspection, agents determined that the truck’s two occupants were, in fact, aliens without lawful authority to be in the country. They were transported to the Rangeley Border Patrol Station for processing, at which time agents determined that Ramirez-Ardon, a citizen of Guatemala, had been ordered deported and removed from the country in 2014.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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South Portland Man Sentenced for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A South Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns for others and filing false tax returns for himself.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Lawrence Okeyo, 48, to two years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. Okeyo was convicted on October 29, 2025, following a three-day jury trial.
According to court records and testimony at trial, Okeyo was a professional tax return preparer in Portland. He prepared tax returns for others in exchange for a fee. Okeyo often collected his preparation fees, which sometimes exceeded $1,000, from the tax refunds issued to his clients. Okeyo falsified his clients’ tax returns by claiming bogus, unreimbursed employee expenses that can be deducted only by a limited set of professionals: Armed Forces reservists, qualified performing artists, fee-basis state or local government officials, and employees with impairment-related work expenses. Neither Okeyo nor his clients met these qualifications. By falsifying tax returns, Okeyo generated or inflated unwarranted tax refunds for his clients and himself. Okeyo also prepared a false tax return for an undercover IRS agent posing as a client. During his interactions with the undercover agent, Okeyo told the agent, “I know that you should pay [taxes]. What I’m wanting to do is save you from paying.” Okeyo then fabricated supposed business expenses on the tax return he prepared for the undercover agent. Okeyo advised the undercover agent that, if he was audited, he would not be able to prove that he was entitled to claim the expenses.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this case.
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Dominican National Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Dominican national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Dewar Francisco Beriguete-Hernandez, 21, to three years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Beriguete-Hernandez was convicted on October 24, 2025, following a two-day jury trial.
According to court records, Beriguete-Hernandez was part of a drug trafficking organization that delivered fentanyl from Massachusetts to customers in Maine. Beriguete-Hernandez was arrested in Kittery in April 2024, in possession of approximately 196 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Following trial, a jury convicted him of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute. He was acquitted of a separate count charging him with distributing controlled substances.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case, with the assistance of the Kittery Police Department.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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Florida Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Richard Harris, 23, to 32 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $31,400 in restitution. Harris pleaded guilty on December 16, 2025.
According to court records, Harris and a coconspirator, Paul Logugune, broke into unattended vehicles to steal purses and wallets containing driver’s licenses and checkbooks. Harris and Logugune forged checks using the stolen checkbooks and made the checks payable to the names on the stolen licenses. They then recruited others to cash the forged checks at branches of a federal credit union throughout southern Maine using the stolen IDs to impersonate the ID theft victims.
Logugune also pleaded guilty to his role in the offense. On August 29, 2024, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and ordered to pay over $32,000 in restitution.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Freeport Police Department.
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Oakland Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Oakland man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing stolen firearms.
According to court records, during the early morning hours of August 10, 2025, Cody Smith, 24, broke into a pawn shop in Waterville and stole 23 handguns. The break-in was captured on a video surveillance system inside the building, as well as exterior surveillance cameras at other businesses in the area. Within hours of the burglary, Smith was posting videos of himself on social media displaying some of the stolen firearms and admitting to the break-in.
Smith faces up to 10 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Waterville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Illegal Alien from England Pleads Guilty to Entering the US Without InspectionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A citizen of the United Kingdom pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to entering the United States without inspection.
According to court records, Ibrahim Ayyub Khan, 27, and three other men walked through the heavily wooded border between Quebec and Somerset County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their point of entry was within a few hundred yards of the Saint Zacharie, Maine port of entry that was manned by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (“OFO”). Upon exiting the woods, Khan and his companions began walking down the Golden Road heading east.
Passersby in the area reported to an OFO agent seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road. The OFO agent reported the sighting to the U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) station in Jackman. A USBP agent and an OFO agent responded to the area of the sighting, located the four men and took them into custody without incident. When questioned about their citizenship, Khan and his three companions stated they were citizens of the United Kingdom. The four were subsequently transported back to the Jackman Border Patrol station.
Khan faces up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office.
USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Cornish Man Pleads Guilty to Making Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Cornish man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to transmitting a threatening interstate communication.
According to court records, Blake Tibbetts, 25, made a post on X, a social media website, in which he used a racial epithet in an angry exchange with another X user and threatened to pay “a visit VERY soon” to the user’s “kind,” sending “them” his “condolences.”
Tibbetts faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum supervised release term of three years. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, the Maine State Police, and the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal investigated the case.
Illegal Alien from England Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Entering the United States Without InspectionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A citizen of the United Kingdom pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States without inspection.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Ali Mohammed Ali Abdullah, 18, to time served. Abdullah will be turned over to immigration authorities for removal proceedings.
According to court records, Abdullah and three other men walked through the heavily wooded border between Quebec and Franklin County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their point of entry was within a few hundred yards of the Saint Zacharie, Maine port of entry that was manned by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (“OFO”). Upon exiting the woods, Abdullah and his companions began walking down the Golden Road heading east.
Passersby in the area reported to an OFO agent seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road. The OFO agent reported the sighting to the U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) station in Jackman. A USBP agent and an OFO agent responded to the area of the sighting, located the four men and took them into custody without incident. When questioned about their citizenship, Abdullah and his three companions stated they were citizens of the United Kingdom. The four were subsequently transported back to the Jackman Border Patrol station. Further investigation revealed that Abdullah had entered the country unlawfully to secure work in the U.S.
USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 19-25)Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Benson joins the Department of Justice and communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). During NCVRW, we recognize the accomplishments of the victims’ rights movement and reflect on how far we have come.
Since 1981, NCVRW has challenged the nation to confront and remove barriers to achieve justice for all victims of crime. Every April, the Office for Victims of Crime, part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, leads communities throughout the country in their annual observance of NCVRW. In 2026, we will observe NCVRW with the theme:
LISTEN.
ACT.
ADVOCATE.
Protect Victims. Serve Communities.
Being victimized by a crime can leave a lasting impact on individuals and the community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is committed to honoring the rights and experiences of crime victims. Prosecutors and victim specialists work together to ensure victims’ voices are heard. For many, this is a crucial step in healing and providing victims with some sense of justice. NCVRW is a reminder to those touched by crime that many victim services are now available through community partners and justice professionals, who are ready to listen, act, and advocate, while prioritizing safety for both individuals and communities.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is committed to prosecuting those who violate federal law and collaborating with law enforcement to hold offenders accountable through the justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Benson. “We recognize, however, that prosecuting offenders is only one piece of an integrated approach in recognizing and supporting victims of crime.”
The 2026 NCVRW Resource Guide, with outreach tools and materials to help you raise awareness in your community, is available at https://ovc.ojp.gov/news/announcements/now-online-2026-ncvrw-resource-guide.
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Presque Isle Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, Joseph Ebner, 32, began communicating online with an undercover agent posing as the father of a nine-year-old girl. Ebner sent multiple videos containing child sexual abuse material to the undercover agent and indicated he wanted to have sexual contact with his daughter. Based on this information, investigators executed a search warrant at Ebner’s residence. He agreed to be interviewed and admitted to communicating with the undercover agent and sending multiple images of child sexual abuse material to the agent. A subsequent forensic examination of Ebner’s electronic devices revealed multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Ebner faces a minimum term of five years and maximum term of 20 years for distributing child sexual abuse material, a maximum term of 20 years for possessing child sexual abuse material, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count, and a maximum supervised release term of life for each count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, and Bangor Police Department investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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New Sweden Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New Sweden man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to distributing, receiving, and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, investigators identified Dustin Davenport, 30, as the user of a cloud-based instant messaging service account that was trading child sexual abuse images. Based on this information, investigators executed a search warrant at Davenport’s residence. During the warrant’s execution, investigators interviewed Davenport, who admitted that he was actively trading child sexual abuse material over the internet. A subsequent forensic examination of Davenport’s cellular telephones revealed multiple images and video of child sexual abuse material.
Davenport faces a minimum term of five years and maximum term of 20 years for distributing and receiving child sexual abuse material, a maximum term of 20 years for possessing child sexual abuse material, a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count, and a maximum supervised release term of life for each count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, and Bangor Police Department investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Former Lewiston Man Sentenced for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A man formerly from Lewiston was sentenced on April 16 in U.S. District Court in Portland for stalking his victim using facilities of interstate or foreign commerce.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Brent Ouellette, 34, to 18 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Ouellette pleaded guilty on August 20, 2025.
According to court records, Ouellette engaged in a course of conduct against his victim that included posting sexually explicit videos or pictures of his victim online without consent, contacting his victim posing as other people, and obtaining his victim’s social media login information.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
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Illegal Alien from Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the US After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to reentering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, on March 12, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Franklin County were driving near Stratton when they observed a white box truck heading north towards the U.S.Canadian border. Elmer Enrique Ramirez-Ardon, 33, was in the truck’s passenger seat. After observing the truck and its occupants, the agents suspected it contained aliens. They stopped the truck after it reversed direction and began travelling south towards the interior of the state.
During a subsequent roadside immigration inspection, agents determined that the truck’s two occupants were, in fact, aliens without lawful authority to be in the country. They were transported to the Rangeley Border Patrol Station for processing, at which time agents determined that Ramirez-Ardon, a citizen of Guatemala, had been ordered deported and removed from the country in 2014.
Ramirez-Ardon faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Honduran man pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for reentering the United States after a prior removal.
After accepting his plea, U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Marlon Rene Avila-Cruz, 32, to a time-served sentence. Avila-Cruz was originally arrested on December 21, 2025, and has been in federal custody since that time.
According to court records, on December 21, 2025, a Farmington police officer pulled over a car that Avila-Cruz was driving for a traffic violation. Avila-Cruz informed the officer that he was from Honduras but could only provide a piece of paper from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. U.S. Border Patrol Agents were then called to the scene. Records checks revealed that Avila-Cruz had been previously deported from the U.S. and returned to Honduras.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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Kennebunkport Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Kennebunkport man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Kevin Rockwell, 41, to 20 years in prison to be followed by life on supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $104,000 in restitution to victims whose images he possessed. Rockwell pleaded guilty on June 10, 2025.
In addition, Rockwell was ordered to serve 18 consecutive months in prison based on a violation of his supervised release stemming from his prior federal conviction for transportation of child pornography. He was sentenced to 8 ½ years in federal prison for that offense.
According to court records, in November 2024, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Rockwell’s residence in Kennebunkport. Agents recovered a tablet located on a nightstand; a review of the tablet uncovered numerous image and video files of child sexual abuse material, including prepubescent children. Rockwell admitted in an interview that he owned the tablet and acknowledged the files contained on it.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc
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Bowdoinham Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Bowdoinham man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony offense.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Rodney Skipper, 46, to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Skipper pleaded guilty on September 11, 2025.
According to court records, Brunswick police responded to a Walmart regarding a potential shoplifting incident. Upon arrival, officers were directed to Skipper, who had gone outside to his vehicle. Officers noticed Skipper had an empty pistol holster on his hip, and were told that Skipper had been seen with a firearm in the holster before their arrival. A subsequent search of Skipper’s vehicle resulted in the recovery of a 9mm pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and a 10mm pistol. Skipper was prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of a prior felony conviction for assaultive conduct.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Brunswick Police Department.
Operation Take Back America: 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
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: This April, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine joins the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), communities across the U.S., and sovereign Tribal nations in observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is proud to stand with victims, and announces that in Fiscal Year 2025, OVW awarded $9,635,137 to several grantees in Maine including the Family Violence Project, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, the Mi’kmaq Nation, Partners for Peace, the Penobscot Indian Nation, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, the Maine Department of Public Safety, Safe Voices, and the Next Step Domestic Violence Project.
“Sexual assault has impacts that can reverberate through an entire community. These crimes leave lasting scars, and, as federal prosecutors, we have a responsibility to the citizens of Maine to pursue justice,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maine Andrew B. Benson.
Victims deserve safety, dignity, and justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is committed to prosecuting those who violate federal law and collaborating with local law enforcement and prosecutors to bring offenders to justice. Partners in our district have a key role in ensuring victims have access to resources for safety and healing.
We encourage everyone in our district to learn more about sexual assault and take steps to support friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors who have suffered these crimes. By understanding the signs of abuse and connecting victims to available resources, we can all play a role in creating safer, supportive communities.
For more information on sexual assault or to access resources, please visit mecasa.org.
The Department of Justice funds essential victim services through its grants. Grantees of OVW andthe Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) run programs that support victims of sexual assault. There are many services available to help victims, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, OVW’s website has a ”Resources for Survivors” page, which lists state sexual assaultcoalitions that can direct victims to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.
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Scarborough Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Scarborough man pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, Robert E. Milholland, Jr., 49, became the target of a law enforcement investigation after being linked to child sexual abuse material over the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file-sharing network. In July 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple digital media devices that contained child sexual abuse material.
Milholland faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum supervised release term of life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI and the Lewiston Police Department investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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New Hampshire Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Barrington, New Hampshire man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a felon.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Jonathan Grant, 43, to 12 months and a day in prison to be followed by 2 years of supervised release. Grant pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025.
According to court records, in March 2025, Kittery Police Department officers responded to the Kittery Trading Post regarding a potential shoplifting incident. Police were directed to a group of males who had just left the store, one of whom was identified as Grant. Officers searched Grant’s jacket and located a .22 caliber pistol and a box containing 100 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition. Grant was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition by virtue of prior felony drug convictions in New Hampshire.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Kittery Police Department.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican Illegal Alien Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Mexican man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for reentering the United States after a prior removal.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Edgar Mandujano-Aguilar, 37, to 12 months in prison. He pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026.
According to court records, on November 6, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents encountered Mandujano-Aguilar after he requested assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office to return to his home country of Mexico. After agents arrived at the Sheriff’s Office, Mandujano-Aguilar stated that he was born in Mexico, was not a U.S. citizen, and did not have any authorization to be in the country. Records checks revealed that Mandujano-Aguilar had been previously deported multiple times from the U.S., including after he had been permitted to voluntarily return to Mexico. Mandujano-Aguilar has been previously convicted multiple times for unlawful reentry after prior removal.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff's Office.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
Thomaston Resident Pleads Guilty to Border Patrol AssaultRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Thomaston resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to assaulting a U.S. Border Patrol agent engaged in his official duties.
According to court records, in August 2025, a United States Border Patrol agent responded to a one-vehicle crash in Washington, Maine. As law enforcement conducted a roadside investigation, Olivia Wilkins, 24, came upon the scene in an automobile and parked close to officers. Wilkins voiced concerns regarding Border Patrol’s presence in the area, but was permitted to move the vehicle further back from the crash to continue observing law enforcement. As the Border Patrol agent took an individual on scene into custody and began moving the individual to a nearby Border Patrol vehicle, Wilkins quickly accelerated toward the agent, who pulled the individual off the roadside away from the oncoming vehicle. Wilkins stopped the vehicle without striking either the agent or the individual in custody before swerving back into the lane of travel and fleeing the scene. Maine State Police troopers were able to arrest Wilkins a short distance away.
Wilkins faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release, and will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
Department of Justice to Return $470,735 to Victims of Cryptocurrency Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced today that the Department of Justice will return about $470,735 to two Maine victims of a cryptocurrency investment scheme.
According to court records, more than $800,000 belonging to the victims was transferred to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by criminal actors in 2022. The FBI seized 470,773 USDT (Tether)—a form of cryptocurrency equivalent in value to the dollar—traced to the victims’ payments. The U.S. Attorney’s Office subsequently filed a civil forfeiture complaint alleging these proceeds were traceable to wire fraud and were involved in money laundering offenses. The U.S. District Court ordered the proceeds to be forfeited to the United States, which is now providing the funds to the two victims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office warns that cryptocurrency investment schemes are all too common.
In many cryptocurrency investment schemes, scammers engage in social engineering to steal a victim’s funds. Scammers often use a fake identity and cold-contact a victim through messaging apps, social media, dating apps, or other platforms. Scammers may pretend to have contacted the wrong number but then continue communicating with the victim. The scammers establish a relationship and build trust with the victim by continuing to message over days, weeks, or months. Frequently, the scammers then make up a fake investment opportunity or an emergency to induce the victim to send payments in cryptocurrency. Scammers may convince the victim to use fake websites or apps to “invest” in cryptocurrency, and will often coach the victim through the “investment” process and show the victim fake returns on their “investment.” Rather than investing money on a legitimate platform, the victim is tricked into sending cryptocurrency to wallets controlled by the scammers. If the victim tries to withdraw money from the fake site or app, the victim is often told to pay additional fees or taxes—but the scammers do not return the victim’s funds after the fake fees or taxes are paid.
For more information about cryptocurrency investment schemes, please visit https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2023/PSA230824.
If you believe you or someone you know may be a victim of a cryptocurrency scam, in addition to reporting to your local police department, you should immediately submit a report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or contact your local FBI Field Office.
The FBI handled this case. The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets.
Connecticut Man Arrested, Charged with Assaulting a Federal Officer and Failing to Report Arrival to the USRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Manchester, Connecticut man was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer and failing to report his arrival and present for inspection on February 22, 2026.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, Devin Austin Bishop, 29, drove at high speed across the bridge from Campobello Island, Canada into the U.S., at one point veering into the outbound lane to travel into Lubec. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officer who was on duty at the Lubec Port of Entry pursued Bishop in an agency vehicle. Bishop got out of his car on a road in Lubec. He forcibly assaulted and resisted the officer when the officer attempted to arrest him, grabbing for the officer’s firearm. During the struggle, the firearm discharged but no one was hit. The officer was eventually able to take Bishop into custody with the assistance of a passing motorist.
If convicted, Bishop faces up to eight years in prison on the assault charge and one year in prison on the failure to report charge.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
South Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A South Portland man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to distributing controlled substances.
According to court records, in February and March 2024, an undercover agent with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency posing as a drug runner purchased cocaine from Lynel Moultrie, 43, on at least three occasions. Investigators surveilled and recorded the transactions.
Moultrie faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, South Portland Police Department, and Gorham Police Department investigated this case.
Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Portland man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to two firearms-related offenses.
According to court records, in April 2025, Jeissey Khamis, 19, made false statements to a federal firearms licensee in Charleston, Maine, in connection with his attempted purchase of a Glock pistol. Khamis’s false statements concerned his identity, age, and place of birth. Later the same month, Khamis was found in possession of a different pistol that he knew had been stolen from the same licensee. Investigators seized the gun while executing a state search warrant at Khamis’s college dormitory room in Windham.
Khamis faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release on the false statement charge. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release on the stolen firearm charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the South Portland and Portland police departments.
Gorham Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Gorham man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Cody J. Merrill, 33, to 25 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Additionally, Judge Walker ordered Merrill to pay $105,000 in restitution to identified victims whose images he possessed. Merrill pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025.
According to court records, Merrill, who had been previously convicted of unlawful sexual conduct involving a minor in York County Superior Court, sent video files depicting child sexual abuse material to undercover agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) over a messaging application. In February 2025, HSI executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple digital media devices. During a recorded interview with investigators, Merrill admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material over various internet-based applications. Investigators forensically reviewed his devices and located over 5,000 child sexual abuse images. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is limiting identifying information to protect the privacy of the minor victims who were depicted in these abuse materials.
HSI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
Illegal Alien from El Salvador Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the US After Prior RemovalsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Salvadoran national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States after prior removals.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Helmer Osmin Gutierrez, 43, to time served. Gutierrez had been incarcerated since October 18, 2025.
According to court records, in October 2025, an officer with the Farmington Police Department stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. A U.S. Border Patrol Agent responded to the scene in response to a call for assistance in identifying the four men in the vehicle. The responding agent was able to identify the four men, including Gutierrez. The agent conducted a field immigration inspection of the four men and determined that Gutierrez was a citizen of El Salvador and did not have any documentation to be in the U.S. legally. A review of immigration records confirmed Gutierrez had been removed from the country in May 2008, at Miami, Florida and in May 2010 at Chandler, Arizona.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from the Farmington Police Department.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
Auburn Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Auburn woman pleaded guilty on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland to filing a false tax return and interfering with the administration of federal tax laws.
According to court records, Rakiya Mohamed, 30, filed false federal income tax returns for 2018 and 2019 and provided false records to the IRS when those tax returns were audited. Mohamed owned a language interpretation business called Reliable Language Resources. Mohamed reported the income and expenses for the business on her individual income tax returns. Mohamed reported false and fraudulent expenses for contract labor and office expenses for Reliable Language Resources on those tax returns. The IRS audited Mohamed’s 2018 and 2019 tax returns, and Mohamed provided the auditors with falsified business records to substantiate the false and fraudulent expenses.
Mohamed faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum term of supervised release of one year. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Bangor Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor woman pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to court records, between July and October 2024, Nichole Kelley, 46, conspired with others to fraudulently obtain money by entering banks, impersonating legitimate bank account holders, and using fictitious identification cards to gain access to their bank accounts and withdraw funds. During a search of a coconspirator’s residence, investigators seized two fictitious driver’s licenses in other people’s names but with Kelley’s images on them. Kelley also agreed with coconspirators to travel to banks outside of Maine to impersonate customers and withdraw funds from their accounts.
Kelley faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division.
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Hebron Man Sentenced to Five Years for Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Hebron man was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Steven Parker, 47, to five years in prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release. Judge Neumann also ordered Parker to pay $25,000 in restitution to victims whose images he possessed. Parker pleaded guilty on September 15, 2025.
According to court records, Steven Parker, 47, sent a video file depicting child sexual abuse material to an undercover agent over a messaging application. In August 2024, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) and the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple digital media devices containing hundreds of image and video files of child sexual abuse material. When interviewed by investigators, Parker admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet.
The FBI and MSPCCU investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Topsham Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Failing to Surrender for SentenceRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to failing to surrender for service of sentence.
According to court records, Christopher Tucker, 34, had previously been ordered released on conditions of release in an earlier criminal case pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. In that case, Tucker pleaded guilty to firearms offenses and was sentenced to a term of 75 months in prison. At his sentencing hearing in September 2025, Tucker was permitted to remain out on release and to self-surrender to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at a later date. Tucker failed to surrender for service of sentence as ordered. The United States Marshals Service (USMS) subsequently located and arrested Tucker in Bath, Maine.
Tucker faces up to 10 years in prison, consecutive to the 75 months he was previously ordered to serve; up to a $250,000 fine; and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The USMS investigated the case.
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Blue Hill Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day for Making a False Statement During Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Blue Hill man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making a false statement during purchase of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Caleb Rhine, 22, to 12 months and one day in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
According to court records, on June 8, 2023, Rhine was indicted in Hancock County Superior Court on one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs. On May 5, 2024, Rhine, while still under indictment, attempted to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Ellsworth. To make the purchase, Rhine filled out a Form 4473 required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In response to the question, “Are you under indictment or information in any court for a felony, or any other crime for which the judge could imprison you for more than one year . . .?,” Rhine falsely checked the box “No.” Rhine was able to successfully buy the gun a few days later based, in part, on his representations on the ATF form.
ATF and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States after prior removals.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Isidro Gonzalez-Peleaz, 41, to time served. Gonzalez-Peleaz had been incarcerated since November 11, 2025.
According to court records, in November 2025, a Border Patrol agent encountered Gonzalez-Peleaz and his brother, Alfredo Gonzalez-Peleaz, leaving a jobsite in Calais. The Border Patrol agent conducted a field immigration inspection of the two men and determined that they were Mexican citizens and did not have any documentation to be in the U.S. legally. A review of immigration records confirmed Gonzalez-Peleaz had been removed from the country in November 2006, at Brownsville, Texas; December 2012, at Calexico, California; March 2013, at Calexico, California; and August 2018, at San Luis, Arizona.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case. Alfredo Gonzalez-Peleaz also received a sentence of time served, which was imposed by Judge Woodcock earlier today.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States after a prior removal.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Alfredo Gonzalez-Peleaz, 43, to time served. Gonzalez-Peleaz had been incarcerated since November 11, 2025.
According to court records, in November 2025, a Border Patrol agent encountered Gonzalez-Peleaz and his brother, Isidro Gonzalez-Peleaz, leaving a jobsite in Calais. The Border Patrol agent conducted a field immigration inspection of the two men and determined that they were Mexican citizens and did not have any documentation to be in the U.S. legally. A review of immigration records confirmed Gonzalez-Peleaz had been removed from the country in January 2012, at Calexico, California.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case. Isidro Gonzalez-Peleaz also received a sentence of time served, which Judge Woodcock imposed earlier today.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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New York Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Drug Trafficking in Franklin CountyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New York man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base with the intent to distribute those substances.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Oscarlin Peguero Ortiz, 27, to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Ortiz pleaded guilty on July 23, 2025.
According to court records, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the suspected trafficking of illegal narcotics from an Avon residence. In July 2020, investigators executed a search warrant and found Ortiz inside the residence. During a search of the residence, law enforcement seized approximately 85 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and 40 grams of crack cocaine. Investigators also seized digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and over $8,000 in cash.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine State Police, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.
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Kenduskeag Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Producing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Kenduskeag man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for two counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Stacy D. Neumann sentenced Justin Leonard, 24, to 27 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $20,000 each to the two minor victims.
According to court records, in February 2024, investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Leonard’s home based on a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Leonard was home during the warrant’s execution and provided the password and Face ID to a hidden folder on his cellular telephone. In this hidden folder, investigators located multiple sexually explicit images and videos of two very young children. Leonard admitted that he had taken these images and videos. The parents of the children confirmed Leonard’s statements and identified their children in the images and videos. A subsequent forensic review of Leonard’s phone uncovered Facebook chats where he expressed an interest in children and a desire to acquire children. In addition, in the Safari history of Leonard’s phone, artifacts were found indicating an interest in Rohypnol or “roofies,” a powerful sedative. His queries included, “youngest age you can safely give a roofie” and “Is there any drug that can make a person unconscious for 2 hours?”
In imposing sentence, Judge Neumann observed that Leonard’s conduct constituted the “most heinous offense than can be committed,” noting that “not only did [Leonard] commit the act, [he] documented it.”
HSI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Connecticut Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Connecticut man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today for trafficking cocaine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Cyrus Griffin, 42, to 60 months in prison. Griffin pleaded guilty on April 1, 2025.
According to court records, Maine State Police stopped Griffin on I-95 on October 25, 2024. Griffin was on parole for a homicide and was not supposed to leave Connecticut. A search of Griffin’s person recovered over two thousand dollars in cash and a quantity of suspected drugs. Inside the vehicle, Maine State Police found a handgun under the driver’s seat, drug processing paraphernalia, suspected cocaine, and suspected fentanyl. Subsequent testing confirmed almost a pound of cocaine from the seizure and approximately 135 grams of fentanyl, as well as a suspected cutting agent and processing paraphernalia.
The DEA investigated the case, with the assistance of Maine State Police and the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Mexican national pleaded guilty on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
According to court records, on November 6, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents encountered Edgar Mandujano-Aguilar, 37, after he requested assistance from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office to return to his home country of Mexico. After agents arrived at the Sheriff’s Office parking lot, Mandujano-Aguilar acknowledged to them that he was born in Mexico, was not a U.S. citizen, and did not have any authorization to be in the country. Records checks revealed that Mandujano-Aguilar had been previously deported multiple times from the U.S.
Mandujano-Aguilar faces a maximum prison term of up to two years and a maximum fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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.
New Gloucester Man Pleads Guilty to Presenting Counterfeit Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New Gloucester man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to passing counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks and to a wire fraud scheme.
According to court records, Keith Mitchell, 38, deposited eight counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks totaling $40,379 into his bank account in May and June of 2024. The checks contained the serial numbers and amounts of actual U.S. Treasury checks that had been issued to third parties, but were counterfeited to be made payable to Mitchell. In May of 2021, Mitchell also received $20,832 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds based on a false and fraudulent PPP loan application. The application falsely claimed that Mitchell owned a sole proprietorship business that had earned a gross revenue of $100,000 in 2020. Mitchell also submitted a falsified tax return in support of the application.
Mitchell faces a maximum term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Paycheck Protection Program: The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Two Bangor Area Men Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: On November 12, 2025, a federal grand jury sitting in Bangor indicted Agasha Carvalho and Donovan Miller on charges related to child exploitation and sex trafficking.
According to court records, Carvalho, 45, of Bangor, was indicted for production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Miller, 38, of Milford, was indicted for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; and production of child pornography.
On November 18, 2025, Carvalho appeared in the U.S. District Court for an arraignment and pleaded not guilty. Miller appeared in U.S. District Court on November 20, 2025, for his arraignment and pleaded not guilty.
The FBI investigated the case with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bangor Police Department.
If you believe that you may be a victim of the alleged crimes, please reach out to the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force by filling out this short form. If you have information or questions about this investigation, or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking or child exploitation, please contact the FBI using this link.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches Settlement with Portland Mental Health Clinic for Alleged Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: Riverbird, LLC, a Portland-based mental health clinic, and its providers Matthew Stevens, DO and Selma Holden, MD, have agreed to pay $20,000 to resolve claims they violated the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act through reporting and recordkeeping violations.
The settlement announced resolves allegations that Riverbird and its providers improperly failed to report the diversion of controlled substances; failed to keep appropriate records of controlled substances stored, dispensed, or destroyed; and did not conduct regular inventories.
As alleged, following a November 2024 audit of Riverbird by diversion investigators employed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the following alleged violations were identified:
- Clinic practitioners were aware of drug diversion committed by Matthew Stevens, DO, yet failed to report the theft to DEA.
- Clinic practitioners failed to take an initial inventory of controlled substances after a change in ownership of the clinic.
- Clinic practitioners failed to maintain complete and accurate records related to controlled substances possessed by the clinic.
- Clinic practitioners admitted to investigators that a Schedule IV controlled substance (lorazepam) in the practice’s possession was disposed of, however, the only record of the disposal was a handwritten note on a slip of paper rather than a completed mandatory DEA form.
“DEA registrants are responsible for handling controlled substances responsibly and ensuring that complete and accurate records are being properly kept and accounted for in compliance with the Controlled Substance Act,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “Failure to do so increases the potential for diversion and jeopardizes public health and public safety. We are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.”
“Maintaining complete and accurate records is a baseline obligation of all DEA registrants, required to prevent controlled substances from being diverted from the legitimate drug supply,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Benson. “Investigations such as this—where investigators discovered undisclosed instances of actual drug diversion—reinforce the need to timely record and report such instances to the DEA.”
DEA diversion investigators conducted the investigation. As part of the settlement, Riverbird and its providers have also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the DEA, to further ensure compliance with applicable Controlled Substances Act laws and regulations.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. Riverbird and its providers cooperated with the DEA throughout the investigation.
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Third New Bedford, Massachusetts Man Charged for February 2024 Saco Shooting Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A third New Bedford, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Jason Johnson-Rivera (a/k/a “Ouda”), 20, pleaded guilty to one count of the superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 19, 2025. Johnson-Rivera’s codefendants, Joshua Estrada (aka “Mac”), 20, and Yancarlos Abrante (aka “Glizzy”), 22, pleaded guilty on September 25, 2025.
According to court records, on February 9, 2024, Johnson-Rivera, Estrada and Abrante fired at least five rounds from a 9mm handgun into another vehicle in a drug trade dispute. Shortly after they fired on their drug rivals and fled the scene, they drove their vehicle against traffic and through a red light, crashing into another passenger vehicle and a school bus. Video footage captured by another driver who witnessed the accident showed them exiting their vehicle and fleeing the scene on foot. Court records reflect that Estrada, Abrante and others had been trafficking cocaine in and around Saco and Biddeford since at least January 2024.
Johnson-Riverafaces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Saco Police Department, FBI’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the New Bedford (Mass.) Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
New York Men Plead Guilty to Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy to Buy Illegal Marijuana Grow HousesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Two New York men pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to defraud Maine banks of mortgage funding to buy houses used to illegally cultivate marijuana.
According to court records, Tony Liang, 37, of Brooklyn, New York, orchestrated the conspiracy to fraudulently obtain over half a million dollars in residential mortgage loans from two Maine banks. Liang and co-conspirators used the funds to purchase properties in Bucksport, Eddington, and Canaan. Throughout the loan application process, Liang emailed and DocuSigned materially false information to the banks, including by creating and submitting fake documentation. Liang and his co-conspirators misrepresented to the banks that the three properties would be used as residences. Instead, each property was used to illegally cultivate and manufacture marijuana.
Liang also pleaded guilty to maintaining a marijuana-involved premises at the Bucksport property. Liang maintained that property from January 2021 through February 2022 for the purpose of manufacturing marijuana, until a severe house fire disrupted the operation. The State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the fire, discovering the remains of the illegal marijuana grow. The surviving portion of the property was filled with grow materials, chemicals, and high-powered lighting. Charred marijuana plants, processed marijuana, and hydroponics equipment also were found.
Yongliang Deng, 35, of Queens, New York, provided his personal information and government-issued identification documentation to Liang, who used Deng’s information from November through December 2020 to apply for and obtain a residential mortgage loan from a Maine bank to buy the Eddington property. Deng used his own bank accounts to make the down payment and pay the closing costs required for the purchase, with money received through Liang. Deng granted a mortgage to the Maine bank for the Eddington property. He obtained the mortgage by misrepresenting that he would occupy and use the property as his primary residence. Liang agreed to pay Deng money each month in exchange for Deng nominally holding the property as its owner. In May 2024, federal law enforcement agents interviewed Deng. During the interview, Deng admitted that the property in Eddington was an investment which had been rented out, and that he had never resided there.
Neither defendant nor any property associated with the conspiracy was licensed through the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy.
Liang and Deng each face up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the mortgage fraud conspiracy. Liang also faces 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 for maintaining the marijuana-involved premises. Each defendant will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigative reports by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and IRS-Criminal Investigations investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (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. The Maine HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; HSI; DEA; IRS-Criminal Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Border Patrol; Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.
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