Western District of Michigan
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Traverse City Man Indicted for Impersonating Federal Officer and Violating the Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Brent Alan Tompkins, 52, Traverse City, was indicted on criminal charges alleging that he impersonated a federal officer, unlawfully used Coast Guard insignia, and discharged sewage into Lake Michigan.
The indictment follows a two-year investigation by the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) and Michigan Department of Natural Resources Environmental Investigations Section (EIS) for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) into allegations that Tompkins discharged pollutants into Lake Michigan, at White Shoal Light. Investigators also identified allegations that Tompkins operated a vessel with insignia resembling U.S. Coast Guard insignia and represented himself as a Coast Guard member to a distressed mariner in Emmet County.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Reports that Tomkins was polluting Lake Michigan got our attention right away because protecting this national resource is a high priority for my office. I appreciate the investigative work that CGIS and EGLE did in this case to make it possible to bring charges. The charges relating to impersonating a Coast Guard officer point to another troubling issue encountered in this case. The public has a right to know when they are dealing with a properly trained public official--and when they are not--especially during a potentially dangerous situation on the water. This is no place for impersonators and wannabes.”
“Protecting the public’s trust in the U.S. Coast Guard and safeguarding our nation’s waterways is critical,” said Assistant Director Joshua Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, LANT Operations. “Impersonating Coast Guard personnel and misusing Coast Guard markings can create serious safety and security risks on the water. CGIS will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate conduct that threatens public confidence, maritime safety, and the marine environment.”
Tompkins is charged with false impersonation of a federal officer, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 912; unauthorized use of a Coast Guard insignia, in violation of 14 U.S.C. § 933; and discharge of a pollutant into a navigable waterway, in violation of 33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a), 1319(c)(2)(A).
The case was investigated by CGIS and EGLE. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan.
If convicted, Tompkins faces up to 3 years in prison and a fine of at least $5,000 per day that he violated the Clean Water Act.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
School Security Guard Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Ryan Dookhan contacted a minor on Roblox and solicited explicit photographs and videos
LANSING, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Ryan Dookhan, 31, of Jamaica NY, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor and he remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal. During the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou emphasized the serious nature of Dookhan’s crimes and the need to protect the public as reasons for the lengthy sentence.
Dookhan, while working as a security guard in an elementary school in New York, targeted an eleven-year-old victim online, first by meeting her on Roblox (an online gaming platform), then moving the conversation to a messaging application designed to delete messages. Dookhan coerced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct so that he could produce photographs and videos of her. Over the course of the investigation, investigators determined that Dookhan solicited many sexually explicit photographs and videos from his eleven-year-old victim, with his criminal conduct spanning multiple weeks.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said he was satisfied with the sentence. “Dookhan deserved this sentence from Chief Judge Jarbou. Anyone who sexually exploits children deserves a lengthy sentence. I hope this sentence shows that if someone exploits children in the Western District of Michigan, we will respond decisively and argue for the maximum sentence possible, which Dookhan received.”
“Children deserve to be safe online, including when playing games and connecting with others. Online predators exploit trust, anonymity and access to target children, and we all must stay vigilant, report suspicious behavior, and teach children safe digital habits,” said HSI Detroit Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Pierczynski. “It is appalling when someone trusted to protect students abuses that position to prey on them. That betrayal is unacceptable, and we remain committed to protecting children and holding offenders accountable.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the Michigan State Police investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Interstate Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Lakento Brian Smith, 54, of Houston, Texas; Javon Drevelle Brewer, 58, of Muskegon Heights, Michigan; and Fletcher Lee Salazar, 40, of Muskegon Heights, Michigan, were indicted on criminal charges related to alleged drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies.
Smith, Brewer, and Salazar are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 400 grams or more of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Smith and Brewer are also charged with money laundering conspiracy. Brewer and Salazar are charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin.
“Today’s indictment highlights our office’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from those who traffic in deadly narcotics and attempt to conceal their illicit profits through money laundering,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “The charges allege that these individuals conspired to distribute dangerous controlled substances, including more than 400 grams of fentanyl—a poison that continues to drive overdoses across our district—and then sought to hide the proceeds. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who endanger our communities are held accountable.”
If convicted, Smith faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and up to life in prison, and Brewer and Salazar face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and up to life in prison.
“These indictments demonstrate our commitment to protecting communities across west Michigan from those who profit from the illegal drug trade,” said DEA Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. By targeting both the drugs and the money behind them, we are sending a clear message: drug traffickers will be identified, their operations will be dismantled, and they will be held accountable in a court of law for their actions.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains steadfast in our mission to protect communities from lethal narcotics, including those trafficked through the U.S. Mail,” said Inspector in Charge Felicia B. George of the Detroit Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This indictment highlights the impact of our Homeland Security Task Force partnership. The Postal Inspection Service is proud to stand with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these criminal operations that endanger our communities and holding the individuals who run them accountable.”
“Today’s indictment underscores our unwavering commitment to safeguarding communities from the devastating impact of drug trafficking and illicit financial schemes. By targeting those who distribute dangerous narcotics and attempt to conceal their profits, we send a clear message: law enforcement agencies across our district will continue to collaborate and pursue justice for those affected by these crimes. We remain steadfast in our efforts to hold accountable anyone who threatens the safety and well-being of our neighborhoods,” said Robert Kuszynski, Acting Special Agent in Charge for IRS-CI Detroit.
“Drug traffickers and money launderers threaten the safety of our communities across Michigan, and this indictment is another example of the work FBI Detroit does every day in coordination with our partners to keep Michigan safe,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I commend the outstanding efforts of our Grand Rapids Resident Agency, whose dedicated efforts and collaboration were critical to advancing this investigation.”
“The trafficking of fentanyl, heroin, and other dangerous narcotics has a devastating impact that reaches far beyond those directly involved—it affects families, neighborhoods, and entire communities,” said Michigan State Police Sixth District Commander Capt. Jason Nemecek. “This indictment demonstrates what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combine their resources, expertise, and determination toward a common mission. The Michigan State Police and our partners at WEMET remain committed to aggressively disrupting the criminal organizations responsible for bringing these deadly drugs into West Michigan. Those who profit from poisoning our communities should know that we will continue working together, across jurisdictions and agency lines, to identify them, dismantle their operations, and hold them accountable.”
DEA, FBI, IRS-CI, USPIS, MSP, GRPD, and KCSO are investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan McGraw is prosecuting it.
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. HSTF Detroit comprises agents and officers from over twenty federal agencies, and state, local, and international partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Senate Confirms Timothy VerHey as United States Attorney for the Western District of MichiganRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – On August 7, 2026, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Timothy VerHey as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. VerHey assumed that position on July 21, 2025, after being appointed by former Attorney General Bondi. President Trump nominated VerHey for confirmation by the Senate on April 13, 2026. VerHey was confirmed as part of a block of nominees submitted for a roll call vote that occurred on August 7, 2026.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “I consider this one of the great honors of my life. I am proud to represent the United States as it seeks justice in all its civil and criminal legal matters in this district. As long as I hold this position, my goal will be to see to it that all our citizens receive justice and fair treatment.”
Kalamazoo Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 18 Years for Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Lunden Lamon Walker, 40, of Kalamazoo was sentenced to 18 years in prison for trafficking in methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl while also possessing multiple firearms in furtherance of his drug dealing. During sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou emphasized Walker’s “flagrant disrespect for the law.”
In 2025, Walker sold fentanyl on five separate occasions before investigators executed search warrants at multiple residences where he sometimes stayed. In Walker’s car, they found more than 1.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. At the Kalamazoo home where Walker’s children were staying, investigators found two safes to which Walker provided the combination. Inside one safe, police found fentanyl, cocaine, more methamphetamine, two guns, ammunition, and other hallmarks of the drug trafficking trade, including baggies and a digital scale. They found a third gun inside the other safe. The following photographs show only some of the evidence recovered:
“Walker was a large-scale drug trafficker whose crimes ravaged a community that has already been deeply affected by drug and gun violence,” said United States Attorney Timothy VerHey. “My office is committed to working with our state and local partners to take these dangerous criminals off the street and help bring safety and stability to our communities.”
“Criminals who make the choice to profit from poisoning our communities and use deadly weapons as part of their criminality, create an even greater threat to this country. This sentence is a reflection of the seriousness of those actions. We are committed to safeguarding American lives by targeting these individuals and organizations and ensuring that west Michigan communities remain safe places to live, work, attend school and raise families.” said DEA Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon.
“The success of this investigation is a testament to the strength of collaboration between the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, DEA, and ATF. By combining local proactive investigative efforts with federal resources, this partnership dismantled a major drug trafficking operation and secured the successful prosecution of a large-scale drug dealer, resulting in a lengthy prison sentence. Together, we remain committed to holding those who poison our communities and illegally possess firearms accountable and making our neighborhoods safer.”
The Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET), a division of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Carowan prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Attacking ICE OfficerRead the Press Release
Enrique Lopez-Mejia injured the officer attempting to arrest him following his eighth illegal reentry into the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Enrique Lopez-Mejia, 41, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou to 24 months in prison for assaulting and resisting a United States Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officer.
The assault occurred when immigration agents attempted to stop a vehicle occupied by Lopez-Mejia and other illegal aliens. He attempted to evade officers by driving erratically, stopping abruptly, then fleeing from his car in Grand Rapids. When caught, Lopez-Mejia pushed an officer to the ground and wrestled with him until other officers succeeded in handcuffing him and securing him in their patrol car. The defendant injured an officer’s knee during the confrontation, which required medical treatment.
Lopez-Mejia is illegally in the United States for the eighth time, after having been ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2005 and being deported seven times between 2005 and 2016. After the completion of his sentence, he will again be removed to his native Guatemala.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “This case deserves our attention because it is an example of the dangerous work we ask our immigration officers to do every day. Lopez-Mejia has been removed from the United States seven times since 2000. He has been convicted numerous times for illegally re-entering the United States, and for committing state offenses once he got here. He is already subject to a lifetime ban from this country. This time, when he was found here yet again, he attacked and injured one of the officers who was trying to apprehend him. My office fully supports the important and dangerous work our immigration officers are asked to do and will always vigorously prosecute attacks like this one.”
“ICE officers put themselves in harm’s way every day to uphold our nation’s immigration laws and protect our communities,” said ICE ERO Detroit Field Office Director Matthew Putra. “This sentencing sends a clear message that individuals who assault federal officers will be held accountable. I commend our officers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for their work in bringing this case to justice.”
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations - Grand Rapids investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Daniels prosecuted it.
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.
Former Ionia Township Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Marilyn Harp took nearly $750,000 in Township funds for her own use
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Marilyn Ethel Harp, 74, of Ionia, Michigan pleaded guilty to bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344. Harp is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey filed a bank fraud charge against Harp on June 30, 2026. The Felony Information specifies that Harp served as the treasurer of Ionia Township between 1984 and 2025. Her position put her in charge of collecting property taxes from residents of Ionia Township, which she was supposed to deposit into Township bank accounts and be used for public services. The criminal charge alleges that Harp committed fraud between 2014 and 2025 when she diverted much of this money-- $747,025-- for her own benefit.
On August 6, 2026, Harp appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou and admitted her fraud. She agreed that she took Township funds and used them for herself, which included building a vacation home, taking vacations and purchasing luxury items. When others began to suspect that Harp was stealing public funds, she attempted to cover her tracks by fabricating some records and destroying others. As part of her plea agreement, Harp agreed to forfeit $647,698 that federal investigators connected to the fraud scheme and seized during the investigation.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “As a corrupt public official who was stealing public funds, Marilyn Harp deserved to be charged with the most serious crime available. Harp’s crime is worse than that, though. The money she stole from her neighbors was intended to fund her community’s school system. For over ten years she took this money from the people in her community and spent it on a vacation home and other luxuries that were out of reach for many of her neighbors. I look forward to telling Judge Jarbou all about this at the sentencing hearing.”
“Holding public office is a public trust, not a personal opportunity for financial gain. Ms. Harp deliberately broke that trust, and today’s guilty plea is an important step toward her accountability to the people of Ionia,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the exceptional work of our FBI Grand Rapids Resident Agency, in partnership with the Michigan State Police, whose professionalism, dedication, and collaboration were instrumental throughout this investigation. FBI Detroit will continue working with our partners to protect the integrity of public institutions and preserve the confidence our communities place in those institutions.”
The Grand Rapids office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Michigan State Police investigated this case. The prosecution was personally handled by United States Attorney Timothy VerHey, after consultation with the Ionia County Prosecutor’s Office.
Three Defendants Indicted for Alleged Multi-State Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Co-conspirators allegedly posed as federal agents to lure victims into converting retirement savings into gold
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that three defendants, two from New Jersey and one from India, were indicted on federal criminal charges related to alleged wire fraud. Christian Jalan Matthews, Taylor Nicole Mitchell-Meeks, and Sudeep Khurana are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for an alleged scheme to defraud victims out of their savings and retirement funds.
The indictment charges that the three defendants were part of a plan, along with other bad actors, to convince victims—most of whom are elderly—that their identities or financial accounts were at risk. After luring victims in with false promises of helping them “secure” these accounts, the co-conspirators convinced them to convert their money to gold or other currency. Posing as federal agents, the co-conspirators then set up meetings with the victims where they would hand over their money for apparent “safekeeping.” The indictment alleges that the conspiracy resulted in the fraudulent receipt or attempted receipt of more than $3 million from at least five victims.
If convicted, Matthews, Mitchell-Meeks, and Khurana face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “The allegations are that these defendants posed as federal agents to prey on our elders. Well, now they have had the chance to meet some real federal agents, and will get to see how the federal criminal justice system works. I look forward to proving to a jury the full extent of their criminal conduct so that we can get justice for the victims.”
“HSI is committed to protecting vulnerable members of our community especially seniors from scammers posing as federal agents,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We take these schemes seriously and will ensure that our seniors who have worked and saved all their lives don’t have the rug pulled out from under them.”
Kent County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Bryan Muir said, “These criminals deliberately targeted older adults by creating fear and impersonating trusted government officials. Law enforcement will never ask you to withdraw money, purchase gold, or turn over assets for ‘safekeeping', and we urge families to discuss these warning signs before a loved one is targeted. I am especially proud of our Sheriff’s Office team for turning a report into a proactive operation and working with Homeland Security Investigations to protect the victim and catch the suspects as the crime was unfolding.”
Homeland Security Investigations Grand Rapids and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clint Westbrook is prosecuting it.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Scout Leader Sentenced to over 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Robert Mark used hidden cameras to record minors undressing and using the bathroom
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Robert Alan Mark, 59, of Whitehall, MI, was sentenced to 208 months in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering called Mark a “predator” and said that “no matter what good things he had done, that was wrecked by” his conduct in this case. When he is released from the Bureau of Prisons, he will spend seven years on supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender.
For years, Mark was a leader in Boy Scouts (now Scouting America). When Scouting America began admitting female members, he served as a troop leader for female scouts as well. Scouts and their parents reported that he had hosted pool parties in his home and encouraged the girls to use his bathroom to shower and change. Investigators found that over the course of ten years, he used hidden cameras to record minor females undressed, showering, and/or using the bathroom. Recovered videos and images showed he had recorded at least eight girls, all under the age of 18, and that he had hidden cameras in his bathroom, a bedroom in his home, and a tent.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said he was satisfied with the sentence. “Mark richly deserved the sentence he got from Judge Beckering. Anyone who sexually exploits children deserves a decisive response from the criminal justice system, and he got it here. But what really got our attention was that Mark used Scouting America to get access to them. Now more than ever, our communities need organizations like Scouting America to help our kids learn the best traditional American values, and that means we will do whatever is necessary to keep deviants like Mark far away.”
“Scout leaders are trusted to protect our children, not exploit them. This sentence reflects the depravity of his conduct and makes clear that those who victimize our children will be held fully accountable,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I commend the outstanding work of the FBI Grand Rapids WEBCHEX Task Force and the Michigan State Police for their diligent efforts throughout this investigation. FBI Detroit will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to pursue those who prey on children and ensure they are brought to justice.”
“Protecting children from exploitation is one of our highest priorities. This sentence reflects the serious and lasting harm these crimes inflict on victims, and we remain committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to identify offenders, hold them accountable, and safeguard our communities.” said a spokesperson for the Michigan State Police.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Michigan State Police investigated this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Gobles Man Sentenced for Selling Chinese Drugs Without FDA ApprovalRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Brandon Piper, age 35, of Gobles, Michigan was sentenced to 21 months in prison for conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into the market with the intent to defraud and mislead both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker stated that his sentence was designed to send a message to Piper and to the public about the consequences of ignoring the FDA and the law.
According to sentencing filings, Piper helped perpetrate an extensive scheme to import unapproved, misbranded prescription drugs, including peptides, which are popular weight loss drugs, into the United States from China for distribution to customers. The customers purchased the illicit drugs first on a Canadian website and later on Piper’s own site – www.MilestonePurity.com. Both websites claimed that the drugs were “for research purposes only” even though Piper and his co-conspirators knew that customers would be using them personally. Many of the drugs also purported to be a “Product of the USA” even though conspirators purchased them from China.
Examples of the drugs sold on the websites included semaglutide and tirzepatide. Both drugs require the purchaser to have a prescription from a licensed practitioner before they can be dispensed. However, the drugs were sold without obtaining prescriptions from customers and were shipped to customers without adequate directions for use.
FDA-approved semaglutide products bear a boxed warning, commonly referred to as a “black box warning,” which is the strongest warning FDA requires. This warning indicates that the drug carries a significant risk of serious or even life-threatening adverse effects. The boxed warning addresses the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. FDA-approved tirzepatide also bears a boxed warning addressing the risk of thyroid C-Cell tumors. Piper’s drugs omitted these warnings.
“Brandon Piper’s business bypassed important drug safeguards that made him a danger to his customers,” said United States Attorney Timothy VerHey. “By going around the prescription requirement, he made drugs available to his customers that are dangerous – and even deadly - when used improperly. Also, the foreign drugs Piper was selling lacked any kind of quality control and could have contained anything. Put those two factors together and you have a recipe for disaster. Because of that, my office will always treat people like Piper just like street level drug dealers.”
“The FDA is committed to disrupting and dismantling the illegal sales of drugs online,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who exploit the internet for profits with reckless disregard for the risk to public health and safety.”
The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations prepared the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Carowan is prosecuting it. One of Piper’s co-defendants, Mayze Nichols, is scheduled to be sentenced on related charges before United States Magistrate Judge Ray Kent on September 15, 2026.
Mackinac County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax Crime for Failing to Report All IncomeRead the Press Release
Erin Patti-Coveyou Agreed to Pay $535,605 in Income Tax Owed to the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Erin Patti-Coveyou, age 36, of Moran, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement on a federal income tax return. She faces a maximum of three years in federal prison and will pay full restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, calculated at $535,605. Patti-Coveyou will be sentenced later this year by the Honorable Hala Y. Jarbou, Chief United States District Judge.
From 2021 through 2024, Patti-Coveyou failed to report $1,666,499.78 of income to the Internal Revenue Service when she filed false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns on Form 1040 in each of those years. For example, in 2022, she falsely reported her 2021 income was $353,055. In fact, she had obtained an additional $279,079.12 of income from embezzling cash from her employer and her gambling activity. Additionally, for calendar years 2022 and 2024, she underreported her income as $39,960; $53,188; and $56,545, when in fact her true income in those years was $424,882; $461,300; and $650,931, respectively. Her failure to report income resulted in a total federal income tax loss of $535,605. Patti-Coveyou also agreed to repay a total of $1,751,059 that she embezzled from her employer between 2021 and 2025.
U.S. Attorney VerHey stated, “Ms. Patti-Coveyou reported only a small fraction of her income because she was an embezzler, a gambler, and wanted to avoid paying her share of taxes. We cannot tolerate people who lie on their taxes because it undermines the integrity of our tax system. Today’s plea demonstrates my office’s commitment to holding individuals accountable when they choose to break our federal tax laws.”
“Taxpayers thinking about participating in fraudulent tax schemes, including failing to report all forms of income, should stop in their tracks and simply look at the consequences of taking the next step,” said Robert Kuszynski, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS-CI. “Those consequences include going to prison, being branded a convicted felon for the rest of their lives, and paying back all the taxes owed plus steep penalties and interest.”
This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the law enforcement arm of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor is prosecuting it.
Two Colombian Nationals Extradited from Colombia to West Michigan to Face Cocaine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that two Colombian nationals made their initial appearance in a federal court in Grand Rapids on Friday after they were extradited to the United States on Thursday.
According to the indictment, from November 2024 through June 24, 2025, Carlos Andres Rueda Ipia, also known as “Indio,” and Manuel Augusto Munoz Orozco, also known as “Gordo,” conspired with each other and other individuals to distribute and import five kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, and on March 13, 2025, distributed five kilograms or more of cocaine in Colombia, having reasonable cause to believe that the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States.
“We worked with our international law enforcement partners to extradite these two men to face justice here because we want to send this message: if you send drugs into our community, we will come for you no matter where you are,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey. “I look forward to proving the guilt of these two defendants before a West Michigan jury.”
If convicted, Rueda Ipia and Munoz Orozco face a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.
“Let this be a warning, if you choose to traffic cocaine into the United States, you should expect to be hunted down, arrested, and brought into an American courtroom—no matter where you try to hide,” said DEA Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. “The DEA will relentlessly pursue transnational drug traffickers, dismantle their criminal enterprises, and ensure they face the full weight of the American justice system.”
“Drug trafficking on this scale crosses jurisdictions and international borders, and working with our federal and international partners is necessary to hold those responsible accountable,” said Kent County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Bryan Muir. “Having a KCSO detective assigned to the DEA Task Force gives us a direct role in these investigations, improves information sharing, and helps keep dangerous drugs out of West Michigan.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case, with domestic assistance from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Grand Rapids Police Department, and the Michigan State Police, as well as international assistance from DEA’s Offices in Bogota (Colombia) and Vienna (Austria), the Colombian National Police, the Austrian Bundeskriminalamt, and the Austrian Landeskriminalamt. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá and Office of International Affairs worked with the government of Colombia to secure the arrest and extradition of the defendants from Colombia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan McGraw is prosecuting the case.
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 historical 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.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Jamaican National Extradited to West Michigan Pleads Guilty for His Role in Nationwide Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Jamaican national Sefton Stewart, age 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his role in a nationwide fraud scheme that fraudulently obtained at least $3.4 million from more than 25 victims. Stewart will be sentenced by United States District Judge Paul Maloney and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, between October 2019 and September 2024, Stewart, Danielle Diarbakerly, and others participated in a scheme to defraud people in the United States by claiming they had won large prizes (cash and luxury vehicles) in a multistate lottery. To claim the prizes, victims were told they had to pay taxes and fees associated with their winnings. None of those false representations were true and the conspirators used fake bank and U.S. government documents to convince some victims to believe the fraudulent representations and promises. A large portion of the victim funds ultimately were sent to Jamaica, where Stewart resided and a substantial part of the scheme was executed. At least one of the scheme’s victims was a resident of West Michigan, which prompted U.S. Attorney VerHey to file charges.
“This defendant helped operate a scheme that preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens. Today’s guilty plea is an important step toward justice for the victims and demonstrates our commitment to holding international fraudsters accountable,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey, who prosecuted co-conspirator Danielle Diarbakerly last year. Diarbakerly, a Florida resident, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to launder money obtained in the fraud scheme and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for her role.
Stewart was extradited to Grand Rapids, Michigan from Jamaica by the U.S. Marshals Service in March 2026 and has been detained since his arrival. After serving his sentence, Stewart will be removed from the United States.
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting the public from transnational criminal organizations that target vulnerable individuals through complex fraud schemes,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Scott Bauer, Grand Rapids Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “This case demonstrates the importance of international cooperation and the dedication of our agents to pursue justice for victims, no matter where the perpetrators may reside. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who exploit innocent people are held accountable.”
“The defendant in today’s announcement and their prosecuted co-conspirator share one trait in common – greed,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kuszynski, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “This desire for money, along with the power and material items it buys, drove them to commit crimes against many of the vulnerable in our society. Thanks to the financial expertise and diligence of IRS-CI special agents, who worked side-by-side with our law enforcement partners to uncover these schemes, these criminals are facing the consequences of their actions.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) are jointly investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor is prosecuting it.
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Oregon Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Distribution of Drugs Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Kai Packer Sold Fake Pills that Contained Fentanyl and Methamphetamine
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Kai Livingston Packer, 25, of Eugene, Oregon, was sentenced to 204 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and the unlawful use of a means of identification.
“This case has lessons for two groups of people,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “For people who use illegal drugs the lesson is that fentanyl has flooded the illegal drug market and is being added to just about everything your dealer sells. Even experienced drug users are fatally overdosing because they just don’t know they are taking this lethal drug. Don’t take that risk. The other lesson is for drug dealers: We know you are killing people by lacing your products with fentanyl. When we catch you -- and we will -- you will be shocked at how old you will be before you ever see the outside of a prison cell.”
In February 2023, a young man in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan ingested pills he had ordered online and died of fentanyl poisoning. A review of that man’s phone led investigators to Kai Packer. Kai Packer operated various online storefronts that sold drugs on the Snapchat and Telegram applications. He sold pills that he claimed were oxycodone or Adderall, but when undercover law enforcement officers ordered pills, the advertised oxycodone was actually fentanyl and the alleged Adderall was methamphetamine. To distance himself from the drug dealing, Packer accepted payment via CashApp using an alias, specifically, the name of a person whose identity had been stolen. Packer engaged in this activity from his home in Oregon as well as from a previous residence in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“The scourge of fentanyl has plagued communities across Michigan and taken too many of our friends and neighbors too soon,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent In Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI remains steadfast in our commitment to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and hold offenders accountable under the law.”
“Fentanyl continues to be the greatest drug threats facing our nation, claiming lives at an alarming rate. This sentence sends a clear message that those who profit from distributing this poison will be held responsible for the harm they cause.” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. “The DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue working tirelessly to remove fentanyl from our streets and protect American families from its deadly impact.”
“The Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office would like the community to know that we and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (Tri-DENT) will follow these investigations wherever they may lead us,” said Chippewa County Sheriff Mike Bitnar. “We also thank our federal law enforcement partners for their cooperation here and express our sincere condolences to the family of the victim.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Michigan State Police, the Chippewa County (Michigan) Sheriff, the Tri-county Drug Enforcement Team (of the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan), the Las Vegas (Nevada) Metropolitan Police Department, and the Clackamas County (Oregon) Sheriff.
The extensive law enforcement cooperation shown here comes as a result of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. For more on the risk posed by counterfeit pills, see: https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
Hudsonville Man Sentenced for Possessing and Transferring Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
ATF Recovered Seven “Switches” from Ethan Carter’s Home, Including One Installed on a Pistol
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Ethan Carter, age 18 of Hudsonville, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possession and transferring a machinegun. In imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker observed that he had “seen a lot of carnage on the street from conversion devices,” and noted that the sentence had to account for deterring not only Carter but others who might be drawn toward the same conduct.
“Selling machine gun conversion devices is like selling sticks of dynamite,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “We know from sad experience that it’s only a matter of time before they kill someone. That’s why we prosecute these cases no matter who we catch doing it. We don’t know for sure how many of these devices Carter sold, but he bragged about selling a hundred of them. I hope he was lying about that. But even if he transferred less than that, his conduct was incredibly dangerous to the rest of us.”
In June 2025, Carter gave a machinegun conversion device to another person. When installed on a semiautomatic gun, a machinegun conversion device, often called a “switch,” allows the weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant at Carter’s home several weeks later and found approximately six additional machinegun conversion devices, as well as a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed.
Carter pleaded guilty to one count of possession and transfer of a machinegun on February 11, 2026. Although the advisory sentencing guidelines called for 24 to 30 months, Judge Jonker granted a partial variance, weighing Carter's age among the relevant factors. In addition to the 15-month prison term, Carter will serve two years on supervised release.
“Ethan Carter chose to make a quick buck selling an illegal machine gun conversion device in another state and it almost cost him his life. He essentially knowingly risked his future when he clearly chose to possess and distribute devices that turn pistols into illegal machineguns. Those were not youthful mistakes—they were reckless decisions that threatened public safety across this nation,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division. “If you traffic in machinegun conversion devices, expect ATF to identify you, track you down, and hold you accountable.”
This case was investigated by ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Roth and Constance Turnbull.
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.
Federal Jury Convicts Grand Rapids Man Involved in Interstate Drug Trafficking Through U.S. MailRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey, announced that a federal jury convicted Cordairo Aqtavian Lambert, age 39 of Grand Rapids, Michigan, of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.
The investigation into Lambert began in July 2024 after postal inspectors in Arizona seized and searched a parcel addressed to a residence in Grand Rapids; that parcel contained over a half kilogram of cocaine. Inspectors identified Lambert on surveillance video mailing the 2024 parcel from Arizona. Lambert had previous drug trafficking and firearm felonies in both federal and state courts. Evidence presented at trial showed that Lambert frequently traveled to Arizona, often crossing the border into Mexico, in conjunction with the time suspected drug parcels were sent. One year later, in July 2025, Lambert attempted to retrieve a parcel containing nearly two-thirds of a kilogram of cocaine from a residence in southeast Grand Rapids. When a Grand Rapids police officer attempted to arrest him, Lambert fled on foot and hid in a residential neighborhood, before surrendering to police. The images below are from evidence admitted at trial showing Lambert retrieving the parcel in July 2025 and fleeing police:
“My office will continue to focus its resources on prosecuting recidivist felons like Lambert who flood our neighborhoods with drugs,” stated U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey. “This investigation underscores the power of collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies and the need for further vigilance and resources in combatting drug trafficking using the U.S. Mail.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains fully committed to investigating and holding accountable those who traffic dangerous drugs in our communities,” said Felicia B. George, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division. “This successful outcome is a direct reflection of the commitment of federal and local law enforcement partnerships, all working together to keep the citizens of the Western District of Michigan safe.”
“I value our partnerships with our federal agencies and appreciate the tireless work from all those that contributed to this lengthy investigation. Drug trafficking not only brings dangerous drugs into our communities, but it also brings violence. Successful convictions for those responsible sends a strong message of accountability which has a significant impact on reducing crime.” said Grand Rapids Interim Police Chief Joseph Trigg.
Lambert is scheduled to be sentenced this fall and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for the conviction.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, Grand Rapids Police Department, and Michigan State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vito S. Solitro and Stephanie M. Carowan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Calhoun County Man Indicted for Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
Additional Potential Victims or Witnesses Are Encouraged to Come Forward
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Gerald Lee Preston, 69, of Homer, Michigan, was indicted on criminal charges related to alleged sexual exploitation of minors.
According to court documents, Preston is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, specifically that, in 2011, he used, persuaded, induced and enticed two separate minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. If convicted, Preston faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. The statutory maximum sentence a court can impose for each count of sexual exploitation is 30 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Every one of the prosecutors in my office is dedicated to getting justice for the children who are being sexually exploited. Simply put--we won’t stop until it stops. I applaud the work that the HSI agents have done on this case and we look forward to seeing this case through to a successful conclusion.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is leading the ongoing investigation of Gerald Preston. HSI requests and encourages anyone that has relevant information about or may be a victim of Preston’s alleged crimes to call the HSI Tipline at (866) DHS-2-ICE, that is (866) 347-2423, or email investigators and victim assistance personnel at [email protected]. The Grand Rapids office of HSI is investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Constance Turnbull is prosecuting it.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Gives Hometown Hero Award to Benzie County DeputyRead the Press Release
Deputy Matt McKinley recognized for his work with “McKinley’s Kids”
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that the Justice Department gave its Hometown Hero Award to Benzie County Deputy Sheriff Matt McKinley. The award ceremony was held at Benzie Central High School in Benzonia, Michigan and attended by the students, friends and family of Deputy McKinley, the school’s Student Resource Officer and area law enforcement.
The Hometown Hero Award is part of the Freedom 250 celebration, marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. At the request of the White House, the United States Attorney’s Offices in each of the 93 districts were asked to present the award to honor an outstanding member of its law enforcement community – a true “hometown hero” – during the week leading up to Memorial Day. Only 93 people nationwide were selected to receive this award, and Deputy McKinley is one of only two people in Michigan to receive it.
Deputy McKinley was selected from a large number of nominees submitted from all over the Western District of Michigan. All the nominees were worthy, but Deputy McKinley was selected because of his work with underprivileged kids in Benzie County, where he serves as the student resource officer for the Benzie County School system. Although McKinley’s job was formally limited to student safety, he soon saw other ways he could help the students under his care. For example, when he saw that some students did not appear to have enough to eat, McKinley set up an in-school food pantry where hungry students can get a healthy snack. When he learned that some students suffered over having to attend school with tattered or dirty clothes, he organized a community-wide effort to stock new clothing. These aid efforts, now affectionately known as “McKinley’s Kids” drives, have brought the Benzie County community together.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Deputy McKinley deserves this award because he is a great example of what it means to be an American. When he sees a problem he can fix, he rolls up his sleeves and sets out to fix it rather than waiting for someone else to do it. And when his neighbors saw his idea, they enthusiastically pitched in. People like him make the rest of us proud to be Americans and make us want to do our part too. Our great country turns 250 this year; as long as there are people like Matt McKinley out there, the next 250 years are going to be the best yet.”
Online Predators Sentenced to 82 YearsRead the Press Release
Two conspirators imprisoned for scheme to obtain child pornography.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Michael David Bledsoe, 47, of Lansing, Michigan and Joseph Brandon, 50, of Knoxville, Tennessee, were sentenced to a total of 984 months in prison following their convictions for conspiracy to sexually exploit children. During sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou commented this misconduct at issue was so severe as to be “off the charts.” Brandon was sentenced to 660 total months for his crimes, with each of his individual sentences required to be served consecutively. The Court sentenced Bledsoe to 324 total months for his misconduct. When they are released from prison, Brandon will spend 10 years and Bledsoe will spend 5 years on supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “I don’t know how to make it any plainer than this: If you are sexually exploiting children, you will be found, prosecuted and sent to prison for a very long time. Stop harming our children or your life is essentially over.”
Bledsoe and Brandon met online through a chat group devoted to the discussion of predation of minor females. Through private messages, the two formed a criminal agreement in which Bledsoe promised to provide Brandon with social media and biographical information about minor girls in Michigan. In return, Brandon promised to “catfish” child pornography from the minors, by using a fake social media account where he posed as a 15-year-old girl.
Federal agents discovered the conspiracy after executing a search warrant on Bledsoe’s home and electronics. The search uncovered the illicit messages between Bledsoe and Brandon, as well as a trove of child pornography files. Investigators then used this information to obtain a search warrant for Brandon’s home in Tennessee, where they found thousands more images and videos of children being sexually abused.
“If you attempt to exploit our children through online deception and catfishing schemes, expect to spend decades in prison. This sentence sends a strong message to these defendants, who will have plenty of time to think about their appalling actions,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “These individuals conspired to manipulate and exploit vulnerable victims through calculated online tactics that have no place in our Michigan communities. Thanks to the diligent investigative work of our FBI Lansing Resident Agency, with the assistance from the FBI Knoxville Resident Agency, and additional assets throughout the Bureau, this disturbing scheme was uncovered, and the defendants were brought to justice.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin J. Hakes prosecuted it.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Combatting online child sexual abuse remains a priority for the Department of Justice. To report an incident of actual or suspected online child sexual exploitation, call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's (NCMEC) 24-Hour Call Center at 1-800-843-5678, submit a CyberTip report to NCMEC at report.cybertip.org, or contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
Former CEO of West Michigan Nonprofit Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Dr. Nkechy Ezeh was the Founder of Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced today that Dr. Nkechy Ezeh, 61, of Kent County, Michigan, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme that stole $1.4 million in taxpayer and donor money intended for vulnerable preschool children. She was also sentenced to a concurrent prison term of 60 months for evading income taxes.
Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who imposed the sentence, characterized Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief,” described the scheme as “brazen and widespread,” and noted that Ezeh stole money intended for some of West Michigan’s most vulnerable children. Judge Jarbou ordered Ezeh to pay $1.4 million in restitution to the victims of the fraud and $390,174 to the IRS. Judge Jarbou also remanded Ezeh directly to prison to begin serving her sentence immediately.
“Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond reprehensible,” VerHey said. “She stole taxpayer and private-donor dollars meant for low-income children in our community. Instead of helping kids, she spent that money on herself. The stolen money could have supported hundreds of West Michigan children and their families. Judge Jarbou’s sentence was perfectly appropriate.”
Ezeh – the 2018 West Michigan Woman of the Year, a two-time appointee to the State of Michigan’s Early Childhood Investment Corporation’s Executive Committee, and a tenured professor of education – founded Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), a West Michigan nonprofit funded by the Department of Health and Human Service’s Early Head Start program, the U.S. Department of Education, and private donors. It provided meals, transportation, funding, advocacy, and other services to children in preschools located in underserved communities.
As a result of the fraud, ELNC had to close its doors in 2023, many West Michigan preschools lost funding, and needy children lost valuable resources. ELNC also had to lay off its 35 employees without any notice. Sharon Killebrew, ELNC’s former bookkeeper and Ezeh’s co-conspirator, was sentenced in November 2025 to 54 months in federal prison for her role in the scheme.
In a sentencing memorandum, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said that Ezeh used the stolen money to fund her lifestyle, pay for a family member’s wedding, and to travel to Hawaii, Europe, and Africa. She placed her family members on a ghost payroll that caused ELNC to pay them hundreds of thousands of dollars for little or no work, and she used money mules to wire hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen money to her family in Nigeria.
The sentencing memorandum also pointed out that, although the direct victims of the fraud were ELNC’s donors – the federal government’s Early Head Start Program, the U.S. Department of Education, and three of Michigan’s largest, most generous, and most well-known charities – the people most affected were the children and their families who lost the support ELNC once provided. These were mostly children of color under the age of five years old, 72% of whom lived below the federal poverty level in some of the poorest neighborhoods in Kent County, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek.
“This case underscores the seriousness of misusing federal grant funds for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Our commitment to protecting the integrity of HHS programs remains steadfast, and we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to uphold these standards and ensure that violators are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler is the prosecutor.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefits programs.
Byron Center Resident Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
James Scholten ordered to pay $868,707 in taxes due to the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that James Phillip Scholten, age 51, of Byron Center was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering. Additionally, Scholten was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $868,707 and serve three years of supervised release following prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey stated, “Cheating on your taxes is not only illegal, it’s also not worth the risk. Scholten knew he owed a lot of money to the government, had the money to pay, but decided to keep it for himself. Now he is going to prison and will have to pay his taxes anyway. I ask everyone to voluntarily pay the taxes they owe so that cases like this become unnecessary.”
Court records reflect that Scholten pled guilty to tax evasion and admitted that he failed to report $3.4 million of income he generated through the sale of scrap material over a 13-year period. Scholten stole the highly valuable scrap material from his employer and used the proceeds to unlawfully enrich himself and finance a lifestyle he could not otherwise afford. Scholten intentionally failed to provide his CPA with records documenting his recycling income to evade assessment of tax on that income. For example, in 2021, Scholten reported that he only owed $2,465 in federal income tax. In fact, Scholten obtained an additional $610,818 in taxable income from recycling activity, which resulted in an additional tax due and owing of $172,618.
“Today, justice is served, and James Scholten has been held accountable for his criminal actions. Stealing materials from your employer and using them for your own profit can only be hidden for so long,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS special agents work tirelessly every day to identify and bring to prosecution both those who commit fraud, and those who evade their tax obligation on that fraudulent money – it’s a matter of maintaining public confidence in our system of taxation as well as the justice system.”
This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the law enforcement arm of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor prosecuted it.
Hastings Man Charged with Stealing More than $100,000 in Federal Taxpayer FundsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that on May 5, 2026, a grand jury charged Michael Lee Brooks, 47, of Hastings, Michigan, with two counts of theft of federal taxpayer funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that Brooks, who was the representative payee for his father’s Social Security retirement benefits, failed to notify the Social Security Administration that his father died in September 2019, and thereafter continued to collect his father’s Social Security benefits for seven years, through August 2025. The indictment alleges that Brooks submitted false annual representative payee accounting statements to the Social Security Administration as part of the theft, which totaled $99,055.00.
Count 2 of the indictment alleges that Brooks stole $4,218.00 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by making false statements and material omissions of fact.
If convicted, Brooks faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count.
The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Iron PursuitRead the Press Release
In One Month, Over 200 Child Victims Identified and More than 350 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown. Two Offenders Charged in the Western District of Michigan.
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Iron Pursuit, a one-month, nationwide enforcement effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators. More than 200 child victims were located and over 350 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested. All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys' offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort.
The operation commenced April 1 and ended April 30. The Administration for Children and Families recognize April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The sexual exploitation of minors is an abomination with no place in our society. We will hunt down these offenders, hold them fully accountable under the law, and deliver justice for victims.”
“Every single day this FBI is working 24/7 to break networks of child abusers all across this country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Last year we joined our partners delivering a record year, identifying and rescuing over 6,300 missing children, and today’s announcement of Operation Iron Pursuit is just the latest success in that work — with over 200 victims located and over 350 offenders arrested. Let this be a message to criminal actors who seek to target America’s children: you will be pursued, and you will be brought to justice.”
Victims recovered include a 10-year-old from Utah who was flown from Cuba to home and the child’s biological mother. The child was supposed to be on a camping trip with a transgender parent, partner, and another child. The group instead flew from Canada to Mexico and then to Cuba; concerns existed that the 10-year-old child was taken to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery. FBI Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted with the recovery of the children, providing crisis support and stabilization.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, abuse, kidnapping, and possessing, distributing, or receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Some of the alleged offenders include:
- A Columbus, Ohio, man who pleaded guilty to creating AI-generated obscene material of adults and children and to cyberstalking exes;
- A District of Columbia man charged with producing child pornography;
- A New York man charged with sexually exploiting a child; and
- A Pennsylvania man and former felon charged with sexually exploiting a child and illegally possessing a gun.
“You can see from this one-month snapshot that child sexual exploitation remains a major law enforcement concern for all of us, including the Western District of Michigan,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey. “We have adapted our investigative methods as these child predators have moved onto the internet, and we will continue to do whatever it takes to bring these offenders to justice.”
In the Western District of Michigan, a grand jury returned an indictment against Matthew David Coad on April 7, 2026. Coad was charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Because of a prior conviction for criminal sexual conduct against a minor, he faces enhanced penalties if convicted: prison for a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years for distribution of child pornography and a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years for possession of child pornography.
On the same date, the same grand jury returned an indictment charging Christopher Patrick Owens with seven counts of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a child. If Owens is convicted, each sexual exploitation count requires a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison; attempted coercion and enticement carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.
“Our participation in Operation Iron Pursuit is another example of the work we do every day in Michigan to protect children and hold predators accountable,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of our FBI Bay City, Flint, and Grand Rapids Resident Agencies, alongside the FBI Detroit Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose work continues to safeguard our communities and protect children from those who seek to harm them.”
This effort follows three other successful operations last year. Operation Relentless Justice, concluded in December 2025, resulted in the rescue of 205 children and arrests of 293 offenders. Operation Enduring Justice, concluded in August 2025, resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. And Operation Restore Justice, concluded in May 2025, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders.
The FBI’s VSD assisted victims during Operation Iron Pursuit and provided services such as forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
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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Grand Rapids Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Anthony Spetoskey, age 35, of Grand Rapids. was sentenced to 360 months for sexual exploitation of a child. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker described his conduct as “about as egregious as I have seen.”
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Spetosky is an internet predator based in Grand Rapids who trolled for underage girls around the world to psychologically coerce them into doing themselves psychological and physical harm. He did this to make money, but also because he considered it fun. But while he was hunting for his victims, we were hunting for him. No one will see Spetosky on our streets for the next 30 years because he will be in prison, where he belongs, thanks to the hard work of federal law enforcement. Others like Spetosky should take note—we are coming for you too.”
In October 2024, HSI London advised HSI Grand Rapids that a subject involved in the sextortion of minor girls and the distribution of child pornography may be located in West Michigan. As a result of extensive investigative work, HSI Grand Rapids agents ultimately identified Spetoskey as that subject, despite his methodical attempts to conceal his identity online, evade detection, and obscure his location.
Spetoskey operated online under the identifier “NoLimits” and used a number of other names across various accounts. He ran a Telegram group used to coerce victims, including underage girls, into producing exploitative material, some of which involved self-harm. He bragged about his actions to online users and claimed responsibility for more than 250 victims over a five-year period. Spetoskey’s victims were located in the U.S. and overseas.
“This sentencing demonstrates the steadfast commitment of HSI to protect children from exploitation, no matter where offenders operate or how they attempt to conceal their crimes,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “This investigation is a testament to the power of international collaboration, with HSI Grand Rapids, HSI London and foreign law enforcement working side-by-side to identify and apprehend a predator who targeted vulnerable victims both in the United States and abroad.”
HSI Grand Rapids and HSI London investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Constance Turnbull prosecuted it.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit www.justice.gov/PSC.
Felon Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Tyrone Kenneth Smith, Jr., age 29 of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to 90 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. In imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker noted that it was “miraculous that no one was seriously hurt . . . [or] killed” when Smith fired off a semiautomatic weapon with a high-capacity magazine in a crowded venue.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “We chose Smith for federal prosecution on this firearms charge because he has repeatedly refused to abide by laws that say he cannot have a firearm. After being convicted no fewer than four times for felony firearms offenses in the State of Michigan, he went out and got himself yet another gun, then took it to a crowded public gathering and fired it off. Through his actions, Smith has told us all that he is a menace to the rest of us, and he cannot be rehabilitated. He deserves the sentence he got today, and we will be watching him when he is eventually allowed out of prison.”
On June 22, 2025, a large group of young people gathered on the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids. Smith was there and pulled a gun from his waistband and fired four rounds, causing everyone to flee the bridge. Surveillance video at the bridge captured the incident; Smith is circled in the image below and a muzzle flash is also visible.
The firearm was recovered and was a Polymer P80 pistol with an extended magazine, these privately made firearms are called “ghost guns” because they do not have serial numbers and are therefore difficult to track.[1] Four shots were fired on the bridge and the extended magazine was loaded with an additional 22 live rounds when it was recovered by police later that night.
“When a convicted felon chooses to unlawfully possess ammunition and a firearm in an attempt to spread fear and cause panic, they should expect swift justice and the full weight of federal law,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The defendant’s actions endangered lives and threatened public safety in a place where visitors deserve peace. I commend the excellent investigative work of our FBI Grand Rapids Resident Agency, alongside the Grand Rapids Police Department, whose partnership uncovered critical evidence leading to the defendant’s arrest.”
“Grand Rapids Police Department appreciates the partnership between local law enforcement, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to address violent crime, and especially gun violence, in our community,” said Interim GRPD Chief Joe Trigg. “Every offender that faces accountability means a safer community for us all.”
The FBI and the Grand Rapids Police Department investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis M. Sanford prosecuted it.
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 Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
[1] https://www.atf.gov/firearms/privately-made-firearms
Fourteen Individuals from Southwest Michigan Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that on April 14, 2026, a grand jury indicted eight defendants for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and other related offenses. Six defendants had previously been indicted in separate cases. The eight defendants indicted on April 14 are listed below:
United States v. Echols, et al., No. 1:26-cr-00035
NameAgeResidenceStatus and ChargesShawn Bernard Echols,
a/k/a “Doe,” “Brother-in-Law”
56Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesLamont Roquinton Thomas, a/k/a “Jug,” “Jughead”52Berrien Springs, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineAnthony Lynn Lloyd,
a/k/a “Amp”
54Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylAdrian Linn Travier36Kalamazoo, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Distribution of MethamphetamineLamar Edward Sanders47Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesKeith Trayvon Curtis
a/k/a “Tray,” “Nephew”
35Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesLue Chanel Williams54Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Commit Concealment Money Laundering and False Statement within the Jurisdiction of the United StatesUnited States v. Traylor, No. 1:26-cr-00036
NameAgeResidenceStatus and ChargesGregory Levell Traylor,
a/k/a “Vell”
47Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Heroin, and CocaineThe six defendants previously indicted are listed below:
United States v. Ballard, et al., No. 1:26-cr-00016
NameAgeResidenceStatus and ChargesKorey Demichael Ballard,
a/k/a “Dizzle”
31Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Distribution of Methamphetamine and CocaineCharles Xavier Williams41Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Distribution of MethamphetamineDeshun Lee Holmes38Benton Harbor, MichiganPending Guilty Plea – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineDemyron Lashun Robinson42Benton Harbor, MichiganIndicted – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Distribution of CocaineUnited States v. Scott, et al., No. 1:25-cr-00176
NameAgeResidenceStatus and ChargesMichael Deanglo Scott,
a/k/a “Bink,” “Binky”
32Benton Harbor, MichiganPled Guilty – Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineMichael Devontae Scott,
a/k/a “Big Head”
33Benton Harbor, MichiganPled Guilty – Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineThe investigation arose after agents learned that a group of Benton Harbor drug traffickers were obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine and other drugs through third-party carriers out-of-state. For example, on July 9, 2025, investigators seized over 19 pounds of methamphetamine from a FedEx box delivered from California to Bangor, Michigan. On November 19, 2025, investigators executed over a dozen search warrants in Benton Harbor, Berrien Springs, St. Joseph, and Kalamazoo, Michigan and elsewhere, which resulted in the seizure of nearly a kilogram of fentanyl, over 500 grams of cocaine, over $40,000 in cash, and multiple firearms. Further details of the investigation are available in the criminal complaint filed in United States v. Scott, No. 1:25-mj-00612.
“This investigation shows the power of collaboration among law enforcement agencies,” stated U.S. Attorney VerHey. “With the assistance of my office, various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies worked together to focus their efforts on disrupting the supply chain of some of the largest methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine traffickers in Southwest Michigan. We look forward to proving these defendants’ involvement in the drug trafficking and money laundering beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine continue to cause devastating harm in our communities, and we will not tolerate those who seek to profit from the distribution of these dangerous substances,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I commend the dedicated members of the FBI St. Joseph Resident Agency for their work on this case and their role in the broader homeland security mission through the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force and Operation Lake Effect. We will continue our efforts to disrupt and dismantle individuals and organizations who distribute dangerous drugs in our region.”
These cases were investigated and prosecuted by the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Lake Effect. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Michigan State Police, Southwest Enforcement Team, Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office, Battle Creek Police Department, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, Benton Township Police Department, Pokagon Band Tribal Police Department, Lincoln Township Police Department, St. Joseph Department of Public Safety, and St. Joseph Township Police Department investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vito S. Solitro.
The charges in the indictments are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Child Predator Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Devonte Andrew Edwards, 26, of Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child. During sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou emphasized the importance of protecting the public from Edwards, noting that Edwards himself had once told another person that he wanted to groom and assault children “for the rest of [his] life.”
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Devonte Edwards enjoyed finding children to sexually assault, enjoyed making recordings of his sexual assaults, and enjoyed bragging about it to his friends. I doubt he will enjoy being in federal prison for the next 30 years, but that is exactly where he belongs. Sexual predators take note: Keep your hands off of our kids or you will be found, prosecuted and sent to prison for a very long time.”
Authorities began investigating Edwards in the spring of 2025 when Child Protective Services learned that a 13-year-old minor had run away from home with an adult male. Police used forensic examination software to gather evidence from the minor’s phone. The information they gleaned showed the minor had been located near Edwards’s residence during the time of her disappearance. A judge issued a warrant to search his home, and police executed the warrant, seizing Edwards’s electronic devices. On Edwards’s phone, investigators found pictures and videos that showed him sexually assaulting the 13-year-old. They also recovered messages between Edwards and other people with a sexual interest in children. In these messages, Edwards bragged about the sexual assaults that he recorded, stating, “The 13-year-old really made me want to do this for the rest of my life.”
Edwards was charged and detained in Kalamazoo County after the search of his dwelling. Later, a federal grand jury indicted Edwards, accusing him of sexually exploiting a child contrary to federal law. He pleaded guilty as charged on December 17, 2025.
“Anyone who exploits a child should expect to spend decades behind bars, and this 30-year sentence sends that message loud and clear,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Devonte Edwards admitted to manipulating social media platforms to target underaged girls, a calculated and disturbing abuse of technology. I sincerely thank my team from the FBI Kalamazoo Resident Agency for their exhaustive investigative work, alongside our partners from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. Parents should remain vigilant, as many apps allow interaction with strangers and can expose children to serious risks. FBI Detroit will continue to pursue those who prey on our children and work to safeguard our communities from predators.”
“This conviction sends a clear message: when local and federal partners work together, we can hold offenders fully accountable,” said David Boysen, Chief of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. “These cases are complex and often cross jurisdictions, but our collaboration allowed us to build a strong case that led to a significant sentence. Protecting children is our highest priority, and we will continue to pursue these crimes relentlessly.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Roth and Austin Hakes prosecuted it.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Illegal Alien Who Unlawfully Used A Social Security Number and Assaulted Agents Sentenced to 15 Months in CustodyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Julio Cesar Garcia-Espinoza, 29, a citizen of Mexico living illegally in the United States, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for the offenses of falsely claiming lawful permanent resident status, using a Social Security number not assigned to him in order to obtain employment, and assaulting and inflicting bodily injury on Homeland Security Investigations agents who were attempting to arrest him.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “I consider this to be a serious case. All too often, our law enforcement officers are injured while doing the job we ask them to do. When most of us go to work each day, we don’t have to seriously worry about being attacked. They do. These officers deserve the respect and gratitude of all of us, and they will always receive the full support of my office when they are endangered while doing their jobs.”
After entering the United States illegally in 2022, Garcia-Espinoza procured and used a false permanent resident card and a false Social Security card to obtain employment at Riedstra Dairy, Ltd., in Mendon, Michigan. After he was indicted by a federal grand jury for such offenses, HSI Special Agents attempted to serve him with a court-ordered arrest warrant on September 24, 2025. He forcibly resisted being taken into custody by kicking, biting, spitting, yelling, and cursing. One of the officers was bitten on the chest; the bite broke the skin and he required medical treatment. On January 7, 2026, Garcia-Espinoza entered a plea of guilty to all counts.
Upon the completion of his sentence, Garcia-Espinoza will be subject to removal proceedings to deport him to his native Mexico.
“There are serious consequences for those who commit fraud and resort to violence against law enforcement,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “Our special agents put themselves at risk every day to uphold the law and protect our communities. HSI remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard the integrity of our immigration system and ensure the safety of our officers and the public.”
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
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.
Seven Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Operating a Multistate Burglary RingRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced John Sebastian Quintero-Herrera, a Colombian national, to serve 70 months in prison. Quintero-Herrera was the leader of a multi-state burglary ring involving six other defendants. All the defendants were in the United States illegally. Quintero-Herrera subsequently pled guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and was the last defendant to be sentenced, with the exception of one additional defendant who has evaded custody thus far.
During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Beckering expressed dismay over the defendant’s conduct in operating a large-scale burglary operation that spanned most of the continental United States. She described the defendants’ sophisticated operation as “Ocean’s Eleven-style conduct” while being “downright cruel.” When describing how Quintero-Herrera and his co-defendants behaved, Judge Beckering described the burglaries as leaving behind “ransacked houses” producing a “bone-chilling” effect on homeowners. All of this caused the court to exceed the sentence recommended for ordinary theft offenses.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “This case represents another example of why we are so alarmed by illegal immigration into the United States. When these people sneaked into our country, they weren’t looking for a chance to get a job. Their idea of a better life was to set up a burglary operation targeting the homes of people all over the United States. These professional burglars made over $1,500,000 breaking into people’s homes, but perhaps the most precious thing they stole from their victims was their sense of security and safety. I salute law enforcement’s ability to track down and stop these people men, but the fact remains that they should never have been allowed inside our borders to do this.”
Quintero-Herrera and six others engaged in a conspiracy that encompassed much of the United States and involved twenty known residences. The burglary ring was very sophisticated: The conspirators would identify small business owners whom they suspected stored large amounts of cash or other valuables in their homes. The defendants then surveilled their targets, using GPS trackers to monitor their movements and cameras to surveil the homes of the victims. Ultimately, Quintero-Herrera and his co-conspirators broke into the homes of the victims, sometimes cutting off their power, and then ransacking the houses. The group took cash, jewelry, luxury brand purses and shoes, family heirlooms, as well as personal documents, like passports and mortgage paperwork. The houses were often left in complete and total disarray, with mattresses slashed and belongings strewn about. The defendants spent the money they obtained on drugs, nightclubs and extravagant travel.
The defendants used hidden surveillance cameras to watch potential victims
The defendants put GPS trackers on their victims’ cars to locate their homes
The defendants ripped apart their victims’ homes looking for valuables
“The defendants’ actions were calculated, invasive, and left lasting harm on their victims,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI is actively targeting South American theft groups that operate sophisticated, multi-state burglary rings like this one, and we are working tirelessly to disrupt their networks and hold them accountable. Through coordinated efforts across multiple states, we were able to bring those responsible to justice and restore a sense of security to the affected communities.”
In total, the United States charged seven defendants as part of the conspiracy. Six have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. One defendant remains at large. The Court has imposed the following prison sentences on the convicted defendants:
NameAgeCount of ConvictionSentenceJohn Quintero-Herrera29Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property70 monthsIesua Ramirez-Perez26Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property39 monthsIvan Chaparro-Perez31Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property42 monthsWilliam Villarraga-Joya33Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property90 monthsPaul Mendoza-Arevalo39Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property48 monthsWendy Acosta-Arevalo31Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property24 monthsThis prosecution was made possible only through the inter-departmental cooperation of many law enforcement agencies spanning the country. The agencies that investigated this case include Dearborn (Michigan) Police Department; Greer (South Carolina) Police Department; Union County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anderson County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anniston (Alabama) Police Department; Foxborough (Massachusetts) Police Department; Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) Police Department; Hoover (Alabama) Police Department; Spartanburg County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Worcester (Massachusetts) Police Department; Dracut (Massachusetts) Police Department; Farmington Hills (Michigan) Police Department; Mason (Ohio) Police Department; Alexandria (Kentucky) Police Department; Franklin (Wisconsin) Police Department; Wisconsin Department of Justice Criminal Investigations; Sheboygan (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Department; Flint Township (Michigan) Police Department; Kent County (Michigan) Sheriff’s Office. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Department of Homeland Security were involved from the federal side.
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.
Mexican National Extradited to the United States to Face Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Adrian Weyman-Urbina (37) of Ensenada, Mexico was extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.
Eight others were previously convicted as part of the drug trafficking conspiracy charged here, which involved current and former inmates of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) obtaining methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico and distributing the drugs in West Michigan and elsewhere. The conspiracy spanned eleven counties in Michigan, including Alger, Luce, Allegan, Berrien, Branch, Grand Traverse, Ingham, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa, and Van Buren Counties. Further details of the investigation are available in the April 19, 2021 press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office (available at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2021_0420_Operation_Prison_Break) and the criminal complaints filed in United States v. Luis Alberto Cruz, No. 1:20-mj-00145 and United States v. Carlos Martinez, No. 1:20-mj-179.
“My office went the extra mile to extradite Weyman-Urbina out of Mexico because he set up his drug distribution network while he was in our country illegally, then continued to harm our citizens after he was returned to Mexico. Let this be a message that wherever you are in the world, if you are responsible for the distribution of drugs in the Western District of Michigan, we will find you, arrest you, and bring you to justice in an American courtroom,” stated U.S. Attorney VerHey. “We look forward to proving this defendant’s involvement in the conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt.”
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
The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Michigan Department of Corrections, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office, and the Michigan State Police and its sponsored drug trafficking task forces, including the West Michigan Enforcement Team, the Southwest Enforcement Team, and the Traverse Narcotics Team investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vito S. Solitro.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Another Illegal Alien from Guatemala Sentenced in Counterfeit Identity Document RingRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Rigoberto Vasquez-Vasquez, 43, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 8 months in custody in prison for conspiracy to transfer false identification documents.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Rigoberto Vasquez-Vasquez unlawfully entered the United States more than 20 years ago and has been unlawfully present ever since. He doubled down on his criminal behavior by working in a fraudulent identity document business once he got here. This kind of lawless behavior will not be tolerated.”
Mr. Vasquez-Vasquez is the third of three defendants charged with and convicted of participating in a scheme by Guatemalans illegally present in the United States to advertise, manufacture, and sell fraudulent Social Security and Permanent Resident cards, as well as other false identification documents, to other persons illegally residing in the Grand Rapids area during 2024 and 2025. The conspirators profited by receiving payments for the counterfeit documents, and the recipients benefitted by using the documents to obtain employment and access to services intended for citizens and immigrants lawfully in the United States.
At the time of his arrest on September 30, 2025, case agents executed a search warrant at Vasquez-Vasquez’s Grand Rapids residence. They located and seized multiple computers, laptops, cellular telephones, DVDs, CDs, thumb drives, micro-SD cards, fraudulent identification cards, and Guatemalan passports, as well as an iPad, an external hard drive, and a computer tower.
Upon the completion of his sentence, he will be taken into ICE custody for removal proceedings.
"This sentencing sends a clear message: Homeland Security Investigations will aggressively pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that traffic in fraudulent identification documents and exploit our immigration system," said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. "We remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities, uphold the integrity of our nation’s laws, and ensure that those who undermine public safety face the full consequences of their actions."
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Erich Zeeb, 51, of Roanoke, Virginia, was sentenced to 28 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “What Zeeb did was depraved and disgusting and he richly deserved the long sentence he received from Judge Beckering. This case should remind all parents of the long reach that sex predators have because of the internet. Please do what you can to warn your children about this risk and help them avoid it. My message to others who sexually exploit our children is this—there is a prison cell waiting for you too.”
Zeeb met the victim, who was then 15 years old, online in 2012. He presented himself to the victim and her parents as an Olympian-in-training and someone who could help the victim with her own Olympic aspirations. As U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering stated at sentencing, Zeeb groomed the victim, gained her parents’ trust, and then used that access to sexually exploit the victim on multiple occasions. During the investigation, law enforcement received credible accounts of similar exploitation and abuse by Zeeb involving additional girls and young women.
“This sentencing reflects HSI’s unwavering resolve to protect our communities and hold those who prey on children fully accountable” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We will continue to pursue justice and safeguard the most vulnerable among us.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Michigan State Police, and the Houston, Texas Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hanna Rutkowski.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Guatemalan Illegal Alien Sentenced for Helping Other Illegal Aliens Obtain Counterfeit Identity DocumentsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Edgidio Vasquez-Mencho, 41, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 6 months in custody for conspiracy to transfer false identification documents.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Vasquez-Mencho deserved to be prosecuted and punished. It is bad enough that he has repeatedly violated our immigration laws by crossing the border without permission. Worse than that, once he got here, he operated an illegal document business that allowed others like him to illegally obtain employment and claim taxpayer-supported public services. This conduct must stop.”
Vasquez-Mencho is the second of three defendants charged with and convicted of participating in a scheme by Guatemalans illegally present in the United States to advertise, manufacture, and sell fraudulent Social Security and Permanent Resident cards, as well as other false identification documents, to other persons illegally residing in the Grand Rapids area during 2024 and 2025. The conspirators profited by receiving payments for the counterfeit documents, and the recipients benefitted by using the documents to obtain employment and access to services intended for citizens and immigrants legally in the United States. Vasquez-Mencho’s role was primarily to deliver the counterfeit documents to and collect payments from the purchasers.
This is the third time Vasquez-Mencho was found in United States illegally. The first time he was located here, he was allowed to voluntarily depart and the second time, he was removed by immigration authorities to Guatemala. After the completion of his sentence, he will again be removed to his native Guatemala.
“This sentencing sends a clear message: Homeland Security Investigations will aggressively pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that traffic in fraudulent identification documents and exploit our immigration system,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities, uphold the integrity of our nation’s laws, and ensure that those who undermine public safety face the full consequences of their actions.”
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
Kalkaska County Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Case Tied to Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Robert Graham Ward, 43, from Rapid City, Michigan, was sentenced to 7 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
According to court records, on January 12, 2025, first responders responded to a 911 call at a hotel in Gaylord, Michigan and pronounced a 25-year-old man dead of a drug overdose. A woman who was last with the decedent before his death cooperated with law enforcement and stated that she received the drugs the day before from Robert Graham Ward at his residence in Rapid City, Michigan. Unbeknownst to Ward, investigators utilized the woman to order additional drugs from the defendant under police supervision. When Ward arrived, he was taken into custody. Investigators found several grams of heroin and fentanyl in his car. Investigators also executed a warrant at Ward’s Rapid City home and found over 21 grams of fentanyl.
Months after Ward was told that his fentanyl killed a man, and weeks after he was warned that he was the target of a federal drug trafficking investigation, a trooper with the Michigan State Police (MSP) stopped the defendant’s vehicle in Kalkaska County on April 4, 2025. Police searched Ward’s vehicle and found 5.69 grams of a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer resistant to naloxone, [1] 7.9 grams of methamphetamine, and other drugs.
“Fentanyl distribution has devastated communities large and small across our district,” stated U.S. Attorney VerHey. “In this case, the defendant’s persistent drug dealing can be tied to the tragic loss of a 25-year-old. Our office remains steadfast in bringing to justice those responsible for endangering our citizens through drug dealing.”
“Fentanyl trafficking continues to threaten lives and destroy families throughout Michigan,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “This case underscores the dangers posed by drug traffickers who disregard the death and destruction they bring to our communities. HSI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate and disrupt narcotics networks, and to hold accountable those who endanger our communities with these lethal substances.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Straits Area Narcotics Enforcement (SANE), Traverse Narcotics Team (TNT), and Michigan State Police (MSP). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vito S. Solitro.
[1] See, e.g., “The Growing Threat of Xylazine and its Mixture with Illicit Drugs,” DEA Joint Intelligence Report (Oct. 2022) available at https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/The%20Growing%20Threat%20of%20Xylazine%20and%20its%20Mixture%20with%20Illicit%20Drugs.pdf.
Guatemalan Illegal Alien Sentenced for Helping Other Illegal Aliens Obtain Counterfeit Identity DocumentsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Norma Ayala, 35, a citizen of Guatemala present in the U.S. illegally, was sentenced to 8 months in custody for the offense of conspiracy to transfer false United States Social Security cards and Permanent Resident cards to illegal aliens.
In 2024, Homeland Security Investigations learned of a counterfeit identification document scheme operating in the Grand Rapids area. Their investigation determined that Ms. Ayala, together with codefendants Rigoberto Vasquez-Vasquez and Edgidio Vasques-Mencho, were advertising, manufacturing, and selling fraudulent Social Security and Permanent Resident cards to persons unlawfully in the United States. The investigative team identified the defendants engaging in such activities on a number of occasions in 2024 and 2025. Ms. Ayala’s role in the conspiracy was to take orders, obtain biographical data and photographs to be used in the manufacture of the documents, pass the orders and materials to a co-conspirator, deliver the finished documents, and collect payments.
On September 23, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against the three conspirators. Each of the defendants later pled guilty to their role in the conspiracy. The co-conspirators are scheduled for sentencing at a later date. Upon the completion of her sentence, Ms. Ayala, who has been deported from the United States on four prior occasions, will be removed to her native Guatemala.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “This case is an example of why the public has lost its tolerance for illegal immigration. Ms. Ayala has been removed from the United States four times, which shows her disregard for our laws. When she came back, for the fifth time, she celebrated her good fortune by starting a fraud ring to enrich herself and to allow others to evade our immigration laws. This conduct is unacceptable, and my office will aggressively prosecute it whenever it occurs.”
“The production and distribution of fraudulent identity documents undermine the security of our nation and enable further criminal activity,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI special agents remain committed to investigating and dismantling document fraud schemes that threaten the integrity of our immigration system. We will continue to pursue those who manufacture and sell counterfeit documents and work with our partners to ensure they are brought to justice.”
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
Visitors Caught Defacing Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Property Fined $500 and Banished for One YearRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that four visitors to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore were fined and banished from the park for one year after engaging in acts of vandalism there.
On July 25, 2025, while on a routine marine patrol, United States Park Rangers contacted multiple vessels along the cliffs making up the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The occupants of these vessels had been carving large letters into the cliff faces and had collected over 100 pounds of rocks with the intent to take them home.
Park rangers cited the Illinois visitors for defacing and collecting park resources. On December 9, 2025, the defendants were ordered to appear in U.S. District Court in Marquette for a mandatory appearance on the violations. Each of the four was ordered to pay a $500 fine and received a one-year ban from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. One of the four was ordered to pay an additional $250 fine for taking the rocks.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Pictured Rocks is one of Michigan’s iconic natural wonders. There is no other place like it, and we will not get another one. Everyone is welcome to see and enjoy this beautiful place, but no one is allowed to inflict damage on it. Anyone who does will be punished: these four people were lucky to get off with a fine and banishment because the judge could have given each of them six months in jail. I applaud the Park Rangers for putting a stop to this vandalism.”
"This case is a great example of how our Park Rangers use proactive marine patrols to investigate criminal violations and protect park resources." said Pictured Rocks Chief Ranger Joseph Hughes, "I would like to remind all park visitors that as we spend time outdoors, it’s important to be conscious of our actions. It takes all of us to protect this wonderful place."
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore spans over 42 miles of Lake Superior coastline, including towering sandstone cliffs, deep forests, pristine wetlands and over 100 miles of trails.
Muskegon Man Involved in Shooting Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Timothy VerHey, today announced that United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced Malik Jones-Smith (30, Muskegon, Michigan) to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for his supervised release violation associated with the new conviction. A jury previously found Jones-Smith guilty of the offense on November 13, 2025, following a three-day trial.
In the early morning of December 28, 2024, following a shooting in Muskegon Heights, Jones-Smith and another individual drove away from a Muskegon police officer in a van and then fled on foot. Near the van, police found a stolen pistol loaded with a round partially fed in the chamber and one additional round in the magazine. A search of Jones-Smith’s cell phone showed that he uploaded a video on Snapchat less than 10 hours before with the same firearm:
The search of his phone also showed that Jones-Smith and his passenger in the van were involved in the Muskegon Heights shooting. At the time of the offense, Jones-Smith was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction of distributing fentanyl. Jones-Smith was released from federal custody only 16 days before he possessed the firearm.
Other evidence found from a search of his Snapchat account and phone show videos of Jones-Smith possessing other firearms before this shooting, including on October 30, 2024, while still in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at a halfway house, and on December 14, 2024, three days after he began federal supervised release.
United States Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Jones-Smith got into a shootout a little more than two weeks after being released from prison for his last felony, and after promising to be a law-abiding citizen if he got released into the community. He deserved to get the maximum possible sentence for this conduct, and that is exactly what he got. My office will not tolerate gun violence, especially by convicted felons.”
“Working daily to put an end to gun violence in the Muskegon area is the top priority of our agency. This sentencing demonstrates our collective commitment to using all available resources to remove dangerous offenders from the streets and improve public safety in our community.” said Muskegon Police Chief Tim Kozal.
“Violent offenders who choose to carry and use firearms do not just destroy communities, they destroy their own futures by putting themselves on a path that leads straight to prison,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Malik Jones-Smith can no longer threaten our neighborhoods thanks to the strong collaboration of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. Together, FBI Detroit will continue to do our part to crush violent crime by stopping offenders who attempt to terrorize our communities.”
The Muskegon Police Department - Muskegon Major Case Initiative, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vito S. Solitro and Clay Stiffler prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Orthodontist Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Thomas Shannon, 44, previously of Byron Center, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said he was not surprised at the sentence imposed. “Shannon’s selfish and senseless exploitation of these children has exposed them to a lifetime of emotional damage. I sincerely hope they can overcome it. But preying on our children must stop, and we will seek long sentences against people like Shannon until it does stop.”
From 2019 through 2024, Thomas Shannon exploited at least eighteen children online, ranging in ages from 12 to 17. Police discovered Shannon’s crimes when a16-year-old minor in North Carolina reported that she had been sexually exploited on Snapchat. Investigators identified the perpetrator as Shannon, then an orthodontist in Grandville. Investigators reviewed Shannon’s Snapchat account and found at least 16 additional minor victims, one of whom was only twelve years old. One additional minor victim came forward. Shannon met and exploited her through a different online application while he was on bond for state child pornography charges. He did this from his yacht in Ottawa County, which was forfeited as part of the criminal prosecution.
“Protecting children from exploitation is at the heart of Homeland Security Investigations’ mission,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “This offender preyed on vulnerable children, but through extensive collaboration between HSI and our law enforcement partners, we were able to identify victims and ensure the defendant was held accountable. We hope this sentence delivers some measure of justice to his victims. We relentlessly investigate these crimes and tirelessly pursue those who exploit children.”
“This investigation demonstrates how local, state, and federal partners work together to identify offenders, locate victims, and hold those responsible accountable,” said Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. “Our Human Trafficking Task Force continues to work aggressively to identify both victims and suspects in cases involving the exploitation of children.”
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Fuquay-Varina Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Repeat Offender Receives Maximum SentenceRead the Press Release
Defendant tried to kill a witness, but the gun misfired
KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Maurice Ray Jr., 32, of Grand Rapids, Michigan was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. When imposing the statutory maximum term, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney noted that Ray posed a “very serious danger to the public.”
Evidence at trial established that in April 2025, Ray’s girlfriend called 911 to report she was being kidnapped on a ride to Lansing, Michigan. Ray threw her out of the moving car, dragging her down the street on her knees. After a neighbor came out to assist her, Ray returned with a gun drawn. He forced the girlfriend back into the car, pointed the gun at the neighbor and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire.
Police located Ray based on the neighbor’s description and pulled him over. After a standoff, Ray sped off with the injured girlfriend still trapped in the vehicle. Ray led multiple patrol cars on a three-mile pursuit through Lansing, at times exceeding 90 miles per hour. When he was eventually cornered and arrested, Lansing police retraced the chase route and found a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol on the side of the road with Ray’s DNA on the trigger. The unexpended round in the chamber had a striker mark, indicated it had misfired.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Anyone who would try to murder a woman just because she was trying to be a good Samaritan deserves to go to prison. I am glad the ATF and the Lansing Police Department brought this case to my attention so that my office could send him there.”
“Maurice Ray Jr. is an ATF poster child of an individual 100% deserving of federal prosecution for their illegal possession of a firearm,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division. “He illegally armed himself, kidnapped and assaulted his girlfriend, and then attempted to fire a gun at a neighbor who stepped in to help. The only explanation why this incident did not result in a murder is because that firearm malfunctioned. This sentence ensures an armed violent, career criminal is off the streets for 15 years. ATF will continue to work relentlessly with our partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute armed felons who threaten the safety of our community.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Lansing Police Department. Prosecution was assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Nils Kessler and Olivia Ghiselli.
Hudsonville Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Transferring a MachinegunRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Ethan Carter, 19, of Hudsonville, pleaded guilty to possession and transfer of a machinegun. Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2026, at 3:00PM and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “People living in our at-risk neighborhoods already know how machinegun conversion devices have made gun violence much worse. We are doing all we can to find and stop the people who possess and sell this equipment. I applaud the ATF agents for the work they did to bring this case to us for prosecution.”
In June 2025, Carter gave a machinegun conversion device to another person. When installed on a semiautomatic gun, a machinegun conversion device allows the weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. ATF executed a search warrant at Carter’s home several weeks later and found approximately six additional machinegun conversion devices, as well as a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed.
“Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) can transform legal firearms into machineguns capable of shooting at an extremely deadly rate. Possessing or transferring these types of illegal devices is a serious federal crime,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Keith Krolczyk. “Working alongside our federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement partners, ATF will aggressively pursue and hold accountable anyone who criminally possesses or distributes MCDs to protect our communities from violent crime.”
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 Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Parolee Who Shot Police Officer While Resisting Arrest Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Andrial Ortiz, 30, from Lansing, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Andrial Ortiz was a felon who was not allowed to possess a gun, and the moment he did he used it to shoot a police officer. My office was happy to prosecute this case. We accept the 15-year sentence as a just response. I hope everyone reading this will take a minute to remember and appreciate that we ask law enforcement officers to risk their lives on a regular basis.”
Police pulled Ortiz over while investigating a road rage incident. Ortiz was on parole for selling drugs, unarmed robbery, and larceny. Police searched his car and found drugs. When they attempted to arrest Ortiz, he violently resisted. During the struggle, he was able to remove guns from two of the officers’ waistbands. He fired one of the guns, striking a patrol officer in the leg.
“Ortiz’s conduct was reckless, violent, and showed a complete disregard for the lives of the officers involved,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms, yet this defendant violently resisted arrest, disarmed officers, and fired a weapon, seriously injuring a patrol officer. This sentence reflects the seriousness of that violence and sends the right message to drug trafficking convicted felons in our community who attack law enforcement: if you do this, pack your bags because you’re going to prison for an extended period of time.”
The Michigan State Police, Lansing Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Ghiselli and Jonathan Roth prosecuted it.
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 Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Woman Who Posed as Licensed Registered Nurse Sentenced to 75 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Leticia Gallarzo Repeatedly Assumed the Identities of Licensed Registered Nurses to Work at Health Care Facilities in Michigan and Other States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Leticia Gallarzo, age 51, formerly of Wayland, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday to 75 months in prison for creating false medical records indicating that she was licensed as a registered nurse. She was also sentenced for committing aggravated identity theft after fraudulently assuming the identity of a real nurse licensed in Michigan.
Between August 2022 and May 2023, Gallarzo worked as a registered nurse at a nursing home in the Western District of Michigan. Gallarzo obtained her employment through Indeed.com by assuming the identity of a registered nurse licensed in Michigan. Gallarzo created a fake nursing license, diploma, and identification documents to make it appear to the nursing home that she was in fact an individual trained and licensed as a registered nurse. After obtaining employment, Gallarzo applied for and obtained a promotion to the position of unit manager, meaning she supervised other health care professionals in the care they provided to the nursing home residents. Gallarzo performed patient assessments, administered medications, started intravenous lines, and carried out other nursing duties. As Gallarzo’s performance as a nurse faltered, the nursing home demoted her, and she began to look for another nursing job. Fortunately, her prospective employer uncovered her real identity and reported her to authorities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged Gallarzo with fraud and aggravated identity theft on September 26, 2023. She pled guilty in October 2023. After entering a guilty plea and while awaiting her sentencing hearing, Gallarzo fled the jurisdiction and again fraudulently obtained employment as a physician assistant and registered nurse in Illinois and California. She was finally apprehended near Los Angeles, California, and transported back to the Western District of Michigan for yesterday’s sentencing hearing.
The current case represents the third time Gallarzo has been convicted of falsely representing herself as a nurse. This was not the first time Gallarzo had committed this crime. In 2016, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office convicted Gallarzo of fraudulently impersonating a licensed nurse. In 2017, Gallarzo was convicted of this again by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Despite her convictions by those authorities, Gallarzo was not deterred.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “This is far more than a fraud case. Nurses make life and death decisions for the people under their care, and everyone has the right to expect that their health is being attended to by a person with extensive medical training. It is shocking that Gallarzo would repeatedly put herself in such a position, without any of the necessary training, just because she wanted money. I am very happy to say that our investigation has not disclosed anyone physically harmed by Gallarzo’s conduct, but that is just a happy accident and not because of anything she did. Gallarzo richly deserved the 75-month sentence imposed by Judge Maloney.”
"This 75-month federal prison sentence sends a clear and unmistakable message: no one gets to lie about their credentials, falsify medical records, or steal identities without facing serious consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Leticia Gallarzo abused the trust placed in medical professionals and put patients at risk. Because of the relentless work of the FBI Grand Rapids Resident Agency, she can no longer fraudulently perform patient assessments or endanger this community. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for its strong partnership and successful prosecution."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Grand Rapids Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Stella prosecuted the case.
Byron Center Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
James Scholten has agreed to pay $868,707 in taxes due to the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that James Phillip Scholten, age 51, of Byron Center pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion. Scholten is scheduled to be sentenced by the Honorable Jane M. Beckering, United States District Judge, on May 12, 2026, and faces a maximum of five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey stated, “Everyone must pay the full amount of income tax they owe. Those who evade the assessment or payment of taxes by willfully and intentionally not complying with their legal responsibility pose a threat to proper tax administration and impede the prosperity of our nation.”
According to court documents, Scholten was charged with one count of tax evasion, a felony offense. Scholten admitted that, between 2011 and 2024, he regularly sold scrap metal that netted him approximately $3.4 million of additional income. Scholten used a Certified Public Accountant to prepare his federal tax returns. The tax returns that Scholten filed from 2011 to 2023 were false because Scholten never told his accountant that he annually sold scrap material that generated substantial additional income. Scholten admitted that he intentionally failed to provide his CPA with recycling payment records and the amounts of his recycling income to evade assessment of tax due and owing on that income. For example, in 2021, Scholten reported that he only owed $2,465 in federal income tax. In fact, Scholten obtained an additional $610,818 in taxable income from recycling payments resulting in an additional tax due and owing of $172,618.
“Tax evasion is not a victimless crime, as it is the American public who is affected when tax dollars—money that funds essential public services like defense, roads, and education—are dodged. Scholten deliberately withheld income so he didn’t have to pay his fair share. Now he will not only pay his taxes but will face the consequences of willfully not doing so from the start,” said Karen M. Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI Detroit.
This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the law enforcement arm of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor is prosecuting it.
Final Defendant Sentenced in Case Related to Seizure of over 12 Pounds of Methamphetamine in KalamazooRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Brandon Lemar Baines, 36, from Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute over 12 pounds of methamphetamine.
According to court records, on January 23, 2025, officers with the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET), a multijurisdictional narcotics enforcement team working in the Kalamazoo County area, stopped a van carrying over 12 pounds of methamphetamine as it returned from Detroit to Kalamazoo. The van was driven by Baines and investigators found the methamphetamine on the front passenger seat floorboard where co-defendant, Kerriem Ishmael Steveson, Jr., 30, from Kalamazoo, was sitting. On December 8, 2025, Stevenson was sentenced to over 15 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
KVET investigators had been monitoring Baines’ and Stevenson’s drug trafficking for months prior to the traffic stop. In the early morning of January 23, 2025, investigators also executed warrants at two Kalamazoo residences associated with the defendants and seized over 200 grams of fentanyl, a firearm, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia.
At the time of the traffic stop, Baines was on parole with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) after serving a 54-month sentence for methamphetamine trafficking and a firearm offense and was released from prison less than a year before being caught with over 12 pounds of methamphetamine and over 200 grams of fentanyl.
A third defendant, Johnnie Montico McAllister, 30, from Kalamazoo, was also in the van at the time of the traffic stop. In his waistband, McAllister, a felon, possessed a loaded Glock 9mm pistol. He too was on parole with MDOC at the time of the offense after serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery. McAllister was charged and convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to nearly three years in prison.
“Armed drug traffickers are destroying our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney VerHey. “My office will focus its resources on combatting those who threaten public safety by flooding our streets with guns and drugs.” “Those who have not learned their lessons from the state criminal justice system will face significant consequences in federal court as we continue to work closely with our exceptional state and local partners including KVET.”
“The DEA, alongside our law enforcement partners, will be unwavering and relentless in our mission to dismantle the violent drug trafficking organizations that are poisoning our communities and threatening the safety of the American people. We will pursue them wherever they operate and bring every available resource to bear until these networks are dismantled,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon.
“The distribution of drugs continues to devastate our community by fueling addiction, crime, and long-term harm to families and neighborhoods. This investigation and conviction is just one example of how the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety continues to prioritize our community’s safety. I am thankful for the continued collaboration between our department and our federal law enforcement partners, who work to disrupt trafficking networks, protect residents, and stop the spread of this dangerous substance,” said Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief David Juday
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and KVET. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vito S. Solitro.
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).
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
205 Child Victims Located and 293 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown, Including 1 in the Western District of Michigan
December 19, 2025 – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
In the Western District of Michigan, Robert Mark, age 59, of Whitehall, was charged by criminal complaint with sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography. The complaint alleges that Mark was the leader of an all-girl Scouting America troop. After people complained that Mark was surreptitiously taking pictures or videos of scouts at troop events, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant at his home. They found sexually explicit videos of scouts on Mark’s phone that he had recorded using hidden cameras in his bathroom during troop events that he hosted at his home. If convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor, Robert faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years.
“Operation Relentless Justice demonstrates the FBI’s firm commitment to protecting children from those who violate positions of trust and exploit them,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The defendant allegedly used his role as a Scout Leader to target young girls, which is deeply troubling and violates the trust our community puts in its youth leaders. I want to thank our FBI Grand Rapids WEBCHEX Task Force, the Michigan State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for their partnership in this case. FBI Detroit will never waver in pursuing anyone who violates children and use every means possible to hold them accountable.”
“I commend the FBI for acting quickly to investigate these allegations,” said Timothy VerHey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. “The conduct outlined in the court documents will not be tolerated, especially when it is done by someone who has promised to watch over the children of others.”
Others arrested under Operation Relentless Justice are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, including 7 from the Western District of Michigan, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI’s Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, 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 justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
A complaint and an indictment are merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Battle Creek Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Intending to Sell FentanylRead the Press Release
Carmouche-Heath possessed over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, including over 4,700 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Nazzarie Acoy Carmouche-Heath, 29, of Battle Creek, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing and intending to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Prosecuting fentanyl dealers is always a priority for my office because this drug is particularly deadly. It is easy for casual drug users to overdose on this drug, especially when it is disguised as some other controlled substance like it was here. The DEA and the Battle Creek Police Department saved a lot of lives when they seized Carmouche-Heath’s drug stash.”
During a search of Carmouche-Heath’s Battle Creek residence in March 2025, officers found over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, two firearms, thousands of dollars of cash, and what appeared to be an area designed to manufacture counterfeit fentanyl pills in the basement, which included scales, trays, packaging material, a blender, Tupperware sifters, a pill press, and cutting agents. Officers found 4,714 blue pills designed to look like the opioid analgesic Oxycodone (M/30), but in fact, contained fentanyl. During an interview, Carmouche-Heath admitted he possessed the fentanyl and intended to sell it. Carmouche-Heath previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl on August 21 2025, which was National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.
“This sentencing underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from the deadly threat of fentanyl,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. “We will be relentless in our pursuit of those who peddle this and other illicit poisons. With every resource and law enforcement partner, the DEA will continue to protect and save American lives.”
Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may contain lethal amounts of fentanyl and are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of what the pills contain.
For more information on counterfeit pills and they dangers they pose, see this Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fact Sheet and the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill website, www.dea.gov/onepill.
DEA and BCPD investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan McGraw prosecuted it.
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 perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines the efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Baldwin Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Christian Anthony Vanderveen, 25, of Baldwin, Michigan, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a minor.
In December 2024, a woman called 911 to report that Vanderveen had been sending explicit pictures to her 11-year-old daughter. A police investigation led to a search at Vanderveen’s home and the seizure of multiple devices. In reviewing his cell phone, law enforcement discovered that Vanderveen repeatedly asked for and received child pornography from the 11-year-old girl, as well as posing as a girl online in an attempt to get sexually explicit images from another minor.
“Judge Beckering’s sentence today sends a clear message to anyone who is thinking of preying on our kids—just don’t do it. If you do, we will find you and the consequences will be severe,” said United States Attorney Timothy VerHey.
“This sentencing demonstrates the serious consequences awaiting those who target and prey on children,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The sexual exploitation of these children was stopped due to the excellent investigative teamwork of the FBI Grand Rapids WEBCHEX Task Force, the Michigan State Police, along with the successful prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. The FBI and its partners in Michigan remain committed to doing everything we can to protect our most vulnerable populations from harm.”
“Protecting children is one of our highest responsibilities,” said Captain Jason Nemecek of the Michigan State Police 6th District Command. “The Michigan State Police will continue to work with our federal partners to investigate and support the prosecution of individuals who commit these horrific crimes. Today’s sentence reinforces our unwavering dedication to bringing child predators to justice and ensuring victims are protected.”
The Michigan State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Doaa K. Al-Howaishy prosecuted it.
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 CEOS, 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, including resources for parents and children about staying safe online, please visit justice.gov/PSC.
Kingsford Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Dalton Wayne Braun, 36, of Kingsford, was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by 120 months of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of a child. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker noted that the case involved “truly egregious facts.”
Braun admitted when pleading guilty that he had recorded a video of himself sexually abusing a minor child in July 2024. Braun also admitted that he then distributed that video over the internet.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Dalton Braun repeatedly abused a small child, who was not even old enough to voice the abuse he was suffering. No one should tolerate such abuse and my office certainly will not. I commend my staff and our law enforcement partners for their diligence.”
“Crimes committed against children are some of the most unforgivable and those who commit them deserve severe and lasting consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The maximum sentence imposed on Dalton Braun demonstrates the gravity of his depraved actions and the severe impact it had on children across the United States. I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of FBI Detroit’s Marquette Resident Agency, FBI Milwaukee’s Green Bay Resident Agency, the Michigan State Police, the Kingsford Department of Public Safety, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for protecting the most vulnerable members in our communities by stopping Mr. Braun before he could commit another heinous offense.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led by the Marquette Resident Agency, Michigan State Police, Kingsford Department of Public Safety, and Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Information obtained as part of this investigation has thus far led to six additional child victims being recovered from abusive situations; five additional federal indictments; and two state or local arrests.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit justice.gov/PSC.
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Federal Jury Convicts Man of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that a federal jury convicted Kyle Lee Dean, (45, L’Anse, Michigan) of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Dean will be sentenced in 2026.
On January 20, 2024, Dean went to the victim’s house that is inside the L’Anse Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, got into a fist fight, and then stabbed the victim nearly a dozen times. Based on the testimony at trial, but for the work of first responders and the doctors at Baraga County Memorial Hospital and Upper Peninsula Health System (UPHS) – Marquette, the victim would have died from his injuries.
“My office will work tirelessly to prosecute those people who commit violent crimes within Indian Country,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey. “We prioritize ensuring that our tribal communities are safe and will hold individuals like Dean accountable to ensure that safety.”
“FBI Detroit works tirelessly to investigate violent crimes committed on Indian Reservations. The conviction of Kyle Dean for his brutal and malicious attack within the L’Anse Reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community sends a clear message that the FBI will be relentless in pursuing those who bring harm to tribal communities and securing justice for their victims,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the partnership and dedicated investigative work from the members of our FBI Marquette Resident Agency, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, the Village of L’Anse Police, and the Michigan State Police. We also recognize the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for securing this important conviction.”
The FBI, Michigan State Police, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police, and Village of L’Anse Police investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hanna Rutkowski and Theodore Greeley are prosecuting it.
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Kalamazoo Man Sentenced to 420 Months in Prison for Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Samuel Alexander Kuhl, 33, of Kalamazoo was sentenced to 420 months in prison for the sexual exploitation and coercion and enticement of a minor. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Beckering noted that Kuhl’s conduct reflects a “pattern of angry, defiant, vindictive behavior” and an overall “disregard for the rule of law.”
Kuhl first contacted the victim in this case, a fourteen-year-old girl, via Facebook. He engaged in an illegal sexual relationship with her for approximately 18 months. During this time, Kuhl abused the victim physically, emotionally, and psychologically. During his time with the girl, Kuhl repeatedly tried to engage the victim in group sexual activity; when she refused, he threatened her and her family with a gun. Kuhl also convinced the victim to provide him with child pornography. In June, a jury convicted Kuhl of two federal offenses charged as a result of this activity.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Sam Kuhl devoted his adult life to crime, and part of his criminal lifestyle included tracking down adolescent girls to sexually exploit. My office will never tolerate child exploitation and when it happens, we will bring the people involved to justice. Kuhl earned the sentence he received yesterday.”
“Heinous and predatory acts against any child deserve severe punishment and serious consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The actions of this predator included physical, emotional, and psychological abuse and manipulation of a teenager, and I am sincerely grateful for the work of my team at the FBI Kalamazoo Resident Agency, alongside the Wyoming Police Department, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police for bringing this violator to justice. Their tireless work throughout this investigation and trial, along with that of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, clearly demonstrates our joint commitment to doing everything possible to keep our children safe in Michigan.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wyoming Police Department investigated this case. Also supporting the investigation were Indiana State Police, Michigan State Police, and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.
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 CEOS, 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, please visit justice.gov/PSC.