District of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS – An Oklahoma man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after hacking a government auction website and purchasing vehicles and jewelry for $1, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, between February 25 and March 6, 2019, Evan James Coker, 41, participated in a scheme to defraud General Service Administration’s (“GSA”) auctions. The GSA conducts online auctions through which it sells excess equipment, including surplus, seized, and forfeited assets, as well as equipment that is no longer needed by government agencies. The auctions are conducted online through servers located in Eagan, Minnesota.

As part of his scheme, Coker bid in multiple auctions for vehicles and jewelry on the GSA Auctions website. When Coker won a particular auction, he was directed to the pay.gov website to remit payment in the amount of his winning bid. Instead of remitting payment in the amount of his winning bid, Coker breached the pay.gov website and falsified the true auction price to $1.

In total, Coker bid on and won 19 auction items and fraudulently paid just $1 for each item. As a result of his scheme, Coker obtained three vehicles, including a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid, for which he bid $8,327; a Ford F550 pickup truck, for which he bid $9,000; and a Chevrolet C4500 Box Truck, for which he bid $22,700.

Coker pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Michael J. Davis to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General and the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Matthew D. Forbes are prosecuting the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for his role in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies targeting Uber and Lyft drivers and for assaulting a federal officer, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, between September and October 2021, William Charles Saffold, 21, and his co-defendants Shevirio Kavirion Childs-Young, 20, Javeyon Demario Tate, 23, and Eric Harrell Knight, 20, engaged in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies, targeting Uber and Lyft drivers. As part of the scheme, the defendants conspired with each other to lure drivers to preplanned locations under the guise of picking up or dropping off passengers. When the drivers arrived, the defendants carjacked the drivers at gunpoint. To intimidate and force compliance, they brandished firearms, beat, and pistol-whipped the drivers. They also demanded keys, wallets, and cell phones and forced the drivers at gunpoint to unlock their phones and provide passcodes. The defendants then used the passcodes to further victimize the drivers by accessing and stealing money from the drivers’ Cash App accounts or other applications.

According to court documents, on May 11, 2022, while attempting to execute an arrest warrant, an FBI agent approached Saffold, who immediately drew a pistol and pointed it at the agent before fleeing on foot.

On October 21, 2022, Saffold pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence and one count of assaulting a federal officer. Saffold was sentenced yesterday by Judge Katherine M. Menendez to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. 

U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger thanked the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI for their skilled investigative work on the case, and Uber and Lyft for their assistance throughout the investigation.

This case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.

MINNEAPOLIS – Three individuals living on the Red Lake Indian Reservation have been convicted by a federal jury of felony child neglect, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to evidence presented at trial, between February 2022 and January 2023, Robin John Roy, 55, Nicole Robyn Roy, 29, and Harrison Edwin Dudley Sr., 36, willfully deprived the minor victims of necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision despite their reasonable ability to make the necessary provisions, resulting in substantial harm to the minor victims’ physical, mental, and emotional health.

On February 16, 2024, following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel, all three defendants were found guilty of felony child neglect. Nicole Roy and Dudley were also found guilty of felony child endangerment. Sentencing hearings for the defendants will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Rachel L. Kraker tried the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury has convicted a Minneapolis man in an insider trading conspiracy involving nonpublic negotiations for the acquisition of a medical device company valued at $1.6 billion, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Bildtsen. 

According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in January 2018 through at least August 2020, Doron “Ron” Tavlin, 68, of Minneapolis, and Afshin “Alex” Farahan, 57, of Los Angeles, engaged in an insider trading conspiracy. The conspiracy involved nonpublic information about the acquisition of Mazor Robotics, an Israeli-based company that specialized in robotics for spinal procedures, by Medtronic, Inc., an Ireland-based medical device company that primarily operated from its executive headquarters in Minneapolis. Tavlin, while working as vice president of business development at Mazor Robotics, learned material, nonpublic information about Medtronic’s potential acquisition of his company. In violation of federal law and his duty to his former employer, Mazor Robotics, Tavlin tipped this information about the acquisition to his friend, Farahan, and instructed him to keep the information secret. Farahan knew that Medtronic’s imminent acquisition of Mazor would likely result in an increase in Mazor’s stock price. Farahan used the nonpublic information to quickly buy more than $1 million of Mazor stock throughout August and September 2018. The morning after the acquisition was announced, Farahan immediately sold all the stock he had purchased over the preceding weeks, which resulted in a combined profit of over $500,000 for himself and one other individual. According to evidence presented at trial, after the acquisition occurred, Tavlin learned that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) was investigating certain trades of Mazor securities that occurred prior to the publicly announced acquisition. As part of its inquiry, FINRA asked Tavlin, and other insiders who knew about the secret acquisition negotiations, whether he knew any of the parties who traded in Mazor securities leading up to the public announcement. In January 2019, Tavlin responded to FINRA’s inquiry by falsely denying that he recognized any names on a list of persons and entities that purchased Mazor securities, which included Farahan. 

According to evidence presented at trial, the insider trading conspiracy included an agreement between Tavlin and Farahan that Farahan would pay money to Tavlin in exchange for the material, nonpublic information. For example, in October 2019, Farahan gave Tavlin a $25,000 check in exchange for the information that Tavlin had provided about Mazor Robotics leading up to the acquisition. 

On February 16, 2024, following a nine-day trial before U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank, Tavlin was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit insider trading and ten counts of securities fraud and aiding and abetting securities fraud. Another defendant, David Jay Gantman, 58, of Mendota Heights, was found not guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit insider trading and six counts of securities fraud.

Farahan pleaded guilty on August 4, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to engage in insider trading. Sentencing hearings for both defendants will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Robert M. Lewis, and William C. Mattessich tried the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Three Minneapolis men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies targeting Uber and Lyft drivers, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

“The defendants targeted innocent people who were simply doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “The crimes committed by these four men contributed to the sharp increase in violent carjackings throughout the Twin Cities in recent years and left victims with physical and emotional scars. I commend our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts in bringing these defendants to justice.” 

“The residents of Minneapolis have dealt with violent crime for far too long,” said Minneapolis Police Chief, Brian O’Hara.  “The sentencing of these individuals sends a clear message: anyone who chooses to use violence and terror for personal gain will be held accountable. I am grateful for the leadership and partnership we have with U.S. Attorney Luger. I’m also thankful for the continued partnership with our law enforcement partners who helped ensure justice was done and accountability was achieved.”

“The FBI and our law enforcement partners are determined not to allow our community to become a breeding ground for violent, carjacking criminals,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “These sentencings send a clear message: carjacking will be met with swift and decisive action. We are committed to working tirelessly with law enforcement, community leaders, private sector partners, and residents to eradicate this heinous crime. Our community deserves safety and security, and we are prepared to take whatever steps necessary to ensure that carjackers are brought to justice.”

According to court documents, between September and October 2021, Shevirio Kavirion Childs-Young, 20, William Charles Saffold, 21, Javeyon Demario Tate, 23, and Eric Harrell Knight, 20, engaged in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies, targeting Uber and Lyft drivers. As part of the scheme, the defendants conspired with each other to lure drivers to preplanned locations under the guise of picking up or dropping off passengers. When the drivers arrived, the defendants carjacked the drivers at gunpoint. To intimidate and force compliance, they brandished firearms, beat, and pistol-whipped the drivers. They also demanded keys, wallets, and cell phones and forced the drivers at gunpoint to unlock their phones and provide passcodes. The defendants then used the passcodes to further victimize the drivers by accessing and stealing money from the drivers’ Cash App accounts or other applications.

According to court documents, on May 11, 2022, while attempting to execute an arrest warrant, an FBI agent approached Saffold, who immediately drew a pistol and pointed it at the agent before fleeing on foot.

All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiring to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence. Saffold also pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer. Knight was sentenced today to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On February 13, 2023, Tate was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On February 12, 2024, Childs-Young was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Saffold is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20, 2024. Judge Katherine M. Menendez sentenced the defendants.  

U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger thanked the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI for their skilled investigative work on the case, and Uber and Lyft for their assistance throughout the investigation.

This case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Royalton man has been sentenced to 192 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for producing sexually explicit images of a minor, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, in November 2022, Andrew John Groen, 35, contacted a minor victim using the messaging application TextMe. Groen, who knew the victim was a minor, identified himself in messages as a 19-year-old man named “Tyler.” On multiple occasions, Groen coerced the minor to send sexually explicit images. Groen also sent the minor victim obscene images and links to pornography and encouraged the minor victim to have sex with an adult man identified in messages.

On August 24, 2023, Groen pleaded guilty to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography. Groen was sentenced on February 6, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Willmar Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, on April 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a Minneapolis home belonging to Luis Fernando Cervantes, 37. As a result of the search, law enforcement found seven one-kilogram packages of cocaine and a firearm.

On October 18, 2023, Cervantes pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Cervantes was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota today announced federal criminal charges against 10 additional defendants for their alleged roles in the fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 10 defendants are charged across two separate indictments and one criminal information with charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery.

As outlined in the charging documents, the defendants participated in a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program by obtaining, misappropriating, and laundering millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. The defendants exploited changes in the program intended to ensure underserved children received adequate nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than feed children, the defendants enriched themselves by fraudulently misappropriating millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.

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The following defendants are named in the two indictments:

• Ikram Yusuf Mohamed, 41, of Minneapolis, worked as a consultant for Feeding Our Future. Ikram Mohamed opened several food sites that were enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. To conceal her involvement, she put the sites and entities in the name of family members, including her husband, mother, and siblings. Ikram Mohamed also solicited and received kickbacks from individuals and companies involved in the program. Ikram Mohamed registered IM Consultation LLC with the Minnesota Secretary of State on or about March 10, 2021. She used IM Consultation to receive and launder kickback payments and fraud proceeds. Ikram Mohamed is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
• Shakur Abdinur Abdisalam, 45, Ikram Mohamed’s husband, created a company called Inspiring Youth & Out Reach LLC (“Inspiring Youth”), which he enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Inspiring Youth purported to run a food site in Minneapolis. Between February and November 2021, the company claimed to have served more than 1 million meals. Based on these fraudulent claims, Inspiring Youth received more than $1.5 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Abdisalam also paid a $21,000 kickback to his wife’s entity, IM Consultation. Abdisalam is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
• Aisha Hassan Hussein, 27, Ikram Mohamed’s sister, was the principal of United Youth of MPLS LLC (“United Youth”). Hussein enrolled her company in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and purported to operate two sites in Minneapolis. As alleged, from December 2020 through November 2021, Hussein and her co-conspirators falsely claimed to have served more than 1.3 million meals to children at the United Youth sites, totaling approximately $2.2 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Hussein also paid a $166,000 kickback to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Hussein is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
• Fadumo Mohamed Yusuf, 57, Ikram Mohamed’s mother, ran Active Mind’s Youth LLC (“Active Minds”), another company that enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Active Minds purported to operate a food site located on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. Between February and June 2021, Active Minds fraudulently claimed to have served more than 500,000 meals and received more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Yusuf also paid a $38,500 kickback to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Yusuf is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
• Sahra Sharif Osman, 41, of Savage, was the principal of Youth International Club LLC (“Youth International”). Youth International operated two Federal Child Nutrition Program sites under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. The Youth International food sites were in Hopkins and Edina, both purportedly serving meals out of community rooms in townhome complexes. Between March and November 2021, Youth International fraudulently claimed to have served nearly 700,000 meals and received more than $1.4 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. As part of the scheme, Osman also paid a $7,500 kickback to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Osman is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
• Suleman Yusuf Mohamed, 39, Ikram Mohamed’s brother, was the owner of Star Distribution LLC, which purported to be a food distribution business in Minneapolis. Star Distribution purported to be in the business of providing meals to be served at the Federal Child Nutrition Program site run by Suleman Mohamed’s family members and co-defendants. As alleged, from February 2021 through April 2022, Star Distribution received approximately $10 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, including more than $4.9 million from Feeding Our Future, $1.6 million from United Youth of Mpls, and $1 million from Inspiring Youth & Outreach. As part of the scheme, Suleman Mohamed also paid more than $330,000 in kickbacks to Ikram Mohamed’s IM Consultation. Suleman Mohamed is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
• Gandi Yusuf Mohamed, 43, Ikram Mohamed’s brother, was the owner of GAK Properties LLC and GIF Properties LLC, companies used to receive and launder the proceeds of the fraud scheme. Gandi Mohamed also submitted fraudulent meal counts and claims on behalf of his family’s companies. As alleged, between March 2021 and July 2022, Gandi Mohamed fraudulently received and laundered more than $1.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Gandi Mohamed is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. 24-CR-15 (ECT/DJF)
• Said Ereg, 45, and was the owner and operator of Evergreen Grocery and Deli, a for-profit grocery and deli in south Minneapolis. Ereg’s wife, Najmo Ahmed, 34, worked for Evergreen Grocery and Deli. Evergreen Grocery and Deli was enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. As alleged, April 2020 and April 2021, Evergreen Grocery and Deli fraudulently claimed to have served over 1.4 million meals to children and received more than $4.2 million in payments from Feeding Our Future for purportedly serving meals. Ereg and Ahmed transferred most of the money to fund their own lifestyles, including to make purchases from Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Canada Goose. Ereg and Ahmed also transferred more than $2.5 million to foreign accounts controlled by foreign companies. As part of the scheme, Ereg and Ahmed also paid more than $100,000 in kickbacks to Abdikerm Eidleh, a Feeding Our Future employee. Ereg and Ahmed are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. 24-CR-13 (PJS/DTS)

Criminal informations:

• Hoda Ali Abdi, 53, was the owner of Alif Halal LLC (“Alif Halal”), a grocery store located in Burnsville, which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. As alleged, Abdi fraudulently claimed to have provided approximately $3 million worth of food for children through other co-conspirator’s sites. Abdi also claimed, falsely, to have served more than 242,000 meals to children at her Burnsville site and received approximately $243,268 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Abdi is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 24-CR-24 (JWB)

United States Attorney Andrew Luger thanks the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their collaboration and skilled investigative work in bringing these charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Minnesota Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

These charges are merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Woodbury man has been indicted for embezzling over $140,000 from his employer, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, Timothy Michael Hill, Jr., 36, was employed by The Grove, Inc., to manage a Chik-fil-A franchise restaurant at the Minneapolis airport. As manager, Hill was responsible for collecting and making daily cash deposits into a safe deposit box.

According to court documents, between September 2022 and October 2023, Hill collected the daily cash receipts from The Grove’s airport restaurants and instead of depositing it into the safe deposit box, pocketed some or all of the cash. Hill used future cash receipts to cover his theft, creating a false impression that the cash deposits were delayed rather than stolen. Hill spent the stolen cash on jewelry, online sports betting, and the adult website Only Fans. He also transferred thousands of dollars through CashApp to various individuals, including several female colleagues in exchange for personal photos and videos.

In total, Hill knowingly and willfully embezzled approximately $144,000 from The Grove over a period of 13 months.

Hill was charged with five counts of wire fraud and will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on February 14, 2024.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Airport Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

FERGUS FALLS, Minn. –  A federal jury found a White Earth man guilty of production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the evidence presented at trial, in December 2020, Ryan Edward Thompson, 34, a.k.a. “Ryan Edward Wayne Townsend,” knowingly used a minor in sexually explicit activity to produce pornography images. 

Using her school-issued laptop to message the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the 13-year-old victim disclosed that the defendant, whom she had recently moved in with, began sleeping in her room at night and sexually abusing her. Law enforcement responded and later discovered photographs of a sexual nature had been taken with the victim’s own cell phone. 

Following a three-day trial before Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court, Thompson was found guilty yesterday on two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Red Lake Department of Public Safety. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the White Earth Nation Indian Child Welfare Services, the Red Lake Nation Victim Services, Fosston Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota.  

The 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

If you need suicide or mental health crisis support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline chat to connect with a trained crisis specialist. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary S. Riverso and Laura M. Provinzino tried this case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bloomington man has pleaded guilty to his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, Jesus Martinez Salazar, 32, and his co-defendant, Derrick Dammons, 45, of Minneapolis, agreed to sell 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine for $3,750 to an individual who, unbeknownst to them, was an undercover law enforcement officer. On January 10, 2023, Dammons retrieved the methamphetamine from Martinez Salazar before meeting with the undercover officer to make the transaction. Following the transaction, Dammons got into a vehicle with Martinez Salazar and divided up the cash from the sale.

Because Martinez Salazar has a prior drug conviction, he is subject to a 15-year mandatory minimum prison term.

Martinez Salazar pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On December 7, 2023, Dammons pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Eagan Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is prosecuting the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,100 in restitution to the victims of three violent carjackings committed within a 24-hour period in March 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

“This individual put several lives at risk by going on an armed carjacking spree and evading law enforcement by driving 120 miles per hour through a residential neighborhood,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “This case offers a snapshot of a disturbing trend of violent and reckless behavior. Wilson-Branch’s spree is one of the reasons our office has focused our resources on prosecuting violent carjacking cases.”

“Wilson-Branch's cowardly and reprehensible actions, aimed at terrorizing innocent victims for personal gain, have no place in a just society,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI will not tolerate criminals depriving our citizens of safety within their own communities. We will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to target, identify and bring to justice violent offenders.”

According to court documents, on March 16, 2023, at approximately 8:00 p.m., Javon Thomas Wilson-Branch, 20, along with another individual, approached two people in Minneapolis who had just parked and exited a Mercedes Benz SUV to unload groceries. Wilson-Branch pointed a Springfield Armory assault rifle at the victims and demanded they hand over everything they had. At gunpoint, the victims provided Wilson-Branch with the keys to the vehicle and other items. Wilson-Branch got into the carjacked SUV and drove away.

Approximately eight hours later, at around 4:00 a.m., Wilson-Branch and another individual carjacked a Toyota Highlander at gunpoint in Minneapolis. Wilson-Branch and others pulled the carjacked SUV up next to the Highlander, and demanded the victim’s car keys at gunpoint. An AirTag inside the carjacked vehicle tracked the vehicle to Saint Paul, where it was left and abandoned at approximately 4:30 a.m., and Saint Paul police later recovered the carjacked vehicle.

About thirty-minutes later, at approximately 5:00 a.m., Wilson-Branch and another individual drove the carjacked SUV to Saint Paul and parked behind an Audi A6. When the owner approached the Audi A6, Wilson-Branch and the other individual exited the carjacked SUV armed with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and the Springfield Armory rifle. Both men pointed the firearms at the victim and forced him to give up his keys, wallet, and phone. The victim was also forced at gunpoint to unlock his cell phone, which was later used to make unauthorized money transfers from the victim’s bank account to Wilson-Branch and others. Wilson-Branch drove away in the carjacked Audi and the other individual drove away in the carjacked Mercedes Benz SUV. Officers with the St. Paul Police Department spotted the two carjacked vehicles about 30 minutes later in the area of Maryland Avenue and Western Avenue. When officers attempted a traffic stop, both vehicles fled police at high rates of speed through residential areas and onto the highway and evaded the pursuit.

Officers with the Woodbury Police Department later located the carjacked Audi A6 in a mall parking lot and apprehended Wilson-Branch in another building after a short foot chase. Two of the firearms used in the carjackings, each fully loaded with high-capacity magazines, and a recently stolen box of ammunition, were located inside the Audi A6, along with the keys to the previously carjacked Toyota Highlander.

Wilson-Branch pleaded guilty on August 4, 2023, to two counts of aiding and abetting carjacking, and admitted to aiding and abetting a third carjacking. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge David S. Doty.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Saint Paul Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Woodbury Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – An Eden Prairie woman has been indicted for embezzling more than $1 million from her employer, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, Monica Svobodny, 51, worked as the Supply Chain and Engineering Manager at Sico, Inc, a furniture and home furnishing manufacturing company located in Edina, Minnesota. Svobodny used her position to embezzle funds and convert them to her own use and benefit.

According to court documents, Svobodny regularly used company credit cards for unauthorized personal expenses such as designer clothing, spa services, and luxury hotel stays.  To cover her fraud, she left unapproved credit card expenses as “pending” for accounting purposes. On more than 300 occasions, she used company cards to transfer funds to herself via PayPal to cover personal expenses. Svobodny also edited PayPal transaction receipts and fraudulently listed some of the expenses as payments to a defunct company.

In total, Svobodny knowingly and willfully embezzled more than $1,137,000 from Sico, Inc. over a period of seven years.

Svobodny was charged with one count of wire fraud. She will make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Edina Police Department and the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea A. Walcker is prosecuting the case.

The charges contained in the information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in the arson of the Target corporate headquarters in downtown Minneapolis, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Minneapolis experienced arson, rioting, and looting following the suicide of a suspect in a homicide, and in response to false rumors surrounding the man’s death. Leroy Lemonte Perry Williams, 37, and his co-defendants went to the Target Corporation’s corporate headquarters building (“Target Corporation building”) in downtown Minneapolis where dozens of other people had gathered. Williams and others broke into the Target Corporation building and repeatedly attempted to set fire both inside and outside the building.

On October 26, 2023, Williams was convicted on one count of arson. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge Paul A. Magnuson.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Richfield Police Departments.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Nathan H. Nelson prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the 70th and 71st Attorney General’s Awards, honoring Justice Department employees and others for extraordinary contributions to the enforcement of our nation’s laws. Recipients from both 2022 and 2023 were selected from a group of more than 800 nominees. Two prosecution teams from the District of Minnesota were awarded the Attorney General’s David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service.

“Each of today’s recipients has served with distinction, and in so doing, they have enabled the Justice Department to advance its work on behalf of the American people,” said Attorney General Garland. “Their exceptional leadership, heroism, and dedication have benefited people and communities across the country.”

“The Attorney General’s David Margolis Award is the Justice Department’s highest award for employee performance,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “The prosecutors, agents, paralegals, victim/witness and litigation support specialists on these teams showed exceptional skill and professionalism in their work on two monumental civil rights cases, cases that will have a lasting impact for years to come. I am so proud of these individuals and their outstanding work and commitment in service of justice.”

The 2022 Attorney General’s David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service is presented to the investigation and prosecution team in United States v. Chauvin, et al., a prosecution involving four former police officers who violated George Floyd’s civil rights, resulting in his death.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Slaughter, Evan Gilead, LeeAnn Bell, Manda Sertich, and Samantha Bates for the District of Minnesota; Paralegal Stefnie Braun for the District of Minnesota; Victim/Witness Specialists Selina Kolsrud and Christina Busse for the District of Minnesota; Litigation Support Specialist Daniel Czapko for the District of Minnesota, FBI Special Agent Blake Hostetter; Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division; Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Civil Rights Division; and Paralegal Henry Fronk for the Civil Rights Division.

The 2023 Attorney General’s David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service is presented to the investigation and prosecution team in United States v. Sumalee Intarathong, et al. and United States v. Michael Morris, et al., a prosecution involving an international sex trafficking organization that was responsible for coercing hundreds of Thai women to engage in commercial sex acts across the United States.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda Williams, Laura Provinzino, Craig Baune, and David Genrich for the District of Minnesota; Paralegal Stefnie Braun for the District of Minnesota; Victim/Witness Specialist Selina Kolsrud for the District of Minnesota; Litigation Support Specialist Daniel Czapko for the District of Minnesota; Supervisory Litigation Support Specialist Mark Zeitz for the District of Minnesota; HSI Supervisory Special Agent Tonya Price; IRS Special Agent John Tschida; Special Agent Kevin Sullivan of the Minnesota Department of Commerce; Director Hilary Axam of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit; and Deputy Director William Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.

For details on all of today’s award recipients, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-honors-justice-department-employees-and-partners-70th-and

MINNEAPOLIS – A Savage man has been sentenced to 80 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a machine gun and attempted possession of hand grenades, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, in September of 2022, the FBI received tips from concerned citizens reporting disturbing behavior of a man at a firearm range, later identified as River William Smith, 21. In November and December 2022, Smith began communicating via a social media platform with an FBI confidential human source (the “CHS”). The FBI’s investigation revealed evidence that Smith was preparing for a violent exchange with police. Smith stated he is “pro mass shooting,” sympathized with the Parkland school shooter, and expressed admiration for the individual charged with the recent shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub. The FBI also discovered Smith had access to an AR-style rifle, handguns, body armor, and a Kevlar helmet. In online messages, Smith discussed learning about his “enemy” by watching police bodycam shootings online.

According to court documents, on November 17, 2022, Smith asked a second CHS for auto sears to convert his AR-15 style rifle and his Glock handgun into fully automatic machine guns. The CHS told Smith that he could obtain the auto sears for him, and Smith provided the CHS with a down payment of $60. On November 28, 2022, Smith asked whether the CHS knew about M67 fragmentary grenades, which are hand grenades used by the U.S. military in close combat. Smith told the CHS that he wanted three hand grenades to outfit his tactical vest and discussed a plan to purchase the grenades. On December 5, 2022, Smith provided the CHS with a $200 down payment for three hand grenades, priced at $250 per hand grenade.

According to court documents, on December 14, 2022, under supervision of law enforcement, a meeting between Smith and the second CHS was arranged. At the meeting, Smith took possession of three auto sears and three inert hand grenades in exchange for $690 in cash. Smith was then placed under arrest by law enforcement.

Smith pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to one count of possession of a machine gun. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge David S. Doty.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Savage Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Justin Sher prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – One Iranian and two Canadian nationals have been charged with conspiracy to use interstate commerce in the commission of a murder-for-hire plot.

According to court documents, from December 2020 through March 2021, Naji Sharifi Zindashti, 49, Damion Patrick John Ryan, 43, and Adam Richard Pearson, 29, conspired with each other in a plot to murder two residents of the state of Maryland. The defendants, one of whom is based in Iran, used an encrypted messaging service called “SkyECC” to recruit individuals who would travel into the United States to carry out the killings, to discuss the identities and locations of the would-be victims, to plan logistics and mechanics of how to carry out the murders, and to negotiate payment for completion of this “job” in Maryland. The intended victims of this plot, who at the time resided in Maryland, had previously fled to the United States after one of them defected from Iran.

Concurrent with today’s indictment, the Treasury Department took action against Zindashti’s criminal network that targets Iranian dissidents and opposition activists for kidnapping and assassination at the direction of the Iranian regime. Pursuant to today’s designations, Zindashti and several of his key associates are prohibited from engaging in any transaction or dealing that involves a U.S. person or occurs in the United States.

“To those in Iran who plot murders on U.S. soil and the criminal actors who work with them, let today’s charges send a clear message: the Department of Justice will pursue you as long as it takes – and wherever you are – and deliver justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“As alleged, Mr. Zindashti and his team of gunmen, including a Minnesota resident, used an encrypted messaging service to orchestrate an assassination plot against two individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota. “Thanks to the skilled work of federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents, this murder-for-hire conspiracy was disrupted and the defendants will face justice.”

“Today’s charges show a pattern of Iranian groups trying to murder U.S. residents on U.S. soil,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Mr. Zindashti and his accomplices’ alleged plot is reprehensible, and the FBI will not tolerate such acts against U.S. residents, and we will continue to pursue these individuals until they are brought to the U.S. to face justice.”

As alleged in the indictment, between December 2020 and January 2021, Zindashti and Ryan communicated about “jobs,” “equipment,” “tools” and plans to “make some money.” In January 2021, they discussed a job in the United States, with Ryan noting that doing a job in the United States was challenging, but that he “might have someone to do it.” That same day he messaged Pearson about a “job” in Maryland. Pearson stated, “shooting is probably easiest thing for them,” and that he was “on it.” Ryan recommended “2 guys go with proper equipment.” Pearson said he would encourage the recruits for the job to “shoot [the victim] in the head a lot [to] make example” and that he would tell them “we gotta erase his head from his torso.”

On or about Jan. 30, 2021, Zindashti messaged Ryan on SkyECC seeking an update on the job. Ryan responded that he was getting “things in order” and that he would need money. A few days later, Zindashti told Ryan that Zindashti’s organization was ready to move forward. Zindashti and Ryan then agreed on a $350,000 payment for the “job,” in addition to $20,000 to cover expenses.  After Zindashti introduced Ryan to Co-Conspirator 1, Ryan responded: “We have a 4 man team ready.”

Over the days that followed, Ryan and Co-Conspirator 1 continued to correspond on SkyECC about the plot. Specifically, Co-Conspirator 1 sent Ryan information about the would-be victims, including their photographs and images of a map that highlighted the victims’ known address. In or around March 8, 2021, Co-Conspirator 1 facilitated a $20,000 payment to Ryan for purposes of covering travel expenses associated with the plot.   

All three of the defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. Pearson is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a fugitive from justice and one count of possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States.

Zindashti currently resides in Iran. Ryan and Pearson are currently incarcerated in Canada on unrelated offenses.

The FBI is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter for the District of Minnesota, Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Zindashti et al. Indictment

One Iranian and two Canadian nationals have been charged with conspiracy to use interstate commerce in the commission of a murder-for-hire plot.

According to court documents, from December 2020 through March 2021, Naji Sharifi Zindashti, 49, Damion Patrick John Ryan, 43, and Adam Richard Pearson, 29, conspired with each other in a plot to murder two residents of the state of Maryland. The defendants, one of whom is based in Iran, used an encrypted messaging service called “SkyECC” to recruit individuals who would travel into the United States to carry out the killings, to discuss the identities and locations of the would-be victims, to plan logistics and mechanics of how to carry out the murders, and to negotiate payment for completion of this “job” in Maryland. The intended victims of this plot, who at the time resided in Maryland, had previously fled to the United States after one of them defected from Iran.

Concurrent with today’s indictment, the Treasury Department took action against Zindashti’s criminal network that targets Iranian dissidents and opposition activists for kidnapping and assassination at the direction of the Iranian regime. Pursuant to today’s designations, Zindashti and several of his key associates are prohibited from engaging in any transaction or dealing that involves a U.S. person or occurs in the United States.

“To those in Iran who plot murders on U.S. soil and the criminal actors who work with them, let today’s charges send a clear message: the Department of Justice will pursue you as long as it takes – and wherever you are – and deliver justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“As alleged, Mr. Zindashti and his team of gunmen, including a Minnesota resident, used an encrypted messaging service to orchestrate an assassination plot against two individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota. “Thanks to the skilled work of federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents, this murder-for-hire conspiracy was disrupted and the defendants will face justice.”

“Today’s charges show a pattern of Iranian groups trying to murder U.S. residents on U.S. soil,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Mr. Zindashti and his accomplices’ alleged plot is reprehensible, and the FBI will not tolerate such acts against U.S. residents, and we will continue to pursue these individuals until they are brought to the U.S. to face justice.” 

As alleged in the indictment, between December 2020 and January 2021, Zindashti and Ryan communicated about “jobs,” “equipment,” “tools” and plans to “make some money.” In January 2021, they discussed a job in the United States, with Ryan noting that doing a job in the United States was challenging, but that he “might have someone to do it.” That same day he messaged Pearson about a “job” in Maryland. Pearson stated, “shooting is probably easiest thing for them,” and that he was “on it.” Ryan recommended “2 guys go with proper equipment.” Pearson said he would encourage the recruits for the job to “shoot [the victim] in the head a lot [to] make example” and that he would tell them “we gotta erase his head from his torso.”

On or about Jan. 30, 2021, Zindashti messaged Ryan on SkyECC seeking an update on the job. Ryan responded that he was getting “things in order” and that he would need money. A few days later, Zindashti told Ryan that Zindashti’s organization was ready to move forward. Zindashti and Ryan then agreed on a $350,000 payment for the “job,” in addition to $20,000 to cover expenses.  After Zindashti introduced Ryan to Co-Conspirator 1, Ryan responded: “We have a 4 man team ready.”

Over the days that followed, Ryan and Co-Conspirator 1 continued to correspond on SkyECC about the plot. Specifically, Co-Conspirator 1 sent Ryan information about the would-be victims, including their photographs and images of a map that highlighted the victims’ known address. In or around March 8, 2021, Co-Conspirator 1 facilitated a $20,000 payment to Ryan for purposes of covering travel expenses associated with the plot.    

All three of the defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. Pearson is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a fugitive from justice and one count of possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States.

Zindashti currently resides in Iran. Ryan and Pearson are currently incarcerated in Canada on unrelated offenses.

The FBI is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter for the District of Minnesota, Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law

Zindashti et al. indictment

MINNEAPOLIS – A Winona man has been charged in an online sextortion scheme that victimized more than 60 minor girls across the country and abroad, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

“Online predators are using social media apps to befriend, coerce, and ultimately extort children and teens,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Thousands of minor victims have been the target of this horrific exploitation. It’s imperative that we as a community engage with our kids about sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.”

According to court documents, between April 2022 and June 2023, Valentin Silva Quintana, 30, used social media apps, including Snapchat and Instagram, to threaten, sexually manipulate, and exploit more than 60 young girls primarily between 9 and 12 years old in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Zealand and elsewhere. Quintana, who knew that most of the girls were between 9 and 12 years of age, used fake identities and lied about his age in communications with the girls, posing as a minor girl himself. He used images and videos of youthful appearing girls to make his communications with other victims more believable.

According to court documents, Quintana used a wide range of tactics to coerce his victims, sometimes by convincing young girls that he was their friend or romantic partner, or by offering them money. But most frequently, he convinced young girls to send him a sexual photo or video or covertly recorded them engaging in sexually explicit conduct and then threatened to send the first image to their friends and family unless the girls produced ever more graphic sexual images and videos for him. He continued this type of sextortion even as his victims wept and begged him to stop.

“The sexual exploitation of Minnesota’s children is horrific and tragic but never more so than when the offenses also include the physical assault of the young victims,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “Our Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to partner with local law enforcement to root out those who commit these acts and help bring them to justice.”

“Today’s indictment sends a crucial message to all predators – we will not allow any crimes against our most vulnerable population to go unpunished,” said Jamie Holt, special agent in charge for HSI St. Paul. “HSI is dedicated to protecting our children against sexual predators who seek to take advantage of their innocence by working with our federal, state and local partners to bring people like Quintana to justice.”

The indictment charges Quintana with thirteen counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Quintana made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright. Quintana was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings.

To date, more than 60 minor girls have been identified, although law enforcement believes there may be additional victims. Anyone who believes they may have information about this matter is encouraged to contact Homeland Security Investigations through the toll-free tip line at 1-866-347-2423.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Winona County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McBride is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MINNEAPOLIS – An Onamia man has been sentenced to 292 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm following a domestic assault, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, on November 19, 2020, Leech Lake Tribal Police were dispatched to a residence following a report that Justin Lyle Cutbank, 37, had physically assaulted a woman, held her at gunpoint, threatened to kill her, and then fled the residence into the woods. Shortly after officers arrived at the residence and took the victim’s statement, a neighbor reported that Cutbank was in their garage and refused to leave. Officers from multiple agencies responded to the location and found Cutbank barricaded in the garage. Several hours of negotiations followed with Cutbank retreating into the attic of the garage and refusing to surrender. Ultimately, officers were able to apprehend Cutbank, who continued to actively resist arrest. The following day, officers searched the wooded area where Cutbank had fled and found a Marlin Model 100 .22 caliber rifle with no serial number, a knife, and the victim’s cell phone.

Because Cutbank has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. 

On March 17, 2023, Cutbank was convicted by a federal jury on one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Arizona man has been sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release and full restitution after embezzling more than $3 million from his employer, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, David Efrem Katz, 56, was the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Durand and Associates (“D&A”), a property management company that specialized in servicing homeowner associations (“HOAs”). Between 2012 and 2017, Katz embezzled over $3 million from D&A and its client HOAs.

Katz worked for D&A from approximately 1998 to 2017, starting as an accountant and eventually becoming CFO. As CFO, Katz had authorization to open credit cards in D&A’s name and use those credit cards for business expenses. However, Katz was not authorized to charge personal expenses to the cards, take out loans on D&A’s behalf without the owner’s approval, or use funds belonging to D&A or its HOA clients to pay his personal expenses.

Beginning in at least 2012 and continuing into 2017, Katz embezzled over $3 million from D&A and its HOA clients. Katz, who as CFO of D&A was responsible for payroll, paid himself significantly more than his agreed upon salary. Between 2011 and 2017, Katz paid himself $6,500 every two weeks as a salary despite his base salary never being more than $47,500 annually.

Katz also reimbursed himself for personal expenses and business expenses he never actually incurred. Katz paid himself between approximately $6,000 and $10,000 in reimbursements every two weeks. He labeled these payments as miscellaneous earnings and reimbursements, “recovery loans,” bonuses, and commissions. Katz never loaned or invested money in D&A that he was entitled to “recover.” To the extent he earned bonuses and commissions, they were in amounts significantly less than what he paid himself. And although Katz incurred some legitimate business-related expenses, they were in amounts significantly less than what he reimbursed himself.

On June 26, 2023, Katz pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez to one count of wire fraud.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Harry M. Jacobs prosecuted the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Mankato man has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm after firing at police officers during a violent home invasion, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

“These charges allege a night of terrifying home invasions and violent assaults,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “I commend the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to apprehend this defendant.”

According to court documents, on January 14, 2024, a woman called 911 to report that a man had broken into her apartment in south Minneapolis. The woman and her two children fled the apartment after the man, identified as Kamau Evans, 31, shattered a window and entered the woman’s bedroom. Evans then went to a second residence in north Minneapolis and broke into the home by shattering a sliding glass door. Once inside, Evans assaulted two of the residents with a firearm and brandished the firearm at a minor who was hiding inside a closet. Evans then held all three residents in the home against their will. 

According to court documents, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department arrived at the residence and were able to pull one of the victims out of the house to safety. Officers entered the home behind a ballistic shield and as they were walking upstairs, Evans appeared in the stairwell and fired a shot at them. Evans then leaped out of a bathroom window and tried to escape through the backyard but was apprehended and arrested. Officers recovered an SCCY model CPX-1 9mm semiautomatic pistol on the side of the garage where Evans was apprehended.

Because Evans has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

The complaint charges Evans with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. Evans made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Kristian Weir are prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man has been indicted for defrauding investors and financial institutions out of more than $10 million, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, Aditya Raj Sharma, 50, was the founder, CEO, and president of Crosscode Inc., a cloud-based software development company headquartered first in Maple Grove and later in Foster City, California. From Crosscode’s founding in 2015 through at least May 2019, Sharma was the primary operator of the company, its controlling shareholder and, at times, its only employee and shareholder.

According to court documents, from 2017 through at least 2019, Sharma knowingly and intentionally devised and executed a scheme to defraud investors, financial institutions, and lending and finance companies. Sharma manipulated and falsely inflated Crosscode’s financial records to induce private investors and financial entities to extend capital to his company in order to avoid or delay financial hardship for Crosscode, which was mired in debt with virtually no incoming revenue or cash-on-hand.

According to court documents, as part of his multi-year scheme, Sharma fraudulently applied for hundreds of thousands in funding from multiple lenders and finance companies. In total, Sharma induced at least one financial institution to provide him with a $950,000 line of credit, and further induced at least 150 investors, including Minnesotans, to provide approximately $9.25 million to Crosscode.

The indictment charges Sharma with four counts of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud. Sharma made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Hibbing man has been indicted for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, and illegal possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, in November 2022, Phillip Lamount Davis, 53, was found to be in possession of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Law enforcement also discovered evidence of drug distribution and a firearm; a second firearm was found in Davis’s possession in June 2023.

Because Davis has multiple prior felony convictions in Illinois, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

The indictment charges Davis with one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court yesterday before Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois, and a detention hearing has been scheduled for January 16, 2024, in Duluth.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Lake Superior Violent Offenders Task Force, in coordination with the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla J. Baumel is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ST. PAUL, Minn. –  A federal jury found a Minneapolis man guilty of possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of October 25, 2022, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to an apartment building on Hiawatha Avenue following reports of a possible domestic incident involving a person with a gun. Officers went to the apartment unit and, as they approached the door, could hear a male voice yelling loudly. Officers ultimately opened the door using a key from apartment security and located Devon Lamont Holt, 33, and a woman inside. Officers obtained a search warrant for the apartment and recovered a loaded Taurus model G2C nine-millimeter pistol. Subsequent testing revealed Holt’s DNA on the firearm.

Because Holt has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

Following a three-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, Holt was found guilty yesterday on one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. 
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth S. Shnider and Bradley M. Endicott tried the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bemidji man has been charged with sexual assault on the Red Lake Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, Brent Lee Sigana, Jr., 25, knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a victim who at the time was physically incapable of declining participation in the act or communicating unwillingness to engage in the act. 

The indictment charges Sigana with one count of sexual abuse of a person incapable of consenting. Federal courts have recognized that this law includes sex acts with individuals who are “physically incapable” of declining or communicating unwillingness due to being asleep or as a result of intoxication. Sigana made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on January 5, 2024, before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby.

Investigators believe there may be other victims relevant to this investigation. If you have any information about other potential victims, please contact the FBI’s Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to producing a video depicting his sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, beginning in July 2019 through February 2023, Chedor TV, 39, created multiple online personas on apps such as Discord and Snapchat in order to cyberstalk a minor victim. He used aliases such as “Chang Vang” and “Hailey Ly” to pose as a minor and communicate with the minor victim, sending her sexually explicit pictures. During this time, while the minor victim was unaware that TV was cyberstalking her using these online aliases, TV also secretly recorded the minor victim while she was naked in the shower at his residence. TV also recorded a sexually explicit video depicting the minor victim while she was asleep at his residence. When the minor victim tried to cease contact with TV’s online persona “Chang,” TV threatened to share publicly explicit videos and images he took of the minor victim without her knowledge, causing her substantial emotional distress.

TV pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of production of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and St. Paul Police Department. It 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Big Lake woman has pleaded guilty to her role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, Sharon Denise Ross, 53, was the executive director of House of Refuge Twin Cities, a St. Paul-based non-profit which she enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. Ross claimed that House of Refuge operated distribution sites at a dozen locations throughout the Twin Cities that served food by a vendor called Brava Café, a restaurant in Minneapolis run by Hanna Marakegn. Between September 2021 through February 2022, Ross falsely claimed to be serving thousands of children each day at her House of Refuge sites. In total, Ross fraudulently claimed to have served nearly 900,000 meals and received approximately $2.4 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Ross distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to family members and used the rest of the money to fund her lifestyle, including to pay for vacations to Florida and Las Vegas, to purchase a suite at a Minnesota Timberwolves game, and to purchase a house in Willernie, Minnesota.

Ross, who is the 17th defendant to plead guilty to charges relating to the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, appeared today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Chelsea A. Walcker, Matthew S. Ebert, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Fridley man has been charged federally with possession of ammunition as a felon after firing multiple shots from an AR-style rifle, one of which struck an 11-year-old girl in the face, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, just after midnight on January 1, 2024, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department received a report of a shooting at a residence in north Minneapolis. When officers arrived at the scene a woman told them that shots had been fired outside the residence and a round had struck the woman’s 11-year-old daughter in the face. The victim said she was sitting in her second-story bedroom when she heard gunshots outside the residence at approximately midnight. She went to her window to observe when a round came through the window and hit her in the face.

According to court documents, officers obtained a Snapchat video of James William Turner, 44, that was filmed just prior to the shooting. The two-minute video showed Turner outside, near the victim’s residence, arguing with an unknown individual before the camera turned to show an AR-style rifle lying across the driver’s seat of a vehicle. A neighbor provided officers with a doorbell surveillance video that showed Turner fire multiple rounds in the direction of the victim’s bedroom window. Officers found eight live cartridges and 24 discharged cartridge casings throughout the boulevard, sidewalk, and yard.

Because Turner has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

The complaint charges Turner with one count of possession of ammunition as a felon. Turner made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department, with assistance from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian C.S. Weir is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint for armed robbery of postal employees on two separate occasions, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on November 18, 2023, Rubin David Adams, 26, approached a USPS letter carrier in Edina, pointed a handgun at them, and demanded the “mailbox key,” which the victim did not have. Instead, the victim handed over two sets of USPS vehicle keys. The following day, Adams approached another USPS letter carrier in Brooklyn Center. Adams pointed a handgun at the victim’s head, demanded and stole two USPS mailbox keys. Mailbox keys are valuable to criminals who use them to steal mail, cash, checks, and other financial instruments. Mailbox keys are the property of USPS, and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one.

“This is part of an alarming trend that law enforcement is seeing around country, including here in the Twin Cities,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “We take this issue very seriously and will continue to ensure postal employees are safe and free from violence as they serve their communities.”

The complaint charges Adams with two counts of assault and attempted robbery, while putting a person’s life in jeopardy with the use of a deadly weapon. The charge of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Adams made his initial appearance last week in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster. A preliminary and detention hearing has been scheduled for January 9, 2024.

“The safety and security of Postal Service employees and customers is core to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and this incident is a tremendous example of how local, state, and federal partners can join together to quickly and safely resolve situations like this,” said Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove. “Mr. Adams’s alleged crimes showed blatant disregard for human decency and overall greed. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners for their efforts.”

Law enforcement encourages anyone who may have mailed letters or checks from Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park that did not reach their destination to contact the USPIS Tip Line at 612-884-7962 or [email protected].

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, Hennepin County Violent Offenders Task Force, Edina Police Department, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the St. Louis Park Police Department, and the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – An inmate has pleaded guilty to conspiring with a corrections officer to distribute methamphetamine inside the Stillwater prison, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, Axel Rene Kramer, 36, an inmate who is currently serving a 288-month sentence for second degree murder, conspired with Faith Rose Gratz, 26, a former Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF)-Stillwater corrections officer, to distribute methamphetamine within MCF – Stillwater, Minnesota’s largest high security prison facility. As part of the conspiracy, Kramer obtained wholesale quantities of prepackaged methamphetamine from sources of supply outside the prison. After Kramer and another co-conspirator inmate worked with the drug suppliers to arrange meet up times and locations, Gratz would pick up the drug packages. Gratz used her position as a prison guard to smuggle the drugs into the secure facility and then provide the drugs to Kramer while she was on duty guarding him. Gratz did this on approximately six different occasions. Gratz also smuggled into the prison multiple cell phones that she provided to Kramer. Kramer used the cell phones to communicate with people inside and outside the prison and to facilitate his drug distribution network from within the prison.

According to court documents, Kramer and Gratz exchanged hundreds of text messages with each other. The messages included communications about the drug distribution conspiracy as well as discussions about their romantic relationship. Gratz also warned Kramer about upcoming searches of inmates’ cells.

Kramer pleaded guilty on January 5, 2024, in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bayport Police Department, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Matthew D. Evans are prosecuting the case.

ST PAUL, Minn. – Two medical services company executives have pleaded guilty to orchestrating an accounts receivable factoring fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, Khemwattie Singh, 53, was the chief executive officer of Global Medical Services, a Minnesota-based healthcare solutions company. Neeraj Chepuri, 55, was the chief medical officer of Global Medical Services. Between June and October 2018, Singh, Chepuri, and others entered into factoring contracts with MD Capital Solutions, a Florida-based investment company, to purchase the accounts receivable of Global Medical Services and Minnesota International Medicine for more than $2.6 million. Factoring is a form of short-term financing in which a business sells its accounts receivable to a third-party at a discount.

According to court documents and their admissions in court, Singh and Chepuri defrauded MD Capital Solutions by failing to pay over the receivables as they were collected and falsely represented to MD Capital Solutions that no funds had been received. Instead, Singh and Chepuri pocketed the money, wiring more than $5 million overseas.

In addition, Singh was responsible for complying with all federal tax laws pertaining to Global Medical Services as the Chief Executive Officer, including the requirement that the business would withhold federal income taxes and Social Security and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes from employees’ pay and report and pay over the withheld amounts to the Internal Revenue Service. Beginning in approximately 2018, Singh willfully failed to file quarterly payroll tax returns or pay over the withheld amounts and the employer’s contribution to FICA. 

Singh and Chepuri each pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on December 29, 2023, in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. Singh also pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over payroll taxes for withholding federal taxes from employee payroll and not reporting or paying the withholdings to the IRS.  The plea agreements include restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration for a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Loan obtained by the defendants for the company they operated.  Sentencing hearings are scheduled for May 7, 2024 (Singh) and May 9, 2024 (Chepuri).

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau, and the IRS.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert M. Lewis and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man and a Mounds View woman have been indicted for carjacking and firearm violations, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on October 6, 2023, Isis Martinaz Brent, 19, and Carvon Antonio Saine, 18, used violence and intimidation to steal a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu in South Minneapolis. During the carjacking, Brent and Saine used a semiautomatic firearm with the intent to cause bodily harm.

The indictment charges Brent and Saine each with one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The defendants made their initial appearances today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Green is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Mississippi man has been sentenced to 155 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for a violent Hobbs Act robbery and firearms violations, including possessing a stolen firearm and aiding and abetting false statements during the purchase of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, Ladarius Jaleel Snipes, 27, and his co-conspirators, Kendarrius Keshaun Willard, 27, and Anna Trameri Novacheck, 28, agreed to illegally acquire firearms through a straw purchasing conspiracy. On November 1, 2021, Snipes, Willard, and Novacheck went to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) to purchase a firearm. At the direction of and with assistance from Snipes and Willard, Novacheck purchased an Alex Pro model Econo 5.56 caliber semiautomatic pistol. During the purchase, Novacheck signed the ATF Form 4473 stating that she was the actual buyer of the firearm when, in fact, she was buying it for Snipes and Willard. Willard has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Snipes was later photographed holding the firearm with an attached large capacity magazine.

On January 5, 2022, Snipes burglarized a home in St. Paul. A doorbell camera captured Snipes breaking a window and entering the home. While inside, Snipes stole an Aero Precision model X15 multi-caliber semiautomatic pistol. During the burglary, Snipes used a firearm he acquired in the straw purchasing conspiracy to shoot and kill the homeowner’s golden retriever.

On August 7, 2021, Snipes entered a restaurant in Cleveland, Mississippi, armed with a semiautomatic pistol. Snipes showed the firearm and demanded that a store employee give him the money in the cash register. When one of the employees ran to the back of the kitchen, Snipes discharged the firearm to scare the employees. Snipes was charged in the Northern District of Mississippi with Hobbs Act robbery and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

On August 31, 2023, Snipes pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting false statement during the purchase of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, Hobbs Act Robbery, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Snipes was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Donovan W. Frank.

On May 30, 2023, Willard pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting false statement during the purchase of a firearm and was sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 7, 2023, Novacheck pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false statements during the purchase of a firearm and was sentenced to three years of probation.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Paul Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Cleveland (Mississippi) Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez from the District of Minnesota and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims from the Northern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Six individuals have been charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, between August 2022 and December 2023, Cornell Montez Chandler, Jr., 24, Robiel Lee Williams, 23, Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, 30, Stardasha Christina Davenport-Mounger, 24, Fo’Tre Devine White, 26, and Shardai Rayshell Allen, 24, conspired to distribute fentanyl in Minnesota. Several defendants traveled to Phoenix to obtain fentanyl pills from suppliers, hid the pills inside stuffed animals, and mailed them to addresses in and around the Twin Cities. Law enforcement in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties became aware of the trafficking and initiated a joint investigation, which resulted in the seizure of six packages containing over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills. 

All six defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. White is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and one count of possession of a machinegun.

All defendants made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Ramsey man has been sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $1,918.28 in restitution for his role in a string of carjacking and firearms violations, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on January 3, 2022, Jordan James Smith, 27, approached an individual who was sitting in a parked vehicle. Smith opened the driver’s door of the victim’s Nissan Juke and pushed a gun into the victim’s torso. Smith then stated, “I’ve got a [expletive] gun,” and directed the victim to “give me everything you have and get out of the car.” Smith pulled the victim from the car, got into the driver’s seat, and drove off. The victim’s phone and wallet were still in the car as Smith fled. On January 10, 2022, Smith and an associate used the victim’s Nissan Juke as collateral to test drive a black Maserati. Smith and his associate abandoned the Nissan Juke and stole the black Maserati before being apprehended by law enforcement.

On February 3, 2022, Smith and his co-defendant Carson Thomas McCoy, 22, of Blaine, along with other associates, broke into a local car dealership. The group stole several vehicles, including an unlicensed GMC Acadia. Later that morning, at 8:30 a.m., McCoy—who was driving the stolen GMC Acadia—ran a stop sign and struck another vehicle. McCoy abandoned the GMC Acadia and ran to another vehicle being driven by Smith. However, before leaving the area, Smith approached the vehicle McCoy hit, pointed a gun at the driver, and said “give me your purse or I’ll [expletive] kill you.” Smith then returned to his vehicle and fled the scene with the victim’s iPhone, housekeys, and a child’s backpack.

Shortly thereafter, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Smith noticed the driver of a silver Honda Accord parked in a nearby residential area. Smith and McCoy exited the blue Honda Accord and approached the silver Honda Accord. Smith tapped on the driver’s side window with his gun. The driver of the silver Honda Accord exited the vehicle and, as the driver attempted to retrieve a wallet, Smith threatened the driver with his gun. Smith and McCoy then drove off in the silver Honda Accord.  Smith was apprehended later that same day on an unrelated warrant. Because Smith has prior felony convictions, he was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

Smith pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023, to two counts of carjacking. He was sentenced earlier this week in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim. McCoy will be sentenced on January 3, 2024.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Blaine Police Department, the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case.

ST PAUL, Minn. – A Brooklyn Park man has pleaded guilty to facilitating a national romance fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, beginning in May 2018 through June 2022, Dodzi Kwame Kordorwu, 37, helped facilitate an online romance fraud scheme that targeted primarily elderly victims and lured them into sending money under false pretenses. The scheme relied on perpetrators impersonating a real or plausible but fictitious person, such as a senior U.S. diplomat or military official, that contacted the victims through online social media applications. The scheme participants then sought to forge a romantic connection with the victims. If successful, the scheme participants would then ask the victims for money purportedly to assist the false persona with some problem or need. Occasionally, the scheme participants would even introduce the victims to a purported third-party intermediary who would corroborate the false persona’s story and assist in defrauding the victims. The victims eventually were directed to send large sums of money by mail or other commercial means to a specified name and address.

In total, Kordorwu received over 90 victim packages containing approximately $2,231,998 in fraud proceeds throughout the scheme. Kordorwu kept some of the proceeds for his personal benefit and disbursed the remainder of the proceeds to other scheme participants.

Kordorwu pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of mail fraud in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and a Digital Forensic Investigator with Hennepin County.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Robert M. Lewis are prosecuting the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the South Minneapolis residence of Andre Garner, 42, and recovered almost 800 grams of fentanyl in a van registered to Garner. During their search, law enforcement also recovered over 1,000 grams of cocaine, two firearms, and $9,400 in cash. As a part of his guilty plea, Garner admitted that he told law enforcement that anything law enforcement found was his, including the money and the van.

Garner pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Le Roy man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for committing a felony offense involving a minor while registered as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, Richard Dean Vandeweerd, 63, a registered sex offender, knowingly attempted to transfer obscene material to a minor, which is a federal offense. Using the web-based chat application Meet24, Vandeweerd contacted “Becca,” who claimed to be a l4-year-old female from Tennessee but was in fact an undercover FBI agent. Over the course of several days in February 2020, and again in November of the same year, Vandeweerd engaged in sexually explicit conversations with “Becca” and sent her pictures of his genitalia.

On April 17, 2023, Vandeweerd pleaded guilty to one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright on December 12, 2023.

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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bloomington fugitive has pleaded guilty to attempted production and production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, between October 2020 through March 2023, Ibrahim Ghassan Sleyman, 30, used Snapchat and other messaging apps to solicit sexually explicit material and sex acts from minors, some as young as nine-years-old. Additionally, Sleyman groomed and enticed a minor victim to produce child pornography and engage in sexual activity with Sleyman by providing the minor with drugs and gifts. Once Sleyman became aware of law enforcement’s investigation, he fled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on September 6, 2022. While Sleyman was a fugitive in the UAE, he continued to use Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors in the United States. 

Sleyman was extradited by the UAE and upon his return to the United State, he was taken into federal custody by the FBI on September 15, 2023. To date, the United States has identified at least 22 minor victims who Sleyman solicited and used to produce and receive child pornography and attempted to entice to engage in unlawful sexual acts. If you believe you or your minor dependent(s) have been victimized by Ibrahim Sleyman, please contact the FBI Tip Line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.

Sleyman pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of attempted production and production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of enticement of a minor. As a part of his plea, Sleyman admitted to criminal conduct relating to 22 minor victims.

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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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. 

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Elk River Police Department, and the Pleasant Hill, Missouri Police Department, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the State Department, the Ministries of Justice and Interior of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Interpol, Abu Dhabi Airport Police and Abu Dhabi International Airport – Airport Security provided significant support and assistance in Sleyman’s extradition from the United Arab Emirates.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on March 7, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department were conducting surveillance at an apartment looking for De’Voncea Lashoun Griffo, 24, a suspect in an ongoing investigation. Officers observed Griffo leave his apartment building wearing a cross-body bag across his chest and get into the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Equinox. After Griffo pulled into a thrift store parking lot, officers activated emergency lights and conducted a felony stop. Griffo removed his cross-body bag and set it behind the center console of the car, and was placed under arrest. Officers later obtained a warrant to search Griffo’s vehicle and recovered the cross-body bag, which contained a .45 caliber Glock pistol with an extended magazine containing 23 rounds of ammunition. The firearm had been modified with an auto sear, also known as a switch, which is a device used to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm.    

Because Griffo has a prior felony conviction, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

On July 18, 2023, Griffo pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A South St. Paul felon has been sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the defendant’s plea agreement and court documents, on December 4, 2022, Nicholas Neil Nikiforakis, 34, posted a photo on Facebook that showed him in possession of a black firearm with a tan-colored extended magazine. Based on his prior felony convictions, Nikiforakis was prohibited from possessing a firearm of any kind. Law enforcement officers successfully located Nikiforakis and conducted physical surveillance. When the defendant was spotted getting behind the wheel of a black Ford Explorer, officers attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle.  Nikiforakis responded by ramming into a responding squad car and fled the area at a high rate of speed. He eventually crashed as he attempted a high-speed turn, hit a fire hydrant, and collided with a nearby building. The defendant fled on foot but was ultimately apprehended at the scene. A subsequent search of the black Ford Explorer revealed a black and dark green privately-made-firearm – PMF or “ghost gun” – with a tan-colored extended magazine in the center console with a large black bag that contained fentanyl pills, marijuana, and a digital scale.  A subsequent review of Nikiforakis’s phone confirmed that he possessed the fentanyl for the express purpose of distributing the drugs to others. 

Nikiforakis pleaded guilty on June 23, 2023, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim, also known as Salah Donyale, 40, admitted that from April 2020 through January 2022, he knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud the federal child nutrition program, a program designed to provide free meals to children in need. Omar-Hashim and his co-conspirators obtained, misappropriated, and laundered millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to underprivileged children.  

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and court documents, in September 2020, the defendant created a company called Olive Management Inc., under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Olive Management purported to operate a federal child nutrition program site in St. Cloud, Minnesota that served meals to 3,000 children a day, seven days a week. From September 2020 to September 2021, the defendant and his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals to children at the Olive Management site. In support of these claims, the defendant prepared and submitted fake meal count sheets and invoices. Conspirators also submitted a fake attendance roster purporting to list the names of 2,040 children who attended the Olive Management site’s “after-school program.” Of the approximately 2,040 names on the list, only approximately 20 matched the names of children attending school in the St. Cloud Public School District. Based on these fraudulent claims, Omar-Hashim and his co-conspirators received approximately $7,490,711 in Federal Child Nutrition Program reimbursements for meals purportedly served to children at the Olive Management site. 

Hashim-Omar pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Chelsea A. Walcker are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Duluth man has been sentenced to 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, in March 2022, Gale Allen Rachuy, 73, defrauded Victim A (victim), by falsely representing that Rachuy was an attorney who could handle the victim’s legal proceedings. As part of the scheme, Rachuy told the victim that he would be able to get former federal and state court judges to work on the victim’s case. In order to retain the alleged judges, Rachuy would need the victim to pay a retainer fee of $10,000, with the first payment of $2,500 due on March 15, 2022. Rachuy and the victim each signed a retainer agreement, which specified that both judges would be assisting in the victim’s legal representation. On March 15, 2022, the victim paid the $2,500 retainer fee via wire from his account in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Rachuy’s bank account in Minneapolis. The victim was scheduled to wire another $2,500 installment to Rachuy on April 1, 2022, but became suspicious of Rachuy after not seeing any drafts or filings in his case. After the victim realized that Rachuy was fraudulently representing these services, he ceased making future payments. Despite assuring the victim that the funds would be returned, Rachuy never returned the funds.

Rachuy pleaded guilty on May 10, 2023, to one count of wire fraud. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Joan N. Ericksen.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Harry M. Jacobs prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Michigan man has been sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release, required to pay restitution to the victim, and ordered to pay $5,000 to the Domestic Victim Trafficking Fund for interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to his plea agreement, in late 2022, Maxwell Winston Beardsley, 22, met a young teenager on Omegle, a free online chat website that does not require user registration. Although the minor immediately identified as such, Beardsley lied and said he was 16 years old and then proceeded to pursue a romantic relationship with the minor victim. Over the course of several months, Beardsley exchanged sexually explicit materials with the minor victim and engaged in sexually explicit conversations. On January 27, 2023, Beardsley drove from Michigan to Minnesota for the express purpose of meeting the minor victim to engage in sex.

On July 19, 2023, Beardsley pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel on December 11, 2023.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Lakeville Police Department in Minnesota, and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office in Michigan. It 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Manitowoc, Wisconsin man has been sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for producing images depicting his sexual abuse of a minor in Minnesota, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, on or about June 7, 2019, Jason Lee, 28, used and coerced a prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.

Lee pleaded guilty to one count of attempted production and production of child pornography on July 17, 2023. He was sentenced yesterday by Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Saint Paul Police Department, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin Police Department. It 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.

ST. PAUL, Minn. –  A federal jury found a Minneapolis man guilty of receipt, distribution, and access with intent to view child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to the evidence presented at trial, beginning on or about August 2, 2020, through January 25, 2022, Michael Francis Hamer, 56, knowingly and frequently obtained, distributed, and accessed child pornography online. On multiple occasions, he used Facebook and Gmail to directly message self-identified minor victims, some as young as 11 years old, to request and distribute images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors. Hamer also joined Facebook Messenger group chats that were named “Boys sex video,” “Kids Video Sex,” and “#Good Boy?,” among others, to solicit and access child sexual abuse images. 

Hamer was previously convicted in Minnesota state court for solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct. Hamer admitted to possessing child pornography during his 2012 conviction.  

Following a two-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, Hamer was found guilty yesterday on one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and two counts of access with intent to view child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from the Minneapolis Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary A. Taylor and Emily A. Polachek tried this case.

MINNEAPOLIS – A Rush City woman has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution for her role in multiple schemes that defrauded individuals throughout the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, from 2017 through April 2022, Gayle Joyce Ferngren, 70, and others participated in a scheme to launder proceeds that were fraudulently obtained from victims throughout the United States, including the proceeds of romance fraud scams and schemes to defraud Federal Pandemic Assistance Programs.  In total, Ferngren laundered at least $1.8 million in fraud proceeds.

According to her guilty plea, from approximately June 2020 through December 2020, Ferngren acknowledges that she received at least 68 debit cards containing approximately $1.3 million in fraudulent unemployment benefits from California and Nevada to which she was not entitled. After receiving the fraudulent proceeds, Ferngren kept a portion for herself and transmitted most of the funds to other scheme participants, including to individuals located overseas. 

In addition, Ferngren participated in a “romance scam,” which is a type of fraud that targets persons looking for romantic partners or friendship on dating websites or other social media platforms.  According to court documents, romance scammers create profiles using fictitious or fake names, locations, images, and personas, allowing the scammers to cultivate relationships with prospective scam victims.  According to her guilty plea, Ferngren received funds from romance fraud victims under false and fraudulent pretenses after other scheme participants induced the victims to send money to Ferngren. 

Ferngren was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim. On May 22, 2023, she pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Labor–Office of Inspector General, and the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert prosecuted the case.

MINNEAPOLIS – Derrick John Thompson has been federally indicted for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm following a deadly vehicle crash that killed five victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

“These federal charges underscore the seriousness of Mr. Thompson’s criminal actions. We will continue to take an aggressive stance against individuals who engage in armed fentanyl dealing and present grave danger to our community,” said U. S. Attorney Andrew Luger.

According to court documents, on June 16, 2023, a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol observed a black Cadillac SUV speeding north on I-35W, traveling at 95 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour speed zone. The trooper observed Thompson abruptly cut across four lanes of traffic to exit the freeway at the Lake Street exit. The trooper began following the SUV but did not initiate the emergency lights or attempt to make a traffic stop because the trooper did not want to cause the driver, later identified as Thompson, 28, to continue to drive recklessly on city streets. At the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and East Lake Street, Thompson sped through a red light at the intersection without stopping or slowing. The SUV struck at full speed the driver’s side of a Honda Civic that was traveling lawfully through the intersection. All five occupants of the Honda Civic, four adult females and one juvenile female, were killed. When law enforcement responded to the scene of the crash, witnesses told officers that Thompson had fled on foot through a nearby alley. Officers found Thompson sitting on the curb outside of a nearby restaurant. Officers detained Thompson, who was later transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.

According to court documents, an officer found at the scene a Hertz rental record for the Cadillac SUV indicating that Thompson rented the vehicle from a Hertz located at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport approximately 30 minutes before the crash. After obtaining a warrant to search the SUV, officers found a black leather bag on the front passenger side floor that contained a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, as well as three baggies containing more than 2,000 blue “M-Box 30” fentanyl pills, a baggie containing an additional 14 grams of powder fentanyl, a baggie containing 13 MDMA pills, a baggie containing 35 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale.
Because Thompson has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

The indictment charges Thompson with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm as a felon, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before a Magistrate Judge at a later date.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport Police Department, in coordination with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Ruth S. Shnider are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Redby man was sentenced to 144 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a murder that took place in August 2019 on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, on August 12, 2019, Daniel Charles Barrett, 32, together with codefendants Mia Faye Sumner, 22, Alexia Gah Gi Gay Mary Cutbank, 22, and armed with at least one handgun, entered the garage of a residence where Daniel Alan Johnson was known to reside. Once inside, Cutbank fired multiple gunshots, fatally wounding Johnson and seriously injuring a second victim, T.B.S. The three defendants returned to a waiting vehicle and left the scene. A fourth co-defendant, Rose Celeste Siewert, 51, drove Barrett, Cutbank, and Sumner off the reservation to help them avoid arrest.

Barrett was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Susan Richard Nelson. He pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022, but absconded during his pretrial release, and was ultimately arrested on November 2, 2023. Earlier this year, Cutbank was sentenced to 240 months in prison, Sumner was sentenced to 120 months in prison, and Siewert was sentenced to 48 months in prison.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the FBI, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Duluth Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections, in collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino prosecuted the case.