District of Minnesota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
North Dakota Felon Indicted for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A North Dakota felon has been indicted on conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in February 2023 and continuing through approximately April 21, 2023, Jake Noland Northern, a.k.a. “Jake Noal Northern,” 45, knowingly and willingly conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in Minnesota and surrounding areas.
Northern was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. On October 8, 2024, he made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko and was subsequently ordered detained pending trial.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office, the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren O. Roso and Allen S. Slaughter are prosecuting the case.
First Feeding Our Future Defendant Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – The first defendant in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme to be sentenced received 144 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Ismail was also ordered to pay $47,920,514 in restitution.
On June 7, 2024, following a six-week trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel, a Mohamed Jama Ismail, 51, of Savage, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of money laundering. Ismail was an owner and operator of Empire Cuisine and Market LLC, a for-profit restaurant that participated in the scheme as a site, as a vendor for other sites, and as an entity to launder fraudulent proceeds. Based on their fraudulent claims, Ismail and his co-defendants received more than $40 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
As proven at trial, Ismail and his co-defendants obtained, misappropriated, and laundered millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. Ismail and his co-defendants exploited changes in the program intended to ensure underserved children received adequate nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic. The convicted defendants created and submitted false documentation. They submitted fraudulent meal count sheets purporting to document the number of children and meals served at each site and false invoices purporting to document the purchase of food to be served to children at the sites. Ismail and his co-defendants also submitted fake attendance rosters purporting to list the names and ages of the children receiving meals at the sites each day. These rosters were fabricated and created using fake names.
Ismail was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel. When handing down the sentence, Judge Brasel commented that “The taxpayers in Minnesota are rightfully outraged by the brazenness and the scope of [Ismail’s] crime. The evidence at trial was frankly breathtaking.” Judge Brasel also emphasized that during a disaster, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, “many of us were taught to look for the helpers . . . when the world was at its most vulnerable [Ismail] decided not to be a helper, but to be a thief.”
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 Daniel W. Bobier tried the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Repeat Felon Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Oakdale man has been sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on February 13, 2023, an officer from the New Hope Police Department initiated a traffic stop after observing a maroon Chevy Suburban commit several traffic violations. The officer noticed the smell of marijuana as he approached the vehicle and saw drug paraphernalia in the center console. Officers subsequently searched the vehicle and found a Glock model 17 GEN5 9mm caliber pistol equipped with a switch and a large capacity magazine hidden in a compartment underneath the cupholders. They also found a second large capacity magazine and additional ammunition on the driver’s side of the vehicle. DNA from the firearm’s textured grip and slide serrations matched the driver, Detroit Davis-Riley, 35. It was also later discovered that the firearm had previously been reported as stolen.
Because Davis-Riley has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On March 14, 2024, Davis-Riley pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on October 9, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the New Hope Police Department, Crystal Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.
Repeat Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm After Shootout at Gas StationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A convicted felon has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2023, Samit Mao, 43, entered a gas station in St. Paul and tried unsuccessfully to purchase a cash card using reward points. Mao then punched the glass window in front of the cash register with one hand and was asked to leave the store by a cashier and a security guard. After the security guard and Mao exited the store, they exchanged gunfire. Mao was hit in the left arm. The defendant entered his car and fled the scene. Responding officers apprehended Mao in his vehicle nearby the gas station. Underneath Mao’s seat in the vehicle, officers recovered a Springfield model Hellcat 9mm semiautomatic pistol containing eight rounds and a round in the chamber.
Because Mao has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Mao pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Michael J. Davis to one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Finds Brooklyn Park Felon Guilty of Possession of Fentanyl, Firearm Following Deadly Vehicle CrashRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found Derrick John Thompson guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and fentanyl following a deadly vehicle crash that killed five victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a five-day trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan, Thompson, 28, was found guilty of one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm as a felon, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
According to evidence presented at trial, on June 16, 2023, a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol observed a black Cadillac Escalade speeding north on I-35W, traveling at 95 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour speed zone. The trooper observed the driver, later identified as 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 activate the emergency lights or sirens because the trooper did not want to attempt a traffic stop on city streets given the Escalade’s dangerous driving. 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 where Thompson fled. Officers found Thompson, wearing clothing that matched the description given by witnesses, 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 evidence presented at trial, an officer found at the scene a Hertz rental record for the Cadillac Escalade 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 vehicle, 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 fentanyl powder, a baggie containing 35 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale. Subsequent testing determined that Thompson’s DNA was present on the firearm, the fentanyl powder, and the cocaine. A search of Thompson’s phone found dozens of texts indicating fentanyl deals.
Because Thompson has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, 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 tried the case.
Maryland Man Indicted for $35 Million Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maryland man has been indicted for his role in a $35 million bank fraud conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from September 2020 through October 2021, Karl Reid Selle, 38, of Bowie, Maryland, conspired with Matthew Thomas Onofrio to devise and execute a scheme to defraud federally-insured banks and credit unions in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and elsewhere. As part of the scheme, Onofrio, who operated a business entity called Northwoods Management LLC, marketed a program for investors to acquire commercial real estate located in various states. Onofrio, or his business entity, would cause false information to be submitted to lenders financing investors’ real estate purchases and in some cases altered purchase agreements to support higher appraisals of the properties. The indictment also alleges that part of the scheme was to withhold information from the lenders, including the fact that Onofrio made loans to investors to help them purchase the properties and that the loans constituted liabilities that should be disclosed in a loan application.
The indictment charges Selle with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on October 8, 2024, before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Lewis 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.
Three Bloods Gang Members Convicted at Trial of Racketeering (RICO) and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Three Minneapolis Bloods gang members were found guilty of racketeering (RICO) and firearms offenses in connection with a years-long pattern of gang violence, including two murders, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“The Minneapolis Bloods gang is a violent criminal enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “As the evidence proved, the defendants convicted today were members of that enterprise, and they carried out violence and murder on its behalf. As Bloods members, the rules these defendants lived by superseded all criminal laws and social tenets, such as respect for human life or concern for public safety.”
“Today, a jury reached a verdict that sends a clear message to those who seek to terrorize our streets: we will find you, we will remove you from our streets, and we will bring you to justice,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “Thank you to all those who have put in countless hours to ensure the successful prosecution of these violent individuals. To our community members who have been affected by the violent acts perpetrated by these violent gang members, I hope today brings you some sense of justice and closure.”
“The FBI is committed to working tirelessly to disrupt violent gangs like the Bloods and ensure that our communities are safer,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “This guilty verdict sends a clear message: we will not tolerate gang violence, drug trafficking, or the devastation these criminal organizations cause. We are proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring these individuals to justice.”
Following a weeks-long trial before Judge Susan Richard Nelson in U.S. District Court, Desean James Solomon, aka Black, 34, Michael Allen Burrell, aka Skitz, 44, and Leontawan Lentez Holt, aka Leon, aka Shotta, aka Shot Dog, 26, were found guilty on all charges. Solomon was convicted of one count of RICO conspiracy and two counts of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of murder. Burrell and Holt were each convicted of one count of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of murder.
According to the evidence presented at trial, since at least 2020, Solomon, Burrell, and Holt, have been members and associates of the Minneapolis Bloods street gang. Historically, the gang’s territory is located on the south side of Minneapolis, near Chicago Avenue South and 38th Street East. The hierarchy of the Bloods includes a head or leader of the gang, senior leaders, street-level leaders, and other members or associates. New recruits (called “YGs” or young gangsters) must fight, shoot, or make money to gain respect and increase their position in the gang. The next level is “OG” (original gangsters), who are well-respected members of the gang, and the highest level is “double OG.” All OGs are equal in rank and can direct “shots” or orders. “Enforcers” carry out the OG’s “shots” or orders by beating or assaulting the offender. If a Bloods member is disrespected, other members are expected to retaliate. When shootings break out with opposition gangs, Bloods members within proximity are expected to come to each other’s aid by firing their own weapons at opposition gang members.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on June 14, 2020, Solomon, Burrell, and other Bloods members went to the 200 Club, a nightclub in north Minneapolis, where they assaulted a rival gang member in the men’s restroom. Following the assault, a shooting broke out outside the club. Solomon and Burrell both fired their weapons multiple times, resulting in the murder of a rival gang member.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on April 23, 2022, Solomon, Holt, and other Bloods members went to Williams Pub, a bar in the Uptown neighborhood of south Minneapolis, to celebrate a birthday. Inside the bar, Holt threw an unprovoked punch at a rival gang member and the rest of the Bloods members joined in. A large bar fight ensued. After several minutes, the Bloods members exited the bar onto a nearby street, where Holt and a juvenile member of the Bloods shot at and killed a rival gang member.
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date. With today’s convictions, a total of 17 Bloods members and associates have pleaded guilty or have been convicted at trial.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Esther Mignanelli Soria, Kristian Weir, and Campbell Warner tried the case.
Richfield Felon Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Richfield man has been sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
On September 19, 2023, Andrew Jerome Bigbee, 58, was convicted by a federal jury on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.
According to the evidence presented at trial, the defendant conspired to distribute methamphetamine between approximately September 2019 and May 2021. Law enforcement officers obtained a warrant and searched the defendant’s house in Richfield, Minnesota, on September 4, 2019. Law enforcement found more than 520 grams of methamphetamine in the defendant’s house, as well as other miscellaneous indicators of drug trafficking, such as a digital scale, more than $8,000 in cash, a money counting machine, drug packaging materials, and two firearms.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 16, 2020, law enforcement searched the defendant’s RV in Bloomington, Minnesota. There, law enforcement found more than 5,000 grams of methamphetamine throughout the RV as well as drug trafficking paraphernalia, including a vacuum sealer machine, plastic bags, digital scales, a money counting machine, and more than $300,000 in cash. On May 6, 2021, law enforcement searched the defendant’s residence in Elko, Minnesota. Law enforcement found almost 12,000 grams of methamphetamine in the residence. Law enforcement also found additional evidence of drug trafficking, including a digital scale, a money counter machine, almost $18,000 in cash, and a firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Bloomington Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Edina Police Department, Richfield Police Department, Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, and the Springerville Police Department in Arizona.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson prosecuted the case.
Red Lake Woman Sentenced to Prison for Child Neglect Following the Death of a Child on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake woman has been sentenced to 15 months in prison following the death of a child in her care, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to evidence presented at trial, Sharon Rosebear, 64, intentionally deprived a child, Minor A, of necessary food and health care over the course of 2022. The evidence at trial established that Minor A died in 2022 from the combined effects of starvation and infection. Rosebear’s codefendant, Julius Fineday, Sr., pleaded guilty to one count of felony child neglect causing the death of a child and was sentenced to five years in prison earlier this year.
The evidence at trial established that Rosebear acted as one of Minor A’s caretakers in 2022. In accordance with Minnesota law, the jury was instructed that Rosebear’s lack of formal legal custody of Minor A did not alter her responsibility to the child. The evidence at trial established that Rosebear was reasonably able to provide for Minor A’s nutrition and healthcare—including evidence establishing that healthcare and transportation to healthcare is free within the Red Lake Nation, and that all of the adults and children involved in the case received nutritional and cash assistance adequate to meet their basic needs—and that Rosebear nonetheless intentionally deprived Minor A of those basic needs by withholding food, and by looking the other way while Minor A’s health deteriorated. The evidence at trial included evidence that Minor A died at the same weight she had been nearly three years earlier, and that while Rosebear was aware of Minor A’s severe lice infestation, Rosebear responded by keeping Minor A isolated rather than seeking medical attention for Minor A.
Medical testimony at trial established that the type of infection Minor A had when she died could have entered Minor A’s body through scratches in her scalp related to her unaddressed lice. The medical testimony also established that Minor A’s prolonged starvation may have been an independently sufficient cause of death, or may have severely compromised Minor A’s immune system’s ability to fight infection.
On April 29, 2024, Rosebear was found guilty of felony child neglect following a six-day trial in U.S. District Court. She was sentenced today by Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
In handing down the sentence, Chief Judge Schiltz commented, “One of the most tragic things about Minor A’s death is that it was so easily preventable … day after day, week after week, month after month, Ms. Rosebear watched as Minor A slowly starved to death.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Rachel L. Kraker tried the case.
Pequot Lakes Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Pequot Lakes man has been sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for producing images and videos of child sexual abuse, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, over the course of several years, Jeffrey Benjamin Adkins, 43, repeatedly engaged in sexual acts with a minor victim. On one of the occasions, Adkins produced a five-minute video that depicted the sexual abuse of a minor.
On May 28, 2024, Adkins pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. He was sentenced on October 4, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis felon has been sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl pills, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 28, 2022, Kristopher Raphael Owens, 31, was driving a gold Chevy Tahoe in Minneapolis and was pulled over by law enforcement. As officers approached the vehicle, Owens fled on foot. Officers pursued and apprehended Owens in a nearby yard, where he was arrested. Officers discovered $1,286 on his person and also found two Ziploc baggies containing 1,874 blue pills along the path on which Owens had fled. The pills were tested later and determined to contain fentanyl. Owens admitted that they were his and that he intended to distribute them.
On March 13, 2024, Owens pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. 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 Minneapolis Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp prosecuted the case.
Eden Prairie Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling More Than $1 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eden Prairie woman has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,137,404 in restitution for embezzling more than $1 million from her employer, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Monica Svobodny, 52, worked as the Supply Chain and Engineering Manager at a furniture manufacturing company located in Edina, Minnesota. Svobodny used her managerial position to embezzle funds and convert them to her own use and benefit. 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 over a period of seven years.
On April 10, 2024, Svobodny pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud. She was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Edina Police Department with assistance from the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca E. Kline prosecuted the case.
Colorado Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for His Role in $300 Million Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Colorado man has been sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Amondo Antoine Miller, 48, of Littleton, Colorado, knowingly conspired with numerous other defendants to carry out a telemarketing scheme that began in at least 2000 and victimized numerous individuals across the United States, many of whom are elderly and vulnerable.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Miller and his co-conspirators accomplished their scheme by calling victim-consumers who had one or more existing magazine subscriptions and offering to "renew" the existing magazine subscriptions, often at a reduced cost. In reality, the conspirators tricked the victim-consumers into signing up for entirely new magazine subscriptions, which they did not want and often could not afford. Some victim-consumers were fraudulently billed by as many as ten companies at a time and received more than $1,000 in monthly magazine subscription charges. Over the course of the scheme, the co-conspirators defrauded more than $300 million from over 150,000 victims nationwide.
On November 6, 2023, Miller was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim, who remarked that this case is “the largest elder fraud case in the nation.”
The case was the first in Minnesota charged under the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994, which ensures enhanced penalties for persons convicted of mail or wire fraud in connection with the conduct of telemarketing. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, Garrett S. Fields, and Melinda A. Williams prosecuted the case.
Arizona Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – An Arizona man has been sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for attempted possession with intent to distribute over two kilograms of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 18, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) responded to a 911 call regarding an unsolicited package containing a white powdery substance. They field tested the substance, determined it was narcotics, removed and replaced it with a GPS tracking device. Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations later observed Paris Jackson, 39, picking up the package at the residence and attempted to stop him as he returned to a waiting vehicle with the package in hand. Instead, Jackson fled and was pursued by law enforcement. He ultimately crashed into an SPPD squad car at approximately 80 miles per hour, which resulted in life threatening injuries to his passenger and minor injuries to an SPPD officer. He fled from the scene and was ultimately apprehended.
On June 20, 2024, Jackson pleaded guilty to attempted possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Jackson has a criminal history dating back to 2001, including multiple felony convictions for controlled substance offenses. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla J. Baumel and Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Owatonna Sex Offender Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography and Threatening to Carry Out a Murder PlotRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Owatonna sex offender has been sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for producing sexually explicit images of a minor and sending graphic threats detailing a murder plot against his former child sexual abuse victim, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in March 2021, law enforcement in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, began investigating Michael Lee Kurkowski, 28, regarding the communication and exchange of sexually explicit images of a minor. The investigation revealed that Kurkowski traveled to Pennsylvania to locate the minor and to try to continue a “relationship” after the minor attempted to end the online communications. In April 2021, Kurkowski was charged with multiple felonies and convicted in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, of corruption of a minor related to the sexual exploitation of the minor and was sentenced to 142 days in prison followed by probation. Kurkowski’s probation conditions required him to register as a sex offender, not to contact his victim, to refrain from behavior which may present a danger to others, and not to possess any weapons.
According to court documents, in November 2021, law enforcement began investigating Kurkowski’s online communications and sexual exploitation of another minor victim. Investigators reviewed several messages from Kurkowski to the minor describing in graphic detail a plan to travel to Pennsylvania where Kurkowski would murder the parents of his former victim, rape his sister, and then kill her in front of his former victim.
According to court documents, on February 4, 2022, law enforcement learned that Kurkowski had purchased a Greyhound bus ticket and was currently en route to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the general location of Kurkowski’s former victim and his family.
FBI investigators tracked Kurkowski to a bus stop in Toledo, Ohio, where authorities took him into custody. According to court documents, when he was arrested, Kurkowski had with him a bag containing 16 heavy flex cuffs, electrical tape, a taser, a knife, rubber gloves, handcuffs, and hooded facemasks. Kurkowski’s phone contained google search terms including “man kills family of 5,” “countries that don’t extradite to us,” “how to subdue a person,” “best knives used to kill,” and the penalties for murder in Pennsylvania.
On February 26, 2024, Kurkowski pleaded guilty to one count of threatening interstate communication and one count of production of child pornography. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Joan N. Ericksen, who cited “the raw facts of danger” when handing down his sentence at the top of the sentencing guidelines.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Owatonna Police Department, Steele County Community Corrections, the Upper Allen Township (Pennsylvania) Police Department, the East Peoria (Illinois) Police Department, Watertown (Wisconsin) Police Department, Toledo (Ohio) Police Department, and the Cedar Falls (Iowa) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A member of the 10z street gang in South Minneapolis has pleaded guilty for illegally possessing a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on March 21, 2024, Austin Joevon Toy, a.k.a. “Ace,” 23, knowingly possessed a Glock model 23 .40 semiautomatic pistol with an obliterated serial number and an attached conversion device commonly referred to as a “switch” or an “auto-sear,” which allow for the firearm to be fired as fully automatic weapons with the single pull of the trigger.
Toy pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of illegal possession of a machinegun. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian C. Weir is prosecuting the case.
Eagan Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Eagan woman 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, Kawsar Jama, 42, was the principal of Gedo Community Services and Ahlan Childcare Center, Inc. Jama enrolled these entities in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A, and operated sites in Pelican Rapids, Burnsville, and Minneapolis. One of the main food vendors for Jama’s sites was Haji Osman Salad, through his business, Haji’s Kitchen. Salad provided Jama with false food invoices, which she used as part of her fraudulent claims for reimbursement from the Federal Child Nutrition Program. For example, Jama’s Pelican Rapids site, a small town in west-central Minnesota with a population of approximately 2,500 people, fraudulently claimed to have served more than 233,000 meals to children from September 2021 to December 2021 with Haji’s Kitchen as her supposed food supplier.
In total, between June 2020 through 2022, Jama submitted at least $4.5 million in fraudulent claims for Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, some of which she spent on real estate and vehicles, including the purchase of a Tesla Model X.
Jama pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. 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 Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.
Armed Career Criminal Indicted for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Bloomington man has been indicted for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Ryan Wayne Lewis, 45, knowingly possessed a Taurus Armas G2C 9mm semiautomatic pistol and ammunition. Because Lewis has prior felony convictions in Dakota, Ramsey, and Anoka counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Lewis with one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court yesterday before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby, and a detention hearing has been scheduled for October 4, 2024. Lewis was also charged and convicted in Hennepin County for illegal possession of a firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bloomington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich 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 Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of a Cell Phone StoreRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A man has pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of a St. Paul cell phone store, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 5, 2024, Johnnie Ward, Jr., 33, walked into a cell phone store in St. Paul, with an accomplice who was carrying a torch lighter. While the accomplice pointed the weapon at the store clerk, Ward demanded access to the safe in the back storage room, telling his victim to “hurry up or else.” Ward and his accomplice ultimately fled the store with several cell phones.
Ward pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Susan Richard Nelson to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 28, 2025.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen is prosecuting the case.
Repeat Felon Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing ammunition as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department responded to a residence after receiving a 911-call reporting that several males with firearms were in and around an SUV parked near the residence. Officers learned that one of the males was Travis Howard Warner, 31, who had been involved in a St. Paul bar fight the night prior where he brandished a firearm with an extended magazine and threatened two people with the firearm during the fight. When officers arrived at the residence, Warner exited the SUV and began walking toward the side entrance of the residence, ignoring officers’ commands to stop. Officers arrested Warner on an active felony warrant from a prior incident. Through the windows of the SUV, officers observed a firearm sticking out from under the driver’s seat and a box of cash on the front passenger’s seat. Law enforcement later obtained and executed a search warrant on the SUV and recovered, among other items, $3,157 in cash, a plastic bag containing 50 M30 fentanyl pills, and a ghost gun with an attached large-capacity magazine, loaded with 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition and with one round in the chamber. Warner could not be excluded from being a possible contributor to the DNA profile detected on the firearm and matched the DNA profile found on the bag containing the fentanyl pills.
Because Warner has multiple prior felony convictions in Ramsey and Dakota Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On June 18, 2024, Warner pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of ammunition as a felon. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
This case was 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 Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to over 11 Years Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning on October 27, 2022, through January 18, 2023, Jackie Gerald Smith, 55, knowingly and willingly entered into a conspiracy with his co-defendant, Damon Antone Young, 49, to distribute methamphetamine in and around the state of Minnesota. Between November 2022 and January 2023, an undercover agent arranged a series of controlled substance buys through Smith and Young, and on two separate occasions, those controlled substances were delivered by Smith. On January 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Minneapolis and found 368 grams of methamphetamine and 12 grams of fentanyl. On January 18, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at two self-storage units rented by Young and found 1.35 kilograms of fentanyl powder and approximately 2.83 pounds of methamphetamine. Smith later admitted that they were using the residence and storage units to facilitate their drug trafficking conspiracy scheme.
On April 9, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Joan N. Ericksen. Young pleaded guilty on August 27, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; he will be sentenced at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a machine gun, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on October 17, 2023, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to a report of two men with guns near the intersection of 17th Avenue south and Cedar Avenue. When officers responded, they attempted to stop one of the men, later identified as Brandon Lee Tahahwah, 21, as he fled on foot. Officers observed a black handgun in Tahahwah’s possession and, after he was arrested, officers found that the gun was equipped with an attached machine gun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear,” which is designed to convert a semiautomatic weapon to shoot automatically.
Tahahwah pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan to one count of possession of a machine gun. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
Two Nigerian Nationals Charged in Connection with Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two Nigerian nationals have been indicted for engaging in a fraudulent business email compromise scheme targeting several Minnesota-based health care companies, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from October 2020 through 2024, Shodiya Babatunde, 43, and Jamui Ahmed, 31, devised and carried out a fraudulent business email compromise scheme that targeted and deceived employees of several Minnesota-based health care companies into making payments to bank accounts controlled by Babatunde, Ahmed, and their co-conspirators, rather than to the intended beneficiaries of the payments.
As part of the scheme, Babatunde and Ahmed created a fake “spoofed” internet domain designed to appear as though it was controlled by Fairview Health. Babatunde and Ahmed also created fake email accounts designed to look as though they belonged to Fairview Health executives, including the CEO, the Executive Vice President and General Counsel, and a business analyst. Babatunde and Ahmed used the fake emails to carry out a “phishing” scheme to fraudulently obtain names, passwords, and access to payment accounts. The defendants also used their spoofed accounts to email several other Minnesota-based health insurance companies and provide new accounts into which such payments intended for Fairview Health should be wired. Unbeknownst to the vendor companies, the new accounts were actually controlled by Babatunde and Ahmed and their co-conspirators, not Fairview Health. In total, Babatunde and Ahmed fraudulently directed more than $13 million in payments intended for Fairview Health from Minnesota-based health care companies to accounts controlled by Babatunde, Ahmed, and their co-conspirators.
Babatunde and Ahmed are citizens and residents of Nigeria. They remain fugitives from justice.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson 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 Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 22, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Dean Wade Guenther, 57. In conducting the search, officers discovered a locked black safe in Guenther’s bedroom. Inside the safe, law enforcement found two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, 142 grams of fentanyl, and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia. Because Guenther has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Guenther pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to 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 St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead is prosecuting the case.
Plymouth Man Indicted for His Role in International Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Computer Network DevicesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Plymouth man has been indicted for engaging in an international counterfeit access device fraud scheme, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Benjamin Paley, 75,who co-owned and operated GEN8 Services, Inc., an information technology business based in Plymouth, and his co-conspirators Wade Huber, 59, and David Rosenblatt, 68, engaged in an international counterfeiting scheme spanning Minnesota, North Carolina, and Ukraine, among other locations, to use and traffic in counterfeit access devices.
According to court documents, Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., a global technology company headquartered in San Jose, California, manufactured and sold computer networking products, including equipment commonly known in the technology sector as a “Brocade switch.” Brocade switches are networking hardware that allow multiple devices to connect to a computer network. Switches are used to maintain computer networks across a wide variety of industries and sectors, including businesses, universities, hospitals, and government agencies. To use a Brocade switch, customers are required to purchase a license and pay a licensing fee to Brocade, which range between $1,400 to over $100,000. Counterfeiters use programs that create counterfeit software license keys to “crack the code” and generate illegitimate license key strings that are indistinguishable from Brocade’s legitimate licensing tools. Counterfeit license keys are illicitly sold on the black market for a fraction of the price of a legitimate license transaction.
According to court documents, from 2014 through April 2022, Paley, Huber, Rosenblatt, and others used and trafficked in counterfeit license keys obtained with the intent to defraud Brocade and others to make money for themselves by fraudulently selling license keys at a heavily discounted rate. As part of the scheme, Rosenblatt and Huber routinely communicated with and obtained information from clients and prospective customers who wanted to purchase switches and license keys. Paley used that information to procure counterfeit license keys that enabled additional ports or functionality on the switches to be accessible to their clients. In total, Paley possessed and sold at least 3,637 counterfeit license keys for switches at amounts substantially below the market rate for legitimate license key sales, resulting in millions of dollars in financial losses to Brocade.
Paley is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and three counts of access device fraud. He is scheduled to make his initial appearances in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko on October 10, 2024.
On November 30, 2023, and January 5, 2024, Huber and Rosenblatt, respectively, pleaded guilty before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count each of conspiracy to commit access device fraud. They will be sentenced at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert for the District of Minnesota, Assistant Deputy Chief Adrienne Rose, and Trial Attorney Bryce Rosenbower of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Commercial Airline Pilot Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A former commercial airline pilot has been sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for filing false tax returns, failing to file tax returns, and making false claims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Charles Randall Sorensen, 72, of Minnetonka, was a commercial airline pilot who retired in 2016. In January 2017, Sorensen filed a fraudulent tax return for the 2015 tax year, falsely claiming that he was entitled to a $55,365 tax refund. In reality, Sorensen owed more than $49,000 in income taxes that year. In March 2017, Sorensen filed a fraudulent tax return for the 2016 tax year, falsely claiming that he was entitled to a $123,370 tax refund. In reality, he owed more than $175,000 in taxes that year. The IRS conducted an audit of Sorensen’s 2015 and 2016 tax returns and found that Sorensen fraudulently received more than $150,000 in tax refunds to which he was not entitled and owed more than $290,000 in taxes, interest, and penalties for those tax years.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Sorensen refused to pay his tax debt and took steps to actively evade the IRS’s collection efforts by hiding his income and assets in bank accounts in the name of shell religious non-profits and by liquidating his retirement accounts and converting the funds into cryptocurrency. Sorensen also failed to file federal income tax returns for 2017, 2018, and 2019. It is estimated that Sorensen owes the United States more than $300,000.
On May 31, 2024, Sorensen was found guilty by a federal jury on two counts of filing a false tax return, one count of tax evasion, three counts of failing to file a tax return, and one count of making a false claim. He was sentenced today by Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by IRS – Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. McBride and Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.
Three Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Haji Osman Salad, Sharmarke Issa, and Khadra Abdi pleaded guilty to their roles 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, Salad, 34, the owner and operator of Haji’s Kitchen LLC, enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future and Sponsor A. Salad and his co-conspirators, including Issa, 42, and Abdi, 42, opened sites across the state of Minnesota, as well as multiple shell companies, which were used to facilitate the fraud scheme.
Between June 2020 through 2022, Salad falsely claimed that Haji’s Kitchen was a food vendor for more than 15 million meals to various Federal Child Nutrition Program sites in Minnesota. Co-defendants, Issa and Kawsar Jama were among the largest recipients of purported food from Salad. For example, in November 2021, Salad created fraudulent food invoices falsely claiming that he supplied Kawsar Jama’s Pelican Rapids site, a small town in west-central Minnesota with a population of approximately 2,500 people, with $293,300 worth of food for 140,000 meals and snacks. In total, Salad fraudulently received approximately $11,483,827 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds, which he spent on real estate and luxury vehicles.
According to court documents, Issa, the principal of Minnesota’s Somali Community and Wacan Restaurant LLC, fraudulently received Federal Child Nutrition Program funds under the sponsorship of Sponsor A and Feeding Our Future, respectively. As part of the scheme, Issa used fraudulent records and food invoices to falsely claim his sites served at least 2.3 million meals to children. Issa also operated other entities such as ANS Projects LLC and Bubah Baraka Properties LLC which he used to launder proceeds of the fraud scheme to purchase assets, primarily real estate, which had nothing to do with feeding children. For example, Issa acquired, among other properties, a $785,000 private residence for himself located in Edina. In total, Issa fraudulently received approximately $3,586,231 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
According to court documents, Abdi, was the principal of Shafi’i Tutoring & Homework Help Center, which was registered as a meal site under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Between April 2020 and December 2021, Abdi fraudulently claimed entitlement to $3,479,191.92 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. However, relatively little of this money was used by Abdi to purchase food.
Salad, Issa, and Abdi each pleaded guilty to wire fraud this week in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. Sentencing hearings 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 Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun; Crashed Stolen Vehicle Through a Restaurant During Police ChaseRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 39 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for the illegal possession of a machine gun, following a drive-by shooting incident that ended with the defendant crashing the stolen vehicle he was driving through an unoccupied downtown Saint Paul bar and restaurant, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on the afternoon of February 15, 2023, officers with the St. Paul Police Department responded to a shots-fired 911 call in the area of Luella Street North and Wilson Avenue, a densely populated residential neighborhood. Witnesses reported hearing automatic gunfire coming from a black Jeep that was apparently chasing another Jeep. Within a few blocks of the area, officers located a black Jeep with a rear window that appeared to have been shot up. When officers turned around in their squad car to follow the Jeep, it led officers on a high-speed chase until it eventually hit another vehicle and crashed through the entirety of a restaurant in downtown St. Paul, which was unoccupied at the time. Officers saw Moeshea Isiah Hart, 19, and two others, exit the Jeep and detained them. The key fob for the Jeep, along with Hart’s house keys, were in Hart’s pants pocket. On the floor of the restaurant, near the Jeep’s driver’s side door, officers recovered a loaded Glock model 45 9mm pistol with an inserted high-capacity magazine and an attached switch, a conversion device that turns a semiautomatic handgun into a fully automatic machine gun. Approximately 11 9mm discharged cartridge casings were located in and around the driver’s area of the Jeep, including one outside the Jeep on the floor of the restaurant. Forensic ballistics analysis determined that one randomly selected discharged cartridge casing had been fired by the recovered 9mm machinegun. Police later determined that the Jeep had been reported stolen from St. Paul in December 2022.
Hart pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024, to one count of possession of a machine gun. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case.
Cass County Felon Sentenced to Prison for Straw PurchasingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A convicted felon has been sentenced to 20 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in an illegal firearm straw purchasing conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on May 26, 2023, Donald Duane Armstrong, Jr., 36, and a co-conspirator entered a Federal Firearms Licensee in Walker, Minnesota, where the co-conspirator purchased a Glock model 23 G5, 40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, intending to transfer the firearm to Armstrong, who is a convicted felon. In purchasing the firearm, Armstrong’s co-conspirator lied when filling out the ATF Form 4473, which certifies that he was the actual buyer/transferee of the firearm, when in fact the firearm was intended for Armstrong. On June 14, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Armstrong’s residence. At the residence law enforcement seized 14 firearms, including the firearm purchased on May 26, 2023. Because Armstrong has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Armstrong pleaded guilty on April 16, 2024, to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
ATF honors U.S. Attorney Luger during annual awards ceremonyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Director Steven Dettelbach, with the assistance of ATF Assistant Director Marvin Richardson, presented U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, for the District of Minnesota, with the Honorary Award of Appreciation during the 28th Annual Awards Ceremony held at ATF headquarters in Washington, D.C., Sept. 18, 2024.
During the ceremony, U.S. Attorney Luger was recognized for his exceptional level of support to the overall mission of ATF. He was praised for being a steadfast ally to ATF in the fight to combat violent crime and was commended for his innovative strategy of both targeting those who are committing firearm violence and disrupting the supply of firearms to criminals. He was additionally recognized for leading public outreach and education efforts, raising awareness of the causes of firearms violence, and promoting evidence-based prevention strategies.
The Honorary Award of Appreciation recognizes senior officials, the head of or the entire staff of a major department or organization that provided an exceptional level of assistance to an ATF field division or directorate. The Award of Appreciation is one of ten Honorary Awards given, in addition to the Memorial and Meritorious Award categories, all of which make up the award ceremony held annually in the Elizebeth Smith Friedman Auditorium at ATF Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
ATF is the federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction involving firearms and violent crimes and regulates the firearm industry. For more information about ATF, go to www.atf.gov or follow @ATFHQ on Twitter. Follow @ATFStPaul on Twitter for ATF news in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Saint Paul Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Saint Paul man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 26, 2023, Mohamed Takieu Khan, Jr., 26, was driving a black 2013 Lincoln MKX in Saint Paul when officers with the Saint Paul Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop for speeding. Khan failed to stop, and instead accelerated through a stop sign, lost control of his vehicle, and struck another vehicle. Khan and his passenger got out of the vehicle and fled from the officers on foot. While fleeing, Khan tossed a .40 caliber Glock model 23 pistol that was equipped with a “switch” or “auto sear,” which enables the firearm to be fired as a fully automatic weapon with a single pull of the trigger. Officers searched Khan’s abandoned vehicle and found a second handgun equipped with a switch and more than 800 M-30 fentanyl pills.
On May 14, 2024, Khan pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machine gun. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
Ramsey County Felon Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Illegal Possession of Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Ramsey County man has been charged in a superseding indictment with illegal possession of multiple firearms and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on May 14, 2023, and on January 29, 2024, Timothy Michael Decker, 39, illegally possessed firearms, including a CZ Model CZ40B .40 caliber pistol, a Taurus Model 38 Special .38 caliber revolver, a Beretta Model 92FSR .22 caliber pistol, and a Girsan Regard Model MC 9-millimeter pistol. Decker also possessed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Because Decker has prior felony convictions in Ramsey and Washington Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The superseding indictment charges Decker with two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Decker was arraigned today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung. He has been ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green 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.
Cottage Grove Felon Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Cottage Grove man has been charged in a four-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm as a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on July 16, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Jonathan Henry Valencour, 44, in Cottage Grove. Law enforcement seized approximately 84.4 kilograms of methamphetamine from a large trash can in the garage of the residence. Law enforcement also seized a firearm with an attached silencer. Because Valencour has prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Washington Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Valencour with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a felon. Valencour was arraigned yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. He has been ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Cottage Grove Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Hollenhorst 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.
Three Individuals Sentenced for Child Neglect, Endangerment on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Three individuals living on the Red Lake Indian Reservation have been sentenced for felony child neglect and felony child endangerment, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents and 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 minor victims of necessary food, health care, and supervision despite their reasonable ability to make the necessary provisions, resulting in substantial harm to the minor victims’ physical, mental, and emotional health. Trial evidence established that one of the minor victims suffered from severe anemia as a result of malnourishment, and despite repeat efforts by health care providers to intervene in the child’s condition, the child nearly died as a result of the defendants’ collective failure to provide needed care. Trial evidence also established that both children suffered from prolonged lice infestations that progressed to life-threatening scalp infections.
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. All three defendants were sentenced on September 5, 2024, by Judge Brasel. Robin Roy received 24 months of probation, Nicole Roy received 12 months and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and Dudley received four months in prison.
In handing down the sentences, Judge Brasel stated she had balanced the relative culpability and the relative nature and circumstances of each defendant. She emphasized that the neglect the children had suffered was “no less serious than an act of assault” because “the injuries that resulted were certainly life threatening,” the neglect went on for a long time, there were “relatively easy” steps the caretakers could have taken, and the caretakers nonetheless willfully failed to take action for the children’s basic needs. Judge Brasel remarked, “The children in this case, and all of the children like them, deserve better.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Middlecamp and Rachel L. Kraker prosecuted the case.
Seattle Woman Pleads Guilty to Feeding Our Future Jury Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Seattle woman has pleaded guilty to her role in providing a $120,000 bribe to a juror in the Feeding Our Future trial, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. During the trial, Ladan Mohamed Ali, 31, and four others conspired with each other to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors in exchange for the juror returning a not guilty verdict in the trial.
As part of the scheme, on May 17, 2025, Ali flew from Seattle to Minneapolis to meet with co-defendant Abdimajid Nur to discuss the plan to bribe Juror 52. Ali agreed to deliver the bribe money to Juror 52 in exchange for a $150,000 cash payment. On May 30, 2024, Ali again flew from Seattle to Minneapolis to carry out the bribery scheme. On May 31, 2024, at the direction of Nur, Ali attempted to follow Juror 52 home as she left a downtown Minneapolis parking ramp at the conclusion of the first day of closing arguments in the trial. Nur had previously provided Ali with a photo of Juror 52’s car and a map of the parking ramp.
According to court documents, although Ali had agreed to contact Juror 52 about the bribe, Ali was concerned that the plan would not work and that she would not get paid for her involvement in the bribery. Instead, Ali came up with an alternative plan to steal some or all of the bribe money. On June 1, 2024, Ali told Nur —falsely—that she had approached Juror 52 at a bar and that Juror 52 was interested in taking the bribe but wanted $500,000 in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict. Ali told Nur that Juror 52 wanted Ali to deliver the money at a specific time when Juror 52 would be home alone. In reality, Ali did not speak with Juror 52, and Juror 52 never agreed to accept a bribe.
Nevertheless, Nur believed Ali and told her that he would obtain the bribe money from co-defendants Abdiaziz Farah and Said Farah. On June 2, 2024, Ali met Nur in a parking lot in Bloomington to pick up the bribe money. Prior to the meeting, Ali purchased two Hallmark gift bags in which to deliver the bribe money. During the meeting, Nur handed Ali a cardboard box containing $200,000 in cash. Ali took the cash out of the box and put it into one of the Hallmark gift bags. Ali then drove to an area near Juror 52’s house to meet Abdulkarim Farah, who would accompany Ali to Juror 52’s house and video record her delivery of the bribe as proof that the bribe money was delivered and Juror 52’s acceptance of the bribe. Abdulkarim Farah insisted that he drive Ali to Juror 52’s house. This prevented Ali from stealing all of the bribe money. After Ali met up with Abdulkarim Farah, they stopped at a nearby store to purchase a screwdriver. Abdulkarim Farah used the screwdriver to remove the license plate from Ali’s rental car prior to delivering the bribe.
According to court documents, at approximately 8:50 p.m. on June 2, 2024, upon arriving at Juror 52’s house, Ali approached the house with the gift bag containing the bribe money, handed it to a relative of Juror 52 and explained that there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit the defendants. Abdulkarim Farah remained in the car and took a video of Ali’s delivery of the bribe money. Ali received $200,000 in cash from Nur, all of which was intended to be used to bribe Juror 52. But Ali only delivered $120,000 to Juror 52’s relative and kept the remaining $80,000 cash for herself.
Ali pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of bribery of a juror. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew Ebert, Harry Jacobs, and Daniel Bobier are prosecuting the case.
Minneapolis Felon Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking in Saint Paul and Southern MinnesotaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis felon has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 8, 2023, Giorgio Javon d’Larente Baymon, 37, sold 860 M-30 fentanyl pills to an individual in Mankato for distribution in the area. On January, 21, 2023, he sold an additional 600 M-30 fentanyl pills to a second individual.
On May 2, 2023, Baymon rented a room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Saint Paul, where he hid a bag containing 8,500 M-30 fentanyl pills. Hotel staff found the bag of fentanyl pills while Baymon was away and alerted law enforcement. Officers waited at the hotel and attempted to arrest Baymon when he returned, however, he fled from law enforcement, pulled a fire alarm, and was eventually apprehended in the hotel basement.
Baymon pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Ann D. Montgomery 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 Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, the St. Paul Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Matthew D. Forbes are prosecuting the case.
Minneapolis Felon Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession of a Machine Gun and Other Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been charged in a four-count indictment with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm as a felon, possession of a machine gun, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on July 29, 2024, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for a white Nissan Rogue known to be driven by Tyrone Antwan Carter, Jr., 28. Law enforcement observed Carter’s vehicle in the parking lot of a business in north Minneapolis. Officers activated their emergency lights and moved their police vehicle to block Carter’s vehicle. Officers ordered Carter out of his vehicle, but Carter did not comply and accelerated past the police vehicle. Officers pursued and used a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver to stop the vehicle and prevent Carter from endangering pedestrians, law enforcement officers, and himself. After a brief struggle, officers removed Carter from the vehicle and placed him under arrest.
According to court documents, on the floorboard of the driver’s seat, officers recovered a fully loaded Glock 26 9mm pistol with an attached “switch” or “auto sear” and an extended magazine. In the trunk of the vehicle inside a black baby bag, officers found purple powder that had been pressed into a brick, along with hundreds of small plastic baggies and rubber gloves. Subsequent testing indicated that the powdered substance was fentanyl.
The indictment charges Carter with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm as a felon, possession of a machine gun, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Carter has been ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Classen 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.
Public School Teacher Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Mankato man has been indicted for using a messaging app to distribute and receive child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between October 14, 2023, through January 29, 2024, Daniel John Janke, 54, used Kik, a messaging and chat application, to send and receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
The indictment charges Janke with one count of distribution of child pornography and three counts of receipt of child pornography. Janke made his initial appearance on August 29, 2024, in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek 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.
Nebraska Man Indicted for Violent Carjackings in MinneapolisRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Nebraska man has been indicted for two carjackings, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2024, Nathan Mathias Sughroue, 31, used violence and intimidation to steal a Hyundai Elantra from one victim. Later that same day, Sughroue used force and violence that resulted in serious bodily injury to steal a Nissan Murano from a second victim.
The indictment charges Sughroue with two counts of carjacking. Sughroue made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on August 29, 2024, before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung. He was ordered to remain in federal custody pending further proceedings.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Shakopee Police Department, Robbinsdale Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen 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.
Violent Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Firearms Violations Following a String of ShootingsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for illegal possession of ammunition after engaging in multiple shootings, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on September 23, 2021, law enforcement received a report of a shooting near 16th Avenue and Lake Street East in Minneapolis. When officers arrived, they identified a victim who was shot in the leg by Saladean Walker Salean, 52. Officers recovered several discharged cartridge casings that came from the gun Salean used to shoot the victim. Between September 4, 2021, and September 29, 2021, Salean engaged in six other assaults and shootings, one resulting in death.
Because Salean has multiple prior felony convictions, including assault and illegal possession of firearms, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On February 2, 2024, Salean pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition as an armed career criminal. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Hollenhorst prosecuted the case.
Two Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine, Fentanyl in the Rochester AreaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two individuals have been indicted on drug trafficking conspiracy and firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between June 1, 2024, and July 21, 2024, Donald Ray Sanderson, 41, and Lindsey Wade Stolpa, 29, knowingly and intentionally conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Rochester area. The defendants were allegedly found in possession of more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 200 fentanyl pills after Sanderson led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that led to a several-hour standoff on Interstate 35 in Faribault. Multiple agencies were involved in the standoff and Sanderson’s arrest.
In additional, on July 21, 2024, Sanderson was allegedly found to be in possession of a Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol. As alleged, he possessed the Taurus pistol in furtherance of his methamphetamine trafficking crimes.
Sanderson has multiple prior felony convictions including, but not limited to, making terroristic threats and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Sanderson and Stolpa each with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and a separate count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Sanderson is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. They were previously charged by federal criminal complaint on July 23, 2024.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Rice County Sheriff’s Office, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Steele County Sheriff’s Office, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigative Unit, the Faribault Police Department, the Apple Valley Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, the Lakeville Police Department, the Farmington Police Department, the South Saint Paul Police Department, the Inver Grove Heights Police Department, the Northfield Police Department, the Hastings Police Department, and the Mendota Heights Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter 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.
Two Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine, Fentanyl in the Rochester AreaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two individuals have been indicted on drug trafficking conspiracy and firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between June 1, 2024, and July 21, 2024, Donald Ray Sanderson, 41, and Lindsey Wade Stolpa, 29, knowingly and intentionally conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Rochester area. The defendants were allegedly found in possession of more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 200 fentanyl pills after Sanderson led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that led to a several-hour standoff on Interstate 35 in Faribault. Multiple agencies were involved in the standoff and Sanderson’s arrest.
In additional, on July 21, 2024, Sanderson was allegedly found to be in possession of a Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol. As alleged, he possessed the Taurus pistol in furtherance of his methamphetamine trafficking crimes.
Sanderson has multiple prior felony convictions including, but not limited to, making terroristic threats and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Sanderson and Stolpa each with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and a separate count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Sanderson is also charged with one count of possession of a firearm as a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. They were previously charged by federal criminal complaint on July 23, 2024.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Rice County Sheriff’s Office, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Steele County Sheriff’s Office, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigative Unit, the Faribault Police Department, the Apple Valley Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, the Lakeville Police Department, the Farmington Police Department, the South Saint Paul Police Department, the Inver Grove Heights Police Department, the Northfield Police Department, the Hastings Police Department, and the Mendota Heights Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter 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.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in a $300 Million Nationwide Magazine Fraud Scheme Targeting EldersRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Anthony Eugene Moulder and Abdou-Rahmane Diallo have been sentenced to 120 months and 90 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Moulder, 63, of Fort Myers, Florida, owned and operated several Florida-based companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales, including Gulf Coast Readers Inc., ARCO Media Inc., KMK Magazines Inc., and Leisure Time Resources Inc. As part of the scheme, from 2008 through 2020, Moulder purchased lists that contained the information of consumers—many of whom were elderly and vulnerable—who were already receiving magazines through other companies. Moulder provided the lists to his sales teams and directed them to use deceptive sales scripts to induce victims into making large or repeat payments to Moulder’s companies for unwanted magazine subscriptions. Over the course of the scheme, Moulder and his companies defrauded thousands of victims across the United States out of approximately $86,589,272.
According to court documents, Diallo, 36, of Montreal, Quebec, was a co-owner and operator of Readers Services, a Canadian-based company that carried out a telemarking fraud scheme. From 2011 through 2020, Diallo and other participants of the fraud scheme targeted people who had previously been victimized by fraudulent magazine companies and were currently being billed by one or more fraudulent magazine companies on an ongoing basis—and used this vulnerability to victimize them all over again through promises of being able to cancel their unwanted magazine subscriptions. Diallo pretended to be from the “magazine cancellation department” and offered to pay off the victims’ “outstanding balance” and cancel their existing magazine subscriptions in exchange for a large, lump-sum payment. In reality, the victims did not owe Diallo or his company any money, and Diallo had no power or ability to cancel the victims’ existing magazine subscriptions or any outstanding balances. As a result of this “piggyback” fraud scheme, Diallo and other participants in the fraud scheme defrauded more than 20,000 victims—many of whom were elderly and vulnerable—across the United States out of approximately $30 million.
On January 13, 2023, Moulder pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. On March 4, 2024, Diallo pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. Both men were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the FBI. Additional assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Garrett S. Fields prosecuted the cases.
Rochester Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man has been sentenced to 240 months followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in July 2022—shortly after he was released early from prison for prior controlled substance felonies—through December 2002, Panh Thavong, 51, was part of a conspiracy in which he would distribute methamphetamine in the greater Rochester area. After an investigation that was conducted over several months, law enforcement identified locations and vehicles that Thavong was using to facilitate his methamphetamine distribution along with one or more of his conspirators. On December 9, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants at these locations and seized over 34 kilograms of methamphetamine: 3.5 kilograms from the stash house, 4.5 kilograms from the rental unit, and 26 kilograms from a conspiracy vehicle. As part of his guilty plea, Thavong admitted that the seized controlled substances were intended for distribution.
On July 20, 2023, Thavong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced on August 23, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and the Red Wing Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Five Individuals Sentenced for Child Abuse and Neglect on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Five members of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians have been sentenced to prison for child abuse and neglect on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between January 1, 2021, and April 29, 2022, Trina Mae Johnson, 50, directed the torture, endangerment, neglect, and abuse of a child who was in Johnson’s legal custody through a foster care placement. Johnson was aided and abetted by Bertram Calvin Lussier, Jr., 43, and Johnson’s three sisters, Bobbi Jo Johnson (a/k/a Bobbi Jo Kingbird), 46, Ellie Mae Johnson, 48, and Patricia Ann Johnson, 40, who all regularly assumed responsibility for all or a portion of the care and supervision of the minor victim. The abuse included withholding food from the victim to the point of starvation, forcing the victim to stand in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time, and assaulting the victim in various ways. As a result of Johnson’s and her accomplices’ abuse, the victim suffered serious and substantial physical, mental and emotional harm.
On February 29, 2024, Trina Mae Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of child torture, one count of child neglect—deprivation of food and health care, one count of child endangerment and one count of assault on a minor with a dangerous weapon. She was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez to 216 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
On April 15, 2024, Bobbi Jo Johnson was convicted by a federal jury on one count of child neglect—deprivation of food and health care, and one count of child endangerment. She was sentenced yesterday by Judge Menendez to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Ellie Johnson, Patricia Johnson, and Lussier each pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment. Ellie Johnson was sentenced to 48 months and three years of supervised release. Patricia Johnson was sentenced to 48 months and three years of supervised release. Lussier was sentenced to 24 months and two years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, with support from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Beltrami County Sherriff’s Office, the Bemidji Police Department, and the Blackduck Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth S. Shnider and Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
Washington Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking 100,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Washington man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute tens of thousands of fentanyl pills, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, during the early morning hours of August 31, 2022, Bloomington police officers were investigating a report of suspected fraud at an area hotel. The officers encountered Marcus Trice, 38, of Lakewood, Washington, and placed him under arrest for his suspected involvement in the financial fraud scheme. Officers learned that Trice had flown to the Twin Cities that night from Seattle, Washington. During a subsequent search of Trice’s belongings, officers found eleven large vitamin bottles wrapped in clothing inside his suitcase. The vitamin bottles were filled with over 100,000 round blue “M-Box” or “M-30” fentanyl pills.
On January 25, 2024, Trice pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Ponsford Man Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor on the White Earth ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Ponsford man has been indicted for sexually abusing a minor on the White Earth Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between October 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, within the exterior boundaries of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe Indian Reservation, Joseph Schultz, 42, knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a minor under the age of 12.
The indictment charges Schultz with one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact. Schultz made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the White Earth Tribal Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla J. Baumel and Michael P. McBride 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.
White Earth Man Sentenced to Nearly 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography on the Red Lake ReservationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A White Earth man has been sentenced to 292 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for producing and attempting to produce child pornography, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, 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 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.
On February 1, 2024, a federal jury found Thompson guilty of two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John R. Tunheim.
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 prosecuted the case.
Nationwide Home Healthcare and Hospice Provider to Pay $3.85M to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Intrepid U.S.A., Inc., headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and various wholly-owned subsidiaries (Intrepid) have agreed to pay $3,850,000 to resolve allegations that Intrepid violated the False Claims Act in connection with two lines of its business: first, that Intrepid knowingly submitted claims to Medicare for home healthcare services for patients who did not qualify for the Medicare home healthcare benefit or where services otherwise did not qualify for Medicare reimbursement; and second, that Intrepid knowingly submitted claims to Medicare for patients who did not qualify for the hospice benefit. The settlement is based on Intrepid’s ability to pay.
The United States alleged that between 2016 and 2021, 19 Intrepid home healthcare facilities submitted claims to Medicare for home healthcare services for patients who did not qualify or were not properly certified as eligible for the Medicare home healthcare benefit, where the services provided were not reasonable or medically necessary, where the services were provided by untrained staff, or where services were not performed. Separately, the United States alleged that between 2016 and 2021, three Intrepid hospice facilities admitted patients to hospice care who were ineligible for the Medicare hospice benefit because they were not terminally ill or continued providing services to patients who should have been discharged because they no longer met the requirements for the Medicare hospice benefit.
“Medicare’s hospice and home healthcare benefits provide critical services to vulnerable patient populations across the country,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reflects our commitment to ensuring that these benefits are used to care for those who need them and not just to enrich those who seek to provide them.”
“The Medicare Program provides vital health insurance to the elderly and disabled population,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. “Our office will vigorously pursue unscrupulous providers who choose to illegally and improperly bill the Medicare Program.”
“Businesses who engage in improper Medicare billing practices undercut the legitimate provision of healthcare services for patients in need,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota. “This settlement reinforces the importance of holding accountable health care providers who seek financial gain above quality patient care.”
“Home health is designed to increase health care access for our most vulnerable populations with mobility limitations, while hospice care aims to provide comfort and relief for the terminally ill. Exploiting these systems for financial gain is intolerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue health care providers who jeopardize the integrity of these services by prioritizing profit over medically necessary palliative care.”
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act in two different lawsuits. One qui tam action was brought by Jennifer Jones, a former travel nurse, and Pamela Joffe, a former Director of Quality Assessment Performance Improvement and New Business Development, for Intrepid. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Jones v. Intrepid USA Healthcare Inc., No. 19-sc-2973 (D. Minn.). The second qui tam action was brought by Marsha Rigney, a former Director of Clinical Excellence and Integrity, and Janet Watts, a former Regional Manager of Clinical Excellence, for Intrepid. This qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Rigney v. Intrepid U.S.A. Inc., No. 3:20-cv-95-RGJ (W.D. Ky.). Under the provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Relators Jones and Joffe will receive $333,985 from the settlement proceeds, and Relators Rigney and Watts will receive $359,014 from the settlement proceeds.
The resolution of these matters was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. HHS-OIG assisted in the investigations.
The investigation and resolution of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorney Anthony Gill of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schecter for the Western District of Kentucky and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Rau for the District of Minnesota investigated the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal Reentry After Committing an Aggravated FelonyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Mexican national has been indicted for unlawful reentry of a deported alien after committing an aggravated felony, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Jonathan Chavez-Galarza, 27, was found in the United States after having been previously deported following a Second-Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon conviction in Hennepin County on December 5, 2018.
The indictment charges Chavez-Galarza with one count of reentry of removed alien after an aggravated felony. Chavez-Galarza made his initial appearance on August 14, 2024, in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green 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.