Eastern District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Texas Businessman Admits $1.9 Million COVID Test Kit FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Texas businessman on Thursday admitted fraudulently obtaining $1.9 million from Medicare for COVID-19 test kits.
Companies owned by Rashid Naqvi, 52, of the Houston area, obtained $1,974,479 through the scheme, which lasted from roughly March 2023 to at least October of 2023. As part of his guilty plea in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud, Naqvi admitted fraudulently submitting thousands of claims to Medicare for the kits.
Naqvi operated two laboratories that he used to submit claims to Medicare: Elite Diagnostics Inc. in the Eastern District of Missouri and Astro Diagnostics Inc. in Texas. Naqvi obtained patients’ Medicare numbers and identifiers without their knowledge or consent by paying $488,435 in kickbacks to co-conspirators. He used that information to submit claims to Medicare for test kits that were then sent to patients who had not requested them. Naqvi’s labs billed Medicare a total of 22,898 times for the kits during the scheme. Neither Naqvi nor his labs had any direct contact or relationship with the Medicare patients who were the subject of the claims. Some of the reimbursement claims were for patients who had died before receiving the kits.
Naqvi continued his scheme even after patients called to say that they had not requested the test kits. During subsequent audits by Medicare investigators, Naqvi tried to conceal his scheme by producing false records to investigators, including documents which falsely represented that the Medicare patients authorized the kits. He also hid the kickbacks from investigators.
Naqvi is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2026. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Man Admits Fatal Shooting During 2023 Marijuana DealRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Charles, Missouri man on Wednesday admitted fatally shooting someone during a marijuana deal in 2023.
Trevon Carson, 31, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death. Carson admitted accompanying another man who was planning to buy, and then re-sell, marijuana during a May 25, 2023, meeting. Carson drove to the meeting in an alley behind the 4800 block of Farlin Avenue in St. Louis. The victim, who accompanied the seller, had an AR-style firearm. Fearing that the victim would fire the gun, Carson exited his vehicle, fatally shot the victim and took his gun. Carson then drove the buyer away, his plea says.
As part of the plea agreement, the government has agreed to request a sentence of 20 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
Felon who Supplied Fentanyl that Resulted in One Fatal and Two Nonfatal Overdoses Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a convicted felon who supplied the fentanyl that caused one fatal and two nonfatal overdoses in St. Louis in 2023 to 15 years in prison.
On Dec. 2, 2023, Victor Mora approached three men who were at a gas station and offered to take them to buy cocaine. The victims gave Mora $140 and asked for $100 worth of cocaine. Mora got into the victims’ car and directed them to a different location, where he purchased capsules containing white powder from a group of people in the street. Mora told the victims that the capsules contained cocaine, and when the victims returned to the gas station, they snorted the drugs in the car.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers later found the three men unconscious. Two of the victims regained consciousness, but the third victim could not be resuscitated and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The next day, an undercover detective drove one of the victims to the area where Mora purchased the drugs. They spotted Mora, who told the detective to meet him later to buy drugs. Mora was arrested later that day.
Capsules recovered from the victims’ vehicle were tested and contained fentanyl. The deceased victim died of a fentanyl overdose.
“The human life is worth infinitely more than the $140 Victor Mora received from selling purported cocaine to the victims who suffered fentanyl poisoning and in one tragic case, succumbed to the substance,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Today and every day, remind your loved ones how valuable they are. Remind them of the potentially lethal consequences that can come from drug experimentation. Fentanyl is deadly and its presence in other drugs can go unnoticed until it’s too late. Start the conversation and help save a life.”
Mora, now 41, was on supervised release at the time of his crime, after a 2018 robbery conviction. He pleaded guilty in July to one felony count of distribution of fentanyl.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Reitz prosecuted the case.
St. Louis County Man Who Shot at Police Sentenced to 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced a man who shot at multiple St. Louis County police officers in 2024 to 22 years in prison.
Dylan Farmer, 21, of Breckenridge Hills, Missouri, pleaded guilty in June to four counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer and two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted firing first at officers with the St. Louis County Police Department Special Response Unit (SRU) who were trying to find someone wanted in connection with a double homicide. On Feb. 13, 2024, a vehicle associated with that wanted person was parked in the 4500 block of Virginia Avenue in St. Louis. When Farmer unlocked the vehicle and got in, officers converged to detain him. All officers wore vests marked “Police,” and three of their vehicles were equipped with blue flashing emergency lights. The officers were also designated as task force officers with the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI.
As three officers pulled up in their SUV, Farmer immediately opened fire with a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun equipped with a 50-round drum magazine, damaging the SUV. Officers returned fire. Farmer then ran across the street and between some buildings, where he fired one shot at an officer. He then ran down an alley and fired multiple times at a different officer, who ducked behind a dumpster.
Farmer hid on the front porch of a house in the 4500 block of Alaska Avenue. When officers drove down the street and spotted Farmer, he opened fire again, damaging their vehicle, and officers again returned fire. Farmer surrendered after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. Officers treated his wounds and summoned an ambulance to take him to the hospital.
One officer was injured when a bullet ricocheted off a vehicle’s window, causing glass to fly into his eye. Another’s ankle was injured when he jumped out of his car to seek cover.
The St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.
St. Louis County Man Admits Carjacking 72-Year-OldRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted carjacking a 72-year-old man in 2023.
Kirk Hall, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted being one of two men who stole a BMW X5 on July 7, 2023. Shortly before 1:00 a.m., the victim parked the BMW in a St. Louis County apartment complex. Hall and the other gunman ordered the driver and passenger out. The other gunman then stole the vehicle, taking the driver’s cell phone and other personal items. Hall followed in another vehicle. The BMW was found, unoccupied, a few hours later.
At Hall’s Feb. 18, 2026 sentencing, he faces at least five years in prison for the gun charge, consecutive to the carjacking charge. Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole Frankenberg is prosecuting the case.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced an Ohio man to 16 years in prison for inducing a Missouri teen to send him nude images and videos.
Joseph Bauer, 27, of Cleveland, met a 14-year-old girl via an online social media app in roughly August of 2021.The two communicated regularly online until July 2023. In numerous chat messages Bauer told the victim to send him nude pictures of herself. He also discussed plans for her to leave her family and live with him. In July of 2023, the victim was in Ohio with family. Bauer picked her up and took her to his home. She was found later the same day by police.
Bauer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in August St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography
The Morrow County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office, the Cleveland Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Charles County Cyber Crimes Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New York Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Selling Counterfeit Xanax on Dark WebRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Tuesday sentenced a man who sold counterfeit Xanax on the dark web, both before and after he was indicted for doing so, to 54 months in prison.
“I hope you understand that you put people’s lives at risk,” Judge Fleissig told John Cruz.
Cruz, 31, of Rochester, N.Y., pleaded guilty on two occasions in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to misbrand, introduce misbranded drugs and sell counterfeit drugs: Nov. 29, 2023, and July 1, 2024. Cruz admitted purchasing counterfeit Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, on the darknet and then reselling it from at least October 2019 through May 2021. He also admitted that while he was out on bond after his 2023 guilty plea, he operated a darknet website where he offered four different types of counterfeit/misbranded pills.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware, in court Tuesday, said Cruz’ continued sale of the drugs demonstrated “arrogance,” a “lack of remorse” and “deliberate anti-social behavior.”
Investigators seized $145,502 from an account Cruz held in the cryptocurrency Monero, representing the proceeds of his illegal pill sales. Cruz has agreed to forfeit the Monero.
“Any medication purchased online should be considered suspicious,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “More often than not, those selling these drugs, including repeat offender John Cruz, are fully aware that the product their pushing is counterfeit and often laced with fentanyl. Cruz is a threat not only to our St. Louis communities, but to anyone who has a computer and access to the dark web. Let today’s sentencing serve as a reminder that prescription medications should only be filled by a licensed pharmacist, not bought online from unknown and unreliable sources.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate those utilizing the U.S. Mail for illicit activities, including the distribution of narcotics. Today’s sentencing reflects the diligent investigative work by Postal Inspectors, and our law enforcement partners,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division, which includes the St. Louis Domicile Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
Former Police Officer Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing Machine GunsRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a former police officer to five years in prison for possessing machine guns.
Ira Brown, 56, admitted that on Oct. 23, 2020, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers found a fully automatic AR-15 rifle and an auto sear that converts an AR-15 into a fully automatic weapon. The items were found during a court-approved search of Brown’s home prompted by an unrelated investigation. Investigators also found 10,000 rounds of belt-fed .223 caliber ammunition, including armor piercing rounds, in Brown’s Viburnum home, his plea says.
Brown was employed as a dispatcher at a 911 call center at the time of his arrest but formerly worked as a police officer.
Brown fled while out on bond and was arrested in 2024 in Oregon. He pleaded guilty in July of 2025 to possession of a machine gun.
Brown’s son Zerak Brown, now 24, is now serving a 125-month prison sentence after he was convicted at trial in 2021 of two counts of assaulting a federal officer and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Evidence and testimony at trial showed that when troopers showed up to allow Zerak Brown’s girlfriend to remove her belongings from Ira Brown’s home, Zerak Brown refused to allow them to enter. Zerak Brown struggled with the troopers, asked his brother to bring him a gun and then fled. Zerak Brown was later spotted with a rifle and ran away again, encountering law enforcement officers a third time and pointing a rifle at them, evidence and testimony showed. He later turned himself in.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Viburnum Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for 7 Robberies and 1 Attempted RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Monday sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for the robbery or attempted robbery of eight stores and businesses in St. Louis.
Jermel Rush, 43, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in June to seven counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted the following acts:
- On June 21, 2018, Rush used an Airsoft gun that appeared to be a handgun to rob a retail store in the 4400 block of Natural Bridge Road. Rush took cash after grabbing a clerk by the neck and dragging her to the cash register.
- On July 6, 2018, Rush used an Airsoft gun that resembled a large revolver to hold employees of a grocery store in the 3600 block of Page Avenue at gunpoint and steal cash.
- On Oct. 9, 2018, Rush tried unsuccessfully to rob a retail store in the 4300 block of North Grand Boulevard by using the Airsoft revolver to force employees to unlock the store after closing time. Rush also threatened to kill the manager.
- On Oct. 28, 2018, Rush grabbed the assistant manager’s neck and used the Airsoft revolver to rob a retail store in the 5000 block of Enright Avenue of cash. He also threatened to kill the assistant manager.
- Two days later, Rush used the Airsoft revolver to rob a retailer in the 1400 block of North Grand Boulevard of cash and clothing.
- On Nov. 8, 2018, Rush used a firearm to rob a business in the 300 block of North Sarah Street of cash and threatened to shoot an employee.
- On Nov. 14, 2018, Ruch robbed a cell phone store in the 4900 block of Delmar Boulevard of cash while armed with a handgun.
- The next day, Rush robbed a retail store in the 3100 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive at gunpoint of cash, Christmas lights and dish towels. He told the manager he would “…blow your head off, hurry up.”
When St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested Rush, he had a .40 caliber handgun that matched the description of the gun used in the final three robberies.
On Monday, Judge Fleissig also ordered Rush to repay $4,237 to the businesses that he robbed.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Admits Recording His Sexual Abuse of 5-Year-OldRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Monday admitted recording his sexual abuse of a five-year-old.
Marshall Williams, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. Williams admitted sexually abusing the victim and recording it with his cell phone in March of 2024. After the victim’s aunt found the videos, she alerted the victim’s mother and they confronted Williams, who fled. They then contacted the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 19, 2026. His crime carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years, with a maximum term of 30 years.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Cape Girardeau City Councilman Admits Buying, Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A former Cape Girardeau city councilman on Monday admitted buying methamphetamine with the intent to sell and use it.
Rhettney B. Pierce, 55, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. He admitted buying four ounces of meth for $300 on Sept. 26, 2024, in a Cape Girardeau hotel room from a confidential source working with law enforcement. Pierce was arrested immediately after leaving the hotel room. He told investigators that that he had been a habitual meth user since approximately 2019 and snorted a line of meth every morning and afternoon. He also admitted buying three ounces of meth from the confidential source the previous month and selling two ounces out of what he bought.
In his plea agreement, Pierce admitted that throughout the interview with law enforcement, he requested a “break” or a “favor” about 20 times, also asking officers to keep the case quiet and give him “preferential treatment.” Pierce, who was a city councilman at the time, told investigators that he was friends with high-ranking law enforcement officials, judges and prominent members of the Cape Girardeau community.
Investigators found more meth and two handguns in a subsequent court-approved search of Pierce’s home.
Pierce is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2026. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Cape Girardeau Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.
Two Sentenced for Pyramid Scheme that Victimized at Least 99 MissouriansRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – Two Missouri men were sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on Friday for operating a long-running Ponzi scheme that cost at least 99 victims $5.7 million.
U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. sentenced James “Jim” Johnson, 78, to 188 months in prison and Darrell Niswonger, 69, to 150 months. Judge Limbaugh also ordered Niswonger and Johnson to repay their victims.
Johnson and Niswonger promised clients of their storefront firm in Perryville, Missouri that their investments were safe and would be placed in municipal bonds earning a moderate, 5% return. But for nearly two decades Johnson and Niswonger instead spent the bulk of clients’ money on lavish lifestyles that included country club memberships, sponsored golf tournaments, hundreds of thousands of dollars in improvements to Johnson’s home, educational expenses for a Niswonger relative and yearly salaries of $195,000. They also used some of the money to make payments to victims to lull them into believing that their investments were secure.
The crime began in 2006, when Johnson & Niswonger Financial Resources LLC began experiencing cash flow problems. Johnson and Niswonger started offering clients what they referred to as tax-free and risk-free “municipal bonds,” knowing they were really going to use the money to keep their business and themselves afloat financially. They discouraged investors from withdrawing their money and urged them to roll over their investments because they lacked the funds to make the investors whole, their plea agreements say.
The pair bilked friends, relatives, neighbors and a fund to preserve and maintain a cemetery in Ste. Genevieve County. In dozens of letters, victims described being devastated by the loss of inheritances, retirement savings and the proceeds of the sale of homes and farms.
In one letter to Judge Limbaugh, a widow wrote that she “can’t believe 2 people pretending to be your friend could do such a horrible thing. In this day and time is there no one you can trust?”
One couple wrote that “Niswonger stole what it took us a lifetime to earn. We gave up comforts and luxuries so we could be prepared for the future, and he treated our sacrifices as if they were his to squander. Even now, he continues to rob us; not just of money, but of our peace in these last years of our lives. We cannot go back and earn it again. At our age, there is no starting over.”
Another victim wrote of the theft of $25,000 that her grandmother left to her to buy a house – the only way her family could afford to buy one.
Yet another victim wrote, “I’d like to state how shaken I have become about dealing with people in a county where many still use a handshake to make a deal.”
An 87-year-old woman who invested the $150,000 proceeds of the sale of her house said she can no longer afford rent.
“Niswonger and Johnson’s scheme victimized teachers, factory workers, truck drivers, farmers, a rancher, a waitress and even one of their own employees,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “Their victims were not investing to amass luxuries or pay for vacation properties but to provide for their families, buy their first house or pass on a nest egg to their children or grandchildren, and Niswonger and Johnson preyed on that desire for safe and secure investments.”
“Jim Johnson and Darrell Niswonger exploited and defrauded members of their community for personal gain. The irreparable damage they caused has finally ended and justice has prevailed,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Flowers of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Though the devastating financial impact of their actions will not be forgotten, it is our hope that today’s sentencing brings some closure to their many victims.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to defending the nation’s mail system from criminal activity, preserving the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and protecting United States Postal Service employees. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners for supporting our mission to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Domicile Office.
Johnson and Niswonger pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in August to one count each of wire fraud, securities fraud and investment adviser fraud. Niswonger also pleaded guilty to four additional counts of wire fraud.
Johnson, of Perry County, and Niswonger, of Perryville, agreed to forfeit the $301,749 sales proceeds of Johnson’s home, a 2019 Audi A5 Premium, $61,734 in two bank accounts and $53,588 in brokerage accounts.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll prosecuted the case.
Woman Admits Embezzling $305,000 from St. Louis County CompanyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The former head of payroll for a St. Louis County company on Thursday admitted paying herself an extra $305,000 in salary and bonuses.
Deborah Stinebaker, 49, of O’Fallon, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of fraudulently effecting transactions. She admitted that while the head of the company's payroll department, she used the company’s financial software to pay herself an extra $305,469 from January 2016 to March of 2024. Her employer discovered her crime when an audit revealed that the company’s financial instability resulted from the embezzlement.
Stinebaker is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2026. Stinebaker’s charge carries a potential penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. She will also be ordered to repay the money.
The FBI and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Man Admits Stealing, Using Credit Cards in St. Louis AreaRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Rene Arviso Velasquez on Thursday admitted to a cross-country crime spree involving his theft and use of credit cards.
Velasquez, 51, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Velasquez admitted stealing at least $47,000 from victims in the St. Louis area and across the country in “cross-country credit card theft expeditions.”
Three examples are listed in the plea agreement. On Aug. 25, 2024, Velasquez stole one victim’s Lululemon belt bag, which was hanging from her seat while she was eating at a restaurant in Cottleville, Missouri. Less than an hour later, Velasquez used the victim’s credit card to purchase five Visa gift cards and a pack of salted nuts for $1,031. That same day, Velasquez stole a different victim’s purse at a Brentwood restaurant. Less than an hour later, he bought $1,445 worth of gift cards. On Nov. 3, 2024, Velasquez stole a woman’s wallet at a St. Peters restaurant. Less than an hour later, he used one of her credit cards to buy five Visa gift cards and a Pepsi for $1035.
Velasquez, who has used the names Miguel Antonio Carrasco-Gomez and Henry Diaz, was living in Tarzana, Calif., but is a Chilean national. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2026. The access device fraud charges carry a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The aggravated identity theft carries a penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to the other charges.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
ICYMI: Charges, Pleas, Sentencings and Settlements During the Recent Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
During the lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s offices in St. Louis and Cape Girardeau were working hard to continue their mission. Here are just some of the things that happened that we weren’t able to discuss at the time:
Wed. Oct. 1
Starr Lumos, 54, admitted committing over $201,000 in fraud by pretending to be disabled and unable to work. Despite those claims, she was working multiple jobs and running multiple businesses, including an event planning company. Lumos is scheduled to be sentenced in January and faces up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
Friday Oct. 3
A former doctor who pleaded guilty in 2020 to a charge of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or forgery admitted seeking employment using a stolen identity. Angela K. Williams, 40, pleaded guilty to identity theft and admitted seeking employment on the medical staff of the Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority in Oklahoma and in other locations by stealing the identity of a St. Louis doctor. Williams submitted forged diplomas with the doctor’s name and a forged State of Missouri medical license with her application. She could face up to five years in prison when sentenced in January.
Monday Oct. 6
Victoria Isgriggs, 45, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted stealing over $164,000 from her employer, a Franklin County nursery and florist, in a variety of ways. Sentencing for Isgriggs, formerly known as Victoria Denise Missey, is set for January.
Tuesday Oct. 7
The United States reached a settlement with Fiserv Inc. and Fiserv Solutions LLC in which the companies agreed to pay $8.99 million to resolve allegations – brought forth by a whistleblower - that Fiserv took improper discounts on postage from the U.S. Postal Service.
Four men were indicted in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau and accused of involvement in an arson that destroyed the Midway restaurant in Puxico, Missouri and damaged two other businesses. Two of the men, Steven D. Phillips and his son Matthew S. Phillips, are co-owners of the restaurant and one, Larry D. Doublin, is the Chief of the Puxico Volunteer Fire Department, the indictment says. All have pleaded not guilty and are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Patrick Neistat, 24, of Florissant, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and admitted soliciting and receiving child sexual abuse material from a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old and engaging in sexual contact with a minor male. Neistat faces between five and 20 years in prison at his January 29 sentencing hearing.
Carlan Travis Penney Jr., 46, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity. He admitted exchanging nude photos with a 15-year-old Missouri teen that he’d met online. Penney then brought the victim from Missouri to his home state of Georgia. He now faces at least 10 years in prison and a maximum prison term of life.
Edgar Love, a felon caught by St. Louis police with ammunition after his girlfriend accused him of assault, was sentenced to 137 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig found that Love obstructed the police investigation by flushing drugs down the toilet and disposing of two guns and ammunition before police could arrest him. Evidence and testimony showed that Love assaulted his girlfriend multiple times and repeatedly threatened her and her relatives with guns. Evidence and testimony also showed that Love possessed a firearm when he was wounded during a gun battle in August of 2022, about 30 days after his release from prison.
Anthony Justin Snelson, 39, of Arnold, was sentenced to 65 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for trying to meet with a 16-year-old to engage in sexual activity.
Wednesday Oct. 8
A superseding indictment was handed down accusing St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery of retaliating against persons he thought were cooperating with a federal investigation. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Sharon Dolisi, 79, of St. James, Missouri was arrested after having been indicted and accused of acting as a “money mule” and receiving $2.1 million from lottery and sweepstakes fraud victims across the U.S. She has pleaded not guilty and is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Darryl Jaspering, 62, of Warrenton, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities and admitted threatening the St. Louis office of the NAACP. Jaspering admitted writing a racist, profane and threatening message on the NAACP’s online contact page, including threats to “blow your… head off” and “bust you… with a… Hatchet.” Jaspering is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5.
Friday Oct. 10
Brian K. Ditch, 45, of Salem, Missouri, pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted neglecting his uncle, a U.S. Army veteran with quadriplegia, for years and then concealing his death so that he could fraudulently obtain his uncle’s $1.8 million in disability benefits.
Bridgette Johnson, 61, of Berkeley, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and admitted fraudulently applying for and receiving $120,000 from the COVID-19 pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program. She also admitted fraudulently applying for $1 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans and receiving $9,000 in advances on those applications. She faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced.
Tuesday Oct. 14
Timothy Kelley, 60, of Sullivan, Missouri, was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. He was also ordered to pay $45,000 to victims who have been identified in the CSAM he collected. RWS/Hayes.
Maurice Dowell, 70, of Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography and admitted downloading and sharing child sexual abuse material on a peer-to-peer network.
Stanley E. Alford, 58, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the armed robbery of a Fenton, Missouri store on Jan. 24, 2024, and a pawnshop in St. Louis County two days later. He was also ordered to pay $3,172 in restitution.
Wednesday Oct. 15
A jury found Carl Bowman, 37, guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence and testimony at the two-day trial showed that the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Bowman Aug. 8, 2023, on a supervised release violation warrant at his residence in St. Louis County. At the time, Bowman was in possession of an AK-style rifle with a large capacity magazine, a stolen AR-15 rifle with a large capacity magazine and two semi-automatic pistols, both with large capacity magazines. Bowman is scheduled to be sentenced in January.
Reginald M. Miller, a registered sex offender who molested a 14-year-old boy and provided cash and marijuana in exchange for child sexual abuse material, was sentenced to 400 months in prison. Miller, 57, lived in Park Hills, Missouri.
Jonniece Wilson, 20, of St. Louis, admitted stealing a Hyundai Accent at gunpoint on March 12, 2024, in St. Louis. She was a passenger in that stolen car when it fled from police minutes later before crashing and injuring a pedestrian. Wilson was arrested with a handgun in her backpack. She now faces up to 15 years in prison for carjacking and a mandatory, consecutive term of seven years for brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Rachel Burns, 35, of Franklin County, Missouri, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a one-year-old. Her husband, William Burns, 41, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in September.
Thursday Oct. 16
After a two-day bench trial, U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine found Roosevelt Easley, 40, of St. Louis, guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence and testimony at trial showed that on March 29, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers stopped a vehicle driven by Easley. Marijuana and a firearm were in plain view in the vehicle. On Sept. 10, 2022, St. Louis police attempted to make a traffic stop of Easley’s vehicle, but he sped off. Easley eventually crashed the vehicle into a tree before running away. Officers found two firearms in the vehicle. Judge Divine also found that Easley had at least three previous convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses. At sentencing, if Judge Divine rules that the enhanced penalty provisions of the Armed Career Criminal Act apply, Easley will face at least 15 years in prison.
Registered sex offender Leland Paster, 42, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he admitted possessing child sexual abuse material on a hidden SD card and searching for and viewing CSAM while on supervised release from a prior CSAM conviction in Alaska.
Tuesday Oct. 21
Jeremy S. Crocker, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau and admitted setting a fire on March 2, 2025, in the Mark Twain National Forest in Iron County, Missouri. The fire consumed more than one acre of timber before firefighters were able to put it out. Crocker is scheduled to be sentenced in January.
Wednesday Oct. 22
Steve Allen Hall, 38, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. He admitted unlawfully trying to buy a handgun in Caruthersville, Missouri in June of 2025 while he was facing pending charges of child molestation. The sale was blocked by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Hall is scheduled to be sentenced in January and could face up to five years in prison.
Sean Paul II, 22, of Bonne Terre, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted viewing and possessing child sexual abuse material, including before and after he was interviewed by law enforcement. While on bond, Paul received nude images and images of self-harm from someone purporting to be a 16-year-old girl. At sentencing, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Errion Lavonte-Stallings, 25, of St. Louis County, and four others were indicted and accused of involvement in a conspiracy that stole checks from the mail and then attempted to deposit more than $250,000 in fraudulent checks into bank accounts. Lavonte-Stallings and two others have been arrested and have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Johnika Davis, 37, and Jimmie Moorehead, 47, were indicted on one count of conspiracy and eight counts of making false statements related to health care matters. The indictment accuses them of falsely claiming to have physical disabilities and need Medicaid-funded personal care services in exchange for kickbacks from a co-conspirator. The St. Louis residents have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Thursday Oct. 23
Connie Bobo, 46, of St. Charles, Missouri, was convicted by a jury of three counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and two counts of obstruction of an official proceeding after a three-day trial. Evidence and testimony at the trial showed that Bobo, who was executive director of New Heights Community Resource Center at the time, stole $19.7 million from a program meant to feed the most vulnerable children in the state of Missouri. That loss is the largest theft of child nutrition funds in state history, evidence showed. Bobo spent the money on luxury goods, homes for relatives, a new home for herself, a $200,000 Mercedes for a romantic partner and a $2.2 million commercial real estate investment, evidence and testimony showed. Bobo is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2026. The wire fraud and obstruction charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to any other charge. Bobo will also be ordered to pay restitution.
Pavel “Supreme” Gil, 35, of New York City, was sentenced to 132 months in prison and ordered to repay $517,900 to victims of a bank fraud conspiracy that he masterminded. Gil obtained the names and account information of the customers of regional banks across the country. Giovanni Resto, 34, of New York City, then manufactured counterfeit ID cards containing the photos of co-conspirators and the victims' names and birthdates. Oladiran Ajayi-Obe, 29, Jersey City, new Jersey, ran a crew of conspirators that traveled from the New York metropolitan area to banks around the country to make withdrawals from the victims' bank accounts. Gil and 15 others have pleaded guilty to charges connected to the case.
Jemek'treon Lebrandon Easton, 28, of Charleston, Missouri pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of a machine gun. Easton admitted that a Charleston Police Department officer caught him on May 17, 2025, with a .45-caliber Glock handgun equipped with a “switch,” or auto sear, that enables it to fire as a fully automatic weapon. Shell casings from the gun match those recovered from a shooting that injured three on April 26, 2025. Easton now faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced.
Friday Oct. 24
A St. Louis County company, E&A Auto Cores LLC, pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of stolen goods and admitted buying stolen catalytic converters from Missouri, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington and Idaho. The company also agreed to pay a $90,000 fine, a forfeiture money judgement of $50,000 and agreed to forfeit 269 catalytic converters that were seized by the St. Louis County Police Department on Sept. 24, 2020.
Monday Oct. 27
Donald Held, 51, of Warren County, who possessed and shared child sexual abuse material online, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Corey M. Felton, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that during a dispute with a woman on Nov. 27, 2024, he took the woman’s gun and then carjacked her. He also admitted robbing a man he met via Grindr on December 2. Felton also stipulated that prosecutors could prove by a preponderance of the evidence that on November 28, he robbed another man he met on Grindr, and on December 10, he exchanged gunfire with others in the 3500 block of South Grand Boulevard in St. Louis, using the stolen gun. Felton is scheduled to be sentenced February 19. The felon in possession charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and the robbery charge has a maximum term of 20 years. The brandishing charge carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charge.
Tuesday Oct. 28
Gordon Lee Smith, 52, of Washington County, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of the possession of unregistered firearms. He admitted illegally possessing five machine guns and seven silencers. He now faces up to 10 years in prison.
Carlos Romero-Salazar, 40, of St. Charles County, Missouri, and five of his nine co-defendants were arrested after having been indicted and accused of involvement in a “jackpotting” conspiracy that stole cash from ATMs. The indictment says Romero-Salazar, a technician for an ATM maintenance service company, installed malware on ATM hard drives that allowed others to take control and force the ATMs to dispense more than $940,000 in one week. Romero-Salazar has pleaded not guilty, as have the others arrested. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Wednesday Oct. 29
A jury found Irven l. White, 47, of St. Louis, guilty of six felonies: two counts each of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence and testimony showed that on Nov. 1, 2023, a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer saw White conducting what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction in the 4400 block of Farlin Avenue. When other officers approached, White fled, discarding a firearm, and was immediately detained. Officers found fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base. On August 26, 2024, officers were notified that White, who had an outstanding warrant for the November 1 incident, was again conducting a hand-to-hand drug transaction. He fled officers again, leaving behind a bag containing two guns. He was arrested in a nearby home, where officers found fentanyl and cocaine base. White is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms. Among his prior convictions is one for second degree murder.
Dillon Miller, 31, of Farmington, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and admitted possessing thousands of images of child sexual abuse material, making images available online and sexually abusing minors when he was a minor.
Alexander Sampson, 39, and Dana Kelly, 47, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and two counts of making a false statement. The indictment accuses them of fraudulently obtaining a $397,210 pandemic relief loan for Reign Restaurant LLC in 2021. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Thursday Oct. 30
Antony C. Campise, 39, of St. Peters, Missouri, was sentenced to 130 months in prison. Campise pleaded guilty in May to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and admitted possessing multiple firearms. During the sentencing hearing, witness testimony showed that Campise possessed the firearm during a violent domestic assault and did so to exert power and control over the victim.
Anton Bolden, 31, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced to 138 months in prison for selling fentanyl to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in 2023, as well as Glock handguns equipped with a “switch” or auto sear that convert them into a machine gun and a standalone conversion device. Thirteen firearms, including one machine gun and three conversion devices, were later found at the home of Bolden, a convicted felon.
Deionte Grice, 31, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted stealing a 2020 Kia Optima at gunpoint from a woman in the 5300 block of Devonshire Avenue in St. Louis on Jan. 5, 2024. Grice also stole the victim’s phone and purse. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers caught Grice on a bus with two handguns in the stolen purse. He now faces up to 15 years in prison for the carjacking charge and a mandatory, consecutive term of seven years for the brandishing charge.
Corie M. Boyer, 50, of Jefferson County, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted embezzling more than $550,000 from the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in DeSoto, including by stealing cash from the offertory. Boyer was parish bookkeeper and secretary at the time of her crimes. She faces up to 20 years in prison at her January 30 sentencing.
Monday Nov. 3
Anthony Virdure, a former U.S. Postal Service mail handler who stole checks from the mail and committed pandemic fraud, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to repay his fraudulently-obtained Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan of $20,832. Virdure, 31, pleaded guilty in July to mail theft and wire fraud.
Tuesday Nov. 4
A St. Louis area contractor, Coretta “Cory” Elliott, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted fraudulently obtaining pandemic loans totaling $1.7 million. Elliott obtained a first draw Paycheck Protection Program loan of $875,000 in 2020 and a second draw loan of $833,333 in 2021 by falsely certifying that the loans would be used for business-related purposes and by inflating her company’s monthly payroll. She then received loan forgiveness by falsely claiming that she used the money for payroll and other legitimate business expenses when she really used it for impermissible personal purposes. Elliott faces up to 30 years in prison at her sentencing in February and will be ordered to repay the money.
Elder scammer Jiacheng Chen, 21, was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Chen was the fifth defendant in the case to be sentenced. Yu-chieh Huang, 24, was sentenced to 40 months in prison, Tsz Kan, 43, received 54 months, Liang Jin, 26, received a 48-month sentence, Kaiyu Wen, 27, received 72 months. Huang, Jin and Wen were each ordered to pay $90,000 in restitution and Jin was fined $120,000. Scammers targeted older Americans with tech support fraud, romance fraud, and imposter schemes and tricked their victims into handing over large amounts of cash to money mules.
Dorian Scott, a convicted felon who was caught by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers in 2024 with a handgun and nearly 5,000 pills containing fentanyl, was sentenced to 126 months in prison. Scott pleaded guilty in July possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Wednesday Nov. 5
Alexander Gardiner, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and admitted the sextortion of a Missouri teen. Gardiner, who is a citizen of both the United States and the Turks and Caicos, admitted meeting a 15-year-old Missouri boy via Snapchat. After multiple requests by Gardiner, the teen sent photos of his genitals to Gardiner, believing he would be left alone after doing so. Gardiner instead threatened to send those images to the victim’s family and friends if the victim did not continue to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for Gardiner. Gardiner also admitted directing an unidentified 14-year-old to produce CSAM in 2021. Gardiner posted CSAM on Twitter and a link to a Telegram group that targeted minors in attempts to have them produce CSAM. Gardiner could face 10 years to life prison when sentenced in February.
Talito Amos, 32, of Beverly Hills, Missouri, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling drugs as part of the “55 Boyz” south St. Louis drug gang. Amos pleaded guilty in August and admitted sourcing fentanyl and meth for the drug trafficking organization, coordinating drug sales and selling directly to drug users.
A superseding indictment added defendants and charges to an indictment alleging a conspiracy to employ and harbor illegal aliens. Guo Liang Ye, 56, of St. Charles County, De Jin Ye, 56, Feng Ye, 34, and Maria Cruz-Cortes, 30, are accused of employing illegal aliens at the Golden Apple Buffet in St. Charles, housing them and providing them fraudulent Social Security cards and immigration documents. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.
Thursday Nov. 6
Dameon G. Christian, 42, of Washington Park, Illinois, pleaded guilty and admitted posting public threats on his Facebook page in May of 2025 to kill two people. He also admitted that prosecutors can prove that he fired multiple gunshots at a north St. Louis church and at a home in East St. Louis. Christian pleaded guilty to two counts of sending a threat in interstate commerce and one count of transporting a firearm across state lines with the intent to commit a felony. At his sentencing in February, he could face up to five years in prison for the threat changes and up to 10 years in prison for the gun charge.
Wednesday Nov. 12
Daniel Paulino, the former police chief and city administrator of Velda City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted embezzling at least $158,000 from the city in multiple ways while admitting additional fraud yet to be finally calculated by the Court. Without the knowledge and authority of the city: Paulino caused three checks totaling $1,800 and 20 direct deposits of $30,677 to be issued to himself. Paulino used a city credit card to transfer $37,550 to businesses owned by himself and his spouse. He triggered the payment of direct deposits of city funds totaling $54,693 to his personal bank account, falsely represented as the salary of his spouse for purportedly working in the city’s public works division. Paulino also admitted using city funds to pay for additional personal expenses, including $25,500 to buy a tow truck for his company, $3,956 for a Caribbean vacation and $4,000 that went to an Audi dealer. Paulino, 51, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026. Each wire fraud count is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The total amount of restitution that Paulino will be ordered to pay has not yet been determined.
Robert Nelson Howell, 60, of Madison County, Kentucky, was sentenced to 90 months in prison after being convicted at trial in August of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Howell was caught with duffel bags containing a gun and $12,000 in cash. Howell was driving a stolen vehicle with fake license plates and a fake vehicle identification number and admitted being Involved in drug trafficking.
Man Admits Concealing Death of Disabled Veteran for Years to Steal Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from Salem, Missouri on Friday admitted neglecting his uncle, a U.S. Army veteran with quadriplegia, for years and then concealing his death to fraudulently obtain $1.8 million in his uncle’s disability benefits.
Brian K. Ditch, 45, pleaded guilty to four felony counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Ditch was solely responsible for his uncle’s care beginning in 2008. Instead of properly caring for his uncle, Ditch kept him locked away and subjected him to insufficient care and verbal abuse. After fraudulently gaining access to his uncle’s financial accounts, Ditch regularly wired himself money. When his uncle died around 2019, Ditch concealed his death from relatives, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration so that he could continue to steal his uncle’s money. Ditch hid the body in a shed behind his house, telling relatives that he had moved his uncle into a nursing home and police that his uncle was living with another caregiver.
Since 2008, the VA’s Disability Compensation program deposited approximately $1.6 million into his account. Ditch’s uncle also received a total of $235,210 in benefits from the Social Security Administration.
Ditch used the money for personal purchases, including exotic reptiles and firearms. As a convicted felon, Ditch is barred from possessing firearms.
Ditch is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The felon in possession charge is punishable by up to 15 years and the same fine. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to any other charge.
The Salem Police Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
This press release was posted November 13, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
United States Reaches $8.9 Million Settlement with Milwaukee Company Accused of Improperly Taking Bulk Mail DiscountsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has finalized a civil settlement to resolve allegations that Fiserv Inc. and Fiserv Solutions LLC failed to comply with the United States Postal Service (USPS) Move Update standard and took improper postage discounts.
As part of the settlement, Fiserv will repay the United States $8,994,221, of which $5,032,525 is restitution to the USPS.
Fiserv is a global company, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that provides customers with printing and mailing services for items such as invoices, financial statements, health care related documents and credit cards. Fiserv operates a facility in Hazlewood, Missouri. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Fiserv did not properly comply with the USPS Move Update standard that allows mailers to claim postage discounts on presorted and bulk mail. The Move Update standard is a means for the USPS to reduce the amount of mail that requires forwarding or return by the periodic matching and updating of addresses.
The settlement resolves allegations brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Deborah Lynn Getchman, a former employee of Fiserv. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Deborah Lynn Getchman v. Fiserv, Inc. and Fiserv Solutions, LLC, Case No. 4:21-cv-00951 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Getchman will receive $1,596,474 of the proceeds from the settlement.
“The United States Postal Service provides discounts to mailers who meet the certain standards of reducing the volume of mail that requires being forwarding or returned,” said Tammy Hull, U.S. Postal Service Inspector General. “Any company falsely claiming these discounts should know that we will pursue this fraud and bring them to justice. This case highlights the important role whistleblowers play in our work. We thank this whistleblower for coming forward and reporting these fraudulent activities.”
“We thank the whistleblower in this case and we encourage others who know of an individual or company defrauding the government to bring their concerns forward,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “This settlement is an example of our important civil enforcement efforts where we work with whistleblowers to protect government funds.”
This civil settlement was a result of the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and the USPS Office of Inspector General Contract Fraud Investigation Division.
This press release was posted November 13, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Man Admits Making Threats to St. Louis Office of the NAACPRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Warrenton, Missouri man on Wednesday admitted making threats directed at the St. Louis office of the NAACP.
Darryl Jaspering, 62, of Warrenton, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities. Jaspering admitted writing a racist, profane and threatening message on the NAACP’s online contact page, including threats to “blow your… head off” and “bust you… with a… Hatchet and make you bleed….”
Jaspering is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5.
"Darryl Jaspering’s guilty plea should send a clear message that the FBI is serious about investigating hate crimes. Threats and acts of violence against any group, especially those based on race, religion, or any other characteristic, will not be tolerated," warned Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker. "We are committed to ensuring all members of our community can live and work without fear of being targeted for who they are. FBI St. Louis stands as a strong partner in protecting the rights and safety of everyone in our region."
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
This press release was posted November 19, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Seven More Associates of St. Louis Drug Gang Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Seven more people associated with a south St. Louis drug gang have pleaded guilty to drug and gun crimes, U.S. Attorney Tom Albus announced Tuesday.
Michelle Harris, 47, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. The six others have already pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced over the next three months.
Talito “Scoot” Amos, 32, of Beverly Hills, Missouri, pleaded guilty August 6 to four felony counts: conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He admitted selling fentanyl and meth as part of the “55 Boyz” drug trafficking organization. He also admitted sourcing the drugs, telling drug users who called or texted where to go to buy drugs and selling directly to the users, including an undercover law enforcement officer. He also admitted directing others in the conspiracy to answer calls and texts and meet users to sell fentanyl and meth.
On Jan. 23, 2024, shortly after Talito Amos sold an undercover ATF agent 312 capsules containing fentanyl and offered to sell a pound of meth, investigators conducted a court-approved search of a home on Castilon Avenue in St. Louis County. Talito Amos, Norey Amos and Jayvaughn Taylor were there, along with 1,178 capsules containing fentanyl, an AK-style pistol, meth, a pill press, digital scales, fentanyl powder and a drug ledger. Talito Amos had the phone being used by the drug trafficking organization to communicate with customers and over $1,900 in cash, his plea says. They also searched a home he sometimes used in Florissant, finding a disassembled AR-style rifle and 85 capsules containing fentanyl.
Fifteen other members or associates of the 55 Boyz were sentenced last year in a separate case. At one point, the gang was responsible for a significant amount of the fentanyl being sold in south St. Louis.
Carlos “Los Bandz” Amos, 28, entered an open plea on August 11 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams of more of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Xavier Amos, 23, pleaded guilty on September 25 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. He admitted acting as a driver for others, answering calls and texts from drug users and selling fentanyl and meth. Norey Amos, 25, pleaded guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He admitted discarding a bag of 154 capsules containing fentanyl while being pursued by police. John Ford, 64, pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams of more of meth. Jayvaughn Taylor, 24, pleaded guilty in July to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Taylor, Talito Amos, Xavier Amos and Norey Amos are half-brothers. Carlos Amos is a cousin. Harris is the mother of Taylor and Talito Amos.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Pair Sentenced for Attempted Armed Kidnapping and Robbery of Apartment Property ManagerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two people who attempted to kidnap and rob a St. Louis apartment property manager at gunpoint in 2024 have been sentenced to prison for that and other crimes.
U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced Emma M. Cunningham, 33, to 112 months in prison. Judge Schelp sentenced Jervonz L. Williams, 49, to 225 months in prison on September 24.
Cunningham bought the .38-caliber revolver used in the attempted kidnapping months earlier. On Feb. 20, 2024, she lied on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473 when she claimed she was buying the gun for herself and when she denied being an unlawful user of a controlled substance. She bought it for Williams, her boyfriend and a convicted felon who is barred from possessing firearms.
Williams used the gun to threaten others, including one of Cunningham’s neighbors. He also admitted using it to rob a drug dealer of $17, a gun and cocaine base in late June of 2024. Williams struck the dealer on the head with the revolver multiple times during the robbery.
Williams and Cunningham used that gun again during the Aug. 5, 2024, attempted kidnapping. The property manager arrived to meet Cunningham, her tenant, for a final apartment walkthrough that had been scheduled in advance by Cunnigham. After the victim arrived, Cunningham locked the apartment door. Williams threatened to kill the victim when she tried to call 911. Williams then demanded cash and the password to the victim’s phone so that the couple could access the victim’s financial accounts. They secured her to a chair with duct tape, but she broke free and was able to escape, even though Cunningham and Williams ripped off her shirt and tore out clumps of her hair trying to keep her from leaving. Two days later, police arrested the couple. Williams had the revolver and Cunningham was in possession of a box of ammunition.
“This case is a stark reminder of the devastation that follows when someone illegally buys a gun for another person,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bernard “Butch” Hansen, of the Kansas City Field Division. “A straw purchase is not a harmless favor. It’s a federal crime that can arm dangerous felons and fuel violent acts like the attempted kidnapping and robbery we saw here. ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable anyone who thinks they can skirt the law and put our communities at risk.”
Both Cunningham and Williams pleaded guilty in June. Cunningham pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, transfer of a firearm to a convicted felon and making a false statement in connection with the purchase of a firearm. Williams pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping, robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Leader of Conspiracy to Fraudulently Register Vehicles in Missouri Sentenced to 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man to five years in prison for bribing employees of Missouri motor vehicle license offices to fraudulently register motor vehicles.
Judge Schelp also ordered Gary Wilds, 48, to pay restitution of $335,218, including $319,778 to the state of Missouri.
Wilds bribed employees of motor vehicle license offices to falsely represent to the Missouri Department of Revenue that vehicles had passed emissions and safety inspections, that owners had paid their property taxes and had proof of insurance or other evidence of financial responsibility. Wilds also bribed employees into submitting forged documents claiming that vehicle owners were eligible for sales tax exemptions, thus reducing tax assessments from thousands of dollars per vehicle to as little as $11.
Wilds recruited Michelle Boyer and Megan Leone to aid his conspiracy. When Leone was promoted to manager, she told Ashlyn Graeff, who was her subordinate and who began working at the office in 2018, to fraudulently complete vehicle registration documents on behalf of Wilds. Wilds paid his recruits up to $100 for each transaction. Graeff initially conducted one or two fraudulent registrations per week for Wilds but that eventually grew to as many as 10 per day.
Some of the customers of Wilds’ business, Pinnacle Concierge, knew that Wilds was going to fraudulently register their vehicles because their vehicles could not pass emissions tests, they had outstanding child support orders or they had been barred from registering vehicles by another state agency. Customers who weren’t aware have suffered financial losses because Wilds only submitted part of their fees to the state and the fraudulent registrations were subsequently revoked. Even though these customers paid Wilds for their registrations, they are unable to properly register their vehicles without submitting the unpaid taxes and paying taxes and penalties to the state.
In one example in Wilds’ plea agreement, Wilds and Graef fraudulently registered a 2022 Dodge Ram for a customer on Sept. 13, 2022. Wilds told his customer that $1,350 would satisfy the fees and taxes due, but Wilds only sent $14.50 to the Missouri Department of Revenue. Wilds and Graeff avoided paying sales taxes by submitting a fraudulent form that falsely claimed that the vehicle weighed 24,000 pounds and was being leased to an interstate carrier registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Gary Wilds pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 22 counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft and six counts of making a false statement. Graeff, now 40, pleaded guilty to three counts of making a false statement. Leone, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of making a false statement. Boyer, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Boyer was sentenced on September 18 to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $206,847. Graeff was sentenced on July 17, 2024, to four years of probation and ordered to pay $84,554 in restitution. Leone is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8.
The case was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
High School Baseball Coach Accused of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A high school baseball coach in Illinois has been indicted and accused of drug trafficking crimes.
Demetrius Combs, 33, of Sauget, Illinois, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on August 27 with one count of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute in excess of 400 grams of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment accuses Combs of conducting the drug sales between June and August of 2023.
Combs was arrested on September 25 and pleaded not guilty.
A motion seeking to have Combs held in jail until trial says an undercover officer with the St. Louis County Police Department purchased fentanyl on one occasion from Combs and meth on two occasions. During a court-approved search of Combs’ home in Bellefontaine Neighbors, officers found $3,746 in cash and capsules containing fentanyl in Combs’ possession. In his car, police found a pistol, three cell phones and more capsules containing fentanyl. In his home they found multiple firearms, two cell phones, thousands of dollars in cash, a pill press, fentanyl, meth and drug paraphernalia. One of the handguns was equipped with an auto sear or “switch” that converted it into a fully automatic weapon, the motion says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Cape Girardeau Men Sentenced for Stealing from Gun StoreRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a man who helped steal a pistol from a Cape Girardeau County gun store to 40 months in prison.
Danaje Raymond Webster and his co-defendant, Dayvion Jyraud Parker, will also have to pay restitution of $1,999. Parker was sentenced in March to 70 months in prison.
On June 17, 2024, Webster, of Cape Girardeau, removed a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol from the display case at a federally licensed firearm dealer in Cape Girardeau County and handed it to Parker. Parker first hid the pistol under his jacket before handing it to Webster, who hid it between Parker’s back and the back of Parker’s wheelchair. Parker then bought ammunition and a magazine for a different firearm and both men left the store. After store employees noticed the missing pistol, they discovered the culprits by reviewing surveillance video.
On June 25, law enforcement officers performing a court-approved search of a home in Cape Girardeau found Parker, who is a felon, lying on a bed with two pistols between the bed frame and the wall. Both pistols were equipped with auto sears, or “switches,” converting them into fully automatic weapons.
Webster, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in July to one count of stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer. Parker, now 22, pleaded guilty in October of 2024 to five felonies: stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession of a machine gun.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Man Who Transported Minor to Super Bowl, St. Louis for Prostitution Sentenced to 152 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Friday sentenced a Missouri man to 152 months in prison for transporting a minor across state lines for sex.
JoeMarius Green, 25, will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison. Green pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in January to one felony count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in prostitution. He admitted taking the minor from Dallas to Kansas City on Feb. 12, 2023, to engage in prostitution during the Super Bowl. After about four days, Green brought the victim and others to a St. Louis area hotel for the same reason. Green managed the online prostitution ads, rented hotel rooms, set price points for sex acts and took all cash proceeds from the victim’s commercial sex acts.
Green’s co-defendant, Chantel Robinson, 21, was sentenced in July to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to one felony count of possession of child pornography. Robinson admitted engaging in commercial sex acts, taking sexually explicit and sexually suggestive photos of minors and posting online ads. She also oversaw the prostitution activities of minors when Green was away.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Five Admit Aiding Overseas Scammers Who Targeted Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Five people have admitted participating in a scheme that stole millions of dollars from elderly victims in ten states via a tech support scam.
Dariona Lambert, 23, Zhamoniq Stevens, 24, Chintankumar Parekh, 52, Mehulkumar Darji, 42, and Sital Singh, 43, have all pleaded guilty in the last month to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Darji did so Friday morning.
The conspiracy originated overseas, with scammers who contacted elderly victims via telephone calls and electronic messages, falsely claiming that the victims’ savings and retirement accounts had been compromised. They told their victims to transfer funds to the conspirators to keep their accounts secure, often via the purchase of gold bars or coins. The overseas conspirators would then send couriers to pick up the gold. Lambert and Stevens admitted being couriers. They were managed by Darji, Parekj and Singh, who admitted being the “handlers” who collected the gold and paid the couriers in cash.
The government believes that the overseas scammers netted $9.3 million from victims.
Scammers told one of the victims, an 82-year-old St. Louis woman, that they were a computer software support team and that her financial accounts had been compromised. They told her she needed to pay money to prevent her funds from being stolen, and transfer money into newly opened accounts before wiring money overseas. They also told her to buy about $250,000 worth of gold bars and sent Lambert to pick up the gold, the plea agreements say. On May 1, 2024, Lambert flew from Gainesville, Florida to St. Louis. Parekh rented a car and drove Lambert to a parking lot near the victim’s home, where Lambert switched to an Uber. Lambert was intercepted by law enforcement agents when she arrived at the victim’s home. After Parekh was alerted by Lambert that she had been apprehended, he fled to Pittsburgh.
Parekh admitted also working as a handler in gold bar pickups from victims in Yuma and Scottsdale in Arizona; Placentia and La Jolla in California; Largo, Florida; Chapel Hill, N.C.; and Pittsburgh, Penn.. Singh worked a handler in gold bar pickups from victims in Collierville, Tenn.; Universal City, Texas; and Greendale, Wisc.. Darji worked as a handler in gold bar pickups from Scottsdale, Largo and La Jolla, receiving three separate FedEx packages containing gold bars obtained from the Largo victim, it says. Lambert worked as a courier in Scottsdale; Placentia; La Jolla; Largo; Universal City; Hanover, Mass.; and Erie, Penn.. Stevens worked as a courier in gold bar pickups from victims in Yuma; La Jolla; Collierville; Largo; Greendale; Oxnard, Calif.; Long Island, N.Y.; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Parekh and Darji are in the United States unlawfully. Parekh overstayed his work visa and Darji was removed from the country in 2014.
Lambert, Stevens and Parekh are scheduled to be sentenced in November, and Singh on December 3. Darji’s sentencing is set for December 22.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa, Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
If someone you know is a victim of a cyber scam, report it to the FBI. You can file the complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or use 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Undocumented Immigrant Admits Targeting Retailers Nationwide with Sleight-of-Hand FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Romanian national who has repeatedly entered the United States illegally on Thursday admitted costing big box stores across the country at least $161,000 with a sleight-of-hand fraud.
Adrian Stoica, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of wire fraud and one count of illegal entry into the United States. He admitted conducting at least 170 transactions at stores in 20 states between November 2021 and March 2025.
After cashiers scanned merchandise, prepaid gift cards, and electronic money transfers for Stoica, he counted out cash into piles to trick cashiers into believing that he would be paying the full price. He collected the piles and then slipped bills from the bottom of the stack into his pocket, short-changing the stores by hundreds of dollars or more in each transaction. Stoica would then move on to a store in a different area.
Stoica’s plea agreement mentions three transactions in Missouri. On Feb. 17, 2023, he shortchanged the cashier of a Chesterfield store by approximately $860. On Sept. 7, 2023, his scheme cost a store in O’Fallon, Missouri about $690. The next day, he cost a Fenton store about $660.
Stoica is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The illegal entry charge carries a prison term of up to two years and the same fine. Stoica will also be ordered to repay the money and will be deported.
Stoica illegally entered the country in 2016 via Arizona, around October 2018 via Texas and sometime before November 2021 via an unknown location. He was ordered removed from the country in May of 2018 and deported in February of 2020. Stoica has used the names Boeri Kvec, Borri Kvec, Boeri Stoica and Adrian Anghel, his plea agreement says.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Area Siblings Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced two siblings to prison for aggravated identity theft and fraud.
Judge Clark sentenced Alexandria Collins, 34, of Shiloh, Ill., to 146 months in prison and Wayne M. Collins, 31, to 141 months in prison. Alexandria Collins also has to pay restitution of $449,984. Wayne Collins was ordered to pay $134,519.
In 2023, Wayne Collins was on supervised release for a 2018 case after having been sentenced to 42 months in prison for aiding and abetting the stealing of a firearm from a licensed gun dealer. The U.S. Probation Office conducted a search of his residence and discovered a phone that had been owned by his sister. The phone contained evidence of identity theft and wire fraud, including a counterfeit driver’s license with Wayne Collins’ picture and the name, Social Security number and birthdate of someone else. That victim’s identity had been used to open a $6,300 credit account on June 21, 2023. The phone also contained evidence of Wayne Collins’ possession and use of bank checks that had been stolen from the mail.
It also showed that Alexandria Collins had produced counterfeit ID and paystubs for multiple people, executed a wire fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain vehicle loans, used stolen identities to open credit accounts with retailers and cellphone companies, attempted to sell fraudulently-obtained vehicles through an auction company, facilitated the shipment of LSD through the U.S. Postal Service and produced counterfeit financial documents for someone to use in court proceedings.
In 2020, Alexandria Collins was sentenced to 33 months in prison for a fraud case and ordered to pay restitution of $131,710. After her release from federal prison and placement on house arrest on Sept. 13, 2021, she began living in a house in St. Charles County that had been rented by her boyfriend, a convicted felon, using a stolen identity and fake wage verification records. Alexandria Collins told her probation officer that the house had been rented by her sister. The couple and their children would later be evicted, owing the landlord $36,699 for rent, utilities and damage to the home. Collins then moved into a home in Shiloh, Ill. that she rented by using the stolen identity of Oneasha Stevenson and bogus tax records and bank statements. Collins again lied to her probation officer and said the home had been rented by her sister. She paid more than $9,000 in rent by funneling money through her boyfriend’s son’s student checking account.
On April 8, 2022, Collins opened an account at a credit union, falsely claiming that she was employed at a day care center. Over the next five months, Collins deposited or transferred a total of $40,065, proceeds of a fraudulent loan scheme involving a stolen 2014 Porsche Panamera. Collins was then involved with the sale of a 2011 Rolls Royce that netted $80,000. She did not tell her probation officer about her receipt of money via her involvement with auto sales. Instead, she falsely claimed to be working for a trucking company.
After Collins’ boyfriend was arrested on Oct. 26, 2022, the mother of one of his children tried to regain custody with the help of the Shiloh Police Department. Collins concealed his arrest from police and thwarted the mother by contacting her boyfriend’s brother on Facetime and having him impersonate her boyfriend.
Collins then struck a deal with Stevenson in which Stevenson used a stolen identity to purchase and attempt to purchase a vehicle, electronics and other merchandise with the help of both Collins siblings.
Wayne Collins pleaded guilty in May to aggravated identity theft in a case filed in 2024 and access device fraud in the 2022 case he shares with his sister and Stevenson. His sentence includes 129 months in prison for the current cases, and 12 months for violating his supervised release in the prior case.
Alexandria Collins pleaded guilty in May to one count of access device fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of making a false statement to the U.S. Probation Office. Her sentence includes 132 months in prison for her current case plus 14 months for violating her supervised release from the 2018 case.
Oneasha Stevenson, 35, of Berkeley, Missouri, was sentenced in July of 2024 to five years of probation and ordered to repay $3,584 to victims. Ultimately, she was ordered to serve 15 months in prison after repeatedly violating the terms of her probation, including the condition that she pay restitution.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others in order to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including those most vulnerable,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Missouri Department of Revenue’s Compliance and Investigation Bureau and the U.S. Probation Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
Mobile Barber Bandits Sentenced for 2023 Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two St. Louis area men have been sentenced for the armed robbery of a mobile barber in Jennings in 2023.
U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced Keshaun Smith, 20, of Jennings, to 98 months in prison on charges of robbery and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of the robbery. Smith’s co-defendant, Andrew Giles, was sentenced September 19 to 105 months in prison for the same offenses.
According to court documents, on May 8, 2023, the victim, who was a “mobile barber,” went to a home on Garesche Avenue to cut Smith’s hair. When the victim arrived at the home to give the haircut, Smith met the victim outside as he parked his red car.
Approximately 15 minutes later, while the victim was cutting co-defendant Keshaun Smith’s hair inside the home, co-defendant Andrew Giles arrived on Garesche Avenue, parked his car on the street, and exited carrying what appeared to be a pistol.
As the victim finished cutting Smith’s hair roughly 90 minutes later, Giles and a second co-defendant entered the room where the haircut was occurring. Smith picked up a firearm belonging to the victim and the three defendants robbed the victim of his possessions. During the robbery the victim was struck across his face/forehead area, sustaining a frontal skull fracture. The victim was able to flee the location and subsequently called police.
Smith was seen after the robbery walking on Garesche Avenue openly carrying a firearm believed to have been stolen from the victim.
The St. Louis County Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in St. Louis. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence.
Eleven Accused of Large-Scale Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A California man, three St. Louis area residents and seven others have been indicted and accused of involvement in a large-scale cocaine conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Thursday.
Jimmy Abraham Majeau, 43, of Chino Hills, made his first appearance in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Thursday and pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Majeau and ten others were originally indicted on May 28, 2025. The indictment was unsealed on July 9, when the initial arrests began.
Three of the defendants are from the St. Louis area: Michael Hunter, 63, Sonja Anne Orlando, 48, and Aaron Lamont Russell, 42.
A motion seeking to have Majeau held in jail until trial said he traveled frequently to Mexico to obtain cocaine, which he then transported throughout the U.S. using a commercial shipping company.
Also indicted were Earl Banks, 33, of Detroit, Eric James Hernandez, 42, Marvell Brian Lloyd, 43, Juan Jose Mendoza, 55, Alexxis Marie Ramirez, 36, Jonathon Javon Ward, 44, and Andrew Watson, 65.
The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of assets alleged to be linked to the crimes, including Majeau’s home, a 2021 Lamborghini Urus, $235,000 cash and 18 pieces of diamond and gold jewelry, including watches, rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
St. Louis Man Admits a Series of FraudsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man who was caught with the information of at least 10 different identity theft victims pleaded guilty Wednesday and admitted committing identity theft, check fraud and pandemic fraud.
Darryon M. Sutherlin, 29, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of identity theft. Sutherlin admitted using the stolen identity of a New Jersey resident to finance a $25,850 loan for a 2016 BMW 328i on May 26, 2022. Sutherlin used the New Jersey man’s name, Social Security number and a fake ID to obtain a personal loan of $8,500, which he spent. Sutherlin also obtained two credit cards in the victim’s name.
On Dec. 7, 2022, Sutherlin deposited two stolen U.S. Treasury checks, for $5,031 and $5,405, into his personal bank account. The checks had been altered to be made payable to Sutherlin. Sutherlin transferred $6,000 to another personal bank account and spent the check funds.
On Jan. 31, 2023, Sutherlin’s property manager conducted a welfare check at his St. Louis apartment because he was five months behind on rent and had disconnected his phone numbers. The property manager contacted police after seeing pounds of marijuana and driver’s licenses in different names but with Sutherlin’s photo. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers obtained a court-approved search warrant and arrested Sutherlin the next day. At the time of his arrest, Sutherlin was in possession of stolen personal and U.S. Treasury checks (one of which was partially washed), additional unauthorized bank cards and additional false driver’s licenses, including the false New Jersey victim’s license. In Sutherlin’s apartment, police found additional unauthorized bank cards, additional false driver’s licenses, a large amount of bank paperwork and a large trash bag containing stolen, opened U.S. mail. The opened envelopes contained a large number of remittance slips that would be mailed with a personal check when paying a utility or cable bill. In total, police recovered about 23 unauthorized debit and credit cards, about 13 false driver’s licenses and 2 false Social Security cards, all of which bore the information of more than 10 different identity theft victims.
In addition to the identity theft crimes, Sutherlin admitted seeking a Paycheck Protection Program loan on March 23, 2021, by falsely claiming that he ran a construction business and by submitting a false Form 1040 Schedule C showing bogus gross earnings. After receiving a $20,833 PPP loan, Sutherlin immediately withdrew a large portion of the loan funds in cash and spent the remainder on personal expenses.
After he was indicted on May 15, 2024, Sutherlin obtained a loan of $8,500 from a credit union branch in Collinsville, Ill. by using the stolen identity of a Massachusetts man. Sutherlin immediately withdrew the money in two transactions after the loan was removed. Sutherlin has been in jail since the new offense was discovered.
Sutherlin is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26. Identity theft carries a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine. He will be ordered to repay his victims.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Man Who Sold Drugs, Shot at Undercover St. Louis Police Officer Sentenced to 15+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a man who shot at an undercover St. Louis Police officer who was investigating drug sales to 15 years and five months in prison.
Anthony Stallworth sold 28 capsules containing fentanyl to an undercover St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer on Oct. 10, 2019. Five days later, the officer contacted Stallworth to buy more fentanyl. Stallworth set a meeting location, then directed the officer to another spot. Stallworth arrived at the second location and had the officer follow his Mercedes SUV. Stallworth then suddenly stopped his SUV, stuck a gun out of the SUV’s window and fired two shots in the direction of the officer’s vehicle, which was stopped at a stop sign. Stallworth fled, speeding and driving erratically so that officers were unable to follow.
In the summer of 2023, St. Louis police were conducting surveillance in the 4700 block of Wilcox Avenue in St. Louis and spotted Stallworth engaging in drug transactions. They conducted a court-approved search of an apartment there and found Stallworth with 450 grams of methamphetamine, 86 grams of fentanyl, $2,862 in cash, a 10mm pistol and drug paraphernalia.
“Stallworth armed himself with firearms and even opened fire on undercover officers, showing a blatant disregard for human life,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard “Butch” Hansen, of the Kansas City Field Division. “Combined with the large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine he was trafficking, his actions put our entire community at risk. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for the violence he chose and for flooding our streets with deadly drugs and guns. ATF will continue working with our partners to protect families and neighborhoods from offenders who endanger public safety.”
Stallworth, 26, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in June to one count each of possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The discharge of a firearm charge carried a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison for Stallworth, consecutive to all other charges, and the meth possession charges carry a mandatory minimum term of five years.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis County Woman Sentenced to 93 Months in Prison for Gun, Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced a woman who aided an online fraud and committed pandemic and mortgage fraud to 78 months in prison, consecutive to a 15-month sentence for being a felon caught with two guns.
Judge Ross also ordered Shirley Waller, 43, of St. Louis County, Missouri, to repay $313,711 to victims.
Waller pleaded guilty in June to one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and using an assumed name to commit mail fraud.
As part of her guilty plea, Waller admitted acting as a “money mule” and aiding scammers who used a variety of tactics to trick victims. After the daughter of a 71-year-old St. Louis County woman told police in December 2023, that she’d mailed $35,000 to Waller’s home as part of a romance scam, they determined that more than 70 Express Mail packages had been delivered to Waller’s home during a 60-day period ending Nov. 1, 2023. In a court-approved search on Jan. 12, 2024, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service found two guns and Express Mail packages containing cash that had been sent to variations of Waller’s name by older adults targeted in online fraud schemes. Fourteen identified victims sent $94,150 to Waller’s home. The government estimates that the overseas scammers stole over $1 million, based on the 193 total packages that were delivered to Waller’s home between Sept. 1, 2023, and April 1, 2024, and tracked by Nigerian IP addresses.
Waller also admitted fraudulently applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $19,235 on April 10, 2021, by falsely claiming she ran a business in Michigan. She received the loan and used the money to travel to Ghana, Germany and Jamaica. Waller unsuccessfully submitted another fraudulent loan application for a St. Louis resale shop, concealing the existence of the first loan and falsifying her business income.
Finally, Waller admitted fraudulently obtaining a $196,000 mortgage loan by lying about her marital status, income and job and by submitting counterfeit tax documents and bank statements.
In March, Judge Ross sentenced Waller to 15 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. She has a series of prior convictions including for fraud and theft.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others in order to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including those most vulnerable,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Town and Country Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud Committed with Checks Stolen from the MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry on Friday sentenced a man to 42 months in prison for orchestrating a check fraud scheme using checks that had been stolen from the mail.
Malik Jones, 28, of Berkeley, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in October to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. From March 2022 to at least October 2023, Jones was involved in “every step” in a scheme to steal checks from the mail and then commit fraud with those checks, according to a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow.
In March of 2022, Jones bought a stolen “arrow key,” which allows access to U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes, from a mail carrier, Cambria M. Hopkins. Jones then paid others to steal mail from the collection boxes in the St. Louis area using Hopkins’ key, and he removed checks from that stolen mail. Jones also paid Hopkins to steal checks from the mail for him. After obtaining these stolen checks, Jones altered or created counterfeit versions of the checks, deposited these forged and fraudulent checks, and then withdrew the check funds. Jones used Instagram to recruit others to supply their debit cards and banking information to him so he or the account holder could deposit checks into those accounts. Jones attempted to withdraw the money before the banks realized the checks were fraudulent and split any resulting proceeds with the account holders.
Jones deposited or caused others to deposit forged or fraudulent checks with a face value totaling $1.2 million, although many of those fraudulent deposits were identified by the banks and rejected. Jones was ordered Friday to repay $21,635 to victims.
Jones’ crimes came a time when mail theft was a well-publicized problem, and his actions greatly contributed to this problem through their scope, Clow wrote. In letters to Judge Perry, victims wrote that they felt financially and personally violated by Jones’ crimes and were forced to close accounts, re-issue checks and change payment methods on multiple bills.
Hopkins, 30, of Florissant, pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy and one count of unlawful use of a mail key and is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to defending the nation’s mail system from criminal activity, preserving the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and protecting United States Postal Service employees. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners for supporting our mission to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Tom Albus Welcomes New Citizens at the Old Courthouse in St LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. Attorney Tom Albus on Friday welcomed 29 new citizens from 19 different countries at a naturalization ceremony at the historic Old Courthouse in St. Louis.
Rachel MarshallAt the ceremonies, which are held dozens of time a year in and around St. Louis, new citizens take their oath and receive their Certificate of Citizenship. The U.S. attorney or an assistant U.S. attorney acts as the naturalization examiner.
For more information about becoming a citizen, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at www.uscis.gov. For information about the ceremonies, click here.
Honduran National Admits Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Honduras who is in the United States illegally on Thursday admitted illegally possessing ammunition.
Lesman Jeroan Rivera-Vasquez, 22, waived his right to indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to one count of possession of ammunition by an illegal alien. Rivera-Vasquez admitted that on August 10, 2025, he violated a stop sign, causing a crash with a law enforcement vehicle. Rivera-Vasquez and his passengers had a rifle and a deer that they shot out of season. Rivera-Vasquez also admitted possessing two boxes of ammunition on August 8 that had been purchased by someone else in a St. Peters, Missouri store.
Two Warren County Sheriff’s deputies were injured in the crash.
Rivera-Vasquez, who was living in Breckenridge Hills, was charged by complaint in U.S. District Court on August 21. He is currently scheduled to be sentenced in December. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine. He will be deported after his release from custody.
In February of 2019, Rivera-Vasquez told an immigration judge that he had entered the United States illegally. He was granted the ability to voluntarily depart, but did not do so, his plea says.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Warren County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Former Charity Employee Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Stealing Nearly $700,000Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a former charity employee who embezzled $690,902 over more than a decade to 40 months in prison.
Judge Sippel also ordered Joelle Fouse, 58, to repay the money.
Fouse was the manager/director of finance and human resources for Promise Community Homes, formerly known as Rainbow Village, a charity that provides housing and resources for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She was responsible for payroll, expense reimbursement and maintaining the charity’s books and records.
Fouse caused 71 unauthorized payroll deposits totaling $139,810 and 181 unauthorized expense reimbursement payments totaling $407,186 to be made to her personal bank accounts. She also used the charity’s credit card to make 184 unauthorized personal purchases totaling $133,210. Her theft, and the unauthorized payments, caused the charity to overpay payroll taxes by approximately $10,694.
Fouse’s “significant embezzlement” was “in addition to the generous salary and benefits the charity was already providing her,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith wrote in a sentencing memo. “While depriving the disabled residents of the charity of much needed and essential resources, Defendant used the stolen charitable funds for extravagant purchases for such things as vacation travel, expensive clothing and handbags, entertainment, restaurant meals, and to fund her own side businesses which provided her with additional income.”
Fouse also lied about graduating college with an accounting degree for years, Goldsmith wrote, when she was actually academically disqualified from continuing in school.
In a letter to Judge Sippel, Promise Homes Executive Director Matt Elmore wrote that Fouse’s embezzlement while the charity was “stretching every dollar” and “making difficult decisions about which projects to fund” robbed clients of vital services. The $8,000 of the charity’s money Fouse spent at Louis Vuitton “could have funded a new ramp for a resident who can no longer navigate stairs,” he wrote. The $5,000 she spent on “bottle service at the Ritz-Carlton could have covered urgent repairs-HVAC systems, water heaters, essential appliances-for multiple homes.”
Her crime, Elmore wrote, poisoned their workplace and damaged the charity’s reputation. “We are now forced to spend valuable time and resources reassuring donors-many of whom have supported us for decades that we remain trustworthy and financially stable. Every hour we spend restoring confidence is an hour not spent serving our residents,” he wrote.
Elmore also said that Fouse was always the first and strongest advocate for raising the rent of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities living on fixed incomes, “because she needed to fund her own lavish lifestyle. That is a level of heartlessness I struggle to comprehend.”
Fouse used the money to pay for personal expenses for herself and relatives including travel, clothing, entertainment, restaurant meals and rent payments. To cover up her crimes, she created false financial reports, doctored receipts, made false entries in the charity’s financial records and prevented the charity’s officials from accessing records which would have disclosed her scheme.
Fouse worked for the charity from October 2012 through December 2023, when she was terminated and her employer contacted federal authorities. She pleaded guilty in April of 2025 to three felony counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith prosecuted the case. Officers of Promise Community Homes cooperated substantially in the investigation.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Seeks Potential Victims in Case Against St. Louis Doctor and StaffRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – In July of 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri announced that a federal grand jury charged physician David A. Parks, clinical manager and clinical research coordinator James M. Bilderback, and front desk assistant Michelle J. Scheer with crimes related to the clinic at which they worked, located at 3960 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis. The indictment alleges that from at least July 6, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2021, the three conspired to knowingly and intentionally prescribe controlled substances outside of the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The conspiracy’s goal was to maximize their patient population and, in turn, their profit, the indictment says. Parks and Bilderback, the indictment alleges, also conspired to defraud Medicare, Missouri Medicaid and private health insurers by billing them for claims for services that falsely and fraudulently identified Parks as the provider, including at times when Parks was out of the country.
On August 15, 2025, U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Bodenhausen issued an order directing the government to employ alternative victim notification procedures so that any member of the community who believes they may be a crime victim is made aware of their potential rights.
The government is asking members of the community who believe they may be a victim of illegal prescribing of controlled substances or fraudulent billing practices by Dr. David A. Parks, James Bilderback or Michelle Scheer to please email [email protected] to reach the Victim-Witness Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri.
Former patients of Parks or their families may still be facing the aftermath of illegal prescribing of controlled substances or fraudulent billing practices. The victim-witness program provides information, services and support to individuals during federal prosecutions.
Case updates will be provided on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr. Please also be aware of these free, confidential resources that may be of assistance:
- Always call 911 if it’s a life-threatening emergency.
- To find supportive services, dial 2-1-1 to call United Way. Operational hours are 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. If you call after hours, please leave a message. Phone calls will be returned the next business day. 2-1-1 provides information and referral service that connect people to vital community, health and social services provided by a range of nonprofit, government and tribal agencies.
- SAMHSA has a national helpline to assist with finding behavioral health support or substance use management at 800-662-HELP (4357), TTY: 800-487-4889, or online at https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/. Calls are manned 24/7 and are routed to the DHSS Division of Behavioral Health during DHSS operational hours.
- Help is available 24/7 through Missouri's Crisis Hotline (https://dmh.mo.gov/behavioral-health/treatment-services/specialized-programs/crisis-services), 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you or someone you know is in a mental health, suicide or substance use crisis; reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or the 988 Lifeline Chat.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
- Always call 911 if it’s a life-threatening emergency.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis man who fraudulently obtained more than $629,000 in pandemic relief loans to 27 months in prison and ordered him to repay the money.
Shahron Vaulx, 41, submitted eight fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications between May 2020 and June 2021, “essentially stealing money intended for those struggling with the pandemic,” a sentencing memo says. The applications, submitted in the names of Fortunnett Financial LLC, SD Incorporation LLC, SV Collections LLC and SD Marketing LLC, contained false information about monthly payroll and the number of company employees. Vaulx submitted fake tax forms to support the payroll and income claims, which were falsely inflated to increase the amount of the loans.
After the loans were approved, Vaulx withdrew cash, transferred money to others, made personal retail purchases and paid bills with the money. He later applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that he used the loans on permissible business expenses.
“The only explanation for (Vaulx’) crime is greed,” the sentencing memo says, citing his substantial positive monthly cash flow and gross monthly income of $25,000 at the time of his crimes.
Judge Clark ordered Vaulx to repay $629,809.
“This case highlights the United States Secret Service’s commitment to aggressively target individuals who have taken advantage of federal pandemic programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Gibson of the U.S. Secret Service - St. Louis Field Office.
Vaulx pleaded guilty in January to two counts of wire fraud.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwen Carroll and Stephen Casey prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Felon Found Responsible for Detainee’s Fentanyl Overdose, Sentenced to 157 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a felon caught with a gun to 157 months in prison after finding him responsible for supplying the fentanyl that caused a fatal overdose in 2024.
Alantae Garner, 31, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in June to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Nov. 17, 2023, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted him in the driver’s seat of a stolen 2019 Kia Rio. When officers approached, Garner walked away, then ran before being detained. Police found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun in his bag. Garner admitted owning the gun and said he bought the Kia for $500.
Garner was arrested on the federal charge on July 25, 2024. During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, evidence and testimony showed that while awaiting his first appearance in court, he supplied fentanyl to another detainee, who overdosed in a holding cell. Deputy U.S. Marshals attempted to revive the victim, but he later died at a hospital.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Franklin County Man Who Recorded Sexual Abuse of Toddler Sentenced to 40 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded pictures and videos of his sexual abuse of a one-year-old to 40 years in prison.
“This is one of the worst cases of sexual abuse that I’ve seen in 25 years as a judge,” Judge Ross told William Burns before sentencing him. Judge Ross also ordered Burns to pay $146,500 to the victims who appear in the child sexual abuse material he possessed.
Burns, 41, and Rachel Burns, 35, pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and two counts of production of child pornography. William Burns also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and an additional count of production of child pornography.
The Burns were arrested on July 30, 2023, by the University City Police Department. The couple thought they were meeting an 11-year-old girl, and planned to bring her home and sexually abuse her. Rachel Burns told investigators that her husband had child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, leading to a court-approved search by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies then found electronic devices, as well as whips, numerous sexual devices and a 3-foot-7-inch-tall silicone sex doll made to resemble a prepubescent female in their home, their plea agreements say.
Investigators also found a 2022 video showing the couple sexually abusing a one-year-old. They found other videos and images from 2022 and 2023 showing that victim, the couple admitted in their plea agreements. Investigators also found 13,954 image and video files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a computer and digital storage devices. William Burns used a WhatsApp social media account to exchange CSAM with other WhatsApp users.
In an earlier hearing on September 3, a woman who met William Burns when she was 18 and he was 33 said he initially presented himself as a “man of God” before physically and sexually abusing her. He showed her a video of the rape of an infant. She said he told her that he wanted to have children with her and then have sex with their children.
Burns “has just left a trail of wreckage behind him in his life,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes said in court Wednesday. “He was dedicated to the sexual abuse of children.”
Rachel Burns, 35, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend no more than 35 years in prison for her.
The University City Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 260 Months in Prison for Recording His Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Monday sentenced a man who recorded his sexual activity with a 14-year-old to 260 months in prison.
Todd Kelly, now 37, of Washington, Missouri, will be on supervised release for life after he is released from prison. Kelly admitted making the recordings on his cell phone in June and July of 2023. The investigation began in August of 2023 when the victim’s father learned about the relationship and discovered Snapchat communications between Kelly and his daughter. Investigators seized Kelly’s four cellular phones and found videos that he recorded.
Kelly pleaded guilty in April to one count of producing child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory sentence of at least 15 years in prison.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianne Edwards prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New York Woman Admits Depositing $2.7 million in Fraudulent Checks in Missouri, IllinoisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from New York on Friday admitted attempting to deposit $2.7 million in fraudulent checks.
Gabrielle Borthwick, 23, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to 12 felonies: six counts of financial institution fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft.
Borthwick admitted as part of her plea that she obtained counterfeit cashier’s checks and the stolen personal information (names, birthdates and Social Security numbers) of multiple people. She then went to a series of banks in Missouri and fraudulently opened, or attempted to open, accounts in the victims’ names without their permission. Borthwick presented the financial institutions with counterfeit out-of-state driver’s licenses that displayed her photograph but contained the victims’ names and dates of birth. To dispel concerns about the out-of-state licenses, Borthwick falsely claimed to have recently moved to Missouri and supplied fake utility and phone bills to support her claims. She then deposited counterfeit cashier’s checks in amounts ranging from $121,260 to $1.4 million. She claimed to run a wedding planning business to allay bank officials’ suspicions about the size of the checks. Borthwick then tried to withdraw cash or electronically transfer funds before the financial institutions realized that the checks were fake.
Borthwick deposited checks in multiple Missouri banks and in one bank in Illinois totaling $2,773,280.65. She fraudulently obtained $271,667.98, her plea agreement says.
Borthwick is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17. Financial institution fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by two years in prison, consecutive to any other charge and a fine of up to $250,000. She will be ordered to repay the money.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and police departments in Eureka, O’Fallon and Union in Missouri and Edwardsville in Illinois investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Lawyer Admits $379,900 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis lawyer on Thursday admitted defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration out of $379,900 by fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 pandemic loan.
John J. Diehl Jr., 60, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. Diehl admitted that on March 30, 2020, he applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) on behalf of his law firm, the Diehl Law Group. The EIDL program was designed to help struggling small businesses during the pandemic by providing deferred, low interest loans to be used strictly for working capital, payroll and other fixed debts of the business caused by the pandemic. Diehl signed a loan authorization and agreement form in which he falsely represented and certified that Diehl Law Group “…will use all the proceeds of this Loan solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by disaster occurring in the month of January 31, 2020 and continuing thereafter….”
On April 16, 2020, an advance of $1,000 on the EIDL loan was deposited into a Diehl Law Group bank account. On April 27, 2020, Diehl made a $1,320.15 payment to a country club for personal dues and charges, a payment that inappropriately included those EIDL funds.
On June 9, 2020, the remainder of the EIDL loan, $93,900, was transmitted into his law firm’s bank account. Diehl transferred some of the funds to his personal bank accounts and between June 10, 2020, and August 16, 2021, he impermissibly used the EIDL loan proceeds for unauthorized personal use and purposes. Those included payments on personal Tesla, Audi and Jeep automobiles, personal credit cards, a personal home mortgage, a family member’s college tuition, pool maintenance, country club dues and fees and cash withdrawals for personal use and expenses. On Sept. 16, 2020, Diehl also transferred $50,039.55 of the EIDL proceeds to the Diehl Law Group’s retirement plan in which Diehl was the only participant.
In March of 2022, Diehl requested an EIDL loan modification. He again pledged that Diehl Law Group will use the funds “to alleviate economic injury caused by disaster.” On April 12, 2022, the additional loan proceeds of $285,000 were wired into the Diehl Law Group bank account. Diehl then transferred some of the funds into his personal bank accounts. Between April 14, 2022, and June 21, 2023, Diehl inappropriately used the EIDL funds for payments on personal credit cards, fees paid to a St. Louis law firm for a personal legal matter, college tuition, residential mortgage payments and cash withdrawals for personal use and expenses. On Sept. 16, 2022, Diehl also inappropriately transferred $150,000 of the EIDL modified loan proceeds into his retirement plan.
In total, Diehl obtained $379,900 in EIDL loan funds through his fraud scheme.
Diehl is scheduled to be sentenced on December 19. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. He has repaid the EIDL loan proceeds to the United States Treasury, his lawyer said Thursday.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Felon Accused of Pointing Gun at 7-Year-Old Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man accused of pointing a gun at a 7-year-old to 10 years in prison.
Dwight Byrd, 59, pleaded guilty in May to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Sept. 7, 2023, two witnesses told St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers that Byrd threatened a 7-year-old boy by pointing a black handgun at him and saying that he would “teach him some (expletive) respect.”
After officers spotted Byrd, he ran into his nearby home and changed clothes before surrendering. Officers found a loaded black 9mm handgun with a chambered round near the stairs Byrd used to get to his second-story apartment and a .38 special revolver and 9mm ammunition in his apartment. At the time, Byrd was on parole for a state drug offense.
Byrd conceded at Thursday’s hearing that prosecutors could prove that he pointed a gun at the child by a preponderance of the evidence.
In a letter to Judge Autrey, the victim’s mother wrote that she is not sure what sent Byrd off, adding, “We are all traumatized, and he probably still doesn’t care.”
In court and in a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj pointed out that Byrd’s prior robbery and drug convictions include three other occasions in which he pointed or shot a gun at one or more people.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis County Fossil Company Operator Admits Disability FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man who recreates fossils on Wednesday admitted stealing $106,923 in Social Security disability benefits.
Scott A. Taylor, 50, of Wellston, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of theft of government money. Taylor was granted disability benefits on Sept. 5, 1996. At some point, he opened Taylor Made Fossils, which made multiple-sized cast or molded fossil recreations. All business paperwork was in Taylor’s girlfriend’s name, but he oversaw the business, his plea agreement says. Since 2014, the business generated income ranging from hundreds of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars per month in all but three months.
On Oct. 1, 2023, Taylor completed a continuing disability review report in which he falsely reported having difficulty walking, standing, concentrating, feeding himself, shopping, using his arms, managing money, seeing, hearing, speaking and caring for his hair. He stated his vision caused him to walk into people and objects and frequently fall down the stairs, that he was in extreme constant pain, that it was dangerous for him to leave the house alone, that he could not feel his hands or feet and that even normal items would become too heavy to lift. All the while, Taylor was carrying large or heavy objects, doing yard work, using a cell phone, and walking normally while unassisted and alone. Later that same month, Defendant falsely claimed he had received no wages or income and had no form of employment since 1997.
On Nov. 1, 2023, Taylor completed a function report in which he reiterated his false claims about his limited ability to see, move and care for himself.
After an investigation by the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Taylor’s disability benefits were discontinued. Taylor stole a total of $106, 923, his plea agreement says.
Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9. The crime carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine. He will also be ordered to repay the money.
The SSA-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
Romanian Admits Nationwide $130,000 Sleight-of-Hand FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Romanian national on Tuesday admitted targeting stores across the country with a sleight-of-hand fraud that netted at least $130,000.
Suras Rostas, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of wire fraud. Rostas admitted travelling the country between roughly April 2023 and October 2024, shortchanging Walmart cashiers by hundreds or thousands of dollars at a time. After cashiers scanned the merchandise or began processing an electronic money transfer, Rostas counted money into piles that added up to at least the full amount of the transaction and handed the piles one at a time to cashiers. He then took the cash back, gathered it into a pile and slipped bills from the bottom of the stack into his pocket. Rostas then regularly returned the merchandise for a full cash refund.
Rostas on Tuesday admitted conducting at least 45 fraudulent transactions at Walmart stores in at least 18 different states, defrauding Walmart of at least $130,000 worth of money and property.
Rostas is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. He will be ordered to repay the money and will likely be deported.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Arnold Police Department handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
Two Men Admit Kidnapping St. Louis County Toddler in Attempt to Recover GunsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men have admitted kidnapping a toddler in St. Louis County, Missouri in a bid to recover missing guns.
Kendal “KD” White, 20, of St. Charles, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of kidnapping. Cam’Ron Henderson, 20, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 11.
White admitted as part of the plea agreement that he believed that the father of the kidnapping victim, a 2-year-old, had taken firearms and other items from him. On Aug. 10. 2023, White, Henderson and others then began looking for the man and eventually found their way to the victim’s mother’s apartment in St. Louis County. When she did not answer the door, White and Henderson kicked it in. Both men were armed. After learning that their quarry was not in the apartment, White demanded that the mother turn over her daughter. She refused, and White struck her in the head with his gun multiple times before grabbing the toddler from her arms. White and Henderson fled with the girl and the victim’s mother called police.
When White and Henderson learned that an Amber Alert had been issued and included a description of the Hyundai Elantra they were driving, White paid three women to return the toddler to her uncle’s home.
The kidnapping charge carries a penalty of at least 20 years in prison. Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2 and White on January 27.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $1.2 Million in MortgagesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Monday sentenced a man to five years in prison for fraudulently obtaining home mortgages totaling more than $1.2 million.
Judge Autrey also ordered Edward James Mitchell Jr., also known as Musa Muhammad, to repay a total of $482,096 to lenders for their losses due to Mitchell’s scheme.
Mitchell, now 37, of St. Louis, participated in four fraudulent home mortgages from October 2021 through November 2023. Mitchell’s company, Home Team Solutions LLC, purchased three homes in St. Louis and one in Florissant. Mitchell then pretended to be one of his relatives to “buy” two of the homes, submitting fraudulent mortgage loan applications and false employment and financial information and using his relative’s Social Security number and birthdate. He bought another home himself and sold another to his paramour, again submitting false or fraudulent documents.
The total value of the loans was $1,226,550. All the lenders suffered losses due to Mitchell’s fraud. One home was sold at a discount. Another was sold in a foreclosure sale. A third was sold in a short sale.
“The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) carefully investigates allegations of mortgage fraud involving the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” said Korey Brinkman, Special Agent in Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Central Region. “We are proud to work with our partners in this investigation.”
Mitchell pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of bank fraud.
In October 2023, Mitchell legally changed his name to Musa Muhammad.
The FBI and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Area Doctor Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Monday sentenced a St. Louis, Missouri area doctor to 70 months in prison for two separate criminal cases, one charged in 2020 and one in 2024.
Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, 54, was also ordered to pay $1,845,916 in restitution for the 2020 case and $3,902 for the 2024 case.
In the 2020 case, Dr. Ali was involved in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks for urine specimens referred for testing to one of the companies he owned, Central Diagnostic Laboratory. Dr. Ali also admitted signing prescriptions for controlled substances for patients who appeared to be selling or giving away their drugs. He also pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances to be given to patients of one of his other businesses, the Institute for Pain Management LLC. Dr. Ali did not see the patients on the dates they received the prescriptions and rarely looked at patient charts or determined a legitimate medical need for the controlled substances.
Judge Autrey ordered Dr. Ali and a number of his codefendants in that case to pay $950,381 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, $13,993 to Tricare and $881,542 to Missouri Medicaid.
In the 2024 case, Dr. Ali agreed to perform health care services for the Medicare patients of a company Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik owned, Psych Care Consultants LLC, but bill using Dr. Malik’s name and Medicare billing number. The doctors billed Medicare for “annual wellness visits,” a comprehensive yearly appointment, but Dr. Ali did not see them in person and simply called asked a series of questions. Medicare paid $3,902 for the fraudulent claims.
Dr. Ali pleaded guilty in the 2020 case to one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances, one count of illegally prescribing controlled substances, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of a submitting false claims. He pleaded guilty in the 2024 case to one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances and to maintain a drug-involved premises.
Dr. Malik pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements related to health care matters. He admitted submitting claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurers in which he falsely claimed to have performed in-person services when he was out of the state or the country. He admitted billing a private insurance company for the intravenous infusion of ketamine that was performed by Dr. Ali, knowing that Dr. Ali was under indictment and lacked a DEA registration authorizing him to administer controlled substances. Dr. Malik admitted causing a total loss of $19,442 to Medicare, Medicaid, and the private health care insurers.
In August, Dr. Malik was sentenced to five years of probation, fined $20,000 and ordered to pay restitution of $19,442. He has also agreed to surrender his Drug Enforcement Administration registrations authorizing him to administer controlled substances.
“Health care providers who unlawfully distribute dangerous and addictive controlled substances not only endanger the lives of vulnerable individuals but also undermine the integrity of our nation’s health care system. Dr. Ali exploited the trust placed in him by his patients and engaged in kickback schemes for personal financial gain,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s sentencing highlights HHS-OIG’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to hold health care providers accountable for their unlawful actions.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric prosecuted the 2024 case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric, Derek Wiseman and Jonathan Clow handled the 2020 case.
Mexican National Admits Child Sex ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Mexican national on Monday admitted sexually abusing a minor and engaging in explicit communications with her on Instagram.
Giovanni Falcon, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to transfer of obscene material to a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted messaging a 15-year-old girl on Instagram between Jan. 1, 2024, and Aug. 12, 2024. In July and August of that year, Falcon sent the victim images of his genitals. Falcon and the victim also engaged in sexual contact on multiple occasions. On Aug. 13, 2024, the victim’s father contacted the St. Ann Police Department after discovering the explicit Instagram messages. St. Ann police arrested him the next day, and he admitted sexually abusing the victim.
The U.S. Attorney’s office will ask for 216 months in prison at Falcon’s sentencing, which has been set for Jan. 27, 2026. Falcon is not in the country legally and will be deported upon his release from prison.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Ann Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.