District of New Jersey
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Sewell Man, a Former Marine, Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Forging Court Orders and Impersonating a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A former Marine pled guilty to sending false and fraudulent military orders and United States District Court Orders to various banks to obtain relief under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, forging a document with a judge’s signature, and impersonating a Federal Protective Services Inspector when searching a house, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Nicholas Cabral, 33, Sewell, New Jersey pled guilty to a three-Count Information, which charged him with one count of bank fraud, one count of counterfeiting and using an official court seal, and one count of impersonating a federal officer to conduct an unlawful search. The plea hearing took place before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA), 50 U.S.C.A § 3901 et. seq., postpones or suspends certain civil obligations to enable service members to devote their full attention to duty and to relieve stress on their families. The act covers obligations related to, among other things, outstanding credit card debt, mortgage payments, pending trials, taxes, termination of leases, eviction from housing, and life insurance protection. The SCRA covers all active-duty service members while on active duty.
Between November 2011 and May 30, 2014, Cabral served in the United States Marine Corps and was honorably discharged as a Private First Class. His separation from the Marine Corps was due to a disability that existed before his military service. After discharge, Cabral never again served in the U.S. Military as either an active-duty or reserve member.
After his military discharge, and before July 4, 2019, Cabral decided to use the SCRA to have financial institutions change his annual credit interest rates and give him relief from payments and fees. To convince the financial institutions that he was eligible for relief under the SCRA, Cabral mailed false and fraudulent military orders purportedly issued by the Department of the Army and the Department of the Navy.
In those false orders, Cabral represented that he currently was a Captain in the U.S. Army or a Lieutenant and then a Captain in the U.S. Marines who was called for active duty for a period of at least 180 days. The fraudulent orders were purportedly signed by a military official. Between July 2019 and November 2022, Cabral mailed at least 9 fraudulent military orders to various financial institutions to obtain benefits under the SCRA. Once received, at least one financial institution granted Cabral’s request and returned fees associated with his account; adjusted his Annual Percentage Rate; suspended all annual fees, late fees, returned-payment fees, cash advance fees, and authorized user card fees; and adjusted the minimum monthly payment to $0 for the duration of his fictitious deployment.
Additionally, Cabral mailed fraudulent court orders to various financial institutions in September 2024. The fraudulent court orders were purportedly based on civil complaints filed pursuant to the SCRA in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The fraudulent court orders alleged that the financial institutions failed to appear on September 19, 2024 before the New Jersey District Court Judge Kevin McNulty for a hearing on a motion that Cabral had filed. The fraudulent court orders made findings of facts that, among other things, Cabral was an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces and entitled to protection under the Servicemember Civil Relief Act. The court orders also found that the financial institutions failed to appear and had violated the SCRA. The fraudulent court orders required the financial institutions to remove any negative remarks on Cabral’s credit report and purportedly found that Cabral was in compliance and had made timely payments based on the SCRA. The fraudulent court orders bore the forged signature of the Honorable Kevin McCarthy.
Finally, Cabral was never employed by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service (FPS) as an Inspector. Despite that fact, on December 10, 2025, Cabral called the Washington Township Police Department (WTPD) non-emergency telephone number and reported that he observed the front door of a residence in Sewell, New Jersey ajar. As the WTPD Officer arrived at that residence, Cabral arrived driving a marked “Homeland Security Police” Dodge Charger with its overhead emergency lights on. Cabral emerged from the FPS-marked police vehicle while wearing a gold-colored badge and semi-automatic handgun in a holster on his belt. When asked by the WTPD Officer if he was a Homeland Security officer, Cabral responded “Homeland, yeah.”
After speaking with the WTPD Officer, Cabral drew his semi-automatic pistol from the holster and entered the residence. While inside the house, Cabral shouted “police department” while searching the residence. Cabral admitted to driving the “Homeland Security Police” vehicle on other occasions without permission.
The bank fraud charge to which Cabral pled guilty carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a statutory maximum fine equal to the greatest of $1,000,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss, whichever is greatest. The Seals of Court charge to which Cabral pled guilty carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and the impersonation of a federal law enforcement officer to conduct a search carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 3 years. Both of those violations also carry a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Cabral’s sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Maltese, Postal Inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Deputy U.S. Marshals of the United States Marshal Service, under the direction of United States Marshal Nicholas Ricigliano, Special Agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., Special Agents of the Defense Logistics Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Defense Logistics Agency Inspector General David Opatz and Detectives and officers of the Washington Township Police Department, under the direction of Sergeant Robert Durham, Captain Tim Breen and Chief Robert Durham, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanks the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, Special Agents of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Richardson of the Criminal Division in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Jerome Ballarotto, Esq. Trenton.
cabral.information.pdfPennsylvania Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Firearms into New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in prison for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy that funneled unserialized guns from Pennsylvania into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Evander Theus, 27, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner on February 11, 2026 in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with conspiracy to traffic firearms.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between April 2025 and August 2025, Theus, who was not a licensed firearms dealer, conspired with others to sell and traffic 47 firearms in Middlesex, New Jersey, which either had a defaced serial number or were privately made firearms (also known as “ghost guns”) lacking a serial number.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Theus to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; and personnel with the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard G. Shephard and R. Joseph Gribko of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton.
Alien from Slovakia Charged with Illegally Voting in a Federal Election and Making False Statements while Applying for U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A resident alien in New Jersey was arrested and charged with illegally voting in a federal election and making false statements while applying for United States citizenship, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Marian Charitun, 62, of Middlesex County, was charged by criminal complaint with voting by an alien in a federal election, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 611; and procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1425(a). He had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In order to register to vote and vote in federal elections, a person must be a United States citizen. Charitun was not a citizen of the United States when he registered to vote in New Jersey. On his voter registration form, however, Charitun falsely certified and attested that he was a United States citizen. After his application to register was approved, Charitun, still without United States citizenship, voted in the November 8, 2022 midterm election that was held in part for the purpose of electing a Member of the United States House of Representatives.
Then, after illegally voting in a federal election, Charitun applied to become a United States citizen by submitting an application for naturalization (an “N-400”). An N-400 requires the applicant to swear under penalty of perjury that the information provided in the application is complete, true, and correct. However, Charitun falsely claimed in his N-400 to have never registered to vote or to have voted in any federal elections.
If convicted, the count of voting by an alien in a federal election carries a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison. The count of unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the investigation.
This case was brought under the United States Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, a coalition of federal law enforcement partners focused on preserving and protecting the integrity of elections conducted in the District of New Jersey.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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charitun.complaint.pdfA Second Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 96 Months for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man and one of the leaders of a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues was sentenced yesterday to 96 months and 19 days in prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General A. Duva announced.
“This sentence drives home a simple message: leaders of drug‑trafficking networks will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. For years, Action directed an operation that pumped deadly fentanyl analogues into neighborhoods across New Jersey, putting our citizens at risk. This result reflects the weight of that threat and this Office’s continued resolve to dismantle criminal enterprises that profit from endangering the public.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Placing another defendant behind bars in this case reflects Homeland Security Investigations’ focus on stopping the flow of fentanyl and other harmful illicit drugs into our neighborhoods,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “Working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, HSI Newark not only dismantled a significant trafficking organization, but also disrupted the illicit financial networks that sustained it, including the money laundering scheme at its core. We will continue to pursue the criminal organizations responsible for America’s drug crisis, targeting both their distribution pipelines and their financial infrastructure, and ensuring every participant is held accountable.”
Defendant Michael Action, 51, of Bloomfield, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to drug trafficking conspiracy and money laundering. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence yesterday in Newark federal court. The other leader of the organization, Thomas Padovano, and co-conspirator William Panzera, were previously sentenced to 234 months and 144 months in prison, respectively. Six other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, Action, Padovano and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine. Action received packages and shipping barrels laden with drugs, which arrived through commercial package delivery services and air freight from China. Action distributed some of the drugs in bulk, and delivered some to Padovano for storage in a dilapidated trailer in Newark, where Padovano and one or more co-conspirators pressed the fentanyl analogues into counterfeit pharmaceutical pills and distributed them. Action additionally engaged in financial transactions that involved expenditure of the drug proceeds.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Action to 5 years of supervised release on count one and 3 years supervised release on count two, to run concurrently. Additionally, the court ordered a $5 million forfeiture money judgment against Action.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General A. Duva made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) – Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture (MNF) Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of MNF supported the investigation.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Newark comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS and local law enforcement officers with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
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Defense counsel: Ernesto Cerimele, Esq.
Camden County Man with Fourteen Prior Felonies Found Guilty of Unlawfully Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County man with a felony criminal record was convicted by a federal jury for possessing a loaded revolver, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Michael Webb, 42, of Camden, New Jersey, was convicted on June 18, 2026, of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2026.
According to the evidence presented at trial, publicly filed documents, and statements made in court:
In May 2024, members of the United States Marshals Service’s Regional Fugitive Task Force in Camden, New Jersey, received a request from Colorado for assistance with arresting Webb based on a warrant for violating the conditions of his Colorado parole. On May 13, 2024, Task Force officers went to the area of 34th and Rowe Street in Camden, after receiving information that Webb might be staying at this location. Later that day, a Task Force officer saw Webb leave a residence, enter a car, and drive down Rowe Street. When the Task Force officer tried to stop Webb’s car, Webb fled the scene. He sped away from the officer, crashed into a parked car, and ran away. While Webb was running away from the Task Force officer, he pointed a gun at a Camden resident. Webb ran through private property and jumped over fences, until he finally reached a black metal gate that he was unable to climb over. The Task Force officer arrested Webb near this black metal gate and saw a fully loaded silver revolver in the grass on the opposite side of the gate. Webb’s DNA was found on the silver revolver.
Webb was previously convicted of fourteen felonies, including bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury in Colorado in 2021 and aggravated assaults with firearms in Camden in 2017 and 2019.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; deputy marshals and task force officers with the United States Marshals Service in the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Acting U.S. Marshal Nicholas A. Ricigliano, Jr.; and officers of the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gabriel Rodriguez; and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josephine J. Park and Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
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Defense counsel: James P. Maguire, Esq. and Giselle R. Pomerleau, Esq.
webb.supersedingindictment.pdfIllegal Alien from El Salvador Charged with Possession of 70 Machinegun Conversion Devices in Hudson CountyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An illegal alien from El Salvador was charged with possessing machineguns in North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Erick Marquez Cruz, age 21, of North Bergen, New Jersey was charged by criminal complaint with possession of machineguns. Cruz had his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 25, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Cruz’s residence in North Bergen, New Jersey. Among other items, law enforcement found inside Cruz’s bedroom a 3D printer used to manufacture firearm components and various firearm components, including approximately 17 3D-printed frames, multiple 3D-printed magazines, and approximately 70 machinegun conversion devices (MCDs).
An image of some of the firearm components and MCDs seized from Cruz’s residence is depicted below.
MCDs, which themselves are classified as machineguns by statute, are capable of converting semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons that release multiple rounds of ammunition with the single pull of a trigger.
The charge of possession of a machinegun carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant as a result of the offense, or twice the gross loss to a person other than the defendant as a result of the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka, and officers of the North Bergen Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert J. Farley, Jr., with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shriram Harid of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Laura Sayler, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender.
cruz.complaint.pdfBergen County Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County man who trafficked kilos of fentanyl from his family home was sentenced on June 26, 2026, to 210 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler, in Newark federal court, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Plinio Junior Pineda Lopez, 35, Oakland, New Jersey was convicted following a four-day trial before Judge Chesler in Newark federal court of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of cocaine.
“The defendant transformed his family home into a staging ground for fentanyl trafficking, prioritizing profit over public safety. Fentanyl already destroys families, and this defendant took that danger one step further by bringing it directly into a home with young children. This significant sentence holds him accountable for helping spread a drug responsible for unprecedented loss of life, and serves as a warning to others engaged in the fentanyl trade.”
– U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Plinio Junior Pineda Lopez’s sentencing marks a major victory in Homeland Security Investigations’ fight against the dangerous fentanyl threat,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “By dismantling this trafficking network, we and our partners removed cartel-level quantities of fentanyl from the streets and prevented countless overdoses. We remain committed to using every law enforcement tool and partnership available to stop those who endanger American lives.”
According to documents filed in this case and evidence at trial:
Lopez directed and conspired with others to distribute large quantities of fentanyl between Florida and New Jersey. Following an extensive investigation of Lopez’s drug activity in Jacksonville, Miami, and Bergen County, law enforcement arrested Lopez on July 11, 2023, in Wallington, New Jersey when he attempted to conduct a narcotics transaction involving over one kilogram of fentanyl. Following his arrest, and pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, law enforcement searched Lopez’s home and recovered an extensive quantity of fentanyl and cocaine that was hidden in air ducts and appliances throughout his home, where children were present. Through this investigation, law enforcement recovered a total of approximately nine kilograms of fentanyl and approximately one kilogram of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas in Newark; HSI Miami, HSI Jacksonville, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) and CBP Office of Field Operations (OFO), the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, the Oakland Police Department, and the Westwood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Pontillo, with the investigation that led to the charges and conviction.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Goldberg, Chief of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the Organized Crime/Gang Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Marvin Murphy, 50, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 24, 2026 before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb. He also received 3 years’ supervised release and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Murphy was previously convicted on March 18, 2025 after a two-day bench trial before Chief Judge Bumb. Murphy was remanded into custody after the verdict.
According to documents filed in this case and evidence at trial:
From June 2021 through July 13, 2021, Murphy conspired with Carl Lee Holloway, Lavinston Lamar, and others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. On June 23, 2021, Holloway traveled to San Diego, California, to meet with an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer. Holloway and the undercover agent discussed arranging a drug deal in New Jersey during which the undercover agent would deliver at least 10 kilograms of cocaine for Holloway and his associates. During the meeting, Holloway called Murphy, and the two proceeded to communicate about the drug deal during the subsequent weeks.
On July 13, 2021, Holloway, Murphy, and Lamar separately arrived at a hotel in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, each with bags containing U.S. currency collectively totaling over $340,000. They met with undercover agents inside a hotel room. They briefly inspected one of the kilograms of cocaine that undercover agents previously brought into the room. After the inspection, agents entered the room and arrested Holloway, Lamar, and Murphy.
Chief Judge Bumb previously sentenced Holloway to 120 months in prison after Holloway pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy. Chief Judge Bumb also previously sentenced Lamar to 114 months in prison, which was later reduced to 100 months, after Lamar pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy and to violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas in Newark and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy in San Diego; and the Mount Laurel Police, under the direction of Chief Timothy Hudnall, with the investigation leading to this sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Margaret Grasso, Esq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Child Predator Sentenced to 320 Months in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 320 months in prison to be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
“The defendant preyed on children for his own sexual gratification and the sexual gratification of other adults. Today, he was held accountable. Prosecuting those who victimize children by feeding the market for child pornography will always be a top priority of our Office.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice for the victims of Nunez and others,” said Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. “The fact that the subject was brazen enough to watermark his victims’ images highlights the importance of getting this predator off the street as the utmost priority.”
Julio Nunez, 29, of West New York, New Jersey, was sentenced on June 22, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From 2020 through 2024, Nunez posed as a woman to entice hundreds of young boys to send him CSAM. Nunez repeatedly victimized many of these children, returning year after year to solicit CSAM from his victims. Nunez proudly shared and profited from the images and videos that he had created. He wanted the world to know that it was he—“The Artist,” as he grotesquely styled himself—who created the CSAM and he watermarked “his” content with this moniker to communicate to other abusers that this was his work. In this regard, Nunez is directly responsible for the feeding of the market that results in immeasurable harm to victims of sex abuse. Since Nunez’s arrest, the FBI has identified CSAM that Nunez created on other offenders’ electronic devices. This investigation has led to the arrest and prosecution of other offenders not just in the United States, but around the world.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, the FBI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, for investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Taj Moore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq.
Union County Man Admits Role in Armed Carjacking with an Assault RifleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man on June 23, 2026 admitted his role in an armed carjacking involving an assault rifle, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Elijah Lott, 28, of Scotch Plains, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to three counts of an indictment charging him with one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking and one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On August 6, 2020, Lott and two accomplices committed a gunpoint carjacking with an assault rifle in Irvington, New Jersey. During the carjacking, the accomplices ordered the victims to get out of the car while pointing firearms at them. Then, one of Lott’s accomplices got into the car and drove away.
The conspiracy to commit carjacking offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison. The carjacking and conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence offenses each carry maximum potential penalties of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October 21, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and members of the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers, with the investigation leading to the charges and guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark, and Assistant United States Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the National Security Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq.
whiteheadlott.indictment.pdfTrenton Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County man was sentenced yesterday to 90 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Anthony Brown, 31, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch on February 17, 2026 in Trenton federal court to an Indictment charging him with possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
During the evening of October 3, 2023, Trenton Police Officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Brown. During the stop, Brown exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Brown then led law enforcement on a foot pursuit along the Delaware and Raritan Canal while he clutched a dark-colored cross-body style bag in his hands. Brown attempted to discard his bag in brush adjacent to the canal before he dove into the canal. Officers caught up with Brown, assisted him getting out of the canal, and subsequently arrested him. Inside Brown’s bag were two semi-automatic handguns. Brown’s status as a felon—at the time, he had prior felony convictions—prohibited him from possessing firearms.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Brown to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the supervision of Director Steve Wilson; and members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard G. Shephard and Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Aidan P. O’Connor, Esq., of Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.
One Man Charged and Another Man Sentenced to Prison for Roles in $2 Million TheftRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was charged for his role in stealing $2 million from a Glassboro business, and another Philadelphia man was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment for his role in the same theft, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Ruben Cruz, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as Davenport, Florida, was charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to transport stolen property, transportation of stolen property, and conspiracy to launder money. He made his initial appearance and was arraigned yesterday in Camden federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal.
Ricky Rivas-Ortiz, 43, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with transporting stolen property. U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn sentenced Rivas-Ortiz earlier today in Camden federal court to 21 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Over the 2021 July 4th holiday weekend, Cruz and Rivas-Ortiz burglarized a Glassboro business, stealing a safe that contained more than $2 million in money orders and cash. After the burglary, Cruz and another co-conspirator proceeded to negotiate money orders from the stolen safe in a manner designed to conceal their control of the money orders. One method they used to launder the proceeds was depositing the stolen money orders in piecemeal fashion. For example, Cruz deposited some of the stolen money orders on the same day at different banks that were next door to each other and deposited other stolen money orders at the same bank branch over several consecutive days.
For Cruz, the count of conspiracy to transport stolen property carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. The count of transportation of stolen property carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. The count of conspiracy to launder money carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the value of the laundered money, whichever is greatest.
The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment against Cruz are merely accusations, and Cruz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, and agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to these charges and this sentence. He also thanked the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns, and the Elk Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Lance Hitzelberger, for their valuable assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel:
Rivas-Ortiz: Claressa Lowe, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender.
Cruz: Brian O’Malley, Haddon Township, New Jersey.
cruz.supersedingindictment.pdfCape May County Psychiatrist Admits to 17 Felony Counts for Unlawful Controlled Substance Prescriptions Linked to Sexual Conduct, Risk of Death, and Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A South Jersey psychiatrist admitted to issuing invalid prescriptions for Adderall, Vyvanse, and Xanax, and other drugs, often to his sexual partners and known drug addicts, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
“Licensed medical professionals who prescribe powerful controlled substances outside the bounds of legitimate medical care put lives at risk and undermine public trust in the medical profession. As admitted in court, Morelli issued unlawful prescriptions for highly addictive drugs to sexual partners, known drug addicts, and others without a legitimate medical purpose—even after receiving repeated warnings about abuse, overdose, and diversion. This Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable medical providers who exploit their prescribing authority and contribute to the prescription drug crisis in our communities.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Medical professionals hold a position of enormous trust, and when that trust is abused for personal gain or exploitation, the consequences can be devastating,” said DEA New Jersey Field Division Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. “The conduct admitted to in this case represents a betrayal of patients, the medical profession, and public trust. DEA will continue working alongside our partners to investigate and prosecute medical practitioners who exploit patients and illegally distribute controlled substances for personal benefit.”
Louis Morelli, 73, of Cape May County, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with 17 counts of causing, with the intent to defraud and mislead, prescription drugs to be dispensed without valid prescriptions.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Morelli owned and operated his own psychiatry practice in Smithville, New Jersey, where he worked as a licensed psychiatrist. Over several years, Morelli issued invalid prescriptions for Adderall, Vyvanse, and Xanax to 17 different patients, and he caused these prescription drugs to be distributed outside the scope of the usual course of professional practice and for reasons other than medical necessity and legitimate medical purpose. Morelli issued the prescriptions with the intent to defraud and mislead the pharmacies that were dispensing the prescription drugs, as well as the insurers, government benefits programs, and other third parties who paid for the drugs.
Morelli admitted that he had sex with some of the patients for whom he wrote invalid prescriptions. On some occasions, Morelli wrote the prescriptions in exchange for sexual activities, images, or videos. For example, one of Morelli’s patients sent a message asking for a prescription drug, and Morelli responded with. “Your ass for my script…lol.” Morelli engaged in similar conversations with other patients, while issuing prescriptions and engaging in sexual activities with them.
Morelli also issued invalid prescriptions to patients whom he knew had histories of drug addiction and overdoses. Morelli also prescribed drugs to patients after receiving information, including from local law enforcement officers, suggesting that the patients intended to illegally trade, distribute, or otherwise re-sell the prescribed drugs.
Morelli admitted that at least one of his invalid prescriptions involved the conscious or reckless risk of death or serious bodily injury, and that at least one of the prescriptions resulted in either death or serious bodily injury.
For example, in 2019, Morelli received a message from a patient’s mother that the patient was abusing the drugs that Morelli had prescribed. The mother wrote that the patient had stopped breathing the day before. A couple of months later, Morelli learned that the same patient “took a lot of Xanax and drank some beers,” “took 50 benzos in a short amount of time,” and “told a friend” the patient planned “to shoot up.” The patient’s mother also warned Morelli that the patient was “grooming” him to ask for prescriptions and asked Morelli to stop prescribing the drugs. Despite these communications, Morelli continued to prescribe the drugs to the patient.
Each of the 17 charges to which Morelli pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum term of three years in prison, for a total maximum term of 51 years in prison. Each charge is also punishable with a $250,000 fine. Morelli has voluntarily surrendered his Drug Enforcement Administration Certificate of Registration and agreed to immediately surrender and abandon his licenses to practice medicine or psychiatry. Sentencing for Morelli is scheduled for October 27, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the following agencies and agency personnel with the investigation: special agents, task force officers, and diversion investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Jersey Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; special agents of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, under the direction of Fernando McMillan; and special agents of the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew D’Aversa and Sara Aliabadi of the U.S Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense Counsel: Edwin J. Jacobs, Jr. and Patrick C. Joyce, Esquires.
morelli.information.pdfAlien Admits to Illegally Voting in Federal ElectionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County man admitted to illegally voting in a federal election, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Eliezer Kadoch, a resident of Toms River, New Jersey, who is not a citizen of the United States, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of voting by an alien in a federal election before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court, Kadoch, 39, is a citizen of France and has never been a citizen of the United States. In November 2022, Kadoch voted in the midterm election that was held in part for the purpose of electing a Member of the United States House of Representatives.
The voting by an alien charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 6 months in prison and a $100,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled before Judge Day on October 26, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the investigation.
This case was brought under the United States Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, a coalition of federal law enforcement partners focused on preserving and protecting the integrity of elections conducted in the District of New Jersey.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.
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Defense Counsel: Yosef Jacobovitch, Esq.
kadoch.information.pdfRapper “P-Dice” Sentenced to 63 Months for Utilizing “Ghost Gun” to Shoot at Pregnant WomanRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Rapper “P-Dice” was sentenced on June 23, 2026, to 63 months of imprisonment for unlawfully possessing ammunition as a previously convicted felon when he fired a gun at a pregnant woman, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Justin Pope, a rapper who goes by “P-Dice,” 38, of Clifton, New Jersey, previously pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with two counts of unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
“The defendant’s brazen and violent conduct could have cost lives. Pope fired multiple shots at close range at a pregnant woman in a public parking lot and took to social media to taunt law enforcement as he continued to endanger the community. This sentence holds him accountable not only for unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, but for the potentially deadly harm of his actions. Our Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who use firearms and ammunition to threaten lives and undermine the safety of our communities.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On the evening of July 12, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a report of shots fired in a public parking lot in Clifton, New Jersey. The surveillance footage showed Pope and a pregnant woman arguing in a car. During the argument, the woman grabbed a gun from Pope and waved it at him before giving it back. The woman struck Pope in the face with her hand and got out of the car. As she did, Pope pointed the gun at her and fired two close range shots. Then, Pope exited the car and approached the woman. In an attempt to escape, the woman got back into the car, but Pope violently yanked at the woman’s arm, trying to pull her back out. When this was unsuccessful, Pope climbed over the pregnant woman and kicked at her to push her from the car.
One of bullets that Pope fired traveled across the street into a quick service restaurant, where it lodged in a menu display behind the counter. The restaurant was open for business with employees present at the time. Law enforcement recovered the bullet.
The next day, Pope posted a video of himself on social media firing a gun in the air in a residential neighborhood, taunting police, stating, “Can’t find me . . . Police. Y’all never gonna find me.” Shortly after his taunts, law enforcement recovered his ammunition. Later, Pope recorded and posted another video, in which he was driving a vehicle, taunting, “Can’t find me. Fucking pigs. Police. Y’all never gonna find me.”
A few hours after posting the second video on social media, law enforcement arrested Pope as he tried to get on a bus in New York City that was headed out of state. Pope was witnessed brandishing a firearm to bus employees. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered a loaded gun, which was later identified as a privately made 9mm firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” with a large capacity magazine attached. Ballistics testing showed that this was the same gun Pope used to shoot at the pregnant victim the night before.
Pope had previously been convicted of aggravated assault in New Jersey in connection with the shooting of a child.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Pope to 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; officers of the Clifton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Rinaldi; officers of the Paterson Police Department, under Officer in Charge Patrick Murray; officers of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department under Sheriff Thomas Adamo; officers of the Passaic Police Department, under Chief Luis Guzman; and officers of New York City Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Edward Caban, with the investigation leading to the charges.
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.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Criminal Division.
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Defense counsel for Pope: Georgina Pallitto, Esq.
Morris County Man Who Misappropriated Confidential Documents from Girlfriend’s Employer Indicted for $2.7 Million Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County man was indicted for conducting a scheme to trade on material nonpublic information (MNPI) he stole from a public relations firm where his girlfriend worked, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Justin Jennings, 27, of Rockaway Township was charged by indictment with one count of engaging in a securities fraud scheme, eight counts of securities fraud for insider trading, and two counts of transacting in criminal proceeds.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between February 2022 and October 2024, Jennings made well-timed trades in the securities of eight publicly traded companies in the days before major corporate announcements, typically announcements of mergers and acquisitions, based on MNPI. At the time of these trades, Jennings was romantically involved with an account executive at a public relations firm that was entrusted with MNPI regarding these announcements. Jennings’ profitable bets came after he gained access to confidential information, including draft press releases, from his girlfriend’s employer-issued laptop without her knowledge or permission. In total, Jennings made over $2.7 million in illegal trading profits from the scheme.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on the securities fraud charge, 20 years in prison on each of the insider trading charges, and 10 years in prison on each of the transacting in criminal proceeds charges.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also filed a civil complaint against Jennings based on the same conduct.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, New Jersey, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Webman and Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Robert G. Stahl, Esq. and Laura K. Gasiorowski, Esq., Mountainside, New Jersey.
jennings.indictment.pdfNewark Real Estate Developer Charged for Bribing City of Newark Employees and Unauthorized Sale of I.D. Cards with Homeland Security InsigniaRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A real estate developer was charged yesterday for his role in a scheme to bribe Newark, New Jersey employees and for conspiring to sell law enforcement identification cards embossed with the insignia of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
Menashe Davidovitz, 31, of Airmont, New York, was charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with the business and transactions of a federally funded local government and organization. Davidovitz was also charged with one count of conspiracy to sell false seals and one count of conspiracy to sell official insignia.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From June 2024 through November 2024, Davidovitz conspired with others to provide City of Newark employees with cash and other benefits in exchange for the employees’ official action in matters related to City of Newark properties that Davidovitz owned. Specifically, Davidovitz paid bribes in order to obtain permits and certificates, including certificates of occupancy, which were required before his properties could be occupied or sold. Davidovitz also paid bribes to local officials for their help in resolving violations at his properties.
Further, from October 2021 through January 2023, Davidovitz worked with his co-conspirators, including Jonathan Ledesma, a former U.S. Air Marshal, to sell “Law Enforcement Family Member” cards that identified their bearers as “family member[s]” of Ledesma, “a Federal Officer.” These cards were embossed with the apparent insignia of DHS as well as a QR code that was linked to Ledesma’s cell phone. Though Davidovitz was not authorized to sell the insignia of the DHS, or any colorable imitation of the insignia, he received approximately $30,000 in proceeds from the sale of these cards.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shawn A. Rice with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Jerome A. Ballarotto, Esq., Trenton, New Jersey
John W. Mitchell, Esq., Bedford, New York
davidovitz.complaint.pdfNew Jersey Man Sentenced to 350 Months’ for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced yesterday to 350 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a dark-web site dedicated to discussing and trafficking in CSAM, announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
“By serving as a moderator on a dark web forum devoted to the dissemination of child sexual abuse material, the defendant did not merely enable exploitation—he curated and sustained a marketplace of depravity. This sentence marks a critical measure of accountability and affirms my Office’s unwavering commitment to vindicating the rights and dignity of the most vulnerable. We will persist in our efforts to expose and dismantle these clandestine networks, wherever they operate.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“The court’s sentence holds Drew Holzlein accountable for his role in helping run a community on the dark web dedicated to trafficking in visual depictions of minors being subjected to horrific acts of sexual abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Those who engage in this disgusting conduct will be investigated and prosecuted. The clear message in this case and others just like it is that Holzlein and his co-conspirators will not skate by because of the anonymity afforded by the dark web. We will still find you.”
“This offender provided access to a platform where multiple perpetrators conspired to create and share CSAM,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The arrest of this moderator led FBI Newark and the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit to investigate and disrupt the activities of additional child exploitation offenders and abusers. The FBI will continue to track down these criminals, ensure that they are held accountable for their crimes, and secure justice for their victims.”
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Drew Holzlein, 57, of Manchester, New Jersey, was a member and moderator of a website on the dark web that was dedicated to the proliferation of CSAM. From approximately 2019 until his arrest in January 2024, Holzlein was an active participant on this site and shared thousands of sexually explicit images of nude, prepubescent minors with the site’s many users. A search of Holzlein’s home in January 2024 recovered multiple electronic devices containing images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of prepubescent children. Holzlein was interviewed during the search and admitted to law enforcement that he was an active member on this dark-web site for years and served as a moderator on the site. Holzlein was previously convicted in New Jersey state court of two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, the FBI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Manchester for investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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New Jersey Man Sentenced to More Than 29 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man was sentenced today to 350 months in prison for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a dark web site dedicated to discussing and trafficking in CSAM.
“The court’s sentence today holds Drew Holzlein accountable for his role in helping run a community on the dark web dedicated to trafficking in visual depictions of minors being subjected to horrific acts of sexual abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Those who engage in this disgusting conduct will be investigated and prosecuted. The clear message in this case and others just like it is that Holzlein and his co-conspirators will not skate by because of the anonymity afforded by the dark web. We will still find you.”
“By serving as a moderator on a dark web forum devoted to the dissemination of child sexual abuse material, the defendant did not merely enable exploitation — he curated and sustained a marketplace of depravity,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “This sentence marks a critical measure of accountability and affirms my Office’s unwavering commitment to vindicating the rights and dignity of the most vulnerable. We will persist in our efforts to expose and dismantle these clandestine networks, wherever they operate.”
“This offender provided access to a platform where multiple perpetrators conspired to create and share CSAM,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The arrest of this moderator led FBI Newark and the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit to investigate and disrupt the activities of additional child exploitation offenders and abusers. The FBI will continue to track down these criminals, ensure that they are held accountable for their crimes, and secure justice for their victims.”
According to court documents, Drew Holzlein, 57, of Manchester, New Jersey, was a member and moderator of a website on the dark web that was dedicated to the proliferation of CSAM. From approximately 2019 until his arrest in January 2024, Holzlein was an active participant on this site and shared thousands of sexually explicit images of nude, prepubescent minors with the site’s many users. A search of Holzlein’s home in January 2024 recovered multiple electronic devices containing images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of prepubescent children. Holzlein was interviewed during the search and admitted to law enforcement that he was an active member on this dark web site for years and served as a moderator on the site. Holzlein was previously convicted in New Jersey of two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the FBI Newark Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine for the District of New Jersey 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Illegal Alien Charged with Assaulting and Injuring Federal Officer in New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Barnegat Township illegal alien was charged with assaulting and injuring a federal officer by hitting the officer with his van, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Eduardo Cruz Garcia, 39, was charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer while the officer was engaged in official duties and inflicting bodily injury to the officer. Cruz Garcia had his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn in Trenton federal court and was ordered detained.
“As alleged, the defendant weaponized his vehicle and conducted an egregious assault on a federal law enforcement officer during the course of his official duties. The job is hard enough. Law enforcement must be able to carry out their duties without fear of obstruction or even worse, assault. Our office will hold accountable those whom harm officers to ensure they can protect our communities without repercussions.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“The FBI considers assault on a federal officer a severe and significant violent crime. We will continue to work with our valued law enforcement partners to ensure that incidents such as these are treated with the gravity they deserve, so that men and women of federal law enforcement can continue to serve, safely returning home unharmed,” said FBI Newark SAC Stefanie Roddy.
"Let these charges against Cruz Garcia be a staunch reminder that assaulting and obstructing ICE law enforcement, as alleged here, is a serious crime and a felony,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark acting Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr. “Violence against our federal law enforcement officers as ICE carries out our daily mission in accordance with U.S. immigration law will not be tolerated. I want to thank our federal partners for their critical assistance in locating the defendant and ensuring that justice is sought."
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 15, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stopped a white van driven by Cruz Garcia as part of an investigation. Multiple federal agents wearing vests that identified them as “ICE Police” surrounded the van with their vehicles and approached the van from the driver side and passenger side. The agents attempted to speak with Cruz Garcia and the passenger and asked them to open the van’s windows, but they refused. Instead of complying with the agents’ requests, Cruz Garcia fled the scene by driving the van forward while the victim, an ICE agent, was standing next to the van. Weaponizing his vehicle, Cruz Garcia struck the victim agent causing the agent’s body to be wedged in between the van and one of the ICE vehicles. The victim agent fell to the ground yelling in pain. Cruz Garcia did not stop and continued driving, striking another ICE vehicle parked nearby, before fleeing the scene.
Cruz Garcia’s actions injured the victim’s thigh and shin, and his injuries required medical attention at a hospital.
The charge of assaulting a federal officer while the officer was engaged in official duties and inflicting bodily injury carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the criminal charge. He also thanked special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations – Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations – Newark Field Office, under the direction of acting Field Officer Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr., the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, and the Stafford Township Police Department, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Benjamin West, Assistant Federal Public Defender.
garcia.complaint.pdfFive Individuals Arrested on Drug Distribution and Firearms Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Five individuals were arrested on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to traffic firearms, and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
The charges are the result of a months-long investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, into narcotics and firearms trafficking in Trenton, New Jersey.
“As this investigation makes clear, our office is laser focused on ensuring public safety for the people of New Jersey. The conduct alleged by these individuals involved the interstate transportation of firearms sold for profit and large quantities of cocaine delivered on demand. I am proud of the unrelenting efforts of our law enforcement partners through the Homeland Security Task Force as we identify and dismember groups that threaten our communities.”
– U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“These charges highlight the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our federal, state, and local partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that pose a threat to our communities. “This extensive Homeland Security Task Force investigation, led by our special agents in Trenton, focused on individuals alleged to have orchestrated a complex narcotics and firearms trafficking operation spanning Ohio and New Jersey. We remain steadfast in our mission to pursue those who endanger public safety and to protect the communities we serve,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas.
Kenny Scaley-Sandoval, 32, a Guatemalan citizen without legal status in the U.S. residing in Trenton, New Jersey; Kelvin Tavarez, 30, of Trenton, New Jersey, Enoc Pimentel, 39, of Clifton, New Jersey, and Andy Nazario, 44, of Clifton, New Jersey, all had their initial court appearances on June 10, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn in Trenton federal court. Scaley-Sandoval, Tavarez, and Pimentel were detained.
Timothy Rios, 32, of Lorain, Ohio, was arrested in Virginia and had an initial court appearance on June 10, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Summer L. Speight in the Eastern District of Virginia. Rios was detained and is pending transportation to New Jersey.
Defendant Name
Charge(s)
Kenny Scaley-SandovalConspiracy to distribute cocaine and
Conspiracy to traffic firearms
Kelvin TavarezConspiracy to distribute cocaineEnoc PimentelConspiracy to distribute cocaineTimothy RiosConspiracy to traffic firearmsAndy NazarioPossession with intent to distribute cocaineAccording to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2025, law enforcement began investigating certain drug distribution and firearms trafficking activities in and around Trenton, New Jersey. HSI obtained over 3.8 kilograms of cocaine related to the drug distribution conspiracy involving Scaley-Sandoval, Tavarez, and Pimentel. HSI also obtained 16 handguns and rifles related to the firearms trafficking conspiracy involving Scaley-Sandoval and Rios. In addition, while executing a court-authorized search warrant on June 10, 2026, officers recovered a quantity of cocaine along with drug distribution materials and cash from Nazario’s attic.
The count charging Scaley-Sandoval, Tavarez and Pimentel with conspiracy to distribute cocaine carries a maximum potential penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of five years’ imprisonment, and a maximum fine of $5 million.
The count charging Scaley-Sandoval and Rios with conspiracy to traffic firearms against carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The count charging Nazario with possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1 million.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations – Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, the United States Marshals Service, under the direction of Acting U.S. Marshal Nicholas A. Ricigliano, Jr., the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson, and the Mount Laurel Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tim Hudnall, for their assistance in the investigation.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Kenny Scaley Sandoval: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq.
Kelvin Tavarez: Suzanne Axel, Esq.
Enoc Pimentel: Mark Davis, Esq.
Timothy Rios: TBD
Andy Nazario: John Holliday, Esq.
scaleysandovaletal.complaint.pdf nazario.complaint.pdfCareer Offender Sentenced to 151 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County woman was sentenced for distributing over 1,500 pills containing methamphetamine, United States Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Denise Manco, 49, of Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to one count of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Quraishi imposed the 151-month sentence on June 8, 2026 in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between August 2022 through March 2023, undercover law enforcement officers executed several controlled purchases of pills from Manco. These pills were presented by Manco as containing ecstasy or MDMA, but in fact contained methamphetamine. Officers also executed a search warrant of Manco’s Ocean County residence, where officers seized a variety of controlled substances and various items associated with drug manufacturing and distribution, including binding powder, scales, and glassine bags. Manco’s prior state convictions for distribution of controlled substances and manslaughter qualified her to be sentenced as a “career offender” under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, significantly increasing her sentencing exposure.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Manco to five years of supervised release following Manco’s term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Victory L. Kuhn, Esq., for the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Serguel Mawuko Akiti, Esq., of Lowther Walker LLC.
United States Seizes Domain Names Publishing Nude Digital Forgeries of Famous WomenRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security seized the domains CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com, which are domains that were being used to publish thousands of digitally forged images and videos depicting famous women as nude and sometimes engaged in sexual activity, without their consent. According to the probable cause affidavit supporting the seizure warrants, the digital forgeries were made to appear to be sexual images of famous women, including politicians, first ladies of multiple countries, royalty, journalists, television presenters, athletes, entertainers, and others. The website allowed people to browse by tags that included topics like “rape,” “forced,” and “degradation.”
“These domain seizures mark a significant victory in the fight against deepfake pornography,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act, championed by First Lady Melania Trump, gives us the tools we need to combat the abuse and exploitation of women and children through these fabricated images. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce this law and deliver justice for victims.”
“These groundbreaking seizures are a massive win against deepfake pornography,” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act was a priority for First Lady Melania Trump to stop the abuse and exploitation of women and children. This is the first of many wins to stop these deepfake pornographic websites.”
“Taking down CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com halted the publication of non‑consensual, sexually explicit digital forgeries that harmed the women they depicted,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We were honored to be part of this coordinated international operation and to help halt this ongoing abuse. The Criminal Division stands ready to enforce the TAKE IT DOWN Act to uphold basic principles of consent and human dignity.”
“These seizures stopped a website that trafficked in humiliation, exploitation, and the violation of personal privacy on a massive scale,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “For the victims whose images were distributed without their consent, the harm is not virtual — it is deeply personal and often enduring. Through sophisticated cyber investigative work and close coordination with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, including authorities in France, this Office played a key role in disrupting the infrastructure that enabled this conduct. Those who use the internet to exploit others should not mistake online anonymity for immunity.”
By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a statute enacted in May 2025. The TAKE IT DOWN Act makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict an identifiable adult in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent, when what is depicted is not a matter of public concern, and the posting is meant to cause harm or actually harms the person.
The website was brought to the attention of U.S. law enforcement by Italy’s Polizia di Stato -Postal and Cybersecurity Police. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, Cybercrime Section (J3) and French gendarmerie (Section de recherches de Paris) then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest on June 10 in Nice, France on French criminal charges along with seizures of cryptocurrency.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Jersey Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by HSI Rome, the DHS Cybercrime Lab, and the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), the CCIPS Cybercrime Lab, and Office of International Affairs.
Deputy Chief for Computer Crime Michael “Mick” Stawasz and Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao of the Criminal Division’s CCIPS and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey and Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit for the District of New Jersey are handling the litigation.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. The United States also thanks France and Italy for their coordination in this matter.
United States Seizes Domain Names Publishing Nude Digital Forgeries of Famous WomenRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Yesterday, the United States Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations seized the domains CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com, which are domains that were being used to publish hundreds of thousands of deepfake pornographic images and videos of women without their consent, announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer. The digital forgeries were made to appear to be sexual images of female celebrities, including heads of state, first ladies of multiple countries, royalty, legislators, government officials, journalists, television presenters, athletes, entertainers, and others. The website allowed people to browse by tags that included topics like “rape,” “forced,” “degradation,” and “slave.”
“These seizures stopped a website that trafficked in humiliation, exploitation, and the violation of personal privacy on a massive scale. For the victims whose images were distributed without their consent, the harm is not virtual—it is deeply personal and often enduring. Through sophisticated cyber investigative work and close coordination with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, including authorities in France, this Office played a key role in disrupting the infrastructure that enabled this conduct. Those who use the internet to exploit others should not mistake online anonymity for immunity.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict someone in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent. The First Lady of the United States championed the law. This is the first seizure of a domain for violating the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:
Italian officials brought the website to the attention of U.S. law enforcement. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office Cybercrime Division and French Gendarmerie Nationale then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest this morning in Nice, France on French criminal charges.
“These domain seizures mark a significant victory in the fight against deepfake pornography,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act, championed by First Lady Melania Trump, gives us the tools we need to combat the abuse and exploitation of women and children through these fabricated images. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce this law and deliver justice for victims.”
“This groundbreaking seizure is a massive win against deepfake pornography,” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act was a priority for First Lady Melania Trump to stop the abuse and exploitation of women and children. This is the first of many wins to stop these deepfake pornographic websites.”
“Taking down CFAKE.com halted the publication of non‑consensual, sexually explicit digital forgeries that harmed the women they depicted,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We were honored to be part of this coordinated international operation and to help halt this ongoing abuse. The Criminal Division stands ready to enforce the TAKE IT DOWN Act to uphold basic principles of consent and human dignity.”
By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a statute enacted in May 2025. The TAKE IT DOWN Act makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict an identifiable adult in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent, when what is depicted is not a matter of public concern, and the posting is meant to cause harm or actually harms the person.
The website was brought to the attention of U.S. law enforcement by Italy’s Polizia di Stato -Postal and Cybersecurity Police. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, Cybercrime Section (J3) and French gendarmerie (Section de recherches de Paris) then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest on June 10, 2026in Nice, France on French criminal charges along with seizures of cryptocurrency.
U.S. Attorney Frazer would like to thank U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Jersey Field Office, which is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the DHS Cybercrime Lab and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) Cybercrime Lab.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit for the District of New Jersey and Deputy Chief for Computer Crime Michael “Mick” Stawasz and Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao of the Criminal Division’s CCIPS are handling the litigation.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. The United States also thanks France for their coordination in this matter.
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cfake.seizurewarrant.pdfFlorida Residents Indicted for Multi-Year Scheme to Defraud International Electronics Manufacturer with U.S. Headquarters in New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man was arraigned on a conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and wire fraud charge for a scheme to defraud his former employer, an international electronics manufacturer with U.S. headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, by conspiring to funnel marketing business to a Florida company controlled by his co-defendant, Anthony William Rossi III, in exchange for approximately $6.7 million in kickbacks, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Brian Normann, 46, of Orlando, Florida, was arraigned on June 2, 2026 before Senior U.S. District Judge William J. Martini. Rossi, 75, of Mount Dora, Florida, was arraigned before Judge Martini on May 27, 2026. Normann and Rossi were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 12, 2026 in a one-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and wire fraud.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Between in or around approximately 2015 to in or around August 2020, Normann and Rossi conspired to enrich themselves by: (1) depriving the Victim Company of Normann’s honest services as an employee and fiduciary, including through Normann’s repeated referral of marketing and promotional work to GS Line, Inc., a marketing company that Rossi controlled, in exchange for kickbacks GS Line paid to Normann without the Victim Company’s knowledge or consent; and (2) fraudulently obtaining and using funds from the Victim Company by overbilling it for services GS Line provided, and by billing the Victim Company for services that neither GS Line nor Rossi actually provided.
In 2019 and 2020, GS Line paid Normann approximately $6.7 million in kickbacks, including kickbacks paid through Rossi, without the Victim Company’s knowledge or consent. Normann used the money to fund his lifestyle, including to purchase a luxury property for approximately $2 million, and to fund his personal brokerage accounts.
The conspiracy charge in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to Normann’s and Rossi’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kozar, Co-Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Lynn A. Neils, Esq. (for Brian Normann).
Mary E. Carpenito, Esq. (for Anthony William Rossi III).
normannetal.indictment.pdfSomerset County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possession of Six Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was sentenced on June 9, 2026 to 300-months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and illegal possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Malachi A. Muhammad, 51, of Somerset, was previously convicted on April 11, 2025 of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin, and cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of firearms by a convicted felon, following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court. On June 9, 2026, Judge Castner imposed a 300-month sentence of imprisonment.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On August 19, 2021, officers from the Lawrence Township Police Department responded to calls from concerned citizens about a car stopped in the middle of Route 1 near the Quaker Bridge Mall. Officers found Muhammad, the only occupant and driver of the car, initially unresponsive and believed that he was asleep or having a medical emergency. After officers woke him up, they noticed the handle of a handgun in between his legs. Officers secured the loaded handgun, took Muhammad out of the vehicle, and arrested him. In the vehicle, officers found 91 pills of methamphetamine, 468 wax folds of fentanyl and heroin, 5 bags of cocaine, and five additional firearms, including two semi-automatic rifles, and over 150 rounds of ammunition. The drug and gun evidence introduced at trial is depicted below:
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner imposed three years of supervised release following Muhammad’s term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., the Lawrence Township Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief Kevin Reading, the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Linda Estremera, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Attorney-in-Charge Tracey Agnew and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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TD Bank Insider Sentenced to Prison for Accepting Bribes, Laundering Millions to ColombiaRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former retail banker at TD Bank, N.A., Leonardo Ayala, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for accepting bribes and facilitating the laundering of more than $5.5 million to Colombia, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Ayala, 26, previously pleaded guilty before the Honorable Esther Salas to a two-count Information charging him with conspiring to launder monetary instruments and for receipt of bribes by a bank employee. Judge Salas imposed the sentence in Newark federal Court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Ayala accepted bribes and exploited his position as a retail banker at TD Bank to help launder narcotics proceeds to Colombia. From June to November 2023, Ayala opened fraudulent accounts, issued over 150 debit cards to shell companies, and unblocked debit cards that TD Bank had restricted due to suspicious activity. These bank accounts and debit cards were used to make more than 12,000 ATM withdrawals in Colombia, funneling approximately $5.5 million out of the United States. In exchange, Ayala received more than $6,000 in bribes from his co-conspirators.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey; Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) New York Region made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanked the Morristown Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney of the Bank Integrity Unit of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Defense counsel: Stephen Natoli, Esq.
Arizona Woman Arrested for Punching Homeland Security Agent in the FaceRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – On June 8, 2026, an Arizona woman was charged with assault on a federal law enforcement officer for punching a federal agent in the face, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
“As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by lashing out with violence and punching an officer in the face. Assaulting law enforcement officers is unacceptable. Period. Federal officers must be able to carry out their responsibilities without being subjected to violence, intimidation, or obstruction. This Office will continue to prosecute those who, as alleged here, assault officers and interfere with the lawful execution of their duties.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Violent acts committed during what should be peaceful protests will not be tolerated,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “Homeland Security Investigations remains resolute in ensuring that individuals who threaten or attack law enforcement face the full force of the law.”
Mariano Anthony Perez, 31, of Phoenix, AZ, was charged by complaint with forcibly assaulting a federal officer involving physical contact and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on June 8, 2026 on that charge.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 5, 2026, officers and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were engaged in official duties relating to security and crowd-control operations during a demonstration near the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark.
As part of their duties, HSI special agents and officers, including Victim-1, an HSI special agent, were assigned to perimeter enforcement for Delaney Hall. The assignment required HSI personnel to clear demonstrators from the road leading to and from Delaney Hall for law enforcement vehicles to enter the facility.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., several HSI special agents first saw Perez walking back and forth past the entrance to the facility. The special agents issued numerous commands to Perez to move back, but Perez did not respond. Minutes later, Victim-1 was standing by the facility entrance while several law enforcement vehicles were trying to enter the facility. Perez attempted to walk past Victim-1 toward the vehicles but was physically pulled back by Victim-1, who told Perez in sum and substance that Perez could not walk that way. Notwithstanding that directive, Perez pushed past Victim-1 and continued walking in that same direction.
Victim-1 followed behind Perez and called for Perez to stop. Victim-1 then attempted to grab hold of Perez. At that point, Perez abruptly turned around and punched Victim-1 in the face with a closed fist. Victim-1 sustained injuries to his upper and lower lip from Perez’s punch.
The assault was captured on video footage both from publicly accessible social media accounts and from pole cameras in the area, as shown below:
The charge of assaulting a federal officer resulting in physical contact carries a maximum potential penalty of 8 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of HSI- Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Linda Foster, Assistant Federal Public Defender.
perez.complaint.pdfBronx Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl in New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A Bronx man was sentenced to 70 months in prison for distributing fentanyl in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Juan Jose Patino Parra, 35, of the Bronx, New York, previously pled guilty to knowingly and intentionally distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper yesterday, in Newark federal court, sentenced Patino Parra to 70 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On August 15, 2024, law enforcement arrested Patino Parra immediately after he delivered nearly 1 kilogram of fentanyl to a buyer in Fort Lee, New Jersey. A search of Patino Parra’s vehicle uncovered additional packages of fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chana Y. Zuckier of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Paul Condon, Esq.
U.S. Army Recruiter Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Recruiter has pleaded guilty to engaging in a fraudulent scheme to defraud a credit union by using her position to obtain the personally identifying information of U.S. Army recruits and recruit candidates and then submitting fraudulent bank account applications to the credit union on the recruits’ behalf, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Jane Crosby, 35, of Jersey City, New Jersey pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between around September 2023 and December 2023, Crosby submitted “Pre-Active Duty Membership” bank account applications to a credit union on behalf of seven U.S. Army recruits or purported recruits, without their knowledge or consent. Such accounts are intended to facilitate the direct deposit of soon-to-be service members’ salaries once they join the military. These applications included the victims’ names and Social Security numbers as well as copies of their passports, driver’s licenses, and/or Social Security cards. Once these credit union accounts were opened, Crosby, posing as the victims, applied for approximately $266,000 in loans and credit card accounts and used the accounts to deposit fraudulent checks and withdraw funds.
The bank fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. The aggravated identity theft count carries an additional consecutive mandatory minimum term of two years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Joel Kirch, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kober of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Thomas Ambrosio, Esq. and Harley D. Breite, Esq.
crosby.information.pdfPassaic Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A Passaic County man was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS).
Mohamed Sagha, 22, of Wayne, New Jersey was charged by complaint with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS. He made his initial appearance today in federal court. He was ordered detained.
“As alleged, the defendant sought to support ISIS and expressed interest in violence directed at targets within the United States, including places of worship,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Those who seek to advance the objectives of foreign terrorist organizations should expect a swift and coordinated response from federal law enforcement. This Office will continue working relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and prosecute individuals who support terrorism and threaten the safety of our communities.”
“The defendant allegedly wanted to attack targets in the United States in support of ISIS and its hateful ideology, but the FBI detected and put a stop to his violent plans,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “This should be a stark reminder to the American people of the FBI’s resolve to pursue anyone who tries to harm Americans and provide material support to terrorist organizations, and we will work with our Justice Department partners to make sure they face justice.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately December 2025 to June 2026, Sagha participated in one or more online chat groups wherein ISIS supporters discussed, among other things, potential attacks on targets within the United States, including places of worship. In or around October 2025, he met a confidential human source (“CHS”) online, whom he believed to be a member of ISIS.
In his discussions with the CHS, Sagha expressed an intent to assist one of the members of an ISIS-supporters online chat group with an attack on a place of worship. He also told the CHS he was contemplating carrying out an attack of his own, possibly on a National Guard location or on a Jewish place of worship. He then shared images and/or videos of both locations with the CHS, and stated that they were near his residence in Wayne, New Jersey.
During these conversations, the CHS repeatedly held himself out as an ISIS fighter, sending Sagha messages and photographs that indicated the CHS was in ISIS territory in Syria. These included a photograph of the CHS in the back of a truck holding an ISIS flag, as well as a photograph of the CHS leaning against a vehicle over which the ISIS flag was draped, holding what appeared to be an AK-47-style assault rifle. Sagha, in turn, repeatedly expressed a desire to travel to ISIS territory, and even made an unsuccessful attempt at doing so in early March, 2026.
Between on or about May 31 and June 2, Sagha and the CHS discussed the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for the CHS and other ISIS fighters referred to as “brothers.” VPN technology enables users to conceal their online activities, mask their locations and identities, and communicate with greater anonymity. In the hands of members of a foreign terrorist organization, the technology can assist efforts to evade detection, maintain communications, and further the organization’s activities. Sagha ultimately purchased a VPN, sent it to the CHS — whom he believed to be a member of a terrorist organization — and explained to the CHS how to use the VPN.
The count of attempt to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization has a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of life of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of the FBI Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, officers of the New York City Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and the Wayne Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Rooney, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek of the National Security Unit, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Jay Rezai of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Passaic Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS), U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg announced.
“As alleged, the defendant sought to support ISIS and expressed interest in violence directed at targets within the United States, including places of worship. Those who seek to advance the objectives of foreign terrorist organizations should expect a swift and coordinated response from federal law enforcement. This Office will continue working relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and prosecute individuals who support terrorism and threaten the safety of our communities.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“The defendant allegedly wanted to attack targets in the United States in support of ISIS and its hateful ideology, but the FBI detected and put a stop to his violent plans,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “This should be a stark reminder to the American people of the FBI’s resolve to pursue anyone who tries to harm Americans and provide material support to terrorist organizations, and we will work with our Justice Department partners to make sure they face justice.”
Mohamed Sagha, 22, of Wayne, New Jersey was charged by complaint with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS. He made his initial appearance today in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda D. Wettre. He was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately December 2025 to June 2026, Sagha participated in one or more online chat groups wherein ISIS supporters discussed, among other things, potential attacks on targets within the United States, including places of worship. In or around October 2025, Sagha met a confidential human source (“CHS”) online, whom Sagha believed to be a member of ISIS.
In his discussions with the CHS, Sagha expressed an intent to assist one of the members of an ISIS-supporters online chat group with an attack on a place of worship. Sagha also told the CHS he was contemplating carrying out an attack of his own, possibly on a National Guard location or on a Jewish place of worship. Sagha then shared images and/or videos of both locations with the CHS, and stated that they were near Sagha’s residence in Wayne, New Jersey.
During these conversations, the CHS repeatedly held himself out as an ISIS fighter, sending Sagha messages and photographs that indicated the CHS was in ISIS territory in Syria. These included a photograph of the CHS in the back of a truck holding an ISIS flag, as well as a photograph of the CHS leaning against a vehicle over which the ISIS flag was draped, holding what appeared to be an AK-47-style assault rifle. Sagha, in turn, repeatedly expressed a desire to travel to ISIS territory, and even made an unsuccessful attempt at doing so in early March, 2026.
Between on or about May 31, 2026 and June 2, 2026, Sagha and the CHS discussed the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for the CHS and other ISIS fighters referred to as “brothers.” VPN technology enables users to conceal their online activities, mask their locations and identities, and communicate with greater anonymity. In the hands of members of a foreign terrorist organization, the technology can assist efforts to evade detection, maintain communications, and further the organization’s activities. Sagha ultimately purchased a VPN, sent it to the CHS—whom he believed to be a member of a terrorist organization—and explained to the CHS how to use the VPN.
The count of attempt to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization has a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of life of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and officers of the New York City Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and the Wayne Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Rooney, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek of the National Security Unit, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Jay Rezai of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Linda Foster, Assistant Federal Public Defender.
sagha.complaint.pdfBelgian National Receives Prison Sentence for Assaulting Flight Crew Members on March 2024 FlightRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Belgian national was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte for assaulting flight attendants aboard a flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Zurich, Switzerland in March 2024, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Jan Daeninck, 43, of Belgium, previously pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte to an Information charging him with one count of assaulting a flight attendant by beating, wounding or striking. Daeninck was sentenced on June 1, 2026 to 10 months in prison and one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $73,000 in restitution.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 31, 2024, Daeninck was a passenger aboard a Swiss International Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Zurich, Switzerland. Shortly after takeoff, Daeninck walked up to a female flight attendant, grabbed both of her breasts with his hands, shook her, and began yelling at her, threatening to kill her. After the flight attendant was able to get away from Daeninck, he tried to get into the cockpit by kicking and beating the door. Then, when a male flight attendant approached Daeninck, he assaulted him by punching and kicking the flight attendant, striking him in head and upper body with a closed fist. Flight crew members were able to intervene and restrain Daeninck on the floor near the cockpit door for the rest of the flight. As a result, the flight turned around and landed back at Newark Liberty International Airport.
“The defendant’s actions threatened the safety and security of innocent passengers, crew members, and the flight itself. Violence against flight crew members and attempts to compromise aircraft security will not be tolerated. This sentence demonstrates that those who jeopardize flight safety will face serious consequences, including prison time.”
– U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“The traveling public should feel confident the FBI takes aviation safety seriously. When a passenger attempts to breach a cockpit or assaults crew members, they are not just attacking individuals, they are threatening the safety of every single person on board,” said FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy of Newark, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanked the Port Authority Police Department under the direction of Edward T. Cetnar, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Goldman of the Office’s Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit in Newark.
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Defense Counsel: Anthony Pope, Esq.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Settlement with Wrightstown, New Jersey Landlord in Fair Housing Act LawsuitRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. — A Wrightstown, New Jersey landlord has agreed to pay $62,500 in monetary damages to resolve a lawsuit alleging race and national origin discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing, including discrimination because of race and national origin. The United States’ complaint, filed on November 13, 2024, alleged that the landlord, Burlington Preservation Associates, LLC (Burlington), had applied an incarceration provision in its lease agreement to discriminate against a Black and Hispanic tenant living in subsidized housing. The incarceration provision in the lease gave landlord or property manager the discretionary authority to change the locks of incarcerated tenants and then evict them. As alleged in the complaint, Burlington took almost immediate action to evict the Black and Hispanic tenant living in subsidized housing during a brief period of incarceration while treating a white, incarcerated tenant very differently. The complaint further alleged that, when the tenant filed a fair housing complaint with a federal agency, the defendant retaliated against him by attempting to evict him a second time and by disrupting the recertification process required to maintain the tenant’s subsidized housing.
In addition to paying monetary damages to the tenant, Burlington has also agreed to remove the lease provision at issue in this case as part of the resolution announced today.
The case was referred to the Department of Justice after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development received a complaint, completed an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky.
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burlingtonpreservation.agreement.pdfNew Jersey Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Launder over $500,000 Obtained from Internet-Related FraudsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Edison, New Jersey man was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment for laundering money obtained from a variety of internet-based scams, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner sentenced Kenny Osas Okuonghae, 38, of Edison, NJ to 51 months of incarceration yesterday. Judge Castner also ordered 3 years of supervised release and $1,275,190 in restitution. Okuonghae previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner on April 29, 2025, to Count One of an Indictment charging him with conspiring to commit money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately 2019 through approximately December 2023, Okuonghae laundered money that was obtained from a variety of internet-related scams, including property rental scams, romance scams, and a “pig butchering” scam. “Pig butchering” refers to an internet scheme where a romance scam victim develops what the victim perceives to be a romantic relationship online with the perpetrator. The perpetrator emotionally “fattens” the victim up before enticing the victim to invest in a fake scheme and then, metaphorically, “slaughters” the victim by taking the victim’s money. Okuonghae opened up several different bank accounts across at least seven different banks and permitted the proceeds of criminal activity to be deposited into and transferred out of these accounts.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Loraine Gauli-Rufo, Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
Camden County Pharmacist Charged with Illegally Dispensing Oxycodone; Wife Charged with Making False Statements on Naturalization ApplicationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County pharmacist was charged in an indictment with unlawfully distributing oxycodone, and his wife was separately charged in a criminal complaint with making false statements on her naturalization application, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
According to the indictment, Charles Suh, 63, was a pharmacist at a pharmacy in Voorhees, New Jersey. On 15 occasions between June and November 2021, Suh illegally dispensed oxycodone based on prescriptions that he knew or should have known were forged.
According to the criminal complaint in a separate case, So Yong Suh, 62, who is the wife of Charles Suh, applied to become a United States citizen by submitting an application for naturalization (an “N-400”). An N-400 requires the applicant to swear under penalty of perjury that the information she provided in the application is complete, true, and correct. In her N-400, Mrs. Suh falsely claimed that she had never been arrested or convicted of a crime when, in fact, she had been arrested at least four times. In addition, Mrs. Suh falsely stated that she had never provided any false or misleading information to the United States when, in fact, she failed to disclose a civil suit settlement in her bankruptcy proceeding. Her bankruptcy proceeding was dismissed because she had failed to disclose the settlement.
Charles Suh and So Yong Suh made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Skahill in federal District Court in Camden on May 27, 2026. If convicted of unlawfully dispensing a controlled substance, Charles Suh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment per count. If convicted of making false statements, So Yong Suh faces a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, with the investigations.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment and the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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ssuh.complaint.pdf csuh.indictment.pdfMaryland Man Admits to Trafficking Firearms into New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Maryland man admitted to the transportation of a stolen firearm in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
“Trafficking illegal firearms poses a direct threat to the safety of our communities. Vargas admitted to selling firearms, including a handgun stolen out of Texas, for his own profit. This Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who bring illegal weapons into New Jersey.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
Luiz Vargas, a/k/a, “El Biggie,” 26, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to a one-count Information charging him with transportation of a stolen firearm.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in January 2025, law enforcement investigated Vargas for trafficking firearms into New Jersey from, among other places, Texas and Maryland. Using a confidential source acting at the direction and supervision of law enforcement, officers conducted four controlled purchases of firearms, which yielded a total of eight firearms: two semiautomatic rifles and six handguns. Two of the handguns were reported stolen out of Texas and Colorado, respectively, and the two semiautomatic rifles had no serial numbers or other identifiable markings on them. On at least one occasion, Vargas provided cocaine to the confidential source after being unable to follow through with a promised sale of firearms. Vargas has never held a federal license to deal or manufacture firearms.
The transportation of a stolen firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2026.
United States Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanked the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr., the Howell Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John Storrow, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy, the Asbury Park Police Department, under the direction of Police Director John B. Hayes, the Freehold Borough Police Department, under the Direction of Chief of Police Chris Colaner, the Lakewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Gregory H. Meyer, the Little Silver Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Paul Halpin, the Marlboro Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Peter Pezzullo, the Middletown Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police R. Craig Weber, the Monroe Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Griffin N. Banos, and the Wall Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sean O’Halloran, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Andrea Aldana, Esq., Federal Public Defenders.
vargas.information.pdfFormer Mercer County Pharmacist Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment After Convictions for Illegally Distributing Oxycodone from Trenton PharmacyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A former Mercer County pharmacist was sentenced yesterday for her role in a conspiracy to distribute and dispense outside the course of professional practice large quantities of Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, from a pharmacy formerly located in Trenton, New Jersey, United States Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Florence Ndubizu, 66, of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, was convicted on January 22, 2025 following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court on two counts of an indictment charging her with conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, between 2014 and 2017 and maintaining a premises for the illegal distribution of controlled substances. Judge Quraishi imposed the 120-month sentence on June 2, 2026 in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial:
Between 2014 and 2017, Ndubizu was the co-owner and pharmacist-in-charge of Healthcare Pharmacy in Trenton. She and her employee conspirators, acting at her direction, filled fraudulent prescriptions outside the usual course of professional practice, knowing that the drugs would not be used for a legitimate medical purpose, but instead would be illegally diverted, including to street-level drug dealers. Ndubizu, operating a single-location pharmacy, purchased and distributed millions of dosage units of oxycodone, including over 800,000 pills in 2014; over 900,000 pills in 2015; over 800,000 pills in 2016; and over 200,000 pills in 2017, the year that the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) suspended the pharmacy’s registration.
Ndubizu diverted oxycodone pills and then evaded state and federal reporting requirements by manipulating the pharmacy’s records. The DEA conducted an audit of Healthcare Pharmacy’s inventory and found that between April 2015 and August 2017 alone, Ndubizu and Healthcare Pharmacy diverted more than 64,000 oxycodone containing pills.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Ndubizu to three years of supervised release following Ndubizu’s term of imprisonment and ordered a fine of $350,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents, diversion investigators, and task force officers of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James; special agents of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the supervision of Director Steve Wilson, members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, and members of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Shrey Sharma, Esq., of Oberheiden P.C.
Jersey City Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Transport Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Jersey City man was sentenced on June 1, 2026 to 48 months’ imprisonment for engaging in a conspiracy to burglarize logistics warehouses and transport the goods stolen from those warehouses and an additional 8 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Derek Spivey, 38, of Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with conspiring to transport stolen goods. Spivey also previously pleaded guilty to violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Spivey conspired with Jamil Bethea, Jamal Reid, Rasheed Sharpe, and others to burglarize trailers at logistics warehouses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, transport the goods stolen from those warehouses, and sell the stolen goods to others. As part of the conspiracy, burglars stole $50,000 of Department of Defense laptops from a Pennsylvania warehouse in January 2025; $200,000 of high-end perfume from a Pennsylvania warehouse in March 2025; and $20,000 of liquor from a New Jersey warehouse in March 2025. Spivey and his co-conspirators then transported stolen goods into and through New Jersey for the purpose of selling them.
Bethea, Reid, and Sharpe previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy. Judge Kiel previously sentenced Sharpe to 41 months’ imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy. Bethea and Reid are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Philadelphia Field Division with its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Thomas Young, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender.
Former Newark Deputy Mayor and Director of the Newark Department of Economic and Housing Development Sentenced to Prison for Scheming to Obtain BribesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Carmelo Garcia, 51, a former City of Newark official who served as Deputy Mayor and Director of the Newark Department Economic and Housing Development (DEHD) and served as Executive Vice President and Chief Real Estate Officer of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC), was sentenced on June 3, 2026 to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release for participating in a corrupt scheme to obtain bribes and kickbacks from two Newark business owners, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced. These bribes were intended to influence and award Garcia for assisting the business owners with the acquisition and redevelopment of various Newark-owned properties.
Garcia previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to three counts of an Information charging him with conspiracy to defraud the City of Newark and the NCEDC of Garcia’s honest services, honest services wire fraud, and receiving bribes in connection with the business of a federally funded local government and organization.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:
From at least 2017 through April 2019, while serving as a high-level Newark official, and prior to that, as an executive officer of the NCEDC (now known as Invest Newark), Garcia sought and received significant monetary payments and other benefits from Frank Valvano, Jr., Irwin Sablosky, and others in exchange for Garcia’s use of his official positions and influence within the City of Newark and the NCEDC to advance real estate development matters of interest to Valvano and Sablosky. These matters included obtaining preliminary designation letters for Valvano and Sablosky and securing Newark-approved redevelopment agreements (RDAs) that allowed them to purchase and acquire various Newark-owned properties for redevelopment, and to ensure that Garcia did not use his influence and authority to act against their interests. In addition to cash, Garcia also received jewelry, including multiple high-end watches and chains, from Valvano and Sablosky’s pawnbroker and jewelry business.
Phone records and text messages obtained by law enforcement show extensive communication between Garcia, Valvano, Sablosky, and others throughout this period of time, including text messages in which Garcia arranged to personally collect cash provided by Valvano and Sablosky. In one instance, in June 2018, Garcia, then the City’s Acting Deputy Mayor and Director of the City’s DEHD, received an envelope containing $25,000 in cash, supplied by Valvano through an intermediary, in the restroom of a New Jersey restaurant.
Garcia originally was charged by indictment in October 2021 with Valvano, 57, of Florham Park, New Jersey, and Sablosky, 66, of Springfield, New Jersey. Both Valvano and Sablosky pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and bribery, and both have been sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shawn A. Rice, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented by Elaine K. Lou, Chief of the Criminal Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Matthew Specht of the Criminal Division.
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Defense counsel:
Garcia: Robert G. Stahl, Esq., Laura K. Gasiorowski, Westfield, New Jersey.
Former Hillsborough Township School District Business Administrator and Co-Worker Indicted in Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury returned an Indictment on Friday charging the former Business Administrator of the Hillsborough Township School District (“HTSD”) in connection with an overtime fraud and kickback scheme, United States Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
According to the Indictment, Aiman Mahmoud, 56, who served as the Business Administrator for the HTSD from 2008 through the end of 2021, accepted tens of thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks in connection with a multi-million dollar project that aimed to upgrade existing school facilities as well as to construct a new school building that had been greenlighted by a 2019 referendum. To oversee aspects of the project including safety monitoring, Mahmoud arranged for Kenneth Gratto, 54, to be appointed as the site supervisor/owner’s representative to assist two companies involved in carrying out the construction project.
The Indictment also alleges that shortly after Gratto was hired, Gratto agreed to provide substantial cash kickbacks to Mahmoud in exchange for Mahmoud’s agreement to approve Gratto’s time sheets which substantially exaggerated the number of overtime hours that Gratto had worked on behalf of the HTSD. After receiving his paychecks from the companies involved – who were in turn reimbursed by the HTSD for those amounts – Gratto would deposit the checks, withdraw cash in the amount of the intended kickback, and deliver that cash in envelopes at locations of Mahmoud’s choosing, typically, within Mahmoud’s unlocked school vehicle. Mahmoud is alleged to have taken at least approximately $70,000 in kickbacks from Gratto.
The six-count Indictment charges Mahmoud and Gratto with conspiring to embezzle, steal, and obtain by fraud funds belonging to and under the care, custody and control of the HTSD, contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The maximum term of imprisonment for this offense is five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Each defendant is also charged individually with embezzling, stealing and obtaining by fraud those same funds belonging to and under the care custody and control of the HTSD, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A). Those charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. In addition, the two defendants are charged with conspiring to commit extortion under color of official right, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a). Both Mahmoud and Gratto are individually charged with extortion under color of official right, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a) and 2. These latter three charges all carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John P. McDonald, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Stephen G. McCarthy, Esq., New York, NY (for defendant Mahmoud).
Timothy Donahue, AFPD, Newark (for defendant Gratto).
mahmoudetal.indictment.pdfEssex County Convicted Felon Admits to Armed Carjacking with an Assault Rifle, Along with Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man on June 2, 2026 admitted using an assault rifle during an armed carjacking, as well as possessing two firearms and controlled substances with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Quadir Whitehead, 32, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to six counts of an indictment charging him with one count of carjacking, one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, two counts of conspiracy, one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On August 6, 2020, Whitehead and two accomplices committed a gunpoint carjacking in Irvington, New Jersey. During the carjacking, Whitehead ordered one of the two victims to get out of a car while pointing an assault rifle at that victim. Then, Whitehead got into the car and drove away. On September 5, 2020, law enforcement officers arrested Whitehead when they saw him selling drugs in Newark. After the arrest, law enforcement found narcotics, an assault rifle, and a revolver, which Whitehead admitted were the same firearms used in the Irvington carjacking.
The conspiracy to commit carjacking offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison. The carjacking offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison. The conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence offense carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 7 years and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison. The possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The conspiracy, carjacking and firearm offenses each carry a fine of up to $250,000 and the narcotics offense carries a fine of up to $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for October 14, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and members of the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers, with the investigation leading to the charges and guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the National Security Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against Elijah Lott are still pending, are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Stephen Turano, Esq.
whiteheadetal.indictment.pdfAll Eight Defendants in Wiretap Investigation Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in Trafficking in Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Firearms in Burlington County; Lead Defendant Sentenced to 225 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Eight current or former Burlington County, New Jersey residents have been sentenced to prison in recent months after pleading guilty to narcotics and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced. The defendants were charged as a result of a federal wiretap investigation.
On May 28, 2026, U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn sentenced the final defendant, Mansfield Johnson, a/k/a “Money Mike,” 40, of Florence, New Jersey, to 225 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Johnson previously pleaded guilty on September 22, 2025 before Judge O’Hearn to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, conspiring to traffic a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Johnson also admitted to dealing powder and crack cocaine.
Judge O’Hearn has now sentenced all eight defendants who were charged as a result of the federal wiretap investigation, as follows:
NameAgeCharge(s) to which pled guiltySentence receivedSentencing dateMansfield Johnson, a/k/a “Money Mike”40- Conspiracy to distribute 40g or more of fentanyl
- Conspiracy to traffic firearm
- Possess of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
- Conspiracy to distribute 40g or more of fentanyl (3 counts)
- Conspiracy to traffic firearm
- Conspiracy to distribute 28g or more of crack cocaine
- Conspiracy to traffic firearm
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
- Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl
- Conspiracy to traffic firearm
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From August 2023 through February 2024, Johnson and his co-conspirators distributed fentanyl, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine. Johnson, Hines, Stratton, and Fowler also conspired to illegally traffic a firearm, and they in fact sold a firearm to an undercover agent. Further, Johnson admitted to illegally possessing a different firearm, despite being a convicted felon. Johnson also used threats of violence to protect his drug trafficking.
Fowler previously had been convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, as a result of a different federal wiretap investigation, and his criminal conduct in this case violated his federal supervised release conditions.
Federal law enforcement agents and their state and local partners made these cases by intercepting telephone calls and text messages pursuant to court-authorized wiretap orders, making controlled purchases of fentanyl, cocaine, and a firearm, using confidential sources, executing numerous search warrants, and other investigative techniques. A total of four firearms were recovered as a result of the investigation.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited Special Agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF), Newark Field Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle; Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw; Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta Marbrey; Willingboro Township Police, under the direction of Chief of Police Ian Bucs; Burlington Township Police, under the direction of Public Safety Director Bruce Painter; Florence Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Brian Boldizar; Westampton Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Brian Ferguson; Edgewater Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John B. Harris, Jr.; Pemberton Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Jonathan Glass; Burlington City Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Ryan P. Elbertson; Delran Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Matthew Gasper; Mount Holly Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Cliff Spencer; Bordentown Police Department, under the direction of Director of Police Frank Lombardo; Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve Wilson, with the investigation leading to the sentencings in this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
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Defense counsel:
M. Johnson: Troy Archie, Esq.
A. Johnson: Stanley King, Esq.
McCray: Megan Davies, Esq.
Fowler: Ikram Ally, Esq.
Phillips: Robert Wolf, Esq.
Hines: Jonathan Sobel, Esq.
Stratton: Michael Huff, Esq.
Hutchinson: John Brennan, Esq.
johnsonetal.supersedingindictment.pdfMember of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 19 ½ Years in Prison for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 234 months in prison and five years of supervised release for the distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues and money laundering.
According to court documents, Thomas Padovano, 52, of Newark, New Jersey, admitted that from approximately January 2014 through September 2020, he and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl-related substances, methylone, and ketamine. Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that contained fentanyl analogues. Padovano additionally admitted to having engaged in financial transactions aimed at concealing the origin and true ownership of more than $300,000 in drug proceeds.
“Mr. Padovano led a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed massive amounts of dangerous opioids in New Jersey, and then he laundered the profits,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These illegal narcotics destroy families and wreak havoc in the community. The Criminal Division will actively pursue offenders who distribute such poison in our neighborhoods.”
“Today’s sentence sends an important reminder: those who profit from trafficking deadly drugs and laundering the proceeds of their crimes will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “For years, Padovano helped lead an organization responsible for distributing massive quantities of fentanyl analogues and other dangerous controlled substances in New Jersey. This sentence — nearly twenty years in prison — reflects the devastating harm caused by that conduct and our office’s unwavering commitment to dismantling the organizations that fuel the illegal drug trade.”
“Padovano is behind bars for his direct role in unleashing the deadly scourge of fentanyl across America,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Division. “This decisive outcome underscores HSI Newark’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and our relentless pursuit of justice alongside our law enforcement partners.”
The Newark Field Division of HSI led the investigation, with assistance from HSI in Philadelphia, the FBI Newark Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Newark Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey, New York and Kentucky, the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Chief Stephen Sola of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra for the District of New Jersey.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 234 Months for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man and one of the leaders of a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues was sentenced today to 234 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
“Today’s sentence sends an important reminder: those who profit from trafficking deadly drugs and laundering the proceeds of their crimes will be held accountable. For years, Padovano helped lead an organization responsible for distributing massive quantities of fentanyl analogues and other dangerous controlled substances in New Jersey. This sentence—nearly twenty years in prison—reflects the devastating harm caused by that conduct and our Office’s unwavering commitment to dismantling the organizations that fuel the illegal drug trade.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Mr. Padovano led a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed massive amounts of dangerous opioids in New Jersey, and then he laundered the profits,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva. “These illegal narcotics destroy families and wreak havoc in the community. The Criminal Division will actively pursue offenders who distribute such poison in our neighborhoods.”
“Padovano is behind bars for his direct role in unleashing the deadly scourge of fentanyl across America,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This decisive outcome underscores HSI Newark’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and our relentless pursuit of justice alongside our law enforcement partners.”
Defendant Thomas Padovano, 52, of Newark, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to drug trafficking conspiracy and concealment money laundering conspiracy. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. A co-defendant, William Panzera, was previously convicted by a jury and sentenced to 144 months in prison. Seven other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, Thomas Padovano and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine. Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues. They also sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the drugs. Padovano, who was one of the two leaders of the conspiracy, additionally engaged in financial transactions aimed at concealing the origin and true ownership of more than $300,000 in drug proceeds.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Padovano to 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General A. Duva made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture (MNF) Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of MNF supported the investigation.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Newark comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS and local law enforcement officers with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
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Defense counsel: Michael Baldassare, Esq. for defendant Thomas Padovano;
Christopher D. Adams, Esq. for defendant Bartholomew Padovano.
padovanoetal.supersedingindictment.pdfU.S. Attorney Robert Frazer Announces Appointment of Joyce M. Malliet as First Assistant U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today that Joyce M. Malliet has been appointed First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. As First Assistant, Malliet will serve as the Office’s second-ranking official and assist in leading the Office’s operations and mission throughout the District of New Jersey.
“Joyce Malliet is an exceptional prosecutor, leader, and public servant whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to justice and the people of New Jersey. For nearly twenty-four years, she has served this Office with distinction, and I am confident that her experience, judgment, and dedication will continue to strengthen our mission and support the outstanding work of our prosecutors and staff.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
Malliet has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for nearly twenty-four years and currently serves as Chief of the National Security Unit, becoming the first woman to lead that section. During her tenure, she has helped lead efforts to prevent, disrupt, and prosecute threats to national security and terrorism. She previously served in the Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit and has long been involved with the District’s ReNew Re-Entry Court, which helps formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reintegrate into society. Before entering public service, Malliet was the first African-American partner at Clausen Miller, P.C. She is a Trustee of the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and a founding member of the Black Prosecutors Association of New Jersey. Throughout her career, Malliet has distinguished herself as a respected prosecutor, mentor, and leader within both the Office and the broader legal community.
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Former Willingboro Township Mayor Sentenced to Prison for Mortgage Fraud in Connection with Fraudulent Short SaleRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Nathaniel Anderson, a town councilman and the former Mayor of Willingboro in Burlington County, New Jersey, was sentenced to prison for committing mortgage fraud in connection with a fraudulent short sale of real estate, and his business associate Chrisone Anderson was sentenced to eight months’ home confinement for her role in the scheme, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Nathaniel Anderson, 59, and Chrisone Anderson, 58, were previously convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of making a false statement on a mortgage application. On June 1, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Kirsch sentenced Nathaniel Anderson to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Chrisone Anderson was sentenced to eight months’ home confinement to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Both Nathaniel Anderson and Chrisone Anderson were ordered to pay restitution to the victims in the total amount of $221,862.71.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
From March 2015 through June 2017, Nathaniel Anderson and Chrisone Anderson conspired and agreed to orchestrate a fraudulent short sale of a property in Willingboro from Nathaniel Anderson to Chrisone Anderson.
As part of the conspiracy to defraud a government-sponsored enterprise to discharge a mortgage obligation on Nathaniel Anderson’s property in Willingboro and to induce a mortgage lending business to issue a new mortgage on the property, Chrisone Anderson executed – and Nathaniel D. Anderson aided and abetted the execution of – mortgage documents containing materially false representations. These included that the short sale was an arm’s length transaction, that Chrisone Anderson did not have a prior business relationship with Nathaniel Anderson, that Nathaniel Anderson would not continue to occupy the property as his residence following the short sale, and that Chrisone Anderson would occupy the property as her primary residence.
As a result of the fraudulent short sale, the government-sponsored enterprise discharged Nathaniel Anderson’s mortgage obligation, causing a total loss of over $200,000, and the victim lender issued a new mortgage on the property.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; and special agents of the Northeast Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the Special Prosecutions Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Andrea Aldana and Adalgiza Nunez (Nathaniel Anderson)
Troy Archie (Chrisone Anderson)
Brooklyn Man Charged with Threatening to Assault and Murder ICE Officer and His FamilyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn man was charged with threatening to assault and murder a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement officer outside an ICE detention facility, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Nicholas Matthew Scelfo, 27, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested for influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal officer by threat. Scelfo appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark federal court on June 1, 2026, and was released on a $100,000 bond. He was also prohibited from returning to Delaney Hall.
“As alleged, the defendant threatened a federal law enforcement officer and members of that officer’s family with violence and death. Threats against federal officers and their families are serious crimes and will not be tolerated. Federal officers serve our communities every day, often in difficult circumstances, and this Office is committed to holding accountable those who, as alleged here, threaten violence against them or their loved ones.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Federal law enforcement officers face danger with great courage, and they should be able to do their jobs without being threatened and fearing for their families’ lives,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We take such threats very seriously and will prosecute those who make them to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This individual allegedly threatened violence toward one of our federal law enforcement officers and their family — and by using facial recognition technology, within 24 hours this FBI got him,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “In particular, I want to thank Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche who moved extremely quickly to locate, pursue, and bring the subject to justice — as well as our FBI Newark and New York teams who executed brilliantly. Let this be a message to any criminal actor who may try something similar: you touch a cop, and this FBI will put you down.”
“This violent rioter who allegedly threatened to murder an ICE law enforcement officer and his family is being brought to justice,” said Secretary Markwayne Mullin of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “Our ICE officers are facing an 8,000% increase in death threats against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists. Our officers have been assaulted, doxxed, their families threatened. This violence against law enforcement must end. President Trump and I will always stand with our law enforcement officers.”
“There is no place for the violent threats Scelfo allegedly screamed at law enforcement. Instead of protesting peacefully, there are groups and individuals targeting federal law enforcement agents who are carrying out their duties,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy for the Newark Field Office. “We will follow the law and hold anyone who chooses to break the law accountable.”
“Calling for the murder of a federal law enforcement officer and his family is not speech safeguarded by the Constitution; it is a grave criminal offense that will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark. “Homeland Security Investigations remains resolute in ensuring that individuals who threaten or attack law enforcement face the full force of the law. We are grateful to our partners at the FBI for their outstanding work in helping us identify and locate this defendant so he can face justice.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about May 27, 2026, during a demonstration outside an ICE detention facility in Newark, Scelfo threatened to assault and murder an ICE officer. According to a video posted to social media and other evidence obtained by law enforcement, Scelfo screamed toward the ICE officer: “I’ll kill your whole fucking family! Your whole fucking family is dead! Your children, your wife, all dead! I have your face, motherfucker! You’re dead! Dead!”
The threat charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark and Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. in New York; Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; and the New York Police Department under the direction of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camila A. Garces and Casey S. Smith of the National Security Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Laura Sayler, Assistant Federal Public Defender.
scelfo.complaint.pdfMorris County Man Arrested for Kicking and Biting ICE Deportation OfficersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County man was arrested on May 28, 2026 and charged with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
“As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by kicking one and biting two others who were performing their official duties. Assaulting law enforcement officers is unacceptable. Period. Federal officers must be able to carry out their responsibilities without being subjected to violence, intimidation, or obstruction. This Office will continue to prosecute those who, as alleged here, assault officers and interfere with the lawful execution of their duties.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Peaceful protest doesn’t translate to violently attacking federal law enforcement officers,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal officers are protecting United States’ property and facilities. With virtually no local law enforcement support from New Jersey, rioters are regrouping and attacking. We will not tolerate the vicious attacks we have seen in Newark the last few days, and we will make arrests and hold people accountable for criminal conduct.”
“As alleged in the Justice Department's complaint, this violent rioter savagely bit an ICE law enforcement officer outside of Delaney Hall. The Trump Administration will always stand with our law enforcement officers,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“To be clear, peaceful protest does not mean biting, kicking, or punching law enforcement officers. “said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “The repeated assaults on federal officers at Delaney Hall are criminal acts—not protected speech. Homeland Security Investigations is unwavering in its commitment to hold those who attack law enforcement fully accountable under the law.”
“This defendant’s court appearance is a clear step toward justice after 21 individuals were arrested for assaulting federal officers at Delaney Hall from May 26-29,” said ERO Newark acting Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr. “Instead of peacefully protesting, rioters blocked ICE officers conducting their lawful duties, ignored repeated lawful commands and threatened violence. Our brave ICE officers risked their lives to protect everyone present inside and out of Delaney Hall and we will continue to pursue charges against agitators and ensure violent offenders have real consequences.”
Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison, was charged by complaint yesterday and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais, and was released with location monitoring, a curfew, and prohibited from returning to Delaney Hall.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On May 28, 2026, officers of the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) were engaged in official duties relating to security and crowd-control operations during a demonstration near the ICE Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark. Certain ICE Deportation Officers were assigned to conduct perimeter enforcement for the Facility, which included clearing the road leading to and from the Facility for vehicles. At approximately 10:30 p.m., a large group of demonstrators was blocking that road. Deportation Officers, in an attempt to clear the road, formed into a line and began to move towards the group of demonstrators, which included Geier. The Deportation Officers issued commands to the demonstrators to “move back,” but the demonstrators, including Geier, ignored those commands and refused to clear the road. One Deportation Officer, Victim-1, moved in Geier’s direction, which caused Geier to lose his balance. Geier then kicked Victim-1 in the leg, and in response, Victim-1 struck Geier’s leg with a baton. Other officers, including Victim-2 and Victim-2, came to Victim-1’s assistance. As they lifted Geier to remove him from the location of the original struggle, Geier bit the forearm of Victim-2, as shown below, and the knuckle of Victim-3. Geier also kicked Victim-1 in the forearm. All three victims received medical attention from Emergency Medical Technicians on site; Victim-2 and Victim-3 also received treatment for their injuries at a hospital in Newark.
The charge for assault resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation. He also thanked Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sinclair of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: K. Anthony Thomas, Esq., Federal Public Defender.
geier.complaint.pdfNew Jersey Rioter at Delaney Hall Charged for Kicking and Biting ICE OfficersRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man was arrested yesterday and charged with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury.
Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison, New Jersey, was charged by complaint today and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais.
“Peaceful protest doesn’t translate to violently attacking federal law enforcement officers,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal officers are protecting United States’ property and facilities. With virtually no local law enforcement support from New Jersey, rioters are regrouping and attacking. We will not tolerate the vicious attacks we have seen in Newark the last few days, and we will make arrests and hold people accountable for criminal conduct.”
“As alleged in the Justice Department's complaint, this violent rioter savagely bit an ICE law enforcement officer outside of Delaney Hall. The Trump Administration will always stand with our law enforcement officers,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by kicking one and biting two others who were performing their official duties,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Assaulting law enforcement officers is unacceptable. Period. Federal officers must be able to carry out their responsibilities without being subjected to violence, intimidation, or obstruction. This Office will continue to prosecute those who, as alleged here, assault officers and interfere with the lawful execution of their duties.”
“To be clear, peaceful protest does not mean biting, kicking, or punching law enforcement officers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark. “The repeated assaults on federal officers at Delaney Hall are criminal acts — not protected speech. Homeland Security Investigations is unwavering in its commitment to hold those who attack law enforcement fully accountable under the law.”
“This defendant’s court appearance is a clear step toward justice after 21 individuals were arrested for assaulting federal officers at Delaney Hall from May 26-29,” said ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark acting Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr. “Instead of peacefully protesting, rioters blocked ICE officers conducting their lawful duties, ignored repeated lawful commands and threatened violence. Our brave ICE officers risked their lives to protect everyone present inside and out of Delaney Hall and we will continue to pursue charges against agitators and ensure violent offenders have real consequences.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, on May 28, officers of the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) were engaged in official duties relating to security and crowd-control operations during a demonstration near the ICE Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey. Certain ICE deportation officers were assigned to conduct perimeter enforcement for the facility, which included clearing the road leading to and from the facility for vehicles.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., a large group of demonstrators was blocking that road. Deportation officers, in an attempt to clear the road, formed into a line and began to move towards the group of demonstrators, which included Geier. The deportation officers issued commands to the demonstrators to “move back,” but the demonstrators, including Geier, ignored those commands and refused to clear the road. Geier instead engaged in a struggle with deportation officers, kicking officers and ultimately biting an officer’s forearm, and another’s knuckle. Both victims received treatment at a local hospital.
The charge for assault resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
HSI Newark investigated the case. ICE and the FBI provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sinclair for the District of New Jersey is handling this matter.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.