Northern District of New York
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Binghamton Woman Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Escaping Federal Custody and Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jade A. Pittsley, age 34, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced today to 8 years in prison following her guilty plea to escaping from federal custody and possessing and intending to distribute methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
As part of her prior guilty plea, Pittsley admitted that in November 2023, while she was serving a federal term of imprisonment for a drug offense involving methamphetamine, she was under the supervision of a halfway house. Pittsley was directed to return to the halfway house but never did. Days later, law enforcement found Pittsley carrying methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in her purse.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release to begin after Pittsley is released from prison.
HSI and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case with assistance from the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikayla Espinosa and Kristen Grabowski prosecuted this case.
Baldwinsville Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kenneth Koegel, Jr., 40, of Baldwinsville, New York was sentenced today to 45 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release following his conviction by guilty plea to seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of commission of a felony offense involving a minor by a registered sex offender, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of receipt of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Koegel admitted that he was convicted in 2004 in Monroe County Court of sexual abuse in the first degree for exposing his penis to a 6-year-old girl in a public park and touching her vagina with his hand and that he was required to register as a sex offender because of that conviction. He then admitted that, starting in or about 2014 and continuing until October 2022, he sexually abused a girl from the time she was approximately 2 years old until she was approximately 9 years old. During that time, Koegel created numerous sexually explicit images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of his victim, including Koegel subjecting her to multiple sex acts. He also used a social messaging application to distribute the material he produced to someone else, with whom he also traded thousands of other child pornography files.
In addition to the 45-year imprisonment term and lifetime supervision, the district court also ordered Koegel to pay $12,000 in restitution and a $1,000 special assessment. Koegel will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Schenectady Man Sentenced for Assaulting Trial Witness’s SonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Patrick Civitello, age 19, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for assaulting a 15-year-old boy in retaliation for the boy’s mother testifying in a federal criminal trial.
Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Patrick Civitello is the son of Jeffrey Civitello Sr. and the younger brother of Jeffrey Civitello Jr., both of whom were convicted of federal drug trafficking charges following a jury trial in Albany in April 2023. A witness, identified in the indictment as V-1, testified at that trial.
In pleading guilty, Patrick Civitello admitted that on the evening of May 19, 2024, while at a restaurant in Glenville, New York, he observed V-1, who was with her 15-year-old son (“V-2”). At the time he observed V-1, Patrick Civitello was speaking on the phone with Jeffrey Civitello Jr. (who was incarcerated), and Patrick Civitello told his brother that he had just seen V-1 walk into the restaurant. Patrick Civitello then said “I gotta rag this bitch, I gotta call you back,” meaning that he intended to retaliate against V-1 for her trial testimony. Jeffrey Civitello Jr. responded, “Ok run down, but do it away from everyone if you could.”
V-1 and V-2 then exited the restaurant and headed to their vehicle in the parking lot. Patrick Civitello, who was following V-1 and V-2 out of the restaurant, briefly stopped in the parking lot to remove his watch and a cross-body bag. Having placed those items on the ground of the parking lot, Patrick Civitello charged in the direction of V-1 and V-2. He punched V-2 in the head, and continued to punch and kick V-2 after V-2 fell to the ground. V-2 suffered minor abrasions and bruises, including to his head, neck, and hand.
FBI agents arrested Patrick Civitello on June 13, 2024, on a criminal complaint. As he was being transported to the FBI Albany Field Office, he asked agents, “Don’t you think the witness deserved it?” and “What do you expect when you betray family and people you trust?”
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino called the assault an “attack on the justice system” that sends “a chilling message to anyone who might be subpoenaed to trial” to testify. She ordered Patrick Civitello to pay a $5,000 fine and to serve a 3-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.
The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case, with assistance from the Glenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Dustin Segovia prosecuted this case.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced in Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Francisco Montalvo-Grenada, age 26, and a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy.
Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Montalvo-Grenada admitted that on May 15, 2023, he traveled from North Carolina to Northern New York, along with four co-conspirators, and smuggled 16 citizens of Mexico who had illegally entered the United States from Canada. Following Montalvo-Grenada’s sentence, he faces deportation to Mexico by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers.
The United States Border Patrol investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt prosecuted this case.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Appoints John A. Sarcone III as U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed John A. Sarcone III as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York. Mr. Sarcone will start on March 17.
As United States Attorney, Mr. Sarcone will serve as the Northern District of New York’s chief federal law enforcement officer, supervising an office of 49 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, 4 Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, 41 support staff members, and 9 contract support staff members. He will be responsible for prosecuting federal criminal offenses and representing the United States in civil litigation in the Northern District of New York and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Mr. Sarcone stated: “Coming from a humble, blue-collar background – growing up in Croton-on-Hudson, having the same teachers at Croton High School as my parents had, and with my grandmother and children also graduating from that school, and having worked full-time while going at night to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University– I am deeply humbled and honored to have been named U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York.
“I shall carry out my duties faithfully and with steadfast dedication to our nation, community, and the citizens of the Northern District of New York.
“Thank you, Attorney General Bondi, for trusting me to carry out this important mission and most importantly thank you President Trump for once again having faith and confidence in me to do my part to accomplish one of your most important tasks – to restore public confidence and trust in our government and the Department of Justice.”
Mr. Sarcone, who will be based in Albany, has been a dedicated public servant and lawyer for many years. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Sarcone served as Northeast and Caribbean Regional Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration, overseeing a large team responsible for federal buildings and facilities, procurement, and IT initiatives, and working with dozens of federal agencies and courthouses, including in the Northern District of New York. Earlier in his career, he served as Town Attorney in Eastchester, New York, and General Counsel to the United Federation of Special Police Officers, Inc. and to the Association of Commuter Rail Employees.
Mr. Sarcone also founded and built a general practice law firm, providing advice to small businesses and family-owned corporations, handling large real estate transactions, and litigating and arbitrating in areas including business and construction disputes, insurance defense, and toxic torts.
Vermont Man Sentenced to 132 Months for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gabriel Charron, age 53, of Milton, Vermont, was sentenced today to 132 months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for the attempted online enticement of a minor.
Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Charron admitted that between May 2022 and March 4, 2023, he exchanged sexually explicit messages online with people he believed were a mother and an 11-year old girl, in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him. Charron also admitted that on March 4, 2023, he traveled from Vermont to a hotel in Albany County, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 11-year old girl. Charron was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location.
Charron will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
FBI Albany investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine in Saratoga SpringsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mauro Esparza-Gutierrez, age 39 and a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Esparza-Gutierrez, who worked at the Saratoga Race Course, admitted to working with a co-conspirator to distribute methamphetamine in the summer of 2024, in Saratoga Springs, New York. Esparza-Gutierrez admitted that his co-conspirator sent methamphetamine shipments in horse trailers to Esparza-Gutierrez, who then sold the methamphetamine. Esparza-Gutierrez acknowledged that he was personally responsible for distributing approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine during the course of the conspiracy.
At sentencing on July 1, 2025, Esparza-Gutierrez faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Esparza-Gutierrez is the second defendant to plead guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in Saratoga Springs during the 2024 track season. Nelson Moran, a citizen of Guatemala, pled guilty to methamphetamine charges on October 9, 2024, and is awaiting sentencing.
The DEA and Saratoga Springs Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting this case.
Former Delaware County Teacher Convicted After Trial of Coercing, Transporting, and Sexually Abusing StudentsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Paul Geer, age 57, of Hancock, New York, was convicted today by a federal jury after a two-week-long trial on two counts of coercing and enticing two separate children to travel across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity and two counts of transporting the children across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with those children. The jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on two additional counts.
Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Craig Tremaroli made the announcement.
The evidence at trial proved that, while Geer was a teacher at the Family Foundation School in Hancock, New York, he imposed various disciplinary sanctions on students that were tantamount to torture. The sanctions Geer imposed on students included depriving children of food or forcing children to eat food that had been regurgitated, binding children in rugs and leaving them in isolated rooms for extended periods of time and forcing children to perform forced physical labor. The evidence at trial further proved that, in 1994 and 2001, Geer used his position of authority and his ability to impose these brutal sanctions to coerce two students to travel with him, on separate occasions, to Maine and Toronto, Canada. The evidence at trial also proved that Geer transported the students across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity with them. While on those trips, Geer raped or otherwise sexually abused each of the two children.
Geer was taken into custody following the verdict.
At sentencing currently scheduled for July 9, 2025, in Albany, New York, the two counts of coercion and enticement each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. The two counts of transporting children across state lines each carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance New York State Police and the Colonie, New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica N. Carbone, Adrian S. LaRochelle, and Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, and led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Texas Woman Pleads Guilty to Student Loan Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shelbra Long, age 58, of Edinburg, Texas, pled guilty today to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Acting Special Agent in Charge Isabel Douroupis, of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (ED OIG) – Eastern Regional Office, made the announcement.
Long admitted to engaging in a decade-long scheme to apply for admission and financial aid to online colleges in the names of purported students who had their identities stolen. After the Department of Education disbursed the financial aid to a school, Long and her coconspirators withdrew the purported student from enrollment. The schools refunded the balance of the financial aid that had not been used to bank accounts controlled by the conspirators. The Department of Education awarded $466,430 in aid based on the scheme, of which it disbursed $211,820.
Long faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years, when she is sentenced on June 26, 2025. Long has agreed to pay $211,820 in restitution to the Department of Education and to forfeit an additional $52,304. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
ED OIG investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Moore, age 42, of New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday to serve 3 years in prison after being convicted at trial of two counts of alien smuggling for private financial gain. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
At trial in October 2024, the government established that on June 20, 2023, Moore traveled from New Jersey to an area just south of the border in Clinton County, New York, to pick up several aliens who had illegally crossed into the United States at a place other than a Port of Entry. Moore anticipated being paid $3,000 for his services but was quickly apprehended by agents from the United States Border Patrol.
Jurors could not reach a verdict on one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, and that count was dismissed at sentencing.
In addition to the 36-month prison term, Moore was sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release.
United States Border Patrol investigated this case with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen J. Vickey and Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted this case.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail from Albany Postal FacilityRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sean A. Walter, age 30, of Humble, Texas, pled guilty today to stealing business checks out of the U.S. Mail by repeatedly and unlawfully entering a mail sorting facility in Albany.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Northeast Region; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Walter admitted that on six occasions in 2023 and 2024, he unlawfully entered the USPS Albany Processing and Distribution Center (PDC) on Karner Road, in order to steal mail that he believed contained business checks. For instance, at approximately 12:56 a.m. on January 23, 2024, Walter entered the Albany PDC by forcefully pulling up a retractable overhead door to the facility. Once inside, he went to a large room where USPS employees were sorting mail and then stole a variety of mail. Walter placed the stolen mail in his backpack and exited the Albany PDC at around 2:31 a.m. He then re-entered the Albany PDC two more times that night and stole more mail on each occasion.
According to the criminal complaint in this case, Walter was arrested on May 14, 2024, after being confronted by security guards inside of the Albany PDC and fleeing to a nearby motel.
The mail that Walter stole included checks drawn on bank accounts belonging to entities in Upstate New York, including a town government, a bank, a volunteer fire department, and several small businesses. Walter sold these stolen checks to others and understood that these checks would then be altered and forged in ways that allowed them to be successfully negotiated by people other than the checks’ intended payees. In pleading guilty, Walter admitted to causing losses totaling at least $242,159.76.
Walter also admitted that on two occasions in 2022, he unlawfully entered the USPS North Houston PDC (in Texas) and stole business checks.
Walter faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, when United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentences him on June 30, 2025. Walter may also be ordered to pay restitution to his victims. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
USPS-OIG and USPIS investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett is prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to 14 Months Imprisonment for Illegally Reentering the United States a Year After DeportationRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Enrique Diaz-Perez, age 38, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced to serve 14 months federal prison yesterday for illegally reentering the United States after previously being convicted of illegal reentry in 2024. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Thomas P. Brophy, Field Office Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, (ICE-ERO) Buffalo, NY made the announcement.
As a part of his earlier plea, Diaz-Perez admitted that he was removed from the United States in 2009 following his conviction in Massachusetts for assault with a dangerous weapon. Diaz-Perez was again removed from the United States in February 2024, following his conviction in federal court in Syracuse for illegal reentry. On August 27, 2024, Diaz-Perez was located in Syracuse and arrested. At the time, Diaz-Perez was working in Little Falls, New York. Diaz-Perez will be subject to deportation again at the conclusion of his prison sentence.
In addition to the 14-month federal prison sentence, Diaz-Perez was also sentenced to a consecutive 4-month term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his prior illegal reentry offense.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-ICE-ERO investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted the case.
Capital Region Man Indicted on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Devere Williams, age 36, of Troy, New York, was charged last week by indictment for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The charges filed against Williams carry a prison term of at least 5 year and up to life in federal prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Williams was arraigned today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista, and will continue to be detained pending a hearing on February 21. The FBI is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph S. Hartunian and Nicholas Walter are prosecuting this case.
California Man Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Troy Alexander Mendez, age 25, a resident of California, was sentenced today to 66 months in federal prison for distributing controlled substances. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Mendez admitted that, in August 2023, he sold and shipped over 300 grams of methamphetamine via the U.S. Postal Service to a customer in the Syracuse, New York area. Law enforcement intercepted the package and identified Mendez as the source of the shipment. At the sentencing hearing, the evidence established that Mendez also sold drugs on other occasions and possessed multiple firearms in connection with that drug activity.
Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Mendez is released from prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case.
Carla Freedman Concludes Her Service as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Carla B. Freedman announced the conclusion of her tenure as United States Attorney, effective immediately.
Ms. Freedman was sworn in on October 8, 2021. Ms. Freedman previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Syracuse office of the Northern District of New York from 2007 through 2021. She was a Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney and the Narcotics Chief from February 2018 through 2021. She also served as Deputy Narcotics Chief from 2016 through 2018.
Ms. Freedman stated: “For over 17 years, I have had the honor and privilege of working at the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, first as an Assistant United States Attorney, and for the past three years, leading the office as the United States Attorney. During my tenure I have had the good fortune to work with some of the finest public servants in my office as well as with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. I could not be more proud of the work and accomplishments we have achieved in the pursuit of justice, always with integrity and commitment to the rule of law.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanlon now serves as Acting United States Attorney.
Colombian Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Diego Guisao-Zapata, age 41, a citizen of Colombia, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of the United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Guisao-Zapata, an illegal alien who entered the United States unlawfully in 2023, admitted that on August 25, 2024, he traveled to the northern border in Churubusco, New York, where he smuggled two people – one from Mexico, the other from the Dominican Republic – into the United States for profit. Guisao-Zapata admitted that he had smuggled other people across the border in the past.
Guisao-Zapata will be taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for removal proceedings, following his release from prison.
United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Paulbeck prosecuted the case.
Washington County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Dion, age 47, of Greenwich, New York, pled guilty today to charges that he distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
Dion admitted that from July 2023 to January 2024, he distributed images and videos of CSAM via an encrypted chat messenger to another person, and possessed images of CSAM on five electronic devices on February 28, 2024, when his residence was searched. He also admitted that he produced morphed images of CSAM by using non-pornographic images of known children and superimposing the faces of those children onto other images of CSAM he found on the Internet to create an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dion possessed more than 130,000 images of CSAM across his devices.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for June 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dion faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Dion may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses and forfeit the devices used in the offenses. Dion will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI and NYSP are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William Seneca, Sr., age 65, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child sexual abuse material. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Seneca admitted that, from approximately 2000 through 2008, he engaged in sexual conduct with a minor male child, starting when the child was about seven years old. On several different occasions during that period, Seneca created sexually explicit images depicting that child. Seneca also admitted that, on at least one occasion, he distributed the material he created to someone in Canada.
In addition to the terms of imprisonment and supervised release, the district court also ordered Seneca to pay $1,141.14 in restitution to the victim, and he will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by HSI with the assistance of the New York State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Schenectady Man Sentenced for Distributing Drugs in Exchange for Food StampsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Omar Alaidrus, age 24, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison following his guilty pleas to distributing controlled substances and food stamp fraud.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of the Inspector General Northeast Region (USDA-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office; and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
Alaidrus admitted that on multiple occasions, he exchanged fentanyl for food stamps in the Schenectady deli his family owned and operated. Alaidrus also unlawfully provided cash in exchange for food stamps, and redeemed food stamps for other prohibited items such as Xanax, alcohol, and tobacco. Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also ordered Alaidrus to pay $316,975 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Service and imposed a 3-year-term of supervised release.
USDA-OIG, HSI, New York State Police, and the Schenectady Sheriff and Police investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted.
Norwich Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing a Short-Barreled RifleRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Benjamin Wheeler, age 20, of Norwich, New York was sentenced today to serve 8 months in federal prison for possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig. L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
As part of his guilty plea, Wheeler admitted that on August 6, 2024, he knowingly possessed a Spikes Tactical AR-15 style rifle at his apartment in Norwich, New York, knowing that the firearm had a barrel length of less than sixteen inches. The firearm was not registered to Wheeler in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Wheeler to a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after his imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), New York Police Department (NYPD) and the New York State Police with assistance from the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown prosecuted the case.
Massachusetts Resident Sentenced on Gun and Drug ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Taylor, age 29, of Malden, Massachusetts, was sentenced last month to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
When he pled guilty in September 2024, Taylor admitted that he sold multiple firearms and controlled substances to another person in Rensselaer County between September 2023 and January 2024. Taylor admitted that he had sold two firearms to this person on separate occasions in October 2023, and on both occasions also distributed controlled substances. In December 2023, Taylor and a co-conspirator sold this person over 400 fentanyl pills along with approximately 25 grams of fentanyl powder.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 4-year term of post-incarceration supervised release.
ATF investigated this case with assistance from the Troy Police Department, the Brookline (Massachusetts) Police Department, and the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted the case.
Colonie Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Benz Coleman, age 34, of Colonie, New York, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Coleman admitted that on January 31, 2024, he possessed over 3,000 fentanyl pills and over 13 grams of cocaine, all with the intent to distribute the drugs. Coleman further admitted that between November 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024, he sold over 2,400 fentanyl pills.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Coleman is released from prison.
DEA and the Colonie Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case.
Albany Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud and Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Niesha Goodwin, age 37, of Albany, pled guilty today to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits in the names of other people. Goodwin also pled guilty to firearm and drug distribution charges for a firearm and cocaine base recovered during a search of her residence.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Goodwin admitted that from about July 2020 through March 2021, she fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits worth more than $150,000 by submitting applications for benefits in the names of five other people, including by using stolen personal identifying information. Goodwin agreed to pay $151,783 in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor.
Goodwin also admitted to possessing a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol and cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine) with the intent to distribute in November 2022. As a result of her prior conviction for robbery, Goodwin could not lawfully possess the pistol. Goodwin has agreed to forfeit the firearm and to abandon seven rounds of ammunition that were found in the firearm.
Goodwin faces at least 2 years in prison, a fine of up to $1.75 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years when she is sentenced on June 12, 2025 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.
The case was investigated by USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and HSI, with assistance from the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Paulbeck, Joseph S. Hartunian, and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the case.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Willie Mills, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty on Monday to possession of a firearm as a felon and distribution of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
Mills admitted to possessing an EAA semiautomatic pistol and distributing 895 pills containing fentanyl. As a result of his prior felony conviction for criminal possession of a firearm, Mills could not lawfully possess the pistol.
Mills faces a mandatory prison term of at least 5 years and maximum term of 40 years, a fine up to $5 million, and a supervised release term of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
DEA is investigating the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Paulbeck is prosecuting the case.
North Country Man Indicted in Alien Smuggling EventRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Bailey Burger, age 38, of Chazy, New York, was indicted last week for alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
Burger is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for profit and four additional counts of alien smuggling for profit, all of which allege his involvement in a cross-border smuggling event in which he smuggled four citizens of India into the United States, on January 26, 2025. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted on all charges, Burger faces at least 5 years and up to 15 years in prison, as well as at least 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Burger was arraigned today, in Plattsburgh, before United States Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favro, and continues to be detained until a hearing on February 20.
U.S. Border Patrol is investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Parvinder Nijjar and Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Stitt are prosecuting this case.
Amsterdam Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Three Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jose Carrero, age 36, of Amsterdam, New York, pled guilty today to possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
On November 4, 2024, DEA agents arrested Carrero after observing him place three kilograms of cocaine into the trunk of his car. He was carrying $1,704 in cash, and in a search of his home law enforcement found an additional $70,000 in drug proceeds. As a condition of his plea agreement, Carrero has agreed not to contest the administrative forfeiture of that money.
Carrero faces at least 5 and up to 40 years in prison; a fine of up to $5 million; and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.
Illinois Man Indicted in Connection with Gold Bullion ScamRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Harmish Patel, age 26, of Streamwood, Illinois, was indicted last week for his role in a gold bullion scam that victimized an elderly couple in Rensselaer County.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office, made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that from December 1, 2023, to March 29, 2024, Patel conspired with others to transport across state lines gold bullion that had been taken by fraud, and that he transported gold bullion taken by fraud from New York to New Jersey on December 15, 2023, January 4, 2024, and January 15, 2024. According to the previously filed criminal complaint, Patel picked up gold bullion from an elderly couple in Brunswick, New York; the couple had been defrauded in a scam. The charges in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges filed against Patel carry a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative. The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving elders can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.
Binghamton Woman is Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Stealing a Child’s Social Security Benefits After the Child was Removed from her CustodyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Loretta Washington, age 60, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for social security fraud, United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), New York Field Office announced.
As part of her prior guilty plea, Washington admitted that she had applied for and was receiving social security benefits for a minor child, as the minor child’s representative-payee. A representative-payee is a person or organization selected by the SSA to receive benefits on behalf of a beneficiary who is unable to manage their payments. In September 2018, Broome County Department of Social Services removed the child from Washington’s custody after the child—who was four years old at the time—was found walking on a road in the middle of the night. Washington never reported the change in custody to the Social Security Administration and, at one point, lied to the Social Security Administration that the child was still in her custody. In total, Washington stole over $25,000 in social security benefits between October 2018 and November 2021.
In addition to the 18-month term of imprisonment, Washington will serve a term of supervised release of three years. Washington was also ordered to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.
Colombian Smuggler Extradited in Connection with Pregnant Woman’s Border-Crossing DeathRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – A Colombian man was extradited from Canada to the United States and arraigned today for charges arising from the drowning of a pregnant woman. The woman, a citizen of Mexico, died in December 2023 while trying to illegally enter the United States by wading across the Great Chazy River in Champlain, New York.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of Homeland Security Investigations, Buffalo, New York Field Office; and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
Jhader Augusto Uribe-Tobar, age 36, is a citizen of Colombia who resides in Quebec, Canada.
According to the indictment and an earlier-filed criminal complaint, Uribe-Tobar smuggled a pregnant woman, A.V.-F., from Canada into the Northern District of New York for $2,500, by instructing her to wade through the frigid Great Chazy River in darkness. The smuggling attempt ended in A.V-F.’s death.
United States Attorney Carla Freedman stated: “This tragedy highlights the dangers of illegal migration and how, as alleged, smugglers deliberately put people in harm’s way for profit. By vigorously prosecuting human smuggling networks, we are deterring and reducing the number of dangerous crossings like the one that took the lives of this young woman and her unborn child.”
HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan stated: “We will not stand by as lives are tragically lost by the deception of human smugglers profiting off the vulnerability of migrants. HSI Buffalo and our partners vigorously pursue justice for the victims who are exploited and endangered by the people whom they are trusting to move them across borders.”
Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia stated: “Effective border security enforcement hinges on tangible penalties for criminal actions. The U.S. Border Patrol continues to enforce the laws of the United States, and this prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office demonstrates that those who violate the law will be held accountable.”
The charges in the complaint and indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
On December 7, 2023, A.V-F.’s relative contacted Uribe-Tobar on TikTok where Uribe-Tobar advertised himself as a smuggler. Uribe-Tobar advised A.V-F.’s relative, “It costs $2500 American, it is worked through Montreal and they are left in the City of Plattsburgh, NY.” A few days later, on December 11, 2023, A.V-F.’s relative sent Uribe-Tobar proof that he had wired $2,500 to Uribe-Tobar. Shortly after receiving that message, Uribe-Tobar traveled with A.V-F. to the immediate area of the United States-Canada border.
At approximately 6:21 that evening, Uribe-Tobar told A.V-F.’s relative, “Friend we are at the river crossing.” At 6:22 p.m., Uribe-Tobar told A.V-F.’s relative, “She is crossing friend” to which her relative replied, “I’m very nervous.” At 7:06 p.m., Uribe-Tobar messaged A.V-F’s relative, “Bro hello, I think she got wet or turned off her cell phone. Bro, I told her to hold it while she was crossing.” Uribe-Tobar followed that message with a screenshot of messages he exchanged with A.V-F., which showed that he had sent her three messages at 6:17 p.m. The screenshot indicates that the last message was never read.
Uribe-Tobar and A.V-F’s relative continued to exchange messages throughout the night of December 11, 2023. Uribe-Tobar claimed that he had people searching for A.V-F. and that “I already sent them a pin to see if they see her, I told them what happened and that she is pregnant.”
On December 12, 2023, A.V-F.’s relative told a Border Patrol Agent in Champlain that she was supposed to illegally enter the United States on December 11, but that he had not heard from her. He reported her last known location as the edge of the Great Chazy River in Champlain, and that the smuggler had told A.V-F. the river was wadable. Multiple law enforcement agencies immediately began to search for A.V-F. On December 14, 2023, they found A.V-F.’s body in the Great Chazy River.
The charges against Uribe-Tobar carry a minimum term of 3 years and a maximum term of life in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
At his initial appearance today in Plattsburgh, Uribe-Tobar was ordered detained pending a trial scheduled before Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd in Utica, New York.
The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and United States Border Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Kopita and Carling Dunham are prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs assisted in securing the arrest and extradition of Uribe-Tobar.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Threatening and Firing Shots Outside of Albany SynagogueRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to civil rights and firearm charges related to his firing shots outside of an Albany synagogue.
Alkhader pled guilty to obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, brandishing a firearm during the commission of this offense, and conspiring to purchase a firearm unlawfully. Alkhader was arrested on December 7, 2023, and has been in federal custody since that date.
On the afternoon of December 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home in Schenectady to Temple Israel in Albany. Upon arriving, he walked up the front steps of the synagogue, removed a shotgun from a duffel bag, and discharged two rounds into the air shouting, “Free Palestine!” Still holding the shotgun, he then attempted to remove an Israeli flag from a flagpole outside of the synagogue before walking away. He was arrested shortly after by Albany Police Officers.
United States Attorney Carla Freedman stated: “The defendant’s violent, antisemitic and terrifying act targeted the Temple Israel congregation, the larger Jewish community, and the right of every person to practice their religion without fear of violence. I commend law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, to investigate his motives and his illegal acquisition of the shotgun, and to bring about today’s guilty plea to a crime carrying a minimum term of 7 years in prison.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Alkhader’s plea confirms his deliberate and premeditated intentions to illegally acquire a gun and use it to bring terror to the Temple Israel community as they were preparing to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. Thanks to the swift actions of the Temple Israel community and our law enforcement partners, justice has been served. The FBI remains steadfast in our mission to ensure all our communities can live without fear of hateful violence.”
Alkhader’s threatening actions forced the daycare operating inside of Temple Israel at the time of his actions to go into lockdown. Alkhader also significantly disrupted activities that the Temple Israel community had planned to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and made congregants afraid to return to their place of worship.
Alkhader also admitted that in November 2023, he and Andrew Miller agreed that Miller would purchase a shotgun for Alkhader by lying to a firearms dealer and falsely representing that Miller was the purchaser of the shotgun. On November 5, 2023, Alkhader and Miller drove to a federal firearms dealer in Albany and Miller purchased the Kel-Tec KS7 12-gauge pump-action shotgun; Miller later gave the shotgun to Alkhader. Alkhader fired this shotgun outside of Temple Israel.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller stated: “This guilty plea shows accountability for unlawfully obtaining a firearm and using it to instill fear. By stopping those who seek to use firearms to threaten and intimidate others, we are sending a message that gun violence will not be tolerated. This case demonstrates the dangerous consequences of unlawful gun possession. The cooperation between federal, state and local agencies remains critical in dismantling illegal gun trafficking. The successful resolution of this case was made possible due to collaboration between ATF NY Albany, FBI Albany, Albany PD, New York State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox stated: “The Albany Police Department wants to reassure the community that these incidents are taken very seriously, and we are dedicated to maintaining peace and safety for everyone in our community. Alkhader directly targeted the Jewish community, and I am pleased with our department’s quick action in apprehending the defendant, as well as the collective partnerships with the FBI Albany Office and the ATF who helped bring justice to this case.”
Sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Alkhader faces at least 7 years and up to life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Andrew Miller pled guilty and was sentenced to 14 months of imprisonment for his role in the straw purchase conspiracy.
The FBI Albany Field Office, in conjunction with the ATF and the Albany Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York, Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Threatening Jewish Synagogue in AlbanyRead the Press Release
A New York man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Albany, New York, to civil rights and firearm charges related to his threatening conduct targeted at a Jewish synagogue.
According to court documents, Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, pleaded guilty to an information charging one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of this offense, and one count of conspiring to purchase a firearm unlawfully. Alkhader was arrested on Dec. 7, 2023, and has been in federal custody since that date.
“The defendant’s violent, antisemitic and terrifying act targeted the Temple Israel congregation, the larger Jewish community, and the right of every person to practice their religion without fear of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “I commend law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, to investigate his motives and his illegal acquisition of the shotgun, and to bring about today’s guilty plea to a crime carrying a minimum term of seven years in prison.”
“Mr. Alkhader’s plea confirms his deliberate and premeditated intentions to illegally acquire a gun and use it to bring terror to the Temple Israel community as they were preparing to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli of the FBI Albany Field Office. “Thanks to the swift actions of the Temple Israel community and our law enforcement partners, justice has been served. The FBI remains steadfast in our mission to ensure all our communities can live without fear of hateful violence.”
“This guilty plea shows accountability for unlawfully obtaining a firearm and using it to instill fear. By stopping those who seek to use firearms to threaten and intimidate others, we are sending a message that gun violence will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case demonstrates the dangerous consequences of unlawful gun possession. The cooperation between federal, state and local agencies remains critical in dismantling illegal gun trafficking. The successful resolution of this case was made possible due to collaboration between ATF NY Albany, FBI Albany, Albany PD, NYSP, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
On the afternoon of Dec. 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home in Schenectady to Temple Israel Synagogue in Albany. Upon arriving, he walked up the front steps of the synagogue, removed a shotgun from a duffel bag he had been carrying, and discharged two rounds into the air, shouting, “Free Palestine!” Still holding the shotgun, he then attempted to remove an Israeli flag from a flagpole outside of the synagogue before walking away. He was apprehended shortly after by Albany Police Department officers.
Alkhader’s threatening actions forced the daycare operating inside of Temple Israel at the time of his actions to go into lockdown. Alkhader also significantly disrupted activities that the Temple Israel community had planned to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and made congregants afraid to return to their place of worship.
For obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, Alkhader faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years for brandishing a firearm during the commission of his crime. Alkhader faces a maximum of five years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to unlawfully purchase a firearm. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Alkhader is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case with assistance from ATF and the Albany Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York and Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Justice Department's National Security Division.
Member of Capital District Drug Trafficking Organization Admits to Dealing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Todd Austin, age 64, of Gloversville, New York, pled guilty today to conspiracy and drug distribution charges in connection with his distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of pure methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), made the announcement.
Austin admitted that between March and July 2023, he obtained methamphetamine from his Albany-based methamphetamine supplier that he then sold to others from his Gloversville residence.
Austin was one of nine defendants to be charged in this investigation. The following defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing:
- Andrew Deleon was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Stefanie Plass was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Ahmad Burke is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9, 2025;
- Keisha Duboise is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2025;
- Flor Arencibia is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2025; and
- Melissa Karwan is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2025.
Austin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. He will be sentenced on June 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Charges against the two remaining defendants, Felix Arencibia and Christian Mur-Santana, are pending. The charges in the indictment against Arencibia and Mur-Santana are merely accusations. They are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These cases are being investigated by the DEA and USPIS. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Manhattan Man Pleads Guilty to Mailing a Letter Containing a Threat to Kill Two JudgesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher McCarty, age 33, of Manhattan, pled guilty today to mailing a letter containing a threat to kill two New York State judges. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
McCarty admitted that between May and June 2023, he was incarcerated at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. McCarty admitted that on or about May 31, 2023, he mailed a letter to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. In the letter, McCarty wrote that when he was released from prison, he was going to kill two New York State judges who had presided over his case leading to his incarceration at Auburn Correctional Facility.
At sentencing scheduled for June 10, 2025, before Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, McCarty faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, post-release supervision of up to 3 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting the case.
Clinton County Felon Sentenced to 65 Months for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard Brundige, age 46, of Ellenburg Depot, New York, was sentenced today to 65 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a rifle as a previously convicted felon.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, United States Marshal David McNulty, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement,
As part of his prior guilty plea, Brundige admitted that on December 12, 2022, he possessed a Marlin Model 336W lever action rifle and 17 rounds of ammunition. Brundige has four felony convictions in New York that prevented him from lawfully possessing the rifle. Brundige committed this offense while a fugitive from justice following a conviction in 2019.
The United States Marshal Service and New York State Police investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham prosecuted this case.
Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sherry Ozmore, age 56, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with her role as a “runner” for a nationwide conspiracy to impersonate customers of financial institutions to fraudulently obtain cash, checks, loans, and credit. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Ozmore was indicted in October 2024 as part of a superseding indictment charging the alleged ringleader of the conspiracy, Oluwaseun Adekoya, 39, a Nigerian citizen living in New Jersey, as well as David Daniyan, 60, a Nigerian citizen who according to prosecutors has lived in the United States under stolen identities for decades, with orchestrating a conspiracy to steal the identities of people who resided all over the country and impersonate those people at banks and credit unions to fraudulently obtain cash, checks, loans, and credit. According to documents previously filed in court, the conspirators also allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of identity theft victims, which were then used to deposit and access the funds from checks they had fraudulently obtained from banks and credit unions by impersonating other individuals. The conspirators’ conduct allegedly involved nearly $3 million in intended losses, over $1.7 million of which was successful.
Ozmore admitted that she was recruited to join the conspiracy as a runner in or around January 2023 and fraudulently obtained over $195,000 over a five-month period that year from banks and credit unions by impersonating identity-theft victims whose personal identifying information was supplied to her by supervisors. Ozmore was paid a small portion of the money she fraudulently obtained.
The following defendants are charged as follows in the superseding indictment:
- Adekoya is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Daniyan is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and four counts aggravated identity theft;
- Kani Bassie, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Davon Hunter, 27, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft;
- Jermon Brooks, 20, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft;
- Christian Quivers, 20, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft; and
- Crystal Kurschner, 44, of Brooklyn, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI-Albany, which began after the May 2022 arrest of Daniyan, Gaysha Kennedy, 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, 64, of the Bronx, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio had allegedly traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud.
Adekoya, Daniyan, Kennedy, and Barriera were originally indicted, along with coconspirators Jerjuan Joyner, 50, of Brooklyn, Akeem Balogun, 56, of Brooklyn, Danielle Cappetti, 46, of the Bronx, and Lesley Lucchese, 53, of Brooklyn.
At sentencing on May 6, 2025, Ozmore faces a maximum term of 30 years’ incarceration, an order of restitution in the amount of $195,500, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years.
Kennedy, Barriera, Joyner, Balogun, Cappetti, and Lucchese have pled guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and are pending sentencing.
The charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $39 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman announced today that the Northern District of New York’s Asset Recovery Unit collected $39,262,324 in civil, criminal and forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $14,085,025 was collected in criminal actions, $15,874,944 was collected in civil actions, and $9,302,354 was collected in asset forfeiture actions.
The Northern District of New York also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $18,995,733 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $39,092 was collected in criminal actions and $18,956,641 was collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund can be used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. In Fiscal Year 2024, $8,330,553 of the funds forfeited in prior years through criminal and civil judicial forfeiture actions in the Northern District of New York were applied to victim compensation.
United States Attorney Carla Freedman stated: “These are great results – every recovery of funds strikes a blow for justice. I created the Asset Recovery Unit shortly after I took office in 2021, and I am incredibly proud of its efforts to make sure that crime does not pay, that crime victims are compensated as much as possible, and that companies pay appropriately steep penalties when they defraud the government.”
In May, $11.3 million was recovered as part of a civil settlement in United States ex rel. Elevation 33, LLC v. Guidehouse, Inc. and Nan McKay and Associates, for violations of the False Claims Act, for failing to meet cybersecurity requirements in a federally funded contract intended to ensure a secure online environment for low-income New Yorkers to apply for federal rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidehouse and its subcontractor, Nan McKay and Associates, admitted as part of a settlement agreement that neither satisfied their obligation to complete the required testing of the web site used to house applicants’ information, and the site was shut down within 12 hours after certain applicants’ personally identifiable information had been compromised.
In February, the Northern District of New York restored $4,950,440 in funds forfeited from Richard J. Sherwood and Thomas K. Lagan, who were sentenced to both federal and state prison for stealing approximately $11.8 million from the estates of three sisters who died. These funds were initially forfeited by the government through its criminal prosecutions of Sherwood and Lagan, and were restored in 2024 to the victims of the fraud by the Attorney General and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the United States Department of Justice. The victims include churches, Ukrainian-American civic organizations, a local hospital and a local university scholarship fund.
In September, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered $1 million from Derek R. Schwartz, who was sentenced this summer to 72 months in prison for conspiring with former ValueWise CEO Michael T. Mann to defraud companies that loaned millions of dollars to ValueWise subsidiaries. These funds will be distributed to two financing companies that were victims of a sophisticated, years-long scheme.
The Asset Recovery Unit is an initiative that works to deprive criminals of the proceeds of crimes, recovers property that may be used toward restitution, and enforces collection of criminal and civil debts owed to the United States or to victims of federal crimes. The Asset Recovery Unit is comprised of Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Fletcher, Elizabeth Conger and Melissa Rothbart, Paralegals Joshua Goodfriend, Marianne Meigs, Carly Clay, Erin Hyatt, Jiselle Cabezas, and Teilor Kaiser Clarey, and Investigative Analyst Jason Babiarz.
Albany County Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Thomas Berrington, age 33, of Colonie, New York, was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for his repeated sexual exploitation of a child announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his prior guilty plea, Berrington admitted that between June of 2023 and January of 2024, he repeatedly sexually abused a minor female child for the purpose of photographing and video recording the abuse. The victim was eight years old when Berrington’s abuse of her began.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Berrington to a 25-year term of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment. Berrington will also be required to pay a special assessment of $200, an additional special assessment of $5,000, and register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Violent Illegal Alien Arrested After Release from Local Jail Despite Federal Arrest WarrantRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A Mexican citizen who had been in local custody after pleading guilty to assault charges, and then was released from custody by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office after the sheriff’s office refused to honor a federal arrest warrant, has been arrested and taken into custody by federal law enforcement.
“The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, NY, a self-described sanctuary city, appears to have failed to honor a valid federal arrest warrant for a criminal alien with an assault conviction,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. “Yesterday, despite the warrant, a defendant with no legal status and a history of violence was released into the community. Federal agents risked their safety and pursued the defendant in unsafe conditions. Today, they were successful in recapturing the defendant. I applaud the U.S. Attorney’s commitment to investigate these circumstances for potential prosecution, and the efforts of the agents who were able to arrest the defendant under wholly avoidable circumstances. The Justice Department will not tolerate actions that endanger law enforcement and make their jobs harder than they already are, as they work to protect us all. We will use every tool at our disposal to prevent sanctuary city policies from impeding and obstructing lawful federal operations designed to make America safe again and end the national crisis arising from four years of failed immigration policy.”
Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, was charged in a federal criminal complaint on Jan. 8, 2024, with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal.
Because Romero-Hernandez was then in the custody of the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, New York, awaiting resolution of New York State assault charges, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) provided a copy of a federal arrest warrant, signed by a United States Magistrate Judge, to the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
On January 28, 2025, after Romero-Hernandez’s New York State assault charges were resolved by his plea of guilty to assault in the third degree and a sentence of time-served, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor the federal arrest warrant and released Romero-Hernandez before ICE-ERO arrived to pick him up and bring him to federal court in Syracuse to be arraigned on the pending federal criminal complaint.
Today ICE/ERO apprehended Romero-Hernandez with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The charges in the complaint pending against Romero-Hernandez are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York is looking into the circumstances surrounding his release.
Violent Illegal Alien Arrested After Release from Local Jail Despite Federal Arrest WarrantRead the Press Release
A Mexican citizen who had been in local custody after pleading guilty to assault charges, and was released from custody by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office after the sheriff’s office refused to honor a federal arrest warrant, has been arrested and taken into custody by federal law enforcement.
“The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, NY, a self-described sanctuary city, appears to have failed to honor a valid federal arrest warrant for a criminal alien with an assault conviction,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. “Yesterday, despite the warrant, a defendant with no legal status and a history of violence was released into the community. Federal agents risked their safety and pursued the defendant in unsafe conditions. Today, they were successful in recapturing the defendant. I applaud the U.S. Attorney’s commitment to investigate these circumstances for potential prosecution, and the efforts of the agents who were able to arrest the defendant under wholly avoidable circumstances. The Justice Department will not tolerate actions that endanger law enforcement and make their jobs harder than they already are, as they work to protect us all. We will use every tool at our disposal to prevent sanctuary city policies from impeding and obstructing lawful federal operations designed to make America safe again and end the national crisis arising from four years of failed immigration policy.”
Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, was charged in a federal criminal complaint on Jan. 8, 2024, with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal.
Because Romero-Hernandez was then in the custody of the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, New York, awaiting resolution of New York State assault charges, U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) provided a copy of a federal arrest warrant, signed by a U.S. Magistrate Judge, to the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
On Jan. 28, after Romero-Hernandez’s New York State assault charges were resolved by his plea of guilty to assault in the third degree and a sentence of time-served, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor the federal arrest warrant and released Romero-Hernandez before ICE-ERO arrived to pick him up and bring him to federal court in Syracuse to be arraigned on the pending federal criminal complaint.
Today ICE-ERO apprehended Romero-Hernandez with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The charges in the complaint pending against Romero-Hernandez are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York is looking into the circumstances surrounding his release.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – James Alvin Boone, II, age 30, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, distribution of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino, III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
Boone admitted that: he and another person conspired to distribute fentanyl and cocaine throughout the Capital Region; he directed his co-conspirator to store over 25,000 fentanyl pills weighing over 3 kilograms, two handguns, ammunition, and several hundred grams of cocaine in a storage unit and at her home; he personally distributed fentanyl and directed his co-conspirator to do the same; and, before this conspiracy, he personally possessed over 1.4 kilograms of cocaine and a pistol in a safe in his home on July 28, 2023. Law enforcement seized these narcotics, firearms, and ammunition from Boone and his co-conspirator in its investigation. Boone also admitted that after his arrest, he instructed another individual to dispose of additional fentanyl pills.
Boone faces a minimum term of 15 years and up to life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He will be sentenced on May 30, 2025, by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Colonie Police Department, Schenectady Police Department, and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting the case.
Schenectady Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK –Jabree Jones a.k.a. “Breezy,” age 32, of Schenectady, New York, has been charged by indictment with crimes including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and to possess firearms, including a machinegun, in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division; and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The 16-count indictment charges Jones for his participation in a drug conspiracy from January to May 2023, that included 11 instances of drug distribution between January and May 2023, and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine on May 23, 2023, when the ATF and DEA searched a property on Western Avenue in Albany, and a property in Halfmoon, New York. Jones’ coconspirators, Anthony Luizzi and Brandon Bartley, were each found at the Halfmoon property and the Western Avenue property, respectively. Between the two properties, Jones, along with his coconspirators, possessed 39 firearms, including an illegal machinegun, along with large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Another suspect in the investigation, Anthony Zaremski, was fatally shot during the execution of a federal search warrant on May 23, 2023, at Zaremski’s apartment in Clifton Park, after Zaremski opened fire and wounded two officers.
The following defendants have also been charged in connection with this investigation:
- Anthony Luizzi pled guilty to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and his possession of the guns found at the Western Avenue property and Halfmoon property. Luizzi was sentenced to 210 months in prison and a $10,000 fine on October 1, 2024.
- Brandon Bartley also pled guilty to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and his possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
- Devon Newsome pled guilty to transferring 29 firearms to Jones that were ultimately found at the Western Avenue property, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
The DEA and the ATF are investigating the case, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), the Rotterdam Police Department, and the Henry County Police Department in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Repeat and Dangerous Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison After Traveling from Arkansas to Albany to Sexually Abuse 11 Year OldRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Biswell, age 39, of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a life term of supervised release, after a federal judge determined that he is a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
In July 2024, Biswell pled guilty to interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and transportation of child pornography. After his plea, the United States Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office, and the FBI obtained evidence that Biswell had previously sexually abused an infant, which established that Biswell is a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors – significantly enhancing his sentencing range under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Faced with the evidence amassed by the government, Biswell informed the prosecution that he would waive an evidentiary hearing and his objection to being sentenced as a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors in exchange for an agreed-upon sentence of 20 years’ incarceration and a life term of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement and documents submitted to the Court, Biswell admitted that between January and April 2023, he communicated with an individual he believed was the mother of an 11-year-old girl through an internet-based social networking application and using his cellular phone. Over the course of those communications, Biswell expressed his interest in engaging in sexual contact and impregnating the 11-year-old and ultimately purchased airfare to travel from his home in Arkansas to Albany, with the intent to engage in illicit sexual contact with the child on April 8, 2023. Upon his arrival in the Capital Region on April 8, 2023, Biswell was arrested by FBI agents and admitted that he had traveled from Arkansas to Albany for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with a child he believed to be 11 years old. Biswell further admitted that he brought child pornography with him on his cell phone. The cell phone was subsequently searched by the FBI and found to contain numerous videos and images depicting child pornography, including several videos depicting the sexual abuse and rape of children under the age of 5.
In sentencing Biswell today, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci found that he had previously engaged in oral-to-genital contact with an infant, making him a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors. In addition to a 20-year term of incarceration and a lifetime of supervised release, Judge Nardacci imposed restitution in the amount of $9,000 and a special assessment of $200. When Biswell is released from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Delaware County Man Indicted on Social Security Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brian Gill, age 59, of Andes, New York, has been indicted for Social Security fraud. The charge relates to Gill’s concealment of work activity at a tree service company he owned and operated while he was obtaining disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
The Social Security Fraud charge carries a maximum term of 5 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Gill could also be ordered to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration for the funds fraudulently collected. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Tuck.
Syracuse Man Admits to Illegally Possessing a Rifle at a Gas StationRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Richard Bradley, age 36, of Syracuse, New York, pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Bradley admitted that, on September 9, 2024, he possessed a loaded rifle in his vehicle, which was parked at a gas station in East Syracuse. Bradley inadvertently fired the rifle several times, but did not strike anyone. As a result of his prior felony conviction for Criminal Mischief, Bradley could not lawfully possess a firearm.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 10, 2025, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. Bradley faces up to fifteen years in federal prison, along with a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of up to three years. He also could be fined up to $250,000, and will be required to forfeit the assault rifle to the United States. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
ATF and the Manlius Police Department are investigating the case with assistance from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Saratoga County Man Indicted on Drug Distribution and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jason Brundige, age 49, of Ballston Spa, New York, has been indicted for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, possessing a firearm as a felon, and using and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Saratoga County Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo.
The indictment alleges that on June 28 and July 2, 2024, Brundige, a previously convicted felon, distributed cocaine from his Saratoga County residence and, during one of those drug sales, he possessed a firearm. The indictment further alleges that on July 3, 2024, Brundige possessed cocaine with intent to sell it and possessed a loaded firearm in furtherance of this crime. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted on all counts, Brundige would face a minimum prison term of 10 years and a maximum prison term of life. Brundige also faces a supervised release term of between 5 years and life to be served after any term of imprisonment. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The ATF and SCSO are investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting this case.
Albany Woman Indicted for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Drasana Johnson, age 27, of Albany, has been indicted for laundering over $850,000 in stolen government funds, approximately $200,000 of which she used to purchase a residential property.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region, made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that from May 25, 2023, through June 30, 2023, Johnson conducted seven monetary transactions each of a value greater than $10,000 and derived from the theft of government property.
According to a previously filed criminal complaint, Johnson laundered federal funds that Asjid Parvez stole from a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that helped struggling farmers pay off their loans. The charges in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The money laundering charges carry a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Parvez, of Albany, was sentenced in May 2024 to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to theft of federal funds.
The FBI has already seized $516,974.54 traceable to the federal funds that Parvez stole, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery Unit has filed a civil action seeking the forfeiture of a residential property in Albany that Johnson is accused of purchased using approximately $202,675 in stolen funds.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the USDA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Paulbeck is prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Conger is representing the United States in the asset forfeiture action.
Syracuse Man Sentenced to 168 Months for Distribution, Receipt, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lawrence Boone, age 28, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 168 months in federal prison for multiple counts of distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
On several occasions from August through November 2023, Boone sent and received images and videos of child pornography from other users on a smartphone messaging application. At the time of his arrest, Boone possessed over 3,000 unique files constituting child pornography on four different electronic devices. The files discovered on Boone’s devices included images of prepubescent minors, images that involved sadistic and masochistic conduct, and images involving the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants.
United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Boone to serve a 15-year term of post-incarceration supervised release and to forfeit the electronic devices used to commit the offense. Boone will be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.
The case was investigated by HSI, the NYSP Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the NYSP Troop D Computer Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Robert Rahrle, age 34, formerly of Florida and now residing in the Northern District of New York, pled guilty Wednesday to tax evasion and wire fraud. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and Harry Chavis, Jr. Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
As part his guilty plea, Rahrle admitted that from 2017 through 2024, he ran a fraudulent online gift basket website called iCare Gifting Solutions LLC. iCare purported to cater to families of incarcerated individuals, promising to send care packages into prisons. iCare charged hundreds of customers approximately $50 per gift basket but never sent the gift packages.
In addition to defrauding iCare’s customers, Rahrle evaded his federal taxes. He self-prepared and filed tax returns for tax years 2017 and 2018 that falsely reported business losses and failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars of gross receipts.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2025. Rahrle faces up to five years in federal prison on the tax evasion charge and up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge, along with a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of up to three years. He also could be fined up to $250,000 or an alternative fine based on his gain or the victims’ losses, owes restitution to the IRS of approximately $175,000 and restitution to the victims of his fraud, and will be required to forfeit a money judgment of $2 million to the United States. A federal district court judge will determine Rahrle’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by IRS-CI, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Criminal Investigation Division of the U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.
Rensselaer County Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Cardwell, age 39, of Rensselaer County, pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Cardwell admitted that he sexually abused an approximately 7-year-old girl over a period of months and created sexually explicit images of that victim. Cardwell also acknowledged that he had a collection of approximately 1,000 CSAM files that he obtained via the internet, including pictures of prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity.
At sentencing scheduled for May 23, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci, Cardwell faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 15 years and a maximum imprisonment term of 50 years, post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, special assessments, restitution to the victims, and forfeiture of the property he used to commit he offenses. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Cardwell also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the New York State Police, and the Troy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Onondaga County Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – David Gedamoske, age 41, of Lafayette, New York, pled guilty yesterday to evading taxes on over $1 million in wages between 2016 and 2021.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Harry Chavis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
At his change of plea, Gedamoske admitted that he worked as a journeyman lineman for various electrical companies and received wages reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on the Form W-2. When he started working at these companies, Gedamoske completed a Form W-4 and claimed either “99 Allowances” or that he was “Exempt” from income tax. In doing so, he intended to have his employer withhold little or no federal income tax on his paycheck. Despite owing a significant amount of tax, Gedamoske failed to file a federal tax return between 2016-2021. As a result, Gedamoske evaded paying over $200,000 in federal taxes.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2025, before Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. Gedamoske faces up to 5 years in federal prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum $100,000 fine. He will have to pay restitution to the IRS. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the IRS-CI and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Tuck.