Southern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Dayton man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for purchasing opioid cutting agent from China to distribute throughout MidwestRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Nykiha Astin, 42, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 135 months in prison for purchasing an opioid cutting agent from China.
According to court documents, Astin knowingly conspired with others to purchase at least one kilogram of metonitazene from a source in China. Astin intended to market the drug, what he termed “juice,” in the United States as a cutting agent that, when mixed with fentanyl, would boost the strength and yield of the fentanyl. Astin worked with others to distribute the “juice” in ounce quantities to drug dealers in the Midwest.
Astin was charged federally in May 2024 and pleaded guilty in April 2025. He is one of four defendants convicted in this case.
Dominick S. Gerace, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders are representing the United States in this case.
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Ohio man pleads guilty to antisemitic assault near OSU campusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Miami County man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to committing a hate crime against Jewish students at The Ohio State University.
Timur Mamatov, 20, of Tipp City, Ohio, admitted to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act when he physically assaulted two students for their religion, causing bodily injury.
“Violence against people of faith is illegal and unacceptable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice will aggressively enforce federal laws to ensure that all Americans feel safe in practicing and expressing their faith.”
“Mamatov admitted in court today that he assaulted victims because they were Jewish. No American should fear being violently attacked based on their religious beliefs,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue violence motivated by hate.”
“Antisemitic violence has no place in our society,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Crimes motivated by hate spread fear throughout the community and deeply impact the sense of safety of all residents. We appreciate the Ohio State University Police Division and the Columbus Division of Police who had important roles in this investigation. We will continue to work together to protect our community.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 10, 2023, Mamatov and a friend engaged in an altercation with five students outside of a bar on North High Street in Columbus. One student was wearing a “Chai” pendant around his neck – a piece of jewelry commonly associated with Judaism. Mamatov asked the students if they were Jewish, and when they answered that they were, Mamatov punched one victim, fracturing his jaw. A second victim was injured, suffering a fractured nose, as the fight poured over into the street.
Mamatov was charged by a bill of information on July 3.
Violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division; Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio State University Police Chief Dennis Jeffrey and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Cameron Bell are representing the United States in this case.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Antisemitic Assault Near College CampusRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to committing a hate crime against Jewish students at The Ohio State University.
Timur Mamatov, 20, of Tipp City, Ohio, admitted to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act when he physically assaulted two students for their religion, causing bodily injury.
“Violence against people of faith is illegal and unacceptable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice will aggressively enforce federal laws to ensure that all Americans feel safe in practicing and expressing their faith.”
“Mamatov admitted in court today that he assaulted victims because they were Jewish,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “No American should fear being violently attacked based on their religious beliefs. This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue violence motivated by hate.”
“No one should have to live in fear because of their religion,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “These college students were targeted by Mr. Mamatov simply because they were Jewish. Hate crimes not only impact the victims but have a devastating impact on our entire community. The FBI works tirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to thoroughly investigate many types of hate crimes, hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions and bring justice to the victims.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 10, 2023, Mamatov and a friend engaged in an altercation with five students outside of a bar on North High Street in Columbus. One student was wearing a “Chai” pendant around his neck – a piece of jewelry commonly associated with Judaism. Mamatov asked the students if they were Jewish, and when they answered that they were, Mamatov punched one victim, fracturing his jaw. A second victim was injured, suffering a fractured nose, as the fight poured over into the street.
Mamatov was charged by a bill of information on July 3.
Violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Cincinnati Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah R. Litton for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Cameron Bell of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Grand jury indicts man who allegedly made death threats against ICE agentsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who was arrested in July after he allegedly made multiple threats online to shoot and kill ICE officers has now been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Anthony Marcus Kelly, 38, is charged in a two-count indictment with making threats to assault or murder a United States official and with making threatening interstate communications.
According to charging documents, from June 26 through July 17, Kelly allegedly used the social media username “Slab” and made multiple social media posts calling for the killing of ICE officers and detailing his acquisition of firearms to carry out that threat.
In one of his alleged posts, Kelly wrote “Why even bother with these damn courts anymore. #Gestapedos don’t deserve anything but the smoke coming for them anyway. #RevolutionIsTheSolution #DestroyICE they’re rabid dogs that need to be put down. Including #KristiNoem #DogmeatWalking.”
In another, he wrote, “You come here for me, you’re getting shot. And I’m not looking to disable […] I’m shooting for the kill. I won’t give a **** about your names, who you are, or anything else”.
Kelly was arrested on July 22 and remains in federal custody.
Threatening to assault or murder a United States official is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Making threatening interstate communications carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey and FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand jury indicts illegal alien for sexually exploiting 12-year-old victimRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury today and charged with sexually exploiting a 12-year-old girl in the Southern District of Ohio.
Victor Juarez, 26, allegedly created videos of his sexual abuse of the minor victim on at least 13 instances in October and November 2024.
He is charged with 13 counts of sexual exploitation of children.
In February 2025, Juarez was charged with rape in Hamilton County. The federal charges will now supersede his local ones.
Sexually exploiting children is a federal crime punishable by at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.
The FBI’s Cincinnati Division and police departments in Cincinnati, Sharonville and Springdale are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Cincinnati woman charged with stealing more than $148,000 from elderly or ill veteransRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Federal agents arrested a Cincinnati woman today in Louisville, Kentucky, on charges alleging she misappropriated money that she was managing on behalf of four United States military veterans.
Ishwanzya Rivers, 46, also allegedly made false statements to the federal government to cover up her theft.
According to charging documents, Rivers stole more than $133,000 from one elderly, dying veteran who lived at the VA hospital in Cincinnati. Rivers allegedly misappropriated the victim’s money at least 45 times from June 2021 through November 2022.
It is also alleged that she stole smaller amounts of money from three other elderly or infirm veterans totaling more than $15,000.
Rivers allegedly used the money for shopping, restaurants and to travel to New Orleans, Montego Bay, Cancun, London, Panama, Zurich, Vienna and Maldives.
Misappropriating funds as a fiduciary and making false statements are federal crimes each punishable by up to five years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Central Field Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Cincinnati man allegedly involved in downtown brawl charged with federal gun crimeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man charged locally as part of the July 26 brawl in downtown Cincinnati now also faces a federal firearms charge.
A federal grand jury today indicted Montanez Merriweather, 34, with illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
According to the indictment, on July 2, Merriweather illegally possessed a 9mm pistol. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.
“There is no place for violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Those who commit violent acts can expect to be scrutinized and they will be held accountable for violations of federal criminal law.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas A. Greco of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) stated: “Violence, in any form and under any circumstance, has no place in a civilized society. When warranted, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in close coordination with our law enforcement partners, will employ the full extent of our legal authority and resources to identify, apprehend, and remove violent offenders from our communities.”
Merriweather, who has been identified as a participant in the July 26 brawl in downtown Cincinnati, is currently in state custody on local charges that include assault, felonious assault and aggravated riot.
Possessing a firearm as a convicted felon is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and Cincinnati Police Chief Theresa A. Theetge announced the new charge. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former children’s hospital doctor charged with federal child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former children’s hospital doctor is charged federally with transporting and possessing child pornography.
Howard M. Saal, 73, of Cincinnati, appeared in federal court in Cincinnati this afternoon. Saal was previously employed as a geneticist and dysmorphologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
According to charging documents, a Hamilton County Sherriff’s Office detective working on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force investigated a cyber tip regarding image searches for child pornography that originated from Saal’s IP address. The cyber tip image depicted two naked females, approximately 10 years old, engaged in sexual conduct.
To date, as part of an ongoing review of Saal’s electronic devices, the FBI has thus far identified more than 153,000 images and 470 videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the child pornography involves child victims as young as a newborn.
At this time, investigators have not located any evidence of child pornography involving patients or children associated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
“I am incredibly proud of the work of our Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations unit and their diligence in investigating this individual,” said Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey. “We encourage anyone who thinks they may be a victim of Dr. Saal to contact our detectives. We will continue to seek out dangerous individuals and bring justice to victims’ families.”
“The FBI and our partners will continue to fiercely investigate those who attempt to sexually exploit children,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “I want to thank the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this investigation and for their strong partnership. Law enforcement is always more effective when we work together to address crime issues impacting our community.”
Transporting child pornography is a federal crime punishable by at least five and up to 20 years in prison. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola. Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and Ohio ICAC announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle E. Margeaux is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former children’s hospital doctor charged with federal child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former children’s hospital doctor is charged federally with transporting and possessing child pornography.
Howard M. Saal, 73, of Cincinnati, appeared in federal court in Cincinnati this afternoon. Saal was previously employed as a geneticist and dysmorphologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
According to charging documents, a Hamilton County Sherriff’s Office detective working on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force investigated a cyber tip regarding image searches for child pornography that originated from Saal’s IP address. The cyber tip image depicted two naked females, approximately 10 years old, engaged in sexual conduct.
To date, as part of an ongoing review of Saal’s electronic devices, the FBI has thus far identified more than 153,000 images and 470 videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the child pornography involves child victims as young as a newborn.
At this time, investigators have not located any evidence of child pornography involving patients or children associated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
“I am incredibly proud of the work of our Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations unit and their diligence in investigating this individual,” said Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey. “We encourage anyone who thinks they may be a victim of Dr. Saal to contact our detectives. We will continue to seek out dangerous individuals and bring justice to victims’ families.”
“The FBI and our partners will continue to fiercely investigate those who attempt to sexually exploit children,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “I want to thank the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this investigation and for their strong partnership. Law enforcement is always more effective when we work together to address crime issues impacting our community.”
Transporting child pornography is a federal crime punishable by at least five and up to 20 years in prison. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola. Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and Ohio ICAC announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle E. Margeaux is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Dominick S. Gerace II sworn in as United States Attorney for the Southern District of OhioRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Today, Dominick S. Gerace II took the oath of office to serve as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. Mr. Gerace was formally sworn in this afternoon in Cincinnati by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland following his appointment as interim United States Attorney by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
In July, President Donald J. Trump nominated Mr. Gerace to the position and his nomination remains pending in the United States Senate.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Gerace will serve as the chief federal law enforcement officer representing the United States in all federal criminal and civil litigation in the Southern District of Ohio. The district covers the 48 southern-most counties in the state of Ohio and is home to more than five million people. Mr. Gerace leads a staff of approximately 100 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across three offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton.
“It is the honor of my lifetime to serve the people of Southern Ohio as United States Attorney, and I look forward to working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect our communities and uphold the rule of law,” said United States Attorney Gerace. “I am extremely grateful for the trust that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed in me, and I thank Senators Moreno and Husted for their support in the confirmation process.”
Mr. Gerace is a former federal prosecutor with nearly a decade of experience in both the Southern District of Ohio and the Eastern District of Virginia, where he prosecuted cases involving national security, domestic and international terrorism, international drug trafficking, violent crime, bank and wire fraud, public corruption, tax evasion and money laundering. He previously served as Deputy Criminal Chief of the district’s Dayton office.
During his time as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Gerace received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security for his work in the federal investigation and prosecution arising from the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton. He also received the U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Performance for his service as counsel in the first international terrorism trial held in the district.
Most recently, Mr. Gerace was a Partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where he practiced in the areas of white-collar criminal defense, government investigations, compliance, and civil litigation.
Mr. Gerace earned his law degree, magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Georgetown University, where he was a senior board member of The Georgetown Law Journal and Editor-in-Chief of The Georgetown Law Journal’s Annual Review of Criminal Procedure. Following graduation from law school, Mr. Gerace clerked for the Honorable John M. Rogers of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Mr. Gerace earned his undergraduate degree in economics from the United States Military Academy and served as a tank platoon leader and company executive officer in the United States Army prior to attending law school.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, visit justice.gov/usao-sdoh.
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Local man charged with committing 5 armed robberies in 6 days, gun shop thefts, illegally possessing firearm as convicted felonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged a Columbus man with committing five armed robberies at local businesses within six days in January 2025. He and a co-defendant also allegedly stole firearms from a gun shop.
Dequan M. Keys, 30, is charged with crimes related to seven total robberies and one attempted robbery during January 2025. Keys allegedly possessed a firearm during five of the robberies. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Marwan H. Muhammad, 33, also of Columbus, is charged with taking part in one of the robberies.
According to the 14-count indictment, Keys committed the robberies between Jan. 12 and Jan. 26. In the first two alleged incidents, Keys stole a handgun from federal firearms licensee Vance Outdoors on Jan. 12 and Jan. 17. Muhammad allegedly participated in the Jan. 17 robbery.
Between Jan. 21 and Jan. 26, it is alleged Keys brandished a firearm and robbed Little Caesars Pizza on Harrisburg Pike in Columbus, Turkey Hill on South Hamilton Road in Whitehall, Turkey Hill on Stringtown Road in Grove City, Dollar General on West Broad Street in Columbus and Turkey Hill on Morse Road in Columbus. He allegedly attempted to rob the Turkey Hill on Cleveland Ave. in Columbus on the same day as the Little Caesars Pizza armed robbery.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Dog Fighting and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to federal dog fighting and drug crimes.
Joel Brown, 38, admitted to possessing and training dogs for fighting purposes and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Brown kept 11 pit bull-type dogs for fighting purposes at his residence in Franklin County. The dogs on his property were chained with heavy tow chains attached to tire axels buried in the ground. The dogs were within eyesight of each other but housed just out of reach — a housing style typical with organized dogfighting.
On one of Brown’s Facebook accounts, he posted a video of a black pit bull with visible scarring running on a slatmill. After responding to complaints about dogs being left outside at the property and obtaining search warrants, Columbus Humane rescued the dogs, working with the Columbus Division of Police. Authorities also recovered tools and supplies commonly used in the training and keeping of dogs for fighting. Under federal law, it is illegal to possess, train, transport, deliver, receive, buy, or sell animals intended for use in an animal fighting venture.
While conducting search warrants, law enforcement officers also discovered approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine in Brown’s home.
Brown will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for the drug charge, as well as a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the animal fighting charge.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.
Columbus Humane, the Columbus Division of Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Kevin W. Kelley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Local man pleads guilty to exploiting child, faces 15 to nearly 22 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Loveland, Ohio, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to sexually exploiting an 11-year-old.
Jonathan Travis Mackey, 46, of Loveland, admitted to exploiting a child victim in person while employed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). As part of his plea, Mackey immediately resigned from the FDIC.
The plea document recommends a prison sentence of 180 to 262 months in federal prison.
According to his court documents, in May 2024, Mackey sexually exploited an 11-year-old and created photos of the abuse. For example, the defendant created a digital photo that depicted Mackey directly engaged in sexual conduct with the victim.
Mackey was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 30.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Jason J. Scalzo, Special Agent in Charge of the FDIC Office of Inspector General Electronic Crimes Unit; and officials with the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Danielle E. Margeaux are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus man pleads guilty to dogfighting, drug crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to federal dogfighting and drug crimes.
Joel Brown, 38, admitted to possessing and training dogs for fighting purposes and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Brown was keeping 11 pit bull-type dogs for fighting purposes at his residence in Franklin County. The dogs on his property were chained with heavy tow chains attached to tire axels buried in the ground. The dogs were within eyesight of each other but housed just out of reach – a housing style typical with organized dogfighting. On one of Brown’s Facebook accounts, he posted a video of a black pit bull with visible scarring running on a slatmill – a type of treadmill often used by dogfighters.
After responding to complaints about dogs being left outside at the property and obtaining search warrants, Columbus Humane rescued the dogs. They worked in conjunction with the Columbus Division of Police. Authorities also recovered tools and supplies commonly used in the training and keeping of dogs for fighting. Under federal law, it is illegal to possess, train, transport, deliver, receive, buy or sell animals intended for use in an animal fighting venture.
While conducting search warrants, law enforcement officers also discovered approximately 52 grams of methamphetamine in Brown’s home.
Brown was indicted in December 2024.
Brown will be sentenced at a later date. He faces five to 40 years in prison for the methamphetamine crime and up to five years in prison for animal fighting.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Kevin W. Kelley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section are representing the United States in this case. Columbus Humane, the Columbus Division of Police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
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Dayton man arrested for threatening to kill CongressmanRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Federal agents arrested a Dayton man on charges related to threatening to kill a United States Congressman.
Jeffrey Dorsey, 60, formerly of Columbus, was arrested yesterday evening and his case was unsealed this morning. He appeared in U.S. District Court in Dayton today at 1:30pm.
According to charging documents, Dorsey left a voicemail on the Congressman’s main office line threatening to kill the representative if he voted to make cuts to Medicaid.
He stated, in part, “If you vote to take my f***ing Medicaid away, I’m gonna cut your f***ing head off…But I tell you this, clearly to your brain, if you f*** with my Medicaid, you’re a dead f***.”
Making interstate communications with a threat to injure is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
"The FBI takes all threats seriously," stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. "Threats to harm others, including public officials, will never be tolerated.”Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand jury charges Columbus man with money laundering $1M in business email scam proceedsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Federal agents arrested a Columbus man Tuesday on charges alleging he received and laundered more than $1 million in proceeds of a business email compromise scam.
A federal grand jury charged Benjamin O. Alexander, 42, with 29 counts of money laundering crimes.
According to the indictment, Alexander laundered proceeds from a scheme related to a contract for personal protective equipment (PPE) for a health-care provider in response to COVID-19. In June 2020, workers at the health-care provider received email messages purporting to be from the contracted safety-equipment supplier and requesting payments be sent to a new bank account.
It is alleged that the new bank account where the health-care provider was directed to send payments was one controlled by Alexander in the name of a business he established in April 2019 called BOA Building Maintenance and Cleaning Services LLC.
As a result of the business email fraud scheme, four ACH transfers were sent to Alexander’s bank account totaling approximately $1.1 million.
Alexander then allegedly made multiple financial transactions to conceal the source of the money.
Conspiring to commit money laundering and committing concealment money laundering are both crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Monetary transaction money laundering carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Local man sentenced to year in federal prison for COVID-19 relief fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Herman Brunis, 62, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud. Brunis was also ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, in June and August 2020, Brunis submitted false applications for COVID-19 relief funds. Brunis applied for two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for two business entities, G Max Design and Construction and G Max LLC. Both entities were held in the name of his wife at the time, Gina Brunis.
Brunis used a co-conspirator in Texas to prepare the applications with a design towards maximizing the chances of approval. His applications contained false information about the businesses, their payroll and their financials. In total, Brunis received $299,800 in funds that he then spent on personal items.
Gina Brunis was also charged federally in the Southern District of Ohio. The application preparer in Texas has been identified and law enforcement in Texas is handling the criminal matters related to the co-conspirator’s larger fraud scheme.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, announced the sentence imposed on July 15 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts 2 Mexican nationals with drug, immigration crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury in Columbus.
Cristian Melendez, 42, and Ismerio Garcia-Ontivaro, 39, were allegedly transporting more than three kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment in a car when they were pulled over by law enforcement on I-70 in June for a window tint violation.
Melendez and Garcia-Ontivaro allegedly received the Honda Accord from a car hauler traveling from Arizona to Columbus. The Accord had a hidden compartment from the console to the rear seats.
Both men were in the United States illegally after previously being removed and previously being convicted of aggravated felony offenses. Melendez had former convictions for trafficking heroin and illegally possessing firearms. Garcia-Ontivaro’s prior crimes include cocaine trafficking in North Carolina.
The defendants are each charged with conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony. The indictment was returned yesterday.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Kevin Raycraft, Acting Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Middletown man who pretended to be teenage boy online pleads guilty to coercing, exploiting minor girlsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Middletown man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to 11 counts of federal child exploitation crimes. The plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 26 years in prison.
William Scott Elam, 53, connected with girls between the ages of 10 and 16 on various online chatting apps. He pretended to be a 14-year-old male and coerced or attempted to coerce the minor victims into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct.
For approximately four years, Elam began online relationships with numerous minor females in at least seven states. Law enforcement officers have identified at least 10 victims to date. He admitted to coercing victims into masturbating on live video calls with him.
He manipulated at least one victim into complying by threatening to harm himself if she did not do as he asked. He instructed another victim to self-harm via cutting on live video after learning the victim had a history of self-harm.
Elam coerced victims into sending him live sexual material by threatening to leak naked images he obtained of them.
The defendant was arrested in October 2023. He pleaded guilty today to 10 counts of coercion and enticement and one count of sexual exploitation of children.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered on July 14 before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Lead defendant in multi-state car theft ring pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – The lead defendant in a $1.5 million chop shop conspiracy pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court.
Kahrese Tracey Scott Lee, 28, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen vehicles in interstate commerce and to knowingly operating a chop shop. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
According to court documents, between at least October 2023 and October 2024, Lee, who is also known as “Reese Lee” and “Bennett Jones,” knowingly worked with others to orchestrate an interstate stolen car ring. The defendant operated a garage in Dayton and received dozens of stolen vehicles. For example, during May 2024 alone, Lee’s Dayton chop shop housed within it more than half a million dollars in stolen cars and vehicle parts.
Lee often disassembled stolen vehicles and removed their parts for resale or for placement in another vehicle. He both received and traded or sold vehicles out of state.
On occasion, Lee also stole vehicles himself or worked with others to do so. During one planned theft incident, Lee and others traveled from Ohio to Indiana, where they stole three vehicles valued at more than $200,000 total from an auto lot.
Law enforcement ultimately discovered Lee and others in possession of the stolen vehicles in Alabama, where Lee planned to establish a new garage. Officers confiscated the cars and returned them to the Indiana dealership that owned them.
Lee and his accomplices had placed a tracking device on one of the stolen cars and tracked it back to Indiana. Lee traveled back to the Indiana dealership and attempted to steal the vehicle again; however, law enforcement apprehended him as he attempted to do so.
Lee and six others were charged by a federal indictment in November 2024.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the guilty plea entered on July 11 before Senior U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice. Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Rob Painter are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus fentanyl supplier sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sa’d Watkins, 44, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 180 months in prison for his role as a multi-kilogram fentanyl and fentanyl analogue supplier to mid and low-level drug traffickers in central Ohio.
Between September 2021 and July 2024, Watkins conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, he had others lease stash houses for him, where he processed and distributed narcotics. Watkins also supplied drugs to co-conspirators who sold out of various other residences throughout Columbus for him.
For example, at one of Watkins’s stash houses, law enforcement discovered more than 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue, 10 firearms, ammunition, extended magazines, a Tyvek suit and other drug packaging materials. Law enforcement officers also seized more than $120,000 in cash from Watkins.
Watkins was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024 and pleaded guilty in February 2025.
The defendant has decades of prior criminal history, including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated robbery, and firearms and drug crimes.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer and other members of the Delaware County Drug Task Force, as well as Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
Watkins was a target of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which is now part of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Cincinnati man pleads guilty to possessing 26 pounds of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Myron Billups, 46, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces at least 10 years in prison.
According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, law enforcement officers observed Billups near a residence on Drew Avenue in Cincinnati receiving a plastic storage bin. Billups placed the bin in the trunk of a red Lexus that belonged to another individual and then went back inside the residence.
Later that morning, Billups, driving the red Lexus, was stopped by law enforcement for a traffic violation. A K9 alerted at the vehicle, and officers discovered approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine in the storage bin.
During a subsequent search of the Drew Avenue residence, law enforcement discovered $3,000 in cash, drug paraphernalia and two baggies of fentanyl.
Billups was charged federally in August 2024.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; and Springfield Township Police Chief Chris Niehaus announced the guilty plea entered on July 10 before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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Local man who trafficked, exploited & raped minor girls sentenced to 50 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A previously convicted sex offender was sentenced in federal court to 600 months in prison. The defendant sexually exploited two minor females and forced one of the girls to engage in commercial sex acts with men at hotels.
Anthony Sims, 56, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in March – less than two weeks before he was scheduled to begin trial – to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of sex trafficking a minor.
Sims raped a 12-year-old girl 40 to 50 times throughout six months in 2020. Sims provided the girl marijuana and alcohol and talked her into getting high and drinking. At times, during the sexual assaults, Sims would hold down the victim’s arms or hold her in place. During these encounters, he forced the girl to pose for photos in sexual positions while nude or while wearing lingerie.
Sims convinced another victim, a 13-year-old girl, to smoke marijuana with him and once she was high, Sims raped her. He routinely held this victim down to facilitate these acts. Sims would also take nude photos of her, and he made her pose with stuffed animals or pillows.
Sims also took the 13-year-old to various hotels and forced her to have sex with men who paid Sims. The victim was forced to have sex with approximately 50 different men. Sims also sold pornographic photos of the victim.
At the time of his most recent crimes, Sims was a registered sex offender with two convictions out of Michigan.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed on July 8 by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Tyler J. Aagard are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus man sentenced to life in prison for drug, firearm, sex trafficking crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Price, 56, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to life plus a consecutive 65 years in prison for his role in a narcotics distribution ring involving bulk amounts of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine and other narcotics. The defendant purposefully provided a narcotics mix to cause the overdose death of an adult female because she was talking to the police about his drug trafficking. Price also sex-trafficked victims through drug withdrawals and violence.
A federal jury found Price guilty on all counts following a trial in January and February before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
As part of this case, which charged 25 total defendants, the government seized more than $1.7 million, 50 firearms and nine vehicles, including a motorcycle.
A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury initially indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine in central Ohio within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school.
A superseding indictment returned in October 2022 charged additional co-conspirators with distributing those same drugs in addition to methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Xanax and Oxycodone.
Price, who is also known as “DP,” was charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024 with 11 drug, firearm and sex trafficking crimes.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Price was part of a conspiracy to distribute and possess to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of “crack” cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, as well as marijuana, oxycodone and alprazolam. The drug trafficking organization operated from January 2008 until it was dismantled by law enforcement in 2022.
Drug offenses took place at residences on Burgess and Harris avenues, which are within 1,000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School.
In July 2021, Price distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine that resulted in the overdose death of an adult female. The testimony at trial indicated he purposefully killed her because she was talking to the police about his drug business.
The government also proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Price conspired to commit sex trafficking. From 2016 until 2022, Price and other members of the conspiracy would force and/or coerce adult female drug addicts into performing commercial sex acts by providing, withholding, or threatening to withhold controlled substances and lodging. Investigation showed that various women would be allowed to stay at a drug residence associated with Price, receive a front of drugs so they were not in active withdrawal, go to Sullivant Avenue and have sex for money, pay the debt from the front drugs, and then be allowed to remain at the house.
Price was also found guilty of three counts of sex trafficking related to his violence and coercion of three adult females. The testimony at trial indicated that he would lock the females inside his residence for days or weeks at a time and refuse to let them leave, forcing them to engage in sex acts. One victim was locked in a dog cage, shot and stabbed by Price. Another was restrained. A third was beaten and choked and left with a black eye. Price would refuse to provide them drugs unless or until they engaged in the sex acts, forcing them into withdrawal if they did not comply.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission task force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which is now part of Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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El Salvadoran with prior sex offense pleads guilty to illegally reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An illegal alien from El Salvador pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of a felony.
Adiel Hernandez-Orellana, 39, was previously convicted in Arkansas of sexual assault.
In 2003, Hernandez-Orellana was arrested for unlawfully entering the United States. In 2004, he was ordered removed from the United States after failing to appear for an immigration court hearing. In 2010, he was convicted of sexual assault in Sebastian County, Arkansas, and sentenced to seven years in prison. Following his prison sentence, he was removed from the United States.
In March 2025, the defendant was detained at the Delaware County jail in Ohio for outstanding traffic warrants. He was then processed for the instant immigration offense of illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of a felony.
Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to up to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Transporting illegal aliens is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Possessing a firearm as an illegal alien is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Kevin Raycraft, Acting Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Belmont County man sentenced to 60 years in prison for sexually exploiting multiple childrenRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Dennis Stopar, 65, of Flushing, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 720 months in prison for sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, between 2022 and 2023, Stopar sexually assaulted at least nine minor victims, both male and female, and created hundreds of videos and images of the horrific abuse. At the time of the sexual assaults, most of the minor victims were in foster care of a family member of Stopar.
In December 2023, while investigating a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding child pornography being uploaded to a Dropbox account at an address in Belmont County, law enforcement encountered Stopar. Further investigation revealed Stopar, a convicted sex offender, possessed child pornography he had created of one of the minor victims on his phone. Stopar was arrested and his electronic devices were subsequently processed via a federal search warrant, and he was charged federally in April 2024.
Forensic examinations on his devices revealed Stopar had filmed the sexual assaults of at least seven of the minor victims he had access to. Approximately 160 images and 12 videos of the identified victims being sexually assaulted by Stopar were recovered.
Stopar’s prior sex offense is a rape conviction for sexually abusing a victim beginning when the victim was approximately 6 years old until the victim was 16 years old.
The defendant pleaded guilty in this case in December 2024.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Belmont County Sheriff James G. Zusack announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Fayette County registered sex offender sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually exploiting child, sharing sexual abuse material on dark webRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A registered sex offender was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 360 months in prison for sexually assaulting, exploiting and victimizing children both in person and online.
Brian J. Roberts, 44, of Washington Court House, sexually abused a young boy and shared child pornography of infants and toddlers.
According to court documents, federal agents began investigating Roberts because of his activity across various dark web sites dedicated to the sexual abuse of children.
Roberts sexually exploited an approximately 3-year-old boy from November 2022 until August 2023 and uploaded videos and photos of the abuse. For example, one video titled Preview.mp4 showed more than three minutes of Roberts sexually abusing the child and ended with the words “NEXT TIME…POTTY FUN!”
The defendant uploaded 195 images to one dark web site, more than 100 of which focused on child sexual abuse of babies and toddlers as young as 3 weeks old.
Roberts was a twice-convicted sex offender at the time of his online conduct. He has prior convictions in Madison and Clark counties and, at the time of his arrest, had an active warrant in Highland County for telecommunications harassment toward a family member of the 3-year-old boy based on his alleged attempts to contact the child.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus man gets multiple life sentences for murdering 3 victims, directing others to dismember & bury 2 of the bodiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to three consecutive life sentences plus an additional 60 consecutive months in prison for murdering three victims as part of a narcotics conspiracy to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash. The defendant, who was also sentenced to five other life sentences to run concurrently to all other counts, had others dismember and bury two of the bodies to dispose of evidence of his crimes.
Following a three-week trial in December 2024, a jury found Larry J. Williams, Jr., 44, also known as “J Streets” and “J”, guilty of all 16 counts as charged against him in a second superseding indictment in September 2021.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Williams was a leader of a narcotics conspiracy in 2018 to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash in his residence, which ultimately resulted in the shooting death of another person within that house. To cover up for this murder, Williams murdered a man and a woman with knowledge of the first murder.
On June 27, 2018, defendants robbed at gunpoint a drug premises at 847 E.N. Broadway in Columbus. The co-conspirators planned and carried out the robbery to steal one of the resident’s marijuana and cash and then profit from the sale of the drugs; they recruited Williams to help in the robbery. During the robbery, Williams murdered a different individual present at the residence, Connor Reynolds, a 23-year-old from Grove City.
In August 2018, Williams then murdered Henry Watson, a 52-year-old from Columbus, to prevent him from providing information regarding Connor Reynolds’s murder to law enforcement.
On the same day, and immediately following the murder of Henry Watson, Williams murdered Tera Pennington, a 48-year-old from Columbus, to prevent her from serving as a witness to the previous crimes.
Williams then instructed individuals to clean the crime scene with bleach and other chemicals. Williams conspired to obstruct justice by concealing the bodies of Henry Watson and Tera Pennington. He directed others to dismember and remove the bodies from the crime scene and bury the victims’ remains at another location.
Williams used a residence at 121 Stevens Ave. as a drug premises to sell fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine and allow addicts to use narcotics. On more than one occasion, users overdosed in the basement of the home and co-conspirators provided Narcan to revive the users.
A total of 13 defendants have been convicted and sentenced in this case.
Co-defendant Patrick Foster, 41, of Columbus, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison. Foster directed three other co-defendants working for him to assist Williams in moving and disposing of two dead bodies. The co-conspirators jackhammered through the concrete in the basement floor of a residence on Sullivant Avenue owned by Foster. They then buried the dismembered bodies by pouring new concrete.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit: Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentences imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and Timothy D. Prichard are representing the United States in this case.
The joint investigation includes assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Franklin County Coroner’s Office, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC), U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Columbus Division of Fire and the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office announces charges filed as part of national health care fraud takedownRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris announced criminal charges against a defendant in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid. The charges filed in the Southern District of Ohio are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”
Terry Hill, Jr., 59, of Dayton, was charged by indictment with health care fraud, false statements relating to health care matters and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Hill allegedly illegally owned and operated a Dayton substance abuse treatment recovery facility, Recovery Street Central, after being excluded from participating in government health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. As alleged, Hill was excluded in 2021 from participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs after being convicted of Medicaid fraud. Notwithstanding his exclusion, Hill allegedly continued to own and operate Recovery Street Central, which submitted more than $4 million in claims to Medicaid for counseling services that were not provided or were provided in violation of Medicaid rules and regulations.
All the cases announced today are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of more than $14.6 billion in intended loss and more than 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown.
The Hill case is being prosecuted in the Southern District of Ohio by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth F. Affeldt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Walter, who is the Principal Assistant Ohio Attorney General for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Cincinnati Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) also investigated the case.
The national takedown includes cases being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Rapid Response Texas, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England and Northeast Strike Forces as well as U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Districts of Columbia, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont; Northern and Western Districts of Texas; Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California; Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida; Middle District of Georgia; Northern District of Illinois; Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky; Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana; Eastern District of Michigan; Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi; Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio; Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma; Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee; Eastern District of Virginia; Western District of Washington; Northern District of West Virginia. State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania are also contributing to the prosecutions with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team.
A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Cincinnati father & son each sentenced to more than a dozen years in prison for running drug ringRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A father and son who lived an extravagant lifestyle from proceeds of their drug trafficking organization were sentenced in U.S. District Court to 180 months and 150 months in prison respectively.
Stephen Wheeler, 49, was sentenced on June 20 and his son Romello Wheeler, 30, was sentenced on April 17.
According to court documents, between July 2022 and February 2023, the Wheelers operated a multi-kilogram drug trafficking organization involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
The two men shared a luxury apartment downtown Cincinnati for more than $4,000 per month in rent. They rented a separate house for approximately $1,000 to use as a drug premises. Throughout the eight-month investigation, the defendants drove nine different high-end vehicles, traveled extensively throughout the United States and internationally, and purchased front-row tickets with field passes for the Halftime Show for the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. When they and their residences were searched by law enforcement, they had approximately 1,317.9 grams of fentanyl, 1,678.3 grams of 95% pure crystal methamphetamine (or “Ice”), 962.5 grams of cocaine, $190,000 in bulk cash, and more than $395,000 worth of assorted jewelry, along with a loaded armor-piercing pistol.
The defendants pled guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
A third co-defendant, Mikelle D. Hill, was convicted and sentenced to four months in prison for her role in helping the drug trafficking organization, which included a truck and storage unit registered to her name.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney David P. Dornette, Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy, and Deputy Criminal Chief Frederic Shadley are representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts Mexican national for firearms, drug crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Mexican national who opened fire in a local taco restaurant parking lot was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Abel Velasquez-Avecedo, 29, was charged with illegally possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to charging documents, on April 11, Velasquez-Avecedo and another individual allegedly had an argument at Taco Nice restaurant in Columbus. It is alleged that the defendant fired multiple shots from a vehicle while driving near the restaurant.
Local law enforcement authorities found Velasquez-Avecedo to be in possession of a pistol and 30 to 40 small baggies of narcotics.
The defendant has prior convictions including assault and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Possessing a firearm as an illegal alien is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; announced the indictment returned on June 17. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Grand jury indicts Columbian national for illegally reentering United States after prior kidnapping, firearms convictionsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jaime Fernandez-Alacron, 48, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony.
According to charging documents, the defendant was previously removed from the United States in 2011 and 2020. Fernandez-Alacron was deported after being convicted in New York of federal kidnapping conspiracy and firearms crimes.
Court documents detail that Fernandez-Alacron was most recently arrested in May by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He was charged locally with felony possession of drugs and driving violations, including driving while intoxicated and without a valid license.
Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, like Fernandez-Alacron is in this case, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles A. Jones announced the indictment filed today. Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
These cases were investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Central Ohio woman sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for $2.8 million pandemic relief fraud schemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Westerville woman who claimed affiliation with Dayton-area pizza restaurants to obtain nearly $1.9 million in COVD-19 relief funds was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 70 months in prison.
Lorie A. Schaefer, 63, also assisted a co-defendant in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 pandemic relief loans in exchange for payment, causing a total of $2.8 million in fraud.
According to court documents, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021.
Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan.
Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS.
Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a home in Westerville. Schaefer also made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia.
After being charged in this case, Schaefer committed new offenses and violated her pre-trial release multiple times, leading to the revocation of her bond.
She pleaded guilty in July 2024 and twice attempted to withdraw her guilty plea.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Local attorney sentenced to 8 years in prison for child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Stephen Chinn, 41, of Columbus, was sentenced in federal court here today to 96 months in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, in May 2023, Chinn uploaded child pornography to the internet that depicted prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct including sex acts with adults and animals. These uploads were flagged by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
When investigators executed a search warrant in August 2023 at Chinn’s Grandview Heights residence, they discovered a desktop computer containing more than 4,000 child sexual abuse images.
In addition, a forensic analysis of Chinn’s computer revealed he had downloaded and saved other child sexual abuse material in August 2023. The material included prepubescent children engaged in bestiality and sexual intercourse with adults, as well as minor victims subjected to sadistic and masochistic abuse. Forensic data revealed that much of this content was downloaded from a Russian social media site known to be used for the download and exchange of child sexual abuse material.
At the time, Chinn was employed as a public defender in Franklin County.
Chinn was initially arrested and charged locally with Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving a Minor and Pandering Obscenity. Chinn was released on bond in that matter. He was charged federally in September 2023, and the federal indictment superseded the charges in his local case. Chinn pleaded guilty to federal charges in August 2024.
The case was investigated by the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Grandview Heights Police Chief Ryan Starns; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla D. Favor announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Husband & wife plead guilty to wire fraud related to pandemic relief fundsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A West Chester couple pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to committing wire fraud to obtain pandemic relief funds. The husband and wife were owners or associates of multiple transportation firms.
Ajay Chawla, 60, and his wife, Ruhi Chawla, 50, admitted that they fraudulently received more than $900,000 in pandemic relief funds. Specifically, they received four Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loans and three Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).
According to their court documents, on their loan applications, the Chawlas falsely reported the number of employees and gross revenues for their businesses: Prime Transportation and Logistics Inc., ABC Trucking Inc., Apex Truck Lines LLC and A1 Diesel Truck Repair LLC. Ajay Chawla also submitted a false statement to Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regarding the ownership of Apex Truck Lines.
“The investigative efforts of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and its partners, along with the prosecutorial work of the U.S. Attorney's Office, demonstrate the commitment to pursuing, capturing, and prosecuting those who try to defraud the American people," said TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge Kelly Moening.
“Today’s guilty pleas underscore our steadfast commitment to identifying and addressing fraud that undermines the integrity of Department of Transportation programs and requirements,” said Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region. “Greed has no place in pandemic relief programs, and together with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will continue to hold offenders accountable.”
The couple were charged in March 2025 by a bill of information.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case, which was investigated by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
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Social media finance influencer pleads guilty to orchestrating $20 million Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A social media finance influencer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to federal crimes related to a real estate Ponzi scheme.
Tyler Bossetti, 31, of Columbus, received more than $23 million in investments from victim investors throughout the United States and abroad. In total, dozens of investors lost more than $11 million.
He pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aiding in a false tax filing.
According to court documents, from 2019 until 2023, Bossetti widely publicized what he described as a real estate investment program. The defendant, through his company Boss Lifestyle LLC, guaranteed large rates of return for short-term investments. He advertised the investments, often promising thirty percent or more rate of return, through social media, especially Facebook and YouTube.
The plea agreement further details that Bossetti also caused the issuance and filing of approximately 14 false and fraudulent 1099-INT tax forms. The defendant filed the IRS forms to report interest income for investors who did not earn interest. Bossetti claimed he had reinvested victims’ interest earnings when in fact he did not.
Bossetti admitted to misappropriating investor funds to further his lifestyle and make purchases like rental payments on a condo in downtown Columbus, frequent travel, a $150,000 Mercedes SUV and various cryptocurrency investments.
Bossetti was charged by a bill of information in April 2025.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and aiding in a false filing carries a potential maximum penalty of up to three years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation; announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Rwandan Immigrant Arrested for Concealing Role as Perpetrator of Genocide After Fraudulently Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Note: see indictment here.
A federal grand jury in Ohio has returned a three-count indictment unsealed today charging Rwandan national Vincent Nzigiyimfura, also known as Vincent Mfura, 65, of Dayton, Ohio with lying on his U.S. immigration and naturalization applications. Specifically, the indictment alleges that he concealed his role as a perpetrator of the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, among other misrepresentations. Nzigiyimfura was arrested Wednesday in Dayton and made his initial appearance yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
According to the indictment, Nzigiyimfura participated in the genocide that took place between April and July 1994, when members of Rwanda’s majority Hutu population killed hundreds of thousands of the country’s minority Tutsi ethnic group in an attempt to eradicate the ethnic group. An estimated 500,000 to 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed during the three-month genocide. Nzigiyimfura, a Rwandan businessman and butcher, was allegedly a leader and organizer of the genocide against Tutsis in the area in and around Gihisi and Nyanza. Nzigiyimfura allegedly provided weapons, transportation, and material inducements to other Hutus and directed them to search for and apprehend people to be killed based on their status as Tutsis. He allegedly set up roadblocks to detain and kill Tutsis, using his personal vehicle to transport materials to build the roadblocks. According to the indictment, Nzigiyimfura devised a scheme to trick Tutsis in hiding to believe that the killings had stopped only to have them rounded up and murdered.
“As alleged, Vincent Nzigiyimfura directed and encouraged murders during the genocide in Rwanda and then lied to U.S. authorities to start a new life in this country,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The United States is not a safe haven for human rights violators. Those, like the defendant, who commit immigration fraud to hide their violent pasts will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mr. Galeotti thanked the prosecutors from the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), agents from HSI Cincinnati and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio for their work in bringing this important prosecution.
“The indictment alleges this defendant facilitated the killings of Tutsis during the Rwandan genocide and then lied about it on immigration applications in the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio. “This egregious conduct will not be tolerated.”
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) is committed to pursuing justice for victims of genocide by ensuring that those who committed atrocities in foreign lands cannot hide in Ohio or any other community in the United States,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of ICE HSI Detroit. “No one wants a war criminal as their neighbor and these allegations paint a grim picture of the horror Nzigiyimfura inflicted on the Tutsi people. His indictment and arrest is a step toward justice for those victims. ”
When the genocide ended in 1994, as alleged, Nzigiyimfura fled Rwanda and later lived in Malawi. While living in Malawi in 2008 to 2009, Nzigiyimfura allegedly submitted materially misleading applications for an immigrant visa and alien registration, including by falsely representing that he was not an alien who had engaged in genocide. In the presence of a U. S. Consular Officer, Nzigiyimfura affirmed he understood that any willfully false or misleading statement or willful concealment of material facts could subject him to criminal prosecution. Additionally, according to the indictment, Nzigiyimfura submitted an affidavit in which he misleadingly claimed he “left Rwanda in 1994 due to the Genocide,” when in fact, he fled the country because of his participation in the persecution and massacre of Tutsis. His alleged misrepresentations and omissions yielded an immigrant visa to enter the United States in 2009.
Five years later, Nzigiyimfura submitted an application to naturalize as a U. S. citizen. Here, too, according to the indictment, he knowingly made false statements and omitted material facts, including claiming he had never persecuted any person, never committed a crime or offense, and never lied to any U. S. Government official to gain entry to the United States. In a November 2014 interview with a U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer, Nzigiyimfura verbally reaffirmed these false statements, as well as others, according to the indictment. His application for naturalization has not been granted. Nzigiyimfura has lived in the United States since 2009.
In 2018, according to the indictment, Nzigiyimfura submitted an application and supporting documentation for a replacement Permanent Resident Card (green card) that was due to expire in 2019 and obtained a new fraudulently procured green card with an expiration date in 2029. On July 27, 2021, Nzigiyimfura allegedly used his fraudulently procured replacement green card in connection with an application for an Ohio driver’s license.
Nzigiyimfura is charged with one count of visa fraud and two counts of attempted naturalization fraud. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U. S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI Cincinnati is investigating the case, with assistance from the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.
Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U. S. Attorney Rob Painter of the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U. S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV. ICE@ice. dhs. gov or complete its online tip form at http://www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former OSU employee, 2 vendors plead guilty in financial fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three men have been convicted of conspiring to commit federal program fraud. A former Ohio State University employee sold surplus university assets for artificially low prices in exchange for kickbacks. He and two of his customers have been charged federally and have pleaded guilty.
According to court documents, from 2009 until 2020, Michael Brammer, 59, of Pataskala, was employed by Ohio State University’s surplus department. As part of Brammer’s duties, he evaluated and classified used surplus university assets like computers.
Brammer falsely classified equipment as recyclable and sold them to two recycling vendors – Abraham Amira, 60, and Robert Howard, 73, both of Columbus – for artificially low prices. In return, Amira and Howard made cash payments directly to Brammer.
In total, Brammer received at least $650,000 in cash from Amira and Howard that would have been revenues to the surplus department.
Throughout the course of the conspiracy, The Ohio State University received more than $10,000 in federal benefits each year through grants.
Amira pleaded guilty today to crimes related to the surplus fraud and to separate COVID-19 related fraud schemes. Amira admitted to fraudulently receiving and spending more than $800,000 from various COVID-19 relief programs. He pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit federal program fraud and wire fraud.
Brammer and Howard both previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal program fraud.
Conspiracy to commit federal program fraud is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Wire fraud carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; The Ohio State University Police Division Chief Dennis Jeffrey; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphy; announced the guilty pleas. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in these cases, which were investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force.
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Dayton man charged with immigration fraud for concealing role as perpetrator of Rwandan genocideRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – An indictment unsealed today charges a Dayton man with lying on his applications for a green card and United States citizenship by concealing his past role as a leader and perpetrator of the genocide in Rwanda in 1994.
According to court documents, Vincent Nzigiyimfura, 65, was a prominent businessman and shop owner in Rwanda in 1994 when the genocide began. He allegedly used his wealth and leadership position in Rwandan society to organize violence against and killings of Tutsis, the minority population persecuted in the genocide.
“The indictment alleges this defendant facilitated the killings of Tutsis during the Rwandan genocide and then lied about it on immigration applications in the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio. “This egregious conduct will not be tolerated.”
“As alleged, Vincent Nzigiyimfura directed and encouraged murders during the genocide in Rwanda and then lied to U.S. authorities to start a new life in this country,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The United States is not safe haven for human rights violators. Those, like the defendant, who commit immigration fraud to hide their violent pasts will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“ICE HSI is committed to pursuing justice for victims of genocide by ensuring that those who committed atrocities in foreign lands cannot hide in Ohio or any other community in the United States,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “No one wants a war criminal as their neighbor and these allegations paint a grim picture of the horror Nzigiyimfura inflicted on the Tutsi people. His indictment and arrest is a step toward justice for those victims.”
As alleged in the indictment, Nzigiyimfura directed groups of armed Hutus – the majority population – to kill Tutsis. He allegedly set up roadblocks during the genocide to detain and kill Tutsis, including a roadblock directly in front of his home, where Tutsis were allegedly killed at his direction. Nzigiyimfura also allegedly participated in killings. According to court filings, the defendant was subsequently convicted in absentia by a Rwandan court for genocide.
Court documents detail that Nzigiyimfura applied for a visa to enter the United States and was granted lawful permanent resident status in 2008. In 2014, he submitted an application for naturalization. Nzigiyimfura allegedly lied to U.S. immigration officials in his immigration applications, including by falsely denying any involvement as a perpetrator of the Rwandan genocide.
Nzigiyimfura was arrested yesterday and is charged with one count of visa fraud and two counts of attempted naturalization fraud. If convicted as charged, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit is investigating this case, with assistance from the interagency Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Painter of the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are representing the United States in this case.
Members of the public who have information about potential former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. They can also email [email protected] or complete the online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Federal agents arrest Morrow County man for 2 armed banked robberiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Morrow County man was arrested this morning and charged with committing two armed bank robberies.
James Travis Scurlock, 44, of Cardington, is charged with bank robbery and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to charging documents, on March 6 and May 16, Scurlock robbed the same bank near the Polaris mall while carrying a firearm. Scurlock allegedly wore a black sweatshirt, jeans, white Nike shoes, black gloves and a white camouflage mask during both robberies.
An affidavit details that the first time Scurlock robbed the Huntington Bank on Gemini Place, he initially inquired about opening a bank account. After the teller asked him for two forms of identification, he allegedly pointed a handgun at the teller and told the teller to put money in his backpack. Scurlock allegedly stole approximately $13,700.
During the May robbery, Scurlock allegedly pointed the handgun at a teller before walking to two tellers’ drawers and taking cash. It is alleged that he then ordered the tellers to the vault and placed more cash into his backpack. Scurlock allegedly stole approximately $27,700 during the second robbery.
Scurlock appeared in federal court this afternoon and his case was unsealed at that time.
Bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence carries a penalty of at least five years and up to life in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Green Township man charged with crimes related to 3 pipe bomb incidentsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury indicted a Green Township man today, charging him with federal crimes related to explosive devices.
Robert Gilb, 50, was arrested yesterday.
“The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Robert Gilb for possessing an unregistered destructive device and transporting explosive materials,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “This alleged activity posed a serious risk to public safety. The FBI worked closely with our law enforcement partners to neutralize this potential danger and protect the community.”
According to charging documents, Gilb allegedly detonated three improvised explosive devices (IED) in Hamilton and Butler counties in March and April.
A complaint affidavit details that on April 12, Hamilton County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Miami Township for a report of a loud explosion. They discovered what appeared to be a blast crater and components of an improvised explosive device (IED).
Further investigation revealed that there were two prior incidents in Morgan Township
that allegedly had similar characteristics to the incident in Miami Township. Butler County sheriff’s deputies had responded to incidents there on March 23 and March 28.
Witnesses allegedly saw Gilb in his white BMW near the site of at least one of the devices when it exploded.
Gilb is charged with three counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device and three counts of transporting explosive materials.
Possessing an unregistered destructive device and transporting explosive materials are federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, as well as the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, Butler County Sheriff's Office, Ohio State Fire Marshalls Office, Greater Cincinnati HAZMAT, Green Township Police Department and Green Township Fire Department, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups Dedicated to Monkey Torture and MutilationRead the Press Release
A grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging two individuals for their alleged involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
The indictment alleges that Katrina D. Favret, of Tennessee, and Robert M. Craig, of North Carolina, conspired with previously charged defendant Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, Ohio, to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.” Favret is also charged with creating and with distributing animal crush videos.
According to court documents, the defendants conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against juvenile and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera.
The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy included depictions of monkeys being sodomized with a heated screwdriver and a monkey having its genitals cut with scissors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office, and Assistant Director Douglas Ault of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.
The FBI and USFWS investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Former Columbus police officer sentenced to 3 years in prison for altering recordsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus police officer was sentenced in federal court here today to 36 months in prison for destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation.
Nicholas P. Duty, 36, of Commercial Point, Ohio, pleaded guilty in January to two counts of the crime.
According to court documents, on two occasions, Duty destroyed, altered or falsified records by purposefully deactivating or removing his police body worn camera. Duty’s actions were intended to impede, obstruct or influence a federal investigation.
In February 2024, Columbus police officers were working street-level prostitution crimes in the area of Sullivant Avenue on the west side of Columbus when a witness expressed concerns about Duty’s on-duty activities with sex workers. Duty was positively identified during the administration of a blind photo array.
Further investigation revealed that, on Oct. 31, 2023, and March 22, 2024, Duty deactivated or removed his body worn camera during interactions with two women, including during a sexual encounter.
During the incidents, Duty was on duty, wearing a police uniform, in a marked police vehicle and assigned a body worn camera. He knew he was required to comply with Columbus Division of Police policies for wearing the division-issued camera.
On Halloween 2023, the first woman had called Columbus police and asked for assistance, stating her boyfriend was attempting to kill himself. Duty transported the woman following the call and disabled his body worn and in-car cameras when he was alone with her. Duty made sexual advances toward the woman while his cameras were deactivated, and they exchanged phone numbers. Duty continued to reach out to her, including in April 2024, a few days before his arrest.
On March 22, 2024, body worn camera footage shows Duty speaking with the second woman near the Sunoco station at Sullivant and Clarendon avenues. The woman confirmed that Duty had money with him and asked if he wanted to go to their “normal spot.” Duty drove away in his police vehicle, relocated to a different alley, and met up with the woman. Duty removed his body worn camera and blocked it from recording video. The camera, however, still recorded audio from the incident. The audio recording reveals Duty asking the woman several times to have sex. She declines but performs oral sex on Duty. The two discuss meeting up later for sex and Duty paid the woman $20 for the sex act. During this time, he was marked “out,” indicating that he was actively working on a police call.
Further review of Duty’s digital devices revealed numerous conversations in which Duty would seek out sex from various women, including victims of crime, whom he met while working on duty as a Columbus Police Officer. He would also send messages to sex workers while working and then meet up with them in his police cruiser, engage in sex acts with them, and then pay them for the sex acts.
Duty was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. He had been employed with the Columbus Division of Police since June 2018.
Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas A. Greco, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphy, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison.
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Kevin W. Kelley are representing the United States in this case, which was investigated by the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.
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Ohio Company Sentenced for Violating OSHA Rule Leading to Worker’s DeathRead the Press Release
A Delaware corporation with a manufacturing facility in Ohio was sentenced today to pay a $500,000 fine, the statutory maximum, after pleading guilty to willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. In addition to the fine, Fabcon will serve two years of organizational probation and comply with a Safety Compliance Plan. The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.
Fabcon Precast LLC makes precast concrete panels at its facility in Grove City, Ohio. Batch operators were employees responsible for operating and cleaning the facility’s only concrete mixer, which discharged concrete from its bottom through a pneumatic door. The mixer had an exhaust valve that, by design, released the pneumatic energy which powered the discharge door to make it inoperable.
The valve’s handle broke off, and was not replaced, prior to June 6, 2020. On that day, batch operator Zachary Ledbetter was injured trying to close the discharge door due to the broken valve. Ledbetter was eventually freed from the door, but he died at a hospital five days later.
“Today’s sentencing reflects Fabcon’s willful failure to implement measures to protect its workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Sadly, this led to Zachary’s death. This tragedy shows the importance of following safety standards.”
“Fabcon Precast LLC willfully failed to adhere to OSHA safety regulations which resulted in the tragic and preventable loss of a worker’s life. This sentencing highlights our steadfast commitment to continue working with OSHA and our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who jeopardize workers’ safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Megan Howell of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region.
Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard, where the failure causes the death of an employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations.
The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman, of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and for the Southern District of Ohio respectively, prosecuted the case.
Former Franklin County jail deputy pleads guilty to civil rights violationRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Franklin County sheriff’s deputy pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to depriving an inmate of his civil rights. Matthew Carey, 28, of Grove City, admitted to depriving an individual of their right to be free from a deputy’s deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of serious harm, while acting under color of law.
According to court documents, in March 2022, Carey intentionally disclosed a pretrial detainee’s pending charge of rape of a minor to Gmier McCall, another pretrial detainee. Carey knew that disclosing the victim’s charges created a substantial risk that he would be assaulted by others in the jail, and in fact inmates did assault the victim.
Carey faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. McCall previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to deprive the victim of his civil rights and also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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Co-leader of large-scale narcotics & human trafficking rings sentenced to 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A leader in a case with 23 defendants involved in narcotics and human trafficking conspiracies was sentenced in federal court here today to 360 months in prison for drug, gun, human trafficking and money laundering crimes.
From 2008 until June 2022, Cordell Washington, 38, of Pickerington, ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Columbus with co-defendant Patrick Saultz. Their operations also included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, fraud and money laundering.
A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. In October 2022, the government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges.
Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit.
As part of this case, local, state and federal law enforcement officers have executed more than 20 search warrants at various locations throughout Central Ohio and seized more than $1.7 million in drug proceeds. For example, while executing a search warrant at a local storage unit, law enforcement officials discovered approximately one million dollars in bulk United States currency. Searches of additional residences yielded 47 firearms, diamonds, Rolex watches and additional bulk amounts of cash.
The drug trafficking organization sold drugs to customers out of more than 20 Columbus residences and distributed larger amounts to regional drug traffickers who then trafficked those narcotics to places such as West Virginia and the Northern District of Ohio. Saultz began the drug trafficking organization by distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine from his residences on Vida Place and South Hague Street in Columbus as early as 2008.
Most of the drug dealing took place within 1000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus at a residence on South Burgess. For example, one of Washington and Saultz’s numerous subordinates sold approximately $18,000 worth of narcotics per day from the location on South Burgess.
The case also involves the overdose death of at least one individual and the violent death of a second victim.
As part of his plea in April 2024, Washington admitted to labor trafficking male drug addicts. The defendant provided the men with their drug of choice after the men completed construction or cleaning projects at residences owned by the drug trafficking organization. The men were recruited by Washington and some completed the work for him under serious threat of harm.
Washington would provide the addicts with advances on small amounts of drugs so that they were well enough to perform physical labor. If Washington was not pleased with their work product, he would not complete the final drug payment and would threaten violence against them.
Washington used numerous methods to launder the group’s drug trafficking proceeds, including establishing front businesses that purported to be rental, repair and construction companies.
As of today, 18 of the 23 defendants have been sentenced, including six defendants who were sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Saultz was sentenced in March 2025 to 30 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Jared Murphy, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Andrew Lawton, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team.
This investigation was initiated as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati man sentenced to 25 years in prison for role in narcotics, firearms conspiraciesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Mason Meyer, 32, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in federal court here today to 300 months in prison. Meyer is the final of 16 defendants charged in this case for their roles in narcotics and firearms conspiracies.
The case originated with Meyer and another individual involved in an Aug. 7, 2020, police chase through Cincinnati that resulted in the deaths of two bystanders in Newport, Kentucky. Meyer and Kirsten Johnson, 26, of Cincinnati, were charged federally in August 2020. Ongoing investigation led to the additional 14 defendants and charges.
According to court documents, officials with the ATF, Cincinnati Police and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force were surveilling Meyer in Cincinnati on Aug. 7, 2020, when Meyer drove away. Cincinnati police officers attempted to stop Meyer when he fled, causing a police chase through Cincinnati and into Covington and Newport, Kentucky.
Local court documents detail that Meyer’s vehicle struck and killed a couple dining on the patio of Press on Monmouth in Newport, Kentucky. Two other pedestrians were struck and suffered minor injuries.
At the time of the chase, Meyer and Johnson possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle.
A grand jury indicted all 16 defendants in the federal case in July 2021, charging the defendants in a firearms conspiracy and in a narcotics conspiracy involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine and 10 grams or more of LSD, as well as detectable amounts of MDMA, DMT, marijuana and ketamine.
In total, as part of this case, law enforcement seized 11 firearms and more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, more than 200 pounds of DMT, more than five kilograms of marijuana, more than 15 kilograms of hashish and hashish oil, more than one kilogram of MDMA, more than 19,000 dose units of LSD, fentanyl, cocaine, and other synthetic and counterfeit drugs.
Meyer’s source of supply of methamphetamine, Ryan Haskamp, 36, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in February to 27 years in prison. Haskamp used at least five Cincinnati residences as stash houses to store and sell drugs. He also had others rent Airbnb locations and hotel rooms to further his drug trafficking. Haskamp had packages of drugs delivered to the Airbnb rental properties. Haskamp supplied drugs for redistribution in Cincinnati and Dayton via numerous co-defendants.
Others convicted in this case include:
NameAgeCity of ResidenceWilliam Keith Jenkins37CincinnatiMichael Alden Mobley42Ghent, Ky.Michael Tyler Boeh35CincinnatiVictoria Stauffer30CincinnatiQuincy Pemberton33CincinnatiDamon Gene Wade31California, Ky.Kelly Marie Smart35CincinnatiKevin Patrick Thiery44CincinnatiCrystal Randall37CincinnatiRory Hartmann30CincinnatiJulie Renae Wetzel34CincinnatiAshley Long30CincinnatiHaley Pennington26Moraine, OhioKelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge and agencies with the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and Drug Abuse Reduction Task Force (DART) announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
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Defendants with former cocaine convictions plead guilty to illegally reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to illegally reentering the United States.
Juan Carlos Garcia-Vazquez, 45, was convicted in Franklin County in 2024 for cocaine trafficking. The defendant was previously removed from the United States in 2004 and 2013.
Previous convictions for Lino Mendiola-Vanegas, 45, include cocaine trafficking and forgery in Franklin County. He admitted to illegally reentering the United States after being ordered removed in 2010.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office announced the guilty pleas entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth F. Affeldt is representing the United States in both cases.
Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Transporting illegal aliens is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Possessing a firearm as an illegal alien is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences and sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Grand jury indicts Mexican national on charges of illegal reentry, drug trafficking, assaulting federal officerRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury charged a Mexican national with federal immigration and drug crimes, as well as assaulting a federal officer.
Jose Adin Benjume-Gutierrez, 45, is charged in a three-count indictment that was filed this morning.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 3, Benjume-Gutierrez intentionally and forcibly assaulted a special agent of the federal government. Specifically, the defendant assaulted an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
It is further alleged that, in April, the defendant distributed cocaine.
Benjume-Gutierrez had been previously deported from the United States in 2011 and 2016.
If convicted as charged, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison for distributing cocaine and assaulting a federal officer, and up to two years in prison for illegally reentering the United States.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler J. Aagard is representing the United States in this case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Romanian national pleads guilty to bank fraud crime related to ATM skimmingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Romanian national who was convicted in Michigan of illegally reentering the United States pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to a federal crime related to ATM skimming.
According to court documents, Danut Valentin Urseiu, 32, conspired with others to commit bank fraud in the Southern District of Ohio in January and February 2023.
Urseiu’s plea agreement, which recommends a sentence of one year and one day in prison, details that he conspired with others to place skimming devices onto a financial institution’s ATMs in the greater Cincinnati area, including in Cincinnati, Green Township and Liberty Township.
Co-conspirators used the fraudulent access devices to steal information from cardholders and defraud financial institutions.
The financial institution reported that multiple ATM locations were victimized during the timeframe Urseiu and his co-conspirators were operating in the Southern District of Ohio.
Fingerprints on cameras placed with the skimming devices in Ohio matched Urseiu’s prints from arrests in New York in Michigan.
Urseiu’s cell phones contained photos of ATM skimming devices, recording devices and large amounts of cash.
The Court will determine Urseiu’s sentence at a future hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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