Eastern District of Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that James LaForte, 48, of New York, New York, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 137 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release to include 12 months’ home confinement, for crimes committed as part of a criminal enterprise that ran a fraudulent investment vehicle[1] known as Complete Business Solutions Group, Inc., d/b/a Par Funding (“Par Funding”) for a number of years, before it was taken over by a court-appointed receivership pursuant to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. LaForte was also ordered to pay $2,488,645 in restitution, representing the portion of investor proceeds that he illegally diverted from Par Funding’s numerous investors for his own use through sham merchant contracts and other self-dealing conduct.

In February 2024, the defendant, his brother Joseph LaForte, Par Funding’s president and CEO, and Joseph Cole Barleta, Par Funding’s chief financial officer, were charged in an amended second superseding indictment with racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.

James LaForte pleaded guilty in September 2024 to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and extortionate collection of debt, as well as obstruction of justice, for his violent assault on one of the Par Funding receivership’s Philadelphia attorneys, and retaliation, for threatening several government witnesses.

“James LaForte served as one of his brother’s enforcers,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He not only used threats of violence to collect on Par Funding’s debt, but stalked and assaulted an attorney, in retaliation for that man’s efforts to hold the LaForte family responsible for one of the largest financial frauds in Philadelphia’s history. As today’s sentence shows, this brand of brazen and violent lawbreaking simply won’t be tolerated in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.”

“Since its earliest days, the FBI has been dedicated to investigating complex financial crimes,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “James LaForte participated in a criminal enterprise driven by greed and sustained through threats and violence. The FBI is proud to stand with our partners in the pursuit of justice — disrupting these schemes and ensuring restitution for victims.”

“The defendant in this case was brought to justice for his participation in a criminal enterprise that caused significant financial harm to numerous investors,” said Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who commit such egregious crimes that threaten investors and the safety and soundness of our Nation's financial institutions.”

Joseph LaForte also pleaded guilty in September 2024 to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and related crimes and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2025. Barleta pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2025.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Samuel Dalke, and Eric Gill.

The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the Par Funding criminal prosecution.

[1] On January 21, 2025, the Court found the Par Funding fraud scheme caused an actual fraud loss of approximately $404,000,000, which it reduced to $288,395,088 after factoring in credit for collateral seized from Par Funding by federal authorities when the investigation became public in July 2020.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Douglas Penglase, 37, of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography.

The defendant was arrested this morning and made his initial appearance before the Honorable Lynne A. Sitarski.

As detailed in the criminal complaint, on May 27, 2024, the social media platform Kik reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of its users was transmitting files depicting child pornography (hereafter referred to as Child Sex Abuse Material or CSAM). NCMEC flagged 50 files as CSAM, specifically, depictions of prepubescent female minor children between the approximate ages of 8-12 years engaged in sexual activities with adults.

The contents of the Kik account were obtained by law enforcement via a search warrant, and review of the contents revealed almost 300 files containing CSAM. The search warrant return also included more than 1,100 messages between that target and other Kik users.

The criminal complaint alleges that the defendant was one of the other users involved in chatting about, and trading, CSAM, with the original Kik user and the defendant distributing nine CSAM videos each.

The complaint further alleges that law enforcement also obtained the contents of the Kik account belonging to the defendant. A review of the account revealed approximately 780 files containing CSAM.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Carissimi.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

PHILADELPHIA – David Metcalf has been appointed and sworn in as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with the White House also announcing yesterday that President Trump has nominated Mr. Metcalf to be the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for the term of four years

Mr. Metcalf most recently served as Amazon’s corporate counsel for government and regulatory litigation.

Mr. Metcalf previously served as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney for this office and the District of Maryland, where he also served as Deputy Chief of Appeals and won an award for Excellence in Prosecution of Organized Crime. He also served as a senior DOJ official as Senior Counsel to the United States Deputy Attorney General and Counselor to the United States Attorney General.

Before his DOJ career, Mr. Metcalf was an associate at Covington & Burling LLP and clerked for the Honorable Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Mr. Metcalf is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Princeton University.

“I’m pleased to once again serve the people of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues here to uphold the rule of law and prosecute criminals who threaten our communities.”

For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, visit our website and follow us on social media.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Symair Carson-Williams, aka “Lil Meer,” 19, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted on Thursday at trial of conspiracy to commit carjacking, three counts of carjacking, and three counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, for his role in a carjacking spree in the city in early 2024.

Carson-Williams was charged by indictment with those offenses in May of last year.

As proven at trial, the defendant was part of a group that conspired to commit three armed carjackings in Philadelphia in less than one hour. Video surveillance footage, cell phone data, forensic evidence, items recovered from one of the stolen vehicles, and victim testimony linked Carson-Williams to the carjackings.

Carson-Williams and his three co-conspirators first stole a blue 2019 Honda CR-V from the 1800 block of Lansing Street in Philadelphia during the overnight hours of January 27, 2024.

Approximately 90 minutes later, just before 5 a.m., they drove the stolen CR-V to the Sunoco gas station located on the 5300 block of North 5th Street and pulled up next to a 67-year-old man putting air in his car’s tires. Two of the offenders jumped out of the CR-V, both armed with handguns, wearing black clothing and black balaclava masks, and demanded that the victim give up the keys to his 2011 BMW 328i. One of the offenders put a gun to the back of the man’s head and forced him to the ground. When the victim told the males that the key was in the car, one of the carjackers entered the BMW and the other male returned to the Honda CR-V. Both vehicles fled the scene.

At approximately 5:15 a.m., a 34-year-old man parked his gray 2013 Chevrolet Equinox on the 3300 block of Shelmire Avenue. Two of the carjackers suddenly ran up to the driver’s side of his car and pointed guns at him. As they held the victim at gunpoint, the stolen Honda CR-V drove up. The gunmen ordered the victim to lay on the ground with his face down, and threatened to shoot him if he got up. The offenders then stole the victim’s vehicle and personal possessions, including his wallet, money, watch, and power tools.

Finally, at approximately 5:45 a.m., the stolen blue CR-V pulled up next to a 54-year-old man pumping gas at the Conoco station on the 5700 block of Rising Sun Avenue. Two of the offenders, both armed with handguns, approached the victim and pointed the guns at his face. After forcing the victim to the ground at gunpoint, one of the carjackers got behind the wheel of the victim’s Honda Accord, and the other male reentered the CR-V. Both vehicles fled in the same direction.

The defendant will be sentenced on a date to be determined and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 21 years in prison.

“Symair Carson-Williams and his co-conspirators thought nothing of terrorizing three innocent victims who’d just been going about their morning,” said Acting United States Attorney Thayer. “People in this city shouldn’t have to live in fear every time they get behind the wheel. That’s why this office and our partners on the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force are using every tool we have to prosecute the criminals responsible, get them off the street, and make the community safer.”

“Carson-Williams and his criminal associates terrorized innocent Philadelphians with this triple-carjacking spree using a stolen car, threatening their victims’ lives with guns to their heads – this young man now faces a mandatory minimum 21 years in federal prison,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Using ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools with our Carjacking Task Force partners we are bringing criminals like this to justice and making Philadelphia’s streets safer.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Branwen McNabb O’Donnell and Brian Doherty.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Paul DiMaio, 56, of Turnersville, New Jersey, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of providing contraband to a prison inmate and aiding and abetting.

The criminal complaint alleges that on February 4, 2025, at 10:53 a.m., FDC surveillance video recorded the defendant, a practicing criminal defense attorney, entering the Federal Detention Center Philadelphia (FDC) with two “redweld” type folders. DiMaio then completed and signed a Bureau of Prisons form that warns against bringing prohibited objects, including drugs, intoxicants, telephones, and electronic devices, into the FDC.

As alleged in the complaint, FDC surveillance video shows that DiMaio carried the two folders into a legal visitation room, where he met with an inmate, who is not one of his clients, for 18 minutes. Further, FDC surveillance video shows that, following this meeting, DiMaio left the room with just one folder.

In addition, FDC surveillance video shows that the inmate did not carry any redweld folder into the meeting with DiMaio. However, the complaint alleges that, after the meeting between DiMaio and the inmate, FDC personnel observed the inmate carrying a redweld folder, stopped him, and searched the folder, which was found to contain a Motorola cell phone, a charging cord, 83 strips of suboxone, and 240 loose cigarettes. Suboxone is a Schedule III controlled substance.

Tanya Culver, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was also arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of providing contraband to a prison inmate and aiding and abetting. The complaint alleges that Culver, the mother of a different inmate, took part in acquiring contraband, communicated with DiMaio, and traveled with him to the FDC on February 4.

If convicted, the defendants each face a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Miller.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Kevin Spratt, 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Anita B. Brody to 27 months in prison and five years of supervised release for defrauding a credit union and multiple credit union members of approximately $772,155.84 through a combination of fraudulent loans and unauthorized withdrawals. Spratt was also ordered to pay $822,155.84 in restitution.

Spratt was charged by information in September of last year with one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He pleaded guilty to the information in October.

The defendant had worked as a senior branch sales representative at a federally insured credit union (FCU) located in South Philadelphia. His duties included opening accounts, processing loan applications, and any branch duty other than depositing and withdrawing customer monies.

As detailed in court filings, beginning on or about October 1, 2018, and continuing through on or about September 15, 2022, he stole money from the FCU by, unbeknownst to 10 credit union members, taking out a total of approximately 32 loans in their names and converting the loan proceeds to his own use.

Further, beginning on or about February 14, 2020, through on or about September 28, 2022, he stole money from 12 FCU members by routinely withdrawing funds from their accounts without the members’ authorization. Six of these FCU members’ names had been used in the aforementioned fraudulent loan scheme.

According to the filings, Spratt deceived credit union tellers into facilitating the withdrawal of money from member accounts by, among other things, providing photocopies of the members’ driver’s licenses to the tellers as evidence that the absent members were in the credit union at the time of each withdrawal. The teller would enter the information provided by Spratt into a computer, which would allow Spratt to retrieve the member funds he sought from a cash machine. After receiving that money, he converted the funds to his own use.

Spratt was both familiar with, and personally interacted with, the large majority of the FCU members that he victimized. To hide his fraud from his victims, court documents state, Spratt routinely limited the victims’ access to banking services by cutting off their receipt of paper bank statements. By doing so, Spratt controlled the flow of financial information to his victims and forced many of them to personally interact with him to address any issues related to their FCU accounts. This allowed Spratt to manipulate the outcome of any member inquiry.

“While Spratt’s theft from his employer was inexcusable, his theft from clients who knew and trusted him was especially odious,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “When crooks like this defraud businesses and steal other people’s hard-earned money, we and our law enforcement partners stand ready to investigate, prosecute, and hold them responsible for their crimes.”

“This case highlights the importance of safeguarding our financial institutions and protecting the community from those who seek to exploit their positions of trust. Kevin Spratt's actions not only defrauded the credit union and its members but also betrayed the very principles of integrity and honesty that are essential in the financial sector,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “HSI remains committed to collaborating with our partners to investigate and bring to justice individuals who engage in financial crimes. We will continue to work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law and ensure the security of our community's financial systems.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linwood C. Wright, Jr.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Jesus Del Orbe, aka “Angel Cabrera-Santiago” and “Jesus Valdez-Del Orbe,” 55, a Dominican citizen who had been residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., to 21 months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

Del Orbe was charged by indictment in August of last year, and in November, pleaded guilty to the charge against him. He had previously been convicted of illegal reentry in 2017, in the District of Puerto Rico, and 2019, in the Southern District of Texas.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers located the defendant working at a Philadelphia tire shop, where he was arrested in July 2024. According to immigration records, the defendant previously had been removed from the United States on three prior occasions — on or about March 1, 2016, February 20, 2018, and November 17, 2020 — and had not sought permission to reenter.

“If you’re going to keep breaking the law, we’re going to keep prosecuting you,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “Mr. Del Orbe has repeatedly and deliberately entered the United States illegally, in contravention of our immigration laws. We will continue to work to hold such serial lawbreakers accountable.”

“The repeated illegal reentry by Jesus Del Orbe demonstrates a flagrant disregard for our nation’s immigration laws. This sentence underscores our commitment to upholding the rule of law and integrity of our immigration system,” said ERO Philadelphia Acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “We remain steadfast in our efforts to collaborate with federal authorities to ensure that those who violate our laws are held accountable. Our focus will always be on maintaining the safety and security of our communities.”

The case was investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Josh S. Verne, 47, formerly of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, now a resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge John F. Murphy to three counts of securities fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, charges arising from a series of schemes through which the defendant defrauded dozens of investors, prospective investors, employees, and business partners out of millions of dollars.

Verne was charged by indictment in August of last year with carrying out the schemes, which took place from in or about 2017 to 2020.

As detailed in the indictment and admitted by the defendant during today’s guilty plea hearing, Verne held himself out as a wealthy and successful businessman, entrepreneur, and investor, carrying out his fraudulent activities through a series of limited liability companies, of which he was the chief executive and over which he maintained control.

Among other things, Verne falsely represented his prior business successes, falsely represented his personal net worth, falsely represented his own investments, and falsely represented the financial health of his companies and investments, in order to induce others to invest in or provide loans to him or his companies.

For instance, Verne admitted to providing an investor with a forged Goldman Sachs statement that showed family investment holdings for Verne of more than $50 million, when, in fact, Verne did not have an investment account at Goldman Sachs in his own name or in his family’s names, much less an account with a market value of more than $50 million.

Verne also misused business and investor funds to repay prior debts and to finance an affluent lifestyle he could not afford, such as personal expenses related to renovations to his showcase vacation property on the Jersey shore, travel on private jets, contributions to political candidates, personal charitable contributions, and country club payments.

The defendant admitted that, in order to delay and prevent discovery by law enforcement of his own misconduct, he later sent bank and FedEx confirmations purporting to confirm delivery of funds to investors to whom he had promised repayment; the bank and FedEx confirmations were false and fraudulent.

Further, Verne stole the identity of a former employee from his company, forging the employee’s signature on a sales agreement to disguise an unauthorized sale of the employee’s shares of stock. Verne obtained $150,000 from the unauthorized sale and used those funds to make payments to himself and to a prior investor.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 242 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of two years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $17,500,000 fine, and a $1,300 special assessment. Full restitution also shall be ordered.

The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Shapiro and Jerome M. Maiatico. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Regional Office investigated civil securities fraud charges against Verne, which are pending.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Ramiz Duka, 62, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge to six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and $6,158,686.84 in restitution for conspiring to commit the arson of a Bucks County warehouse.

On October 30, 2024, Duka was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce.

The facts at trial established that Duka recruited two men into a conspiracy to set fire to a warehouse located at 1388 Bridgewater Road in Bensalem, Pa., paying them $15,000 to do so. Over the course of several weeks, the three co-conspirators met and planned the arson.

On December 10, 2022, one of the men recruited to the conspiracy by Duka set fire to the building. During fire suppression operations, one firefighter was seriously injured when a ladder collapsed. Damages from the fire totaled over $6 million.

“Ramiz Duka orchestrated this arson plot and set it in motion with no regard for the unpredictable nature of fire, the potential for the flames to spread, or the risks facing first responders reporting to fight the blaze,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “Arson endangers lives and communities, and, as this case shows, our office will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable those reckless enough to commit such a serious crime.”

“Arson is a dangerous crime with dire consequences, as in this case, seriously injuring a firefighter who was serving to protect his community” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Philadelphia Field Division. “I thank the Bensalem Township Police and Fire-Rescue, U.S. Attorney’s Office and other partners who are helping the ATF-led Philadelphia Arson and Explosives Task Force seek justice and keep our communities safe from dangerous arsonists like Ramiz Duka.”

The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bensalem Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz. Special thanks to the Bensalem Township Fire Rescue and the volunteer firefighter companies in and around Bensalem that responded to the fire.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that four members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that mailed methamphetamine and cocaine to, and distributed it throughout, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, including in Reading, Quakertown, Bensalem, Plymouth Township, Coopersburg, and elsewhere, have been sentenced to prison by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson.

In January 2024, the defendants were charged by indictment with drug trafficking offenses. They entered guilty pleas late last year.

Aived Abel Garcia, aka “Nephew,” 26, of Chula Vista, California, was sentenced today by Judge Wolson to 70 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in the drug trafficking organization.

Miguel Aliaga, aka “Migz,” 37, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, and Avrian Haywood Mack, aka “The Kid,” 22, of Reading, Pennsylvania, were both sentenced earlier this month to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

The DTO’s leader, Michael Sanchez, aka “West Coast,” 33, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced in January to 14½ years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Members of the DTO mailed the drugs from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where members of the organization would then pick up the packages for subsequent distribution to their dealers.

Sanchez organized and managed the DTO, overseeing the drug shipments. Garcia would travel from California to Pennsylvania to pick up the packages of narcotics, collect money owed to the DTO, and deposit it into a bank account. He, Mack, and Aliaga then distributed bulk amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine for the organization.

“These defendants took part in a cross-country conspiracy that brought significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “This office and our law enforcement partners at every level will continue to investigate and prosecute such traffickers, as we work to take illegal drugs off the street and make our communities safer.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia’s El Dorado Task Force, HSI Allentown, HSI Los Angeles, HSI San Diego, HSI LAX, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office Drug Strike Force, Quakertown Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Richland Township Police Department, Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Berks County Detectives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Bensalem Police Department, Montgomery County Detectives, and the Orange County Probation Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lizmar Bosques and Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Gannon, specially assigned from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Marlon Hodges, aka “Michael Stewart,” 50, a citizen of Jamaica, entered a plea of guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Anita B. Brody to one count of illegal reentry after deportation.

In February of last year, federal authorities became aware that Hodges was present in the United States after having been deported in 2016.

On March 6, 2024, the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Border Enforcement Security Task Force conducted an enforcement operation to locate the defendant. At approximately 10:30 a.m., Hodges was seen leaving a residence on the 5500 block of Walton Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and walking to a corner store on South 56th Street.

When investigators entered the store and approached the defendant, he stated that his name was Marlon Hodges and that he did not have identification. Hodges was immediately arrested and searched, and found in possession of a fraudulent Pennsylvania driver’s license bearing his photograph and the name Michael Stewart. A fingerprint check subsequently confirmed Hodges’ identity.

Investigators checked the defendant’s criminal and immigration histories and determined that, in February 2005, Hodges was convicted of first-degree assault in Orange County, New York, and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment. That March, U.S. immigration officers issued Hodges a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court for being an alien convicted of an aggravated felony, that is, a conviction for a crime of violence for which the sentence imposed was one year or longer.

In January 2006, an immigration judge in Fishkill, New York, ordered Hodges removed from the United States to Jamaica. Upon his release from prison, Hodges was removed from the United States to Jamaica via ICE Air Operations on April 28, 2016. He illegally reentered the United States at an unknown place on an unknown date.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27.

The case was investigated by the HSI Border Enforcement Security Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney S. Chandler Harris.

PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Daniel Pinos, 30, of Ecuador, was sentenced today to one year of non-reporting probation and a $100 special assessment by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.

Pinos pleaded guilty last week to a one-count information charging him with that offense.

Since in or about 2022, Pinos, an Ecuadorian dentist, made regular trips to the United States to provide dental care and prescription drugs in return for payment. Pinos did so even though he was not licensed to practice dentistry or prescribe drugs in the United States. Some of the drugs he dispensed while in the United States were shipped from Ecuador.

On September 10, 2024, law enforcement encountered Pinos and seized misbranded drugs and medical and dental equipment.

“In the U.S., we regulate health care and medications, to keep people safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “Pinos understood that he wasn’t licensed to practice dentistry or provide prescription drugs here, but did so, nonetheless. This office and the FBI will continue to investigate such medical malfeasance and hold those who commit it accountable.”

“The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to protect our citizens and safeguard the integrity of our healthcare systems,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “We applaud the hard work of the Allentown Resident Agency and our partners in this case and in their efforts to keep our communities safe.”

The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.

PHILADELPHIA – Jacqueline C. Romero announced the conclusion of her tenure as United States Attorney, effective immediately.

Ms. Romero was sworn in as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA) on June 21, 2022, following her nomination by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmation by the U.S. Senate. She oversaw one of the largest Districts in the country, with nearly six million residents across nine counties, and one of the busiest United States Attorney’s Offices, with a staff of over 300 located at offices in Philadelphia and Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Prior to her appointment as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Romero had served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the same Office for 16 years, specializing in fraud investigations and civil rights cases.

“When I came here, almost 20 years ago now, it was to do the job, to be a prosecutor. I didn’t come here for a title,” said Ms. Romero. “But it has been the absolute honor of my life to hold this title of U.S. Attorney. The work we’ve done these last years — scores of violent offenders and child predators taken off the street, fraudsters who preyed on investors and the elderly locked up, drug dealers and dirty doctors who poisoned our communities brought to justice, civil rights violations brought to light, and much more — all of it has made the Eastern District of Pennsylvania safer, stronger, and more just.”

“I’m extraordinarily proud, too, of our outreach efforts,” Ms. Romero said. “My team and I have gone out and met the people of this District where they are. It’s helped build trust in the community and that isn’t just something, it’s everything. I know that all of my colleagues here, no matter their role, will carry on this Office’s important work, on behalf of the people of southeastern Pennsylvania.”

***

Under Ms. Romero’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prioritized both the prosecution of violent crime, fraud, and civil rights violations, and proactive anti-crime efforts through community engagement, youth outreach, and reentry initiatives.

U.S. Attorney Romero also oversaw the expansion of EDPA’s Allentown office to better serve the residents of Lancaster, Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties, hiring three experienced Assistant District Attorneys from Lehigh, Berks, and Northampton Counties, to add to an experienced team with deep roots in the area. The expansion also increased the office’s physical footprint and upgraded its facilities, to meet the increased investigative workload from the Office’s law enforcement partners from the Lehigh Valley to Lancaster.

Violent Crime

U.S. Attorney Romero doubled the size of EDPA’s Violent Crime Unit, pursuing data-driven prosecutions that targeted the predominant drivers of violence in the District. Through focused partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the Office took illegal guns off the street, dismantled dangerous gangs and drug trafficking organizations, and sent a message to area carjackers and other violent offenders. These collaborative efforts significantly contributed to a 40 percent drop in violent crime in many areas of the District.

During Ms. Romero’s tenure:

• Her Office, the ATF, FBI, and Philadelphia Police Department, working together as the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, charged dozens of carjackers federally, resulting in substantial prison sentences.
• USAO-EDPA, following an investigation by HSI and the Reading Police Department, secured life imprisonment for the leaders of a violent drug and sex trafficking gang known as the Sevens, putting a permanent end to their reign of terror in the city.
• EDPA prosecutors secured the conviction at trial of Rafael Vega-Rodriguez for the attempted murder of three FBI agents, resulting in a 45-year prison sentence.

White Collar Crime

Under U.S. Attorney Romero, the Office successfully prosecuted numerous complex financial fraud and public corruption cases.

Among them:

• Bringing racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and related charges against Joseph LaForte and James LaForte, the main principals of the fraudulent investment vehicle Par Funding, which is alleged to have generated over $100 million in illegal proceeds for the defendants to the detriment of Par Funding’s numerous investors. The brothers have both pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
• The convictions at trial of former Local 98 business manager John Dougherty and former Local 98 president Brian Burrows for embezzling union funds and related charges. Dougherty was sentenced to six years in prison for these offenses and public corruption crimes for which he was convicted at an earlier trial; Burrows was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

• The conviction at trial of Joseph Cammarata for stealing more than $40 million in a years-long securities fraud scheme carried out with two codefendants. Cammarata, a securities claims aggregator, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was subsequently convicted at a separate trial of tax evasion related to the securities scheme and sentenced to a partially concurrent term of 72 months in prison.

Civil Enforcements

Under U.S. Attorney Romero, EDPA maintained one of the most active affirmative civil enforcement dockets in the country, including False Claims Act qui tams, civil Controlled Substances Act investigations, and civil rights matters. U.S. Attorney Romero was able to do so while supporting the Civil Division’s handling of an increased defensive litigation docket.

During her tenure:

• The District recovered hundreds of millions of dollars through False Claims Act settlements, including $172 million from national insurer the Cigna Group; almost $60 million in total from cardiac monitoring company BioTelemetry Inc. and two of its subsidiaries; $25 million from generic drug manufacturer Glenmark Pharmaceuticals; $20 million from durable medical equipment supplier Electrostim Medical Services, Inc. and its chairman; more than $16 million from optical lens and lens equipment maker Essilor; more than $15 million from Kansas chiropractic company Titan Medical Compliance and its owner; and over $8 million from the Boeing Company for allegedly failing to adhere to critical manufacturing specifications in the production of composite parts for V-22 Osprey military aircraft.
• The District sued AmerisourceBergen, one of the country’s largest wholesale pharmaceutical distributors, for allegedly violating federal law in connection with the distribution of controlled substances to pharmacies and other customers across the country, thereby contributing to the prescription opioid epidemic. That litigation is ongoing.
• Ms. Romero prioritized the Office’s civil rights work. This included the resolution of the most redlining investigations in the country, in which EDPA held financial institutions like Citadel Federal Credit Union, ESSA Bank & Trust, and Trident Mortgage Company accountable for such alleged practices.

Community Outreach

U.S. Attorney Romero was committed to strengthening the Office’s partnerships in the diverse communities it serves throughout the District, particularly those struggling with violent crime, opioid abuse, and the legacy of systemic exclusion from education, health care, housing, and employment.

She expanded the Office’s outreach efforts, adding a youth engagement coordinator and other personnel to form a dedicated External Engagement team, which bolsters EDPA’s public safety mission.

U.S. Attorney Romero and the team worked proactively with local leaders, schools, and organizations to identify potential issues that could be addressed through better community engagement, outreach to area youth, and support for people returning home to our communities from prison.

***

Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., the District’s First Assistant United States Attorney, is now Acting U.S. Attorney upon Ms. Romero’s departure from the Office. Mr. Thayer is a career prosecutor with over three decades of experience in the Department of Justice.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Pennsylvania resident Ronald Hoplamazian has agreed to pay $3,277,486.35 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by misusing funds received through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”).

Hoplamazian, who runs a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm, Eclipse Capital Partners, LLC, applied for — and received — an EIDL totaling $1,900,000. In applying for the EIDL, Hoplamazian represented that he would use the funds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoplamazian instead allegedly transferred a majority of the EIDL proceeds to a personal investment account, which is inconsistent with EIDL regulations.

“SBA loaned Hoplamazian almost two million dollars to help his business recover from economic harms caused by the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Hoplamazian instead allegedly used the EIDL proceeds for an entirely different purpose — to make personal investments — a purpose he knew to be inconsistent with the rules of the EIDL program. We will continue working with our partners to hold accountable individuals and businesses who misuse government programs like this.”

“This settlement underscores the SBA Office of Inspector General’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who attempt to defraud programs intended to support small businesses,” said Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of SBA OIG’s Eastern Region. “The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program was created to provide financial relief to businesses struggling due to unforeseen circumstances, not for personal enrichment through fraudulent means. SBA OIG will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure these critical funds reach those who truly need them.”

This case was investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General. It was handled by Deputy Chief Charlene Keller Fullmer, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mansi G. Shah, and Auditor Denis Cooke.

The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Donald Seefeldt, 65, of Wilmette, Illinois, entered a plea of guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone to a one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.

As presented in the information, on or about December 10, 2015, a masonry restoration contractor (the “Contractor”) was awarded a $58,473,000 contract by Amtrak to be the main contractor on a façade repair and restoration project at Amtrak’s 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.

Federal funding supplied approximately 90 percent of the money Amtrak used to pay the Contractor for the repair and restoration of the 30th Street Station façade.

Defendant Seefeldt was the Senior Executive Vice President of the Contractor with responsibility to provide executive oversight of the Contractor’s performance on the 30th Street Station façade project.

Lee Maniatis and Khaled Dallo, both charged elsewhere, were Vice Presidents of the Contractor, with responsibility to supervise the Contractor’s performance on the 30th Street Station façade project. Official #1 was the sole owner and a senior officer of the Contractor.

Amtrak Employee #1 was employed by Amtrak as the Project Manager on the repair and restoration project. In that capacity, Amtrak Employee #1 was responsible for communicating with the Contractor about the work being done on 30th Street Station. Amtrak Employee #1 was also responsible for reviewing the invoices, change orders, and requests for payment that the Contractor submitted to Amtrak. Amtrak Employee #1 had the power to approve or reject these invoices, change orders, and requests for payment. Although Amtrak Employee #1 did not have the singular authority to approve Amtrak payments to the Contractor, his approval was a critical step in that process.

The contract between Amtrak and the Contractor prohibited the defendant and other Contractor officials from “offer[ing] to any Amtrak employee, agent, or representative any cash, gift, entertainment, commission, or kickback for the purpose of securing favorable treatment with regard to award or performance of any contract or agreement.”

As alleged in the information, from in or about May 2016 through in or about November 2019, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, Seefeldt conspired, combined, and agreed with others known and unknown to the United States Attorney, including Amtrak Employee #1, Maniatis, Dallo, and Official #1, to commit an offense against the United States; that is, to knowingly and corruptly give, offer, and agree to give, a thing of value to Amtrak Employee #1, an agent of an organization which received in each one-year period from 2016 through 2019, benefits in excess of $10,000 under a federal program involving a grant, contract, subsidy, loan, and other form of federal assistance, intending to influence and reward Amtrak Employee #1 in connection with any business, transaction and series of transactions involving a thing of value of $5,000 or more.

Specifically, the information alleges, Seefeldt and the others, with the knowledge and agreement of Official #1, provided Amtrak Employee #1 with gifts and other things of value totaling approximately $323,686, including, among other things, paid vacations, jewelry, cash, dinners, entertainment, and transportation, to ensure that Amtrak Employee #1 used his power and influence to benefit the Contractor during the performance of the 30th Street Station Repair and Restoration Project.

In return for these gifts and other things of value, Amtrak Employee #1 allegedly used his position at Amtrak to access internal agency information available only to Amtrak employees about the 30th Street Station Project and shared this internal information with the defendant and other officials with the Contractor.

The information further alleges that Amtrak Employee #1 used his position at Amtrak to approve additional, more expensive changes to the 30th Street Station Repair and Restoration Project, thereby increasing the amount and value of the work to be performed by the Contractor. These additional expenses were reflected in a series of change orders or contract modifications. In total, Amtrak Employee #1 approved over $52 million of additional payments from Amtrak to the Contractor. Amtrak Employee #1 and officials with the Contractor, including defendant Seefeldt, falsely inflated the true costs of some of the work to be performed by the Contractor under these change orders, causing Amtrak to be substantially overbilled by over $2 million for the completion of the 30th Street Station Repair and Restoration Project.

Seefeldt is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 and faces a maximum possible sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Full restitution of as much as $2,062,374, joint and with several other co-conspirators, also shall be ordered.

“Every dollar of federal funding lost to fraud is a dollar less to put toward legitimate programs and projects,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and our partners will continue to hold accountable those who try to pad their pockets at taxpayers’ and the U.S. government’s expense.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Grenell.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kevin Kelly Murray, 30, of Oreland, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for child exploitation and child pornography offenses.

In June 2022, Murray was charged by indictment with one count of use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, one count of manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to all three charges in October of last year.

As presented in court filings, on September 1, 2020, a user of the online chat service Omegle uploaded and shared videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of prepubescent children. A content moderator for Omegle reported the activity to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”), with NCMEC subsequently providing this report in the form of a cybertip to the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Records revealed that the unlawful content had been distributed online using an internet account registered to the defendant’s residence.

On October 22, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Murray’s residence and found the defendant inside. After being advised of the reason for the search warrant, Murray admitted to possessing child pornography on his computer. Murray then consented to an interview at the local police station, where he confessed to police that he had accessed Omegle to both download and share child pornography. He further admitted to soliciting “preteen” girls over Omegle to undress themselves and perform sexual acts on themselves, at which point he would record their images/videos on his computer for his sexual gratification.

A forensic review of his electronic devices showed that from 2019 through 2020, the defendant used his cell phone and his computer to obtain at least 361 images and 93 videos of child pornography. Among the videos were several taken during Murray’s Omegle video chats with at least three different young girls, including Minor #1, who appeared to be approximately eight to ten years old. Chat records documented the defendant directing the child to engage in sexually explicit behavior. In response, Minor #1 engaged in the sexually explicit conduct and the defendant created three videos depicting the conduct.

“Murray preyed on children, grooming them for his own deviant purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He exposed these young girls to child pornography to normalize sexual behavior in their minds, convinced them to engage in explicit acts on camera, then saved the material for his repeated consumption. My office and our partners are working every day to prosecute predators like this, get justice for their victims, and keep all children safe from similar harm.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Abington Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lawrence McKay, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 32 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for leading six violent armed robberies in the city and surrounding counties in February 2021, all targeting cell phone stores. Judge McHugh also ordered McKay to pay restitution to victims, including money toward medical bills, of more than $100,000.

In February of last year, McKay pleaded guilty to all six robberies with which he was charged and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

At each robbery, McKay had at least one co-conspirator with him, and together they would force employees at gunpoint to turn over the store’s merchandise and cash. During one of these robberies, McKay shot a store employee in the stomach, and in another, codefendant Brenton Holmes shot a store employee in the leg. Both employees survived.

Holmes pleaded guilty to participating in five of the robberies with McKay and was sentenced in May of last year to 30 years in prison.

Dana Toby pleaded guilty to participating in two of the robberies and was sentenced in September 2023 to 15 years in prison.

Demon McNeil and Dashonna Hoskins each pleaded guilty to participating in one robbery, with McNeil sentenced in June 2024 to eight years in prison and Hoskins in May 2024 to 50 months in prison.

“Lawrence McKay and his crew were a crime spree unto themselves, racking up six armed robberies in less than three weeks,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In these holdups, they made store employees fear for their lives, threatening them at gunpoint, bringing them into back rooms, tying some up, and even shooting two victims. It was imperative to get McKay off the street before anyone else was harmed, or worse, at his behest. This sentence keeps him behind bars for decades and holds him accountable for the crimes he led. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by focusing on the most violent offenders and bringing them to justice.”

“The brazen acts committed in this case instilled fear in our community and put our citizens at risk,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime, protect our city, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Lower Merion Township Police Department, Bristol Township Police Department, Norristown Police Department, and Warminster Township Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz, Amanda McCool, and Anthony Carissimi.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jenny Espinal Tejada, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson to 18 months in prison, $1,841,402 in restitution, and forfeiture of the proceeds of her offenses, for defrauding the U.S. government.

The defendant was charged in July of last year by superseding indictment and pleaded guilty in October to one count of wire fraud and one count of defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”).

Espinal Tejada admitted that she used her small corner grocery store in Philadelphia to redeem SNAP benefits, even though she knew the store had not been approved to participate in SNAP as a merchant. She gained access to the program by misappropriating merchant identification numbers that had been assigned to stores that participated in the program legitimately. By using the misappropriated numbers, she was able to work around the rules of SNAP, and she further abused the program by trading benefits for cash in her store.

“Espinal Tejada sought to profit illicitly from the SNAP program, diverting nearly $2 million of the USDA’s money,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “On behalf of the folks who rely on these resources every day — and the taxpayers who fund the programs — we and our partners will continue to prosecute abuses like this and ensure that those who commit them are held appropriately accountable.”

“SNAP was created to provide food and nutrition to those who truly need this assistance,” said Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “This joint investigation identified those who sought to profit from SNAP through illegal schemes. We are thankful to our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners and will continue to dedicate investigative resources in order to protect the integrity of these programs and bring those who commit fraud to justice.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Tory Garvin, 49, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone to 180 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing large quantities of methamphetamine and unlawfully possessing ammunition.

Garvin was charged by indictment in June 2022, and in October of last year pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of ammunition by a felon.

“Tory Garvin was a significant supplier of methamphetamine in Philadelphia, found in possession of about 10 pounds of the drug,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and our partners will continue to bring to justice the people flooding our neighborhoods with illegal narcotics, to help boost the city’s safety, health, and quality of life.”

The case was investigated by the DEA and the Pennsylvania State Police as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Lanni and Angella Middleton.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Gregory Fiocca, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl to two years of probation for unlawfully demanding money as a union representative from a union employer for hours he did not work, in an amount not exceeding $1,000.

On August 19, 2020, following a week where he did little work and was frequently absent, Fiocca received a paycheck that was for substantially less than 40 hours. In response, Fiocca confronted and assaulted a Local 98 member who was the project manager. Fiocca slapped the project manager, choked him, threw him across a desk, spit on him, and threatened to beat him and the owner if they continued to monitor his attendance and performance. Fiocca then unlawfully demanded money from the project manager for hours he did not work.

Fiocca was charged by superseding information and pleaded guilty in September 2024.

"Fiocca, as the nephew of then-Local 98 Business Manager John Dougherty, abused his power and influence and resorted to violence to unlawfully claim wages he did not rightfully earn. That force and intimidation is detrimental to the integrity of hardworking and law-abiding members of Local 98, and such actions cannot be tolerated as business as usual," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "Many thanks to our law enforcement partners at FBI for their persistence in fighting corruption in Philadelphia and helping to ensure no one is threatened by economic retaliation or physical harm while engaging in honest business practices."

"Gregory Fiocca exploited his position within the union and resorted to violence in an unlawful attempt to claim wages he did not rightfully earn," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI remains committed to working alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office to root out corruption and uphold the integrity of our city for the citizens we serve."

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Grenell and former Assistant United States Attorney Frank Costello.

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Jacqueline C. Romero, announced today that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has entered a consent judgment against Michael DiCiurcio of Philadelphia, PA. In its complaint against DiCiurcio, the United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated small unmanned aircraft systems (“sUAS”) – commonly known as drones – unlawfully and unsafely in the Philadelphia area between at least December 2019 to the present, in violation of Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) requirements.

The United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated flights at night, in close proximity to the William Penn Statue, PSFS Building, and Liberty One Building, resulting in the sUAS almost striking a church steeple during one flight. The United States alleges that during certain flights DiCiurcio improperly operated the sUAS inside of controlled airspace near the Philadelphia airport, over people and cars, and, in at least one instance, lost control of the sUAS, causing it to fly uncontrolled over Philadelphia.

The FAA warned DiCiurcio in writing and provided him with counseling and education regarding requirements for safe operations of a sUAS under the Federal Aviation Regulations. The United States alleges that DiCiurcio nonetheless has continued to operate sUASs illegally and in a careless or reckless manner that endangers others.

Terms of the Consent Judgment

On January 23, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Jose Arteaga, DiCiurcio agreed to the terms of the consent judgment, including that: DiCiurcio (1) admits that all allegations of his conduct set forth in the Verified Complaint are true and accurate; (2) admits that the conduct as alleged in the Verified Complaint violated FAA regulations and safety guidance as alleged; and (3) accepts the administrative findings of violations and further acknowledges that the FAA will deem those matters as findings of violations that may be considered aggravating factors in any future enforcement proceedings against him.

In addition, DiCiurcio agrees that he will: (1) never operate in any manner any sUAS of any type, size, model, of any kind within the United States, nor will he ever seek any type of certification or license to operate any type or form of sUAS; (2) take down the YouTube channel known as “Philly Drone Life” and no longer operate or resurrect its content or any part in any form; (3) abandon those sUAS and other items he surrendered to the FAA on May 23, 2024, pursuant to the Court’s Order sanctioning DiCiurcio for contempt of the preliminary injunction entered by the Court on February 29, 2024.     

On January 29, 2025, Chief Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg signed the consent judgment.

“We work hard to educate people about safely flying their drones, and we don’t hesitate to take strong enforcement action when pilots deliberately flout the rules,” said Deputy FAA Administrator Katie Thomson.

“Failing to adhere to the safety requirements for flying small unmanned aircraft systems endangers people and property,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “All drone flyers have a responsibility to ensure that they observe all applicable regulations and guidance. Our Office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the FAA regulations and we will vigorously enforce violations wherever we find them.”

The allegations regarding unsafe sUAS flights in violation of FAA regulations are described in detail in the complaint. The case is captioned United States of America v. Michael DiCiurcio, Case No. 24-0612 (E.D. Pa.).

The case has been investigated by the FAA’s Flight Standards Division, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Viveca D. Parker.

All civil claims are allegations only.  There has been no determination of civil liability.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Francis J. Battista, 39, of Aston, Pennsylvania, was convicted at trial on all charges against him — 12 counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and seven counts of money laundering — for defrauding federal COVID-19 assistance programs of $8.4 million. United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond remanded the defendant into custody following the verdict on Friday afternoon.

Battista was charged by indictment with these offenses in June of 2022.

As proven at trial, between March 2020 and June 2021, the defendant fraudulently applied for 19 loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, seeking over $10 million in proceeds. PPP and EIDL were federal government programs intended to provide emergency financial assistance to small businesses and their workers, who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Battista applied for one fraudulent PPP loan using his own name, and submitted fake and fabricated documents in support of the application. For the rest of his applications, he used other people’s names and personal identifying information on applications and the bogus support documents submitted in support of those applications. In one instance, Battista falsely renewed the Pennsylvania photo ID card of a deceased family friend, had it mailed to his house, and then used it to apply for a PPP loan.

Nine of Battista’s 19 loan applications were funded, with the defendant receiving $8.4 million in PPP payments. Battista used the proceeds of the loans to attempt to purchase waterfront property in Florida, buy a Range Rover, engage in risky stock trading that resulted in millions of dollars of losses, and pay for his children’s private school, among other unauthorized expenses.

The government has located and seized $6.3 million of those funds through forfeiture proceedings.

Battista will be sentenced on a date to be determined and faces a maximum possible sentence of 316 years in prison.

“Frank Battista tried to cash in on a public health crisis, diverting federal money meant to support businesses and workers hobbled by the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He didn’t care that he was defrauding the government and all of us taxpayers — he just wanted to live larger on somebody else’s dime. As his case shows, my office and our partners are committing to prosecuting these shameless COVID crooks and holding them fully accountable.”

"Mr. Battista took advantage of our nation's generosity in a time of need by fraudulently applying for and obtaining COVID-19 program funds," said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation.  "IRS-CI, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate those who scheme to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain."  

"The Secret Service is proud to work alongside our federal partners to bring these defendants to justice," said Glenn M. Dennis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service. "Criminals exploiting the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program steal valuable funds from the American taxpayer and from businesses who rightfully needed these programs to continue operation during the pandemic. The Secret Service is committed to continuing our work with federal, state, and local law enforcement to track down and prosecute those who abused the PPP and EDIL Programs."

The case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and Eric D. Gill.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Dr. Ghodrat Pirooz Sholevar and his company, Nueva Vida Multicultural/Multilingual Behavioral Health, Inc., have agreed to pay $900,000 to resolve allegations in the United States’ Amended Complaint that they fraudulently billed Medicaid for medication management appointments for children and other patients that were too short pursuant to applicable regulations. The government alleges that the visits violated rules promulgated by Community Behavioral Health, the local Medicaid program administrator, and the False Claims Act.

Sholevar and Nueva Vida operated three mental health clinics in Northeast Philadelphia and provided psychiatry services under the Medicaid program to adults and children. Among other mental health services, Sholevar provided medication management appointments for his patients. A medication management appointment or “med check” is required to prescribe, and monitor the effects of, certain drugs for mental health conditions. During a med check, a doctor typically obtains a patient’s relevant history, examines his mental status, assesses his response to the medication, and adjusts any prescriptions or treatment plans if necessary. Medication management appointments are required to be at least 15 minutes in length to be fully reimbursable and documentation of the actual time in clock hours that services were provided is a condition of payment for Medicaid services rendered to patients in Philadelphia.

In an amended complaint filed on May 7, 2024, the United States contends that, from January 15, 2009, through March 31, 2017, Nueva Vida regularly submitted false bills for medication management appointments performed by Sholevar because these visits were not at least 15 minutes long and instead were likely substantially shorter. Nueva Vida also regularly billed for more medication management appointments than could be completed in a single workday if each appointment were 15 minutes long as required. Nueva Vida billed Medicaid for whole single “units” of medication management, thereby falsely representing that each patient had been seen for the required 15 minutes. The government alleges that, despite conducting appointments that were much shorter than 15 minutes, Sholevar falsely recorded start and end times in patients’ files that made it appear that the patients were seen for a full 15 minutes. These false “clock times” included overlapping times where Sholevar was purportedly seeing two or three patients during the same 15-minute window, and at two different clinic locations.

The United States further contends that the defendants knew or recklessly disregarded the Medicaid rules regarding the timing of medication management visits. The defendants’ fee schedules for services to Medicaid patients specified that the medication management visit was 15 minutes per “unit” of service billed. The defendants were notified in an audit as early as 2004 that medication management visits ranging from six to twelve minutes were too short. The Medicaid program administrator also regularly recouped payments from the defendants for medication management visits that did not include start and end times, or where there was evidence that the appointment was less than 15-minutes long. But the defendants continued providing too-short appointments and failing to document clock times in treatment records, even after these issues were repeatedly brought to their attention. Nueva Vida ceased operating mental health clinics in 2018.

“The defendants allegedly overbilled the Medicaid program at the expense of low-income Philadelphians, including children, who were seeking mental health services,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “These individuals deserved full and appropriate health care services, including careful management of psychiatric drugs that can have dangerous side effects. We will hold accountable those who bill Medicaid but fail to provide the full service, because this not only defrauds the government, but deprives vulnerable individuals of care.”

“Medicaid provides important mental health services to adults and children,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The defendants’ actions defrauded the Medicaid program and may have resulted in patients not receiving the full services they deserve. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate allegations of Medicaid fraud and ensure proper services are provided to patients.”

This settlement resolved a lawsuit that the United States filed under the False Claims Act in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The government’s resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. For the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Lindgren and Gregory in den Berken and auditor George Niedzwicki.

The case is captioned United States v. Nueva Vida Multicultural/Multilingual Behavioral Health, Inc. and Ghodrat Pirooz Sholevar, M.D., Civ. No. 24-1451 (E.D. Pa.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Tyleeya Williams, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert to 40 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for sexually abusing and exploiting a child in her care and multiple child pornography offenses.

In May of 2023, Williams was charged by indictment with the manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. She pleaded guilty to all four charges in June of last year.

As part of her guilty plea, Williams admitted that she sexually abused a one-year-old girl in her care, and that she had planned the abuse with another child sex offender with whom she was communicating online. The defendant photographed her molestation of this child and distributed those images of her abuse – which included the child’s face – via the internet. Williams also admitted that she had trafficked thousands of images and videos showing the sexual abuse of dozens of other children, sharing that material with groups of child sex offenders online.

“Tyleeya Williams was entrusted with the care and protection of this little girl, but instead sexually abused and exploited her,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The defendant further victimized this child by documenting the abuse and sharing the horrific images with other sex offenders. While Williams’ 40-year sentence can’t reverse the immeasurable harm she’s done, it prevents her from harming anyone else’s child and is a measure of justice for all the innocents whose images she collected and shared. My office and the FBI will never stop working to hold accountable criminals ready and willing to hurt our children.”

“The crimes Tyleeya Williams committed are among the most egregious the FBI investigates,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Even in the face of such horrific crimes, our office remains unwavering in our pursuit of justice against those who abuse and exploit our most vulnerable.”  

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Khalif Ward, 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky to a term of 46 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $25,000 fine for firearms offenses.

In December of 2023, Ward was indicted on one count of possession of a machine gun and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded guilty to both charges in October.

The defendant, a rap artist known as “Leaf Ward,” with hundreds of thousands of online followers, committed the offenses while on release for a state case involving the straw purchase and illegal transfer of firearms, and after he was found in possession of a firearm after being shot in 2020.

As stated in court documents, on August 16, 2023, Ward took a stolen vehicle to the Bahama Breeze restaurant in the King of Prussia Mall. Officers doing proactive details in the parking lot ran the registration for the car, which came back stolen out of Philadelphia. The officers then began the process of towing the vehicle. While the car was in the process of being towed, Ward exited the restaurant with his girlfriend.

Ward ran toward the tow truck, until he saw the uniformed police officers and the marked police vehicle. He then sprinted back into the restaurant, where an employee saw him put a loaded Glock firearm into a kitchen trash can and discard his hat nearby.

Officers chased Ward into the restaurant and through the kitchen, apprehending him behind the eatery and recovering the loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol, which was found to be fitted with a illegal switch converting it from semi-automatic to fully automatic fire.

“Despite two prior gun convictions, Ward continued to wield these weapons, boldly displaying them in his videos and carrying them on the street,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Moreover, the pistol he tried to ditch when running from police was altered to enable automatic fire. This office will continue to work with the ATF and our state and local partners to get guns out of the hands of people not permitted to have them, to tamp down violent crime and make the public safer.”

“Keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals is why the law prohibits felons from having firearms,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Philadelphia Field Division. “In this case, the defendant was not only illegally carrying a loaded weapon in a busy public location, but he was carrying a pistol turned into a machine gun. Such converted weapons are extremely dangerous as they can fire an entire magazine of bullets in seconds, often hitting uninvolved bystanders. ATF is committed to working with our partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals like Ward who endanger our neighborhoods.”

The case was investigated by the ATF, United States Secret Service, and the Upper Merion Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Lanni, Everett Witherell, and Shayna Gannone.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph Gallo, 80, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sanchez to 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release, $12,750 in restitution, and $10,000 in additional special assessments, for possessing thousands of images and videos of child pornography.

In March of last year, the defendant was charged by information with possession of child pornography as a second-time child sex offender. He pleaded guilty in July, admitting that, over a period of more than three years, he had amassed a collection of more than 18,000 images depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

At the time Gallo committed these crimes, he was already a registered sex offender under Megan’s Law, attending court-ordered sex offender treatment, and serving a sentence of supervised county probation, following his 2015 prosecution in Bucks County for similar offenses.

“Gallo learned nothing from his first conviction and again started seeking out those abhorrent images,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Consumers of child pornography like him perpetuate the exploitation and trauma of innocent victims, which my office, HSI, and our partners simply won’t abide. We’ll continue to hold accountable collectors of child sexual abuse material, because protecting kids everywhere is paramount.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Mary Blakley (aka “Marye Blakley,” “Mary Blakely,” “Mary Blakeley,” “Mary Davis,” “Mary Venable,” “Mary Cammer,” “Rosemary Cammer,” “Rosemary Davis,” “Yvonne Davis,” and “Mary Blaksley”) and Fred Blakley (aka “Fred Blakely” and “Floyd Blakely”) with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Mary Blakley and Fred Blakley are residents of Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

The indictment alleges that the two defendants were the principals of a medical clinic business that charged clients throughout the United States approximately $300 for conducting what the defendants described as “full body scans” by use of an ultrasound machine. The defendants falsely claimed that, through the deployment of a “smart chip technology” invented by defendant Mary Blakley and purportedly added to the ultrasound machines, their “full body scans” could diagnose a wide variety of human diseases and medical conditions, including blood cancers, such as leukemia, and candida in the bowel.

The indictment further alleges that the defendants falsely and fraudulently claimed that the Blakley Clinics’ full body scans, using the purported “smart chip technology,” could perform many other medical procedures, including colonoscopies, non-invasive prostate exams, and electrocardiograms. Based on the results of these “full body scans,” the defendants falsely and fraudulently prescribed to their human clients various supplements, creams, and veterinary products as treatments for conditions purportedly discovered during the full body scans.

According to the indictment, the defendants also claimed that Mary Blakley’s purported “smart chip technology” could treat and cure a wide range of human diseases, illnesses, and conditions, including by: (i) “driving” a substance known as Aetheion into the body to kill cancer; (ii) “cleaning” the lungs and brainstem; and (iii) removing kidney stones. In fact, neither the purported “smart chip technology” nor the substances prescribed by the defendants had been approved by the FDA to treat diseases in human beings.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 165 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Office of Criminal Investigations of the Food and Drug Administration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and Paul G. Shapiro.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Mauricio Sarmiento, 35, of Ecuador, was sentenced today to one year of non-reporting probation, a $500 fine, and a $100 special assessment by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.

On November 20, 2024, Sarmiento pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with that offense.

Since in or about 2022, Sarmiento, an Ecuadorian physician, made regular trips to the United States to provide medical care and prescription drugs in return for payment. Sarmiento did so even though he was not licensed to practice medicine or prescribe drugs in the United States. He also caused some of the drugs he dispensed while in the United States to be shipped from Ecuador.

On September 10, 2024, law enforcement encountered Sarmiento and seized misbranded drugs and medical equipment, including intravenous medications and a centrifuge used to provide plasma therapy.

“Medical care and treatments are tightly regulated in this country, to keep people healthy and safe,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Sarmiento was well aware that he wasn’t licensed to practice here and that the drugs he dispensed were misbranded. This office and the FBI will continue to work on the public’s behalf to prosecute such medical malfeasance.”

"Protecting the safety of our community is our highest priority," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI is steadfast in its commitment to investigating fraud, safeguarding the integrity of our healthcare systems, and ensuring those who exploit them are held accountable."

The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Scott Mason, 66, of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, and filing false tax returns, arising from two fraudulent schemes that Mason, through his investment advisory firm Rubicon Wealth Management LLC, orchestrated to divert millions of dollars in client funds in order to finance his lavish lifestyle.

The information alleges that between 2016 and 2024, Mason — who had a fiduciary duty to make investment decisions in his clients’ best interests — transferred more than $17 million from 13 Rubicon clients to an entity that he owned and controlled, and ultimately used that money to finance his personal expenditures, including international travel, country club membership dues, credit card bill payments, and the purchase of an ownership stake in a Jersey Shore-based miniature golf course.

The information further alleges that Mason targeted clients with whom he had a longstanding relationship and who trusted him implicitly, including longtime friends and family members, and he often liquidated those clients’ securities holdings in order to finance the fraudulent transfers. Mason allegedly either forged client signatures on distribution authorization forms or omitted all pertinent details of the so-called “investments” when seeking client authorization for the transfers and instead falsely represented that he was investing client funds in diversified short-term bonds.

In reality, as the information alleges, Mason was converting client funds to his own personal use. He also used a portion of the fraud proceeds to repay another Rubicon client from whom Mason had allegedly misappropriated an additional several million dollars dating back to at least 2014, in order to avoid detection by that victim.

Finally, the information alleges that Mason failed to report any of his fraud proceeds on his personal income tax returns, generating a tax loss of approximately $3.225 million.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $6,760,000.

The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice. In a parallel matter, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against Mason today.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

A New Jersey man pleaded guilty yesterday to using and possessing a green card that he unlawfully obtained by making false statements about his involvement in the civil war in the West African nation of Liberia.

According to court documents, Laye Sekou Camara, 46, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, was a general with a Liberian rebel group from approximately 1999 to 2003 and fought against the Liberian government that was led by then-President Charles Taylor. Camara, also known as K-1 and Dragon Master, entered the United States pursuant to an immigrant visa and later obtained Lawful Permanent Resident status and a green card by falsely stating on immigration forms that he had never participated in extrajudicial killings or other acts of violence; had never been involved with a paramilitary unit, rebel group, or guerilla group; and had never engaged in the recruitment or use of child soldiers.

Camara pleaded guilty to three counts of using and one count of possessing a fraudulently obtained green card. According to the indictment, Camara used the green card when he applied for a Pennsylvania identification card in 2017, applied for a New Jersey home health care aide license in 2020, and sought employment at a New Jersey-based home health care agency in 2020, and he was in possession of the green card when he was arrested in 2022 at JFK International Airport in New York before attempting to board an international flight.

Camara is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service at the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia.

Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linwood C. Wright Jr., Patrick J. Brown, and Kelly M. Harrell for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.

Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement online tip form.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, the Justice Department, and Homeland Security Investigations announced that Laye Sekou Camara, 46, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, entered a plea of guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Chad F. Kenney to using and possessing a green card that he unlawfully obtained by making false statements about his involvement in the civil war in the west African nation of Liberia.

Camara pleaded guilty on the eve of trial to all charges against him — three counts of using, and one count of possessing, a fraudulently obtained green card.

According to court documents, Camara was a general with a Liberian rebel group from approximately 1999 to 2003 and fought against the Liberian government that was led by then-President Charles Taylor. Camara, also known as K-1 and Dragon Master, entered the United States pursuant to an immigrant visa and later obtained Lawful Permanent Resident status and a green card by falsely stating on immigration forms that he had never participated in extrajudicial killings or other acts of violence; had never been involved with a paramilitary unit, rebel group, or guerilla group; and had never engaged in the recruitment or use of child soldiers.

According to the indictment, Camara used the green card when he applied for a Pennsylvania identification card in 2017, applied for a New Jersey home health care aide license in 2020, and sought employment at a New Jersey-based home health care agency in 2020, and he was in possession of the green card when he was arrested in 2022 at JFK International Airport in New York before attempting to board an international flight.

Camara is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.

“Respecting both human dignity and the rule of law is fundamental to who we are as a nation,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Camara lied about his brutal history in Liberia to get a green card and live in the United States, enjoying the benefits and protections provided by our government’s laws, even as he flouted them. The Department of Justice is committed to working with our federal and international partners to deny human rights violators safe haven in this country.”

“The guilty plea by Laye Sekou Camara is another resounding example of coordination and collaboration targeting human rights violators globally,” said Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. “Camara fraudulently claimed that he had not participated in Liberia’s civil war. In fact, Camara, also known as ‘Dragon Master,’ was a high-ranking member of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel group during Liberia's Second Civil War. As such, he was involved in committing atrocities, including the massacre of civilians, and the recruitment of child soldiers. HSI, along with the excellent prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to thoroughly investigate and prosecute such offenses to ensure that war criminals that engage in such horrific crimes against humanity will find no refuge within the United States.”

This case is being investigated by HSI, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service at the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Linwood C. Wright Jr., Patrick Brown, and Kelly M. Harrell are prosecuting the case, with Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.

Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the ICE online tip form.

Note: View the affidavit here.

The Justice Department and FBI today announced a multi-month law enforcement operation that, alongside international partners, deleted “PlugX” malware from thousands of infected computers worldwide. As described in court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a group of hackers sponsored by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), known to the private sector as “Mustang Panda” and “Twill Typhoon,” used a version of PlugX malware to infect, control, and steal information from victim computers.

According to court documents, the PRC government paid the Mustang Panda group to, among other computer intrusion services, develop this specific version of PlugX. Since at least 2014, Mustang Panda hackers then infiltrated thousands of computer systems in campaigns targeting U.S. victims, as well as European and Asian governments and businesses, and Chinese dissident groups. Despite previous cybersecurity reports, owners of computers still infected with PlugX are typically unaware of the infection. The court-authorized operation announced today remediated U.S.-based computers infected with Mustang Panda’s version of PlugX.    

“The Department of Justice prioritizes proactively disrupting cyber threats to protect U.S. victims from harm, even as we work to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This operation, like other recent technical operations against Chinese and Russian hacking groups like Volt Typhoon, Flax Typhoon, and APT28, has depended on strong partnerships to successfully counter malicious cyber activity. I commend partners in the French government and private sector for spearheading this international operation to defend global cybersecurity.”

“Leveraging our partnership with French law enforcement, the FBI acted to protect U.S. computers from further compromise by PRC state-sponsored hackers,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today’s announcement reaffirms the FBI’s dedication to protecting the American people by using its full range of legal authorities and technical expertise to counter nation-state cyber threats.”

“This wide-ranging hack and long-term infection of thousands of Windows-based computers, including many home computers in the United States, demonstrates the recklessness and aggressiveness of PRC state-sponsored hackers,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Working alongside both international and private sector partners, the Department of Justice’s court-authorized operation to delete PlugX malware proves its commitment to a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to protecting U.S. cybersecurity.”

“The FBI worked to identify thousands of infected U.S. computers and delete the PRC malware on them. The scope of this technical operation demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to pursue PRC adversaries no matter where they victimize Americans,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office.

The international operation was led by French law enforcement and Sekoia.io, a France-based private cybersecurity company, which had identified and reported on the capability to send commands to delete the PlugX version from infected devices. Working with these partners, the FBI tested the commands, confirmed their effectiveness, and determined that they did not otherwise impact the legitimate functions of, or collect content information from, infected computers. In August 2024, the Justice Department and FBI obtained the first of nine warrants in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania authorizing the deletion of PlugX from U.S.-based computers. The last of these warrants expired on Jan. 3, 2025, thereby concluding the U.S. portions of the operation. In total, this court-authorized operation deleted PlugX malware from approximately 4,258 U.S.-based computers and networks.

The FBI, through the victims’ internet service providers, is providing notice to U.S. owners of Windows-based computers affected by this court-authorized operation.

The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office and Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the National Security Cyber Section of Justice Department’s National Security Division led the domestic disruption operation. This operation would not have been successful without the valuable collaboration of to the Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office, French Gendarmerie Cyber Unit C3N, and Sekoia.io.

The FBI continues to investigate Mustang Panda’s computer intrusion activity. If you believe you have a compromised computer or device, please visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). You may also contact your local FBI field office directly. The FBI strongly encourages the use of anti-virus software as well as the application of software security updates to help prevent reinfection.

Note: View the affidavit here.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, the Justice Department, and the FBI announced today a multi-month law enforcement operation that, alongside international partners, deleted “PlugX” malware from thousands of infected computers worldwide.

As described in court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a group of hackers sponsored by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), known to the private sector as “Mustang Panda” and “Twill Typhoon,” used a version of PlugX malware to infect, control, and steal information from victim computers.

According to court documents, the PRC government paid the Mustang Panda group to, among other computer intrusion services, develop this specific version of PlugX. Since at least 2014, Mustang Panda hackers then infiltrated thousands of computer systems in campaigns targeting U.S. victims, as well as European and Asian governments and businesses, and Chinese dissident groups. Despite previous cybersecurity reports, owners of computers still infected with PlugX are typically unaware of the infection. The court-authorized operation announced today remediated U.S.-based computers infected with Mustang Panda’s version of PlugX.

“This wide-ranging hack and long-term infection of thousands of Windows-based computers, including many home computers in the United States, demonstrates the recklessness and aggressiveness of PRC state-sponsored hackers,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Working alongside both international and private sector partners, the Department of Justice’s court-authorized operation to delete PlugX malware proves its commitment to a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to protecting U.S. cybersecurity.”

“The FBI worked to identify thousands of infected U.S. computers and delete the PRC malware on them. The scope of this technical operation demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to pursue PRC adversaries no matter where they victimize Americans,” said FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs.

The international operation was led by French law enforcement and Sekoia.io, a France-based private cybersecurity company, which had identified and reported on the capability to send commands to delete the PlugX version from infected devices. Working with these partners, the FBI tested the commands, confirmed their effectiveness, and determined that they did not otherwise impact the legitimate functions of, or collect content information from, infected computers.

In August 2024, the DOJ and FBI obtained the first of nine warrants in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania authorizing the deletion of PlugX from U.S.-based computers. The last of these warrants expired on January 3, 2025, thereby concluding the U.S. portions of the operation. In total, this court-authorized operation deleted PlugX malware from approximately 4,258 U.S.-based computers and networks.

The FBI, through the victims’ internet service providers, is providing notice to U.S. owners of Windows-based computers affected by this court-authorized operation.

The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office and Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the National Security Cyber Section of DOJ’s National Security Division led the domestic disruption operation. This operation would not have been successful without the valuable collaboration of the Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office, French Gendarmerie Cyber Unit C3N, and Sekoia.io, a private French cybersecurity technology company.

The FBI continues to investigate Mustang Panda’s computer intrusion activity. If you believe you have a compromised computer or device, please visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). You may also contact your local FBI field office directly; FBI Philadelphia can be reached at 215-418-4000. The FBI strongly encourages the use of antivirus software, as well as the application of software security updates to help prevent reinfection.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Philip C. Pulley, 62, of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg to three years’ probation, 100 hours of community service, with 50 of those hours dedicated to an entity that works toward the promotion of free and fair elections, a fine of $9,500, and a $400 special assessment, for committing multiple election fraud offenses. Chief Judge Goldberg also ordered Pulley to write a letter explaining why he committed the offenses.

Pulley was charged by information in August of last year with falsely registering to vote, double voting, and election fraud, and pleaded guilty to those charges in September.

In 2018, while registered to vote in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the defendant also registered to vote in Broward County, Florida.

In 2020, while already registered to vote in Montgomery County and Broward County, he registered to vote in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, using a false home address in Philadelphia and social security number.

In the 2022 general election, which included the election for United States Senator, Pulley voted in both Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

“Free and fair elections are critical to the health of our democracy, and people who seek to corrupt the process can dangerously erode the public’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Protecting the integrity of the vote is a priority for my office and the FBI. We will continue to investigate and prosecute election fraud cases and bring offenders like Philip Pulley to justice.”

“Safeguarding the right to participate in free and fair elections is a cornerstone of our democracy and a top priority for the FBI and our partners,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Working closely with our partners, we are committed to investigating and holding accountable anyone who undermines the integrity of our electoral process.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and Mark B. Dubnoff, with support from James Price, Senior Deputy Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Diego Castillo-Pedraza, 35, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to 240 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in trafficking methamphetamine between July 2019 and March 2021.

In July 2019, FBI agents intercepted a package containing approximately six pounds of pure methamphetamine shipped through the U.S. mail from California to a residence in Reading, Pennsylvania. At the time of the shipment, agents were conducting a wiretap investigation and later determined that the package was shipped at the direction of Castillo-Pedraza.

In March 2021, Berks County Detectives executed a search warrant at the same residence in Reading and recovered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine from a safe inside of a bedroom. Fingerprint analysis revealed that Castillo-Pedraza’s fingerprint was on the exterior packaging of the methamphetamine.

In April 2023, Castillo-Pedraza was charged by indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting.

On September 19, 2024, he was convicted by a jury after a three-day trial. The evidence at trial established that Castillo-Pedraza orchestrated a scheme to receive and store large quantities of methamphetamine at the residence in Reading and directed at least two other individuals to assist with his trafficking operation.

“For several years, Castillo-Pedraza profited by selling methamphetamine, a highly addictive and dangerous drug that’s plagued communities nationwide, including Reading,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Putting him out of business can’t make up for the damage he and his drugs have done, but it does make the city safer. Working together, my office, the FBI, and our Berks County partners will continue to target these traffickers for prosecution, to get them and the poison they’re pushing off our streets.”

“We have seen the devastating impact methamphetamine has across our country, and there is no place for it in our cities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “This sentence is a product of a yearslong investigation and the tireless dedication of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in pursuit of those who bring these dangerous drugs into our communities.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and Berks County Detectives as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Mason Williams-Surzano, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Karen S. Marston to nine years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for committing two carjackings in a matter of hours in December 2023.

In September, the defendant pleaded guilty to an information charging him with the carjackings, as well as one count of aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.

On December 13, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m., the defendant and three others approached Victim 1 in the area of 1700 Brill Street in Philadelphia. They confronted him at gunpoint and forced him to surrender the keys to his vehicle, a 2016 Volkswagen Passat. Williams-Surzano and the other assailants then fled in the victim’s vehicle, which was recovered by Philadelphia police a few hours later, less than half a mile away from the scene.

On December 14, 2023, at approximately 1:10 a.m., the defendant and the same three assailants approached Victim 2 in the area of 1600 Sparks Street in Philadelphia. They confronted him at gunpoint and forced him to surrender the keys to his vehicle, a 2017 Kia Forte. Williams-Surzano and the other carjackers then fled in the Kia.

“Imagine staring down the barrel of a gun as a criminal crew demands your car,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Anyone committing a carjacking — let alone two in just a few hours — is a clear danger to our community. We and our partners on the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force are working every day to make this city safer by identifying, prosecuting, and bringing to justice offenders like Williams-Surzano.”

“Violence against innocent Philadelphia victims will not stand, and Williams-Surzano is going to federal prison for the dangerous and senseless crime of carjacking at gunpoint,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Philadelphia Field Division. “Together with our Carjacking Task Force partners, and using ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools, we are bringing criminals like this to justice.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Miller and Kwambina I. Coker.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kyle Teat, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge John M. Younge to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for firearms offenses.

In July of last year, Teat pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license and possession of a firearm by a felon, charges arising from the defendant unlawfully possessing and selling to an undercover federal agent a semiautomatic rifle capable of accepting a large-capacity magazine, in October 2019.

“Kyle Teat knew that he wasn’t supposed to possess a firearm, given his criminal record, and he certainly knew he wasn’t permitted to sell one,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Nonetheless, he did both. Getting guns away from people who shouldn’t have them is critical to battling violent crime in Philadelphia. My office and our partners will use every tool at our disposal to do so, as we work to make the city safer.”

“Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals is a key means to preventing violent crime,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Philadelphia Field Division. “Because of his criminal convictions Kyle Teat was prohibited from owning a gun. He further trafficked firearms, putting a semiautomatic rifle on the streets for criminals to threaten and injure or kill their victims. ATF is committed to working with our partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals who endanger our neighborhoods.”

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Tyrone Wise, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Timothy J. Savage to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release for setting fire to a West Philadelphia building.

In September, Wise pleaded guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce.

He admitted that, on May 31, 2020, at about 8:49 p.m., amid both lawful protests and unlawful civil disturbances occurring in Philadelphia, he intentionally set fire to the SunRay Drugs Pharmacy located on the first floor of 25 South 60th Street in West Philadelphia.

The blaze caused extensive fire, water, and smoke damage to the pharmacy on the first floor and throughout the remainder of the building, which included a basement, and apartments on the second and third floors. The fire resulted in $1.2 million in damage and caused the SunRay Drugs at that location to close.

“Tyrone Wise’s actions were incredibly dangerous,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He set this fire with no regard for the two apartments upstairs and any people who might be in them, the potential for the flames to spread to adjacent buildings, or the risks to first responders who would have to fight the blaze. Arson threatens lives and communities, and my office will continue to work with our investigative partners to prosecute these offenders and hold them fully accountable.”

“Tyrone Wise took advantage of the lawlessness of the moment to torch this drug store and extensively damage people’s apartments for no reason,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Arson not only hurts our communities with property damage, but also wrecks opportunity and puts people in danger of injury and death. In cooperation with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to track down and prosecute arsonists in Philadelphia for the safety and prosperity of our city.”

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Jayne.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Naim Newsome-Bostick, 27, and Nadir Gray, 22, both of Philadelphia, Pa., have been sentenced to prison by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney, for one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery.

Judge Kearney sentenced Newsome-Bostick today to 160 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment, and, in December, sentenced Gray to 92 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Newsome-Bostick and Gray were charged by superseding indictment in September 2023. In July of last year, both pleaded guilty to robbing a man they believed to be a marijuana dealer on September 14, 2022, in West Philadelphia. As part of their plea, the defendants admitted that the robbery was carried out at gunpoint.

Newsome-Bostick and Gray forced the victim into their vehicle at gunpoint, then robbed him of his Rolex watch, wallet, and $3,000. As the defendants drove around, the victim began resisting and fighting with one of the men in the back. Amid the commotion, the defendants’ vehicle crashed into a parked car. Newsome-Bostick shot the victim three times, then he and Gray fled the scene. Philadelphia police officers responded and transported the victim to hospital, where he was treated, eventually recovering from his wounds.

Newsome-Bostick was arrested later that day by the Philadelphia Police Department and Gray was arrested in September 2023 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“Anyone who thinks they can carry out an armed robbery in this city and get off scot-free should take a good look at this case,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office, the ATF, and the Philadelphia Police Department will continue to prioritize and prosecute these violent crimes — no matter who the victim may be — and we’ll see to it that the perpetrators are held accountable.”

“For the sake of some cash and a watch, these criminals kidnapped their victim at gun point, threatened his life, and shot him three times!" said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Philadelphia Field Division. “The victim is lucky to be alive, and the defendants are lucky to not be facing murder charges. Working with our law enforcement partners, ATF will continue to bring justice for the victims of violent crime and help make our communities safer for all.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Jason D. Grenell.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Zamer Williams, 19, of Camden, N.J., entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Chief Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a crime of violence.

Williams was charged with these offenses by superseding indictment in April of this year, in connection with two November 2023 carjackings in South Philadelphia.

As described in the superseding indictment and other publicly filed documents in this case, on November 11, 2023, at approximately 9 p.m., the first victim, an Uber driver, was picking up a passenger at the Ikea on Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia. The driver had briefly stepped out of his vehicle, a 2016 Mazda CX-5, when the defendant and another person approached him, demanding his car keys at gunpoint. The victim handed over his keys and the defendant and his accomplice fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. The victim borrowed an Ikea worker’s phone and called 911.

Two days later, on November 13, 2023, the second victim entered the Wawa on Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia, leaving her car running. When she observed the defendant getting into the driver seat of her vehicle, a 2016 Ford Fusion SE, she went outside to confront him. The defendant drove the victim’s car away from the Wawa, with the victim holding onto the driver’s side door. After hanging on for about nine to 10 feet, the victim let go and the defendant fled in her car.

Williams is set to be sentenced on March 25, 2025, and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of seven years’ imprisonment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kwambina I. Coker and Robert E. Eckert.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Larry Leonard, 60, and Nathaniel “Nat” Leonard, 68, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property. Larry Leonard was also charged with money laundering.

The defendants, who are cousins, jointly ran three pawn shops: Society Hill Loan and K&A Money Loan Pawnbrokers (“K&A”), both in Philadelphia, and Lou’s Jewelry and Pawnshop (“Lou’s Jewelry”) in Wilmington, Delaware.

Larry Leonard controlled the day-to-day operations of K&A and oversaw the day-to-day operations of Lou’s Jewelry, and Nat Leonard controlled the day-to-day operations of Society Hill Loan.

The indictment alleges that the defendants were using their businesses to buy and sell large volumes of new, stolen, in-box merchandise supplied by two main groups of people.

The first group, known colloquially as “boosters,” collectively stole millions of dollars of new retail merchandise from retailers in the Philadelphia and Delaware region, and elsewhere, including from The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, CVS, Rite Aid, Safeway, and others, which the boosters then sold to the Leonards’ pawn shops for cash.

The other group, referred to by the defendants as “mooks,” collectively stole millions of dollars of new retail merchandise from across the United States, which the “mooks” then resold in bulk quantities to the defendants and other pawn shop employees for cash on a recurring basis.

The defendants are alleged to have transferred the stolen goods from Lou’s Jewelry in Delaware and K&A in the Kensington section of Philadelphia to Society Hill Loan in South Philadelphia, where the defendants listed the stolen merchandise for sale via the Society Hill Loan eBay site, which they controlled.

From November 2019 through December 2023, the Leonards are alleged to have sold more than $19 million in stolen merchandise via their eBay site. The defendants are alleged to have shipped the stolen merchandise from Society Hill Loan in Philadelphia to customers across the country.

Larry Leonard is also charged with three counts of money laundering for using the proceeds of the illegal sale of stolen merchandise to pay off more than $120,000 in credit card bills from December 2022 through April 2023.

If convicted, Larry Leonard faces a maximum possible sentence of 45 years’ imprisonment and Nathaniel Leonard faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS, Delaware State Police, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Newcomer and S. Chandler Harris.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Darnell Jackson, aka “Major Change,” 52, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro to 240 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for murder-for-hire solicitation and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

On February 28, 2023, after a five-day trial, a jury found the defendant guilty of use of interstate commerce facilities in the solicitation of a murder-for-hire and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

The murder-for-hire plot the defendant orchestrated stemmed from an ongoing state drug trafficking investigation. On July 19, 2021, and in the days immediately following, Jackson communicated with an individual via cell phone calls and text messages, in an effort to arrange the killing of another person, sending a photo of the intended victim and indicating that he was willing to pay $5,000 to have someone commit the murder. When the individual reported to Jackson that he had located the intended victim, they allegedly agreed that the killing would occur on the evening of July 21, 2021.

That same evening, the individual called Jackson to report that the intended victim had been killed, which was false. In response, Jackson replied that he was on his way to meet the individual to pay him for carrying out the murder.

A few minutes later, Jackson was stopped by law enforcement while driving a vehicle in the vicinity of 65th Street & Guyer Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. Jackson was found in possession of a Glock-style “ghost gun” loaded with 16 live rounds of ammunition. He was immediately arrested and charged by federal complaint.

“If you’re willing to casually order a hit — if you have so little respect for human life — you forfeit your right to walk around free with everyone else,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Darnell Jackson has proven he’s a dangerous man and this sentence holds him accountable. My office, the FBI, and the Philadelphia Police Department will continue to identify, arrest, and prosecute our city’s most violent offenders.”

“By orchestrating this egregious plot, Jackson underestimated both the capability of law enforcement to uncover his actions and our unwavering commitment to protecting citizens from violence,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI, in close partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, remains steadfast in our mission to keep our communities safe.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Nateirah Ortiz, 25, of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 96 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment by United States District Court Judge Chad F. Kenney, for one count of carjacking; one count of carrying and using a firearm during, and in relation to, the commission of a crime of violence; and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Ortiz was indicted on those violations in April of this year. She pleaded guilty in August, admitting to carjacking a man at approximately 7 p.m. on January 31, 2024, in South Philadelphia. As part of her plea, the defendant also admitted to carrying and using a firearm to commit this offense. 

According to the publicly filed documents in this case, the victim reported being carjacked on the 1100 block of Washington Avenue. He relayed that, while walking to his vehicle, a silver 2018 Toyota RAV4, the defendant demanded his car keys and pointed a gun at him. The victim complied, giving the defendant his key, and ran to a nearby business for assistance calling 911. The defendant entered the victim’s vehicle and fled the scene.

Information about the incident was soon broadcast via police radio citywide. At approximately 9:17 p.m., 24th District police officers on patrol observed the carjacked vehicle traveling on the 3100 block of Kensington Avenue and attempted to conduct a vehicle investigation. The officers stopped their vehicle in front of the RAV4 and another police unit stopped behind it. After waiting for the officers to get out of their car and approach her, Ortiz fled at a high rate of speed, nearly striking their police vehicle in the process. The officers immediately went over the air requesting assistance, and units in the area began searching for the carjacked vehicle.

As police officers drove down Richmond Street, they observed that a RAV4 fitting that description had crashed into several cars parked on the 3700 block of Richmond. The officers saw the defendant walking away from the scene and apprehended her, with police recovering a loaded handgun from underneath a parked van a few feet away.

“Gunpoint carjackings are terrifying for victims and unsettling for the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “That’s why this office will continue to work hand-in-hand with the Philadelphia Police Department and ATF to prosecute these violent offenders. As Nateirah Ortiz’s sentence shows, committing a carjacking in our city is a life-changing decision. A crime that took just moments will land you in prison for years.”

“Nateirah Ortiz is going back to prison for a senseless and dangerous crime — carjacking a man at gunpoint, endangering the neighborhood and police as she sped away, and wrecking multiple cars,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Working together with the Philadelphia Police Department in the Carjacking Task Force, we will continue to hold carjackers accountable and help keep Philadelphia’s streets safe.”

“Today’s sentencing is a powerful reminder of the impact we can have when law enforcement agencies stand shoulder-to-shoulder,” said Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “Through constant collaboration with our federal partners — particularly the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF — we’ve sent a clear message that violent crime will be met with swift, decisive action. By working together, we ensure that those who endanger our communities are held fully accountable, and we reinforce our shared commitment to keeping every Philadelphian safe.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony J. Carissimi and Robert E. Eckert.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Dewayne Quinones, 30, and Mayco Alvarez-Jackson, 27, both of Reading, Pennsylvania, were sentenced by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez to life in prison for murder, kidnapping, drug distribution, and firearms offenses, crimes committed as members of a violent Reading-area drug trafficking organization (DTO).

The Trinidad DTO was responsible for multiple homicides, kidnapping, and conspiracies to kidnap in 2017 and 2018, including a quadruple homicide on January 28, 2018. In October 2022, Quinones, Alvarez-Jackson, and DTO leader Jesus Feliciano-Trinidad were convicted at trial of federal murder and weapons charges relating to the quadruple homicide, with Feliciano-Trinidad sentenced to life in prison last December.

More than 15 defendants were charged in a series of indictments resulting from a years-long investigation into the Trinidad DTO’s receipt, processing, and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine.

The indictments detailed the defendants using a number of buildings, residences, firearms, and acts of violence to further their drug dealing efforts in and around Reading, including kidnapping and/or shooting multiple individuals in 2017 and 2018; conspiring to shoot and kill Miguel Reyes on December 13, 2017; kidnapping, shooting, and killing Hector Gonzalez-Rivera on January 24, 2018; and shooting and killing Jarlyn Lantigua-Tejada, Juan Rodriguez, Nelson Onofre, and Joshua Santos on January 28, 2018.

“The Trinidad organization thoroughly terrorized the Reading area for years,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Through remorseless violence they controlled their turf, to keep pushing their poison and making their money. As this case shows, my office, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners will never cede control of our communities to violent drug gangs. We’ll continue to work on the public’s behalf to lock up these dangerous offenders who shatter folks’ sense of security and quality of life.”

“From murder and kidnapping to drug distribution and firearms offenses, gangs like these inflict fear and harm on our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “These sentences serve as a testament to the unwavering dedication of our Allentown Resident Agency and our law enforcement partners in investigating, dismantling, and holding these violent offenders accountable for their actions.”

“The life sentences imposed by the Federal District Court after the successful prosecution of this violent Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) by the U.S. Attorney’s Office ensure that these defendants will never again be a threat to our community,” said Berks County District Attorney John Adams. “These sentences should send a message that we will not tolerate violence or drug trafficking and we’ll work with our state and federal partners to combat this type of activity in our community. We appreciate our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in the prosecution of this violent DTO.”

The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, the Berks County Detectives, and the Reading Police Department, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Montgomery County Detectives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly A. Lewis Fallenstein, Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti, and Assistant United States Attorney Vineet Gauri.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Zachkey James, 29, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick to 48 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and forfeiture of $345,681.68 for impersonation of a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier, unlawful possession of three USPS Arrow Keys, mail theft, and possession of stolen mail.

James was charged by complaint and arrested in November 2022, and in April of this year, pleaded guilty to all charges in a 12-count superseding information.

From 2020 through his arrest, the defendant perpetrated an elaborate scheme to steal more than $300,000 from hundreds of victims. He dressed as a United States Postal Service letter carrier and traveled through Philadelphia using stolen Arrow Keys to steal the mail from blue USPS collection boxes in broad daylight.

He rifled through the stolen mail, pulling out checks and money orders, altered the payee name on these checks and money orders to be payable to himself and co-conspirators, and then either cashed the forged checks and money orders or deposited the forged checks and money orders into accounts controlled by himself and co-conspirators.

When Postal Inspectors executed a federal warrant to search his apartment and vehicle, they found piles of undelivered mail, hundreds of checks and money orders waiting to be forged, approximately 15 undelivered mail-in ballots (all of which were delivered to the appropriate county board of election in time to be counted), solvent and toothbrushes used to wash checks and money orders, multiple stolen Arrow Keys, and a USPS letter carrier uniform.

“These weren’t just pieces of paper that Zachkey James stole,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “These were people’s mortgage and utility payments, their loan payoffs, their child support checks — and for numerous victims, the repercussions of his thefts were devastating. My office and the USPIS will continue to investigate and prosecute these mail theft cases to hold the perpetrators fully accountable.”

“Protecting the mail from theft is a core mission of the Postal Inspection Service,” said Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division for the Postal Inspection Service. “When someone steals mail, Postal Inspectors will work relentlessly to hold those individuals to account. Today, accountability came for Zachkey James, who was sentenced for stealing checks out of the U.S. Mail and fraudulently passing those checks through the financial system. I want to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their continued support in prosecuting these cases.”

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Murat Aslansan, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to 12 months and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine, and was ordered to pay $327,723 to the Internal Revenue Service for committing tax evasion.

Aslansan was the sole owner and operator of MA-SA Construction LLC, a general contracting construction and maintenance company that provided home remodeling and maintenance services. Aslansan operated the business from his home in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia.

From 2016 to 2018, Aslansan cashed his business checks at a check cashing business and failed to report all of his gross receipts from his business on his tax returns. Specifically, Aslansan failed to report over $600,000 of gross receipts for this business on his 2016 to 2018 tax returns.

In 2019 and 2020, Aslansan continued to use the check cashing business instead of his business bank accounts to cash business checks and failed to file tax returns in 2019 and 2020. As a result, Aslansan attempted to evade the assessment of his taxes and owed $327,723 to the IRS.

Aslansan pleaded guilty to tax evasion in July of this year.

“By evading his tax responsibilities of more than $300,000, Murat Aslansan cheated not just the government, but all taxpayers who dutifully, if ruefully, pay their fair share to the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Tax evasion may seem tempting, but be forewarned, it will wind up costing you dearly when you’re arrested, prosecuted, and even imprisoned for these crimes.”

“Individuals like Mr. Aslansan, who intentionally violate the law to evade paying their fair share of taxes undermine public confidence in our tax system,” said Acting IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Amy MacNeely. “Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their taxes.”

The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana Wright.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Donavon Parish, 29, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for cyberstalking and the antisemitic harassment of synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses.

According to a June 2023 indictment and superseding information filed this May, the defendant used a Voice Over Internet Protocol service to make a series of phone calls in April and May 2022 to synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

In these calls, the defendant spoke to individuals answering the telephone calls on behalf of their respective institutions, at which time he repeatedly referenced the genocide of approximately six million Jewish people during the Holocaust, stating, among other things, “Heil Hitler,” “all Jews must die,” “we will put you in work camps,” “gas the Jews,” and “Hitler should have finished the job.”

In June of this year, Parish pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking and five counts of abuse and harassment using a telecommunications device. He also admitted to a special finding that he targeted his victims based on their actual and perceived religion.

“Donavon Parish’s harassment and hateful antisemitic threats terrorized those he targeted — their sense of security abruptly shaken by fears of escalation and physical harm,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “People of all faiths and backgrounds deserve to feel safe in their communities. That’s why my office and the FBI are committed to working these cases and bringing offenders like Parish to justice.”

“No member of our community should live in fear, regardless of where they work, live, or worship,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “This sentence demonstrates the FBI and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate such repeated and vile threats that seek to disrupt our community’s sense of safety and security, and we will bring the perpetrator to justice, no matter where they are.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Justin Sher with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division (Counterterrorism Section), with assistance from DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Cesar David Martinez-Gonzalez, 39, of Chester, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh in connection with a conspiracy to help smuggle and encourage and induce dozens of migrants from South America to enter the United States illegally so that he could profit from their labor.

The object of the conspiracy, for the personal financial gain of Martinez-Gonzalez and others, was to illegally smuggle citizens of South American countries into the United States across the U.S.-Mexico border, and to encourage and induce them to enter the United States.

Martinez-Gonzalez fronted money to “coyotes” in Mexico who guided migrants across the Rio Grande and through holes in the U.S.-Mexico border wall, and provided them with information to give to Customs and Border Protection so that they could be released—on parole—to his residences. Martinez-Gonzalez then paid for airplane flights to bring the migrants to Philadelphia, and, once they arrived, transported them to houses in and around Chester, Pa.

At this point, Martinez-Gonzalez and his associates would impose upon the migrants thousands of dollars in “debts” owed to him, which the migrants would have to pay off through working long hours at low-paying jobs and forfeiting half of their wages to the defendant. Martinez-Gonzalez also helped the migrants obtain false identification and low paying jobs. The debts imposed by the defendant were well in excess of what it cost to get the individuals to Chester and house them there.

Martinez-Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2025. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 120 years in prison.

“Martinez-Gonzalez took advantage of vulnerable migrants for his own financial benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He induced them to come to the United States, then imposed thousands of dollars of so-called ‘debts,’ which they had to repay through weeks or months of labor. My office and our partners will continue to target these human smugglers, who both prey on disadvantaged populations and flout our country’s immigration laws.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, HSI, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara A. Solow, Louis D. Lappen, Eileen Castilla Geiger, and J. Andrew Jenemann.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Al-Ashraf Khalil, 31, and Isaam Jaghama, 31, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were convicted today at trial in the June 18, 2022, arson fire at a Fairhill pizza shop, which resulted in the death of Philadelphia Fire Department Lieutenant Sean Williamson and injuries to five other first responders inside the building when it collapsed.

A federal jury convicted the defendants on one count each of conspiracy to commit malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce, and one count each of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce. Khalil was also found guilty of one count of wire fraud, and one count of using fire in furtherance of the commission of that wire fraud.

Khalil was the owner of the property at 300 West Indiana Avenue, which housed both apartments and the pizza shop. As proven at trial, in the early hours of June 18, 2022, he and Jaghama set a fire inside the building so that Khalil could profit by filing an insurance claim related to the fire. The day of the fire, Khalil signed paperwork authorizing an insurance adjuster to file a more than $400,000 insurance claim on his behalf.

At sentencing, Khalil faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. Jaghama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

“This fire wasn’t an accident or act of God,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “But for these defendants, it never would have started, the building would still stand, and Lt. Williamson would still be with his family — a wholly preventable tragedy, sparked by greed. While today’s convictions can never make up for such an immeasurable loss, they ensure a measure of justice for Lt. Williamson, the Williamson family, and the dedicated first responders of the Philadelphia Fire Department. They also reinforce that anyone reckless enough to commit arson will be held to account for their actions.”

“Arson is a dangerous deadly crime,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Office. “In this case two families with children had to run for their lives, four responders were buried alive, and a firefighter was killed. Bringing together the resources of the ATF Philadelphia Arson & Explosives Task Force and the ATF National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, the Philadelphia Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we brought these arsonists to justice, and they now face up to life in federal prison. ATF is committed to protecting our communities from dangerous criminals and will continue to partner to prevent and prosecute crimes like this.”

“The Philadelphia Fire Department will forever mourn the loss of Lieutenant Sean Williamson. We thank the United States Attorney and Justice Department for their diligence in bringing these men to justice. Our fervent hope is that this verdict will bring even a small amount of closure to Lt. Williamson’s family, both at home and in the PFD,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson.

This case was investigated by ATF Philadelphia and the ATF’s National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections. Special thanks are given to the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in the international apprehension of Al-Ashraf Khalil. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz and Michael Miller.

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Naod Tsegay, 25, of Collingdale, Pennsylvania; Fode Bangoura, 23, of Philadelphia; and Zyier Williams, 21, also of Philadelphia, were sentenced to prison by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond in connection with their scheme to fraudulently alter and deposit personal and business checks that they had stolen from the U.S. mail. Najae Thomas, 24, of Philadelphia, was also sentenced to prison by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone for related crimes.

Tsegay was sentenced yesterday to 42 months’ incarceration, five years of supervised release, and $11,811 in restitution. On January 11 of this year, he pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of stolen United States Postal Service (USPS) keys, and two counts of possession of stolen mail.

On October 5, 2023, Bangoura pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud, and on October 23, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. They were each sentenced this March to six months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release, with Bangoura ordered to pay $7,711 and Williams $4,100 in restitution.

Between March and June 2021, Tsegay, Bangoura, and Williams recruited individuals to provide their bank account and debit card information, and then used those recruits’ bank accounts to deposit checks that had been stolen from blue USPS collection boxes located throughout the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. After altering the stolen checks by changing the designated payees and increasing the dollar amount — often from a nominal sum to a payment of several thousand dollars — Tsegay deposited the stolen checks into the recruits’ bank accounts and later withdrew or attempted to withdraw the fraudulently deposited funds.

Tsegay was ultimately found in unlawful possession of dozens of checks and money orders stolen from USPS collection boxes, as well as three USPS Arrow Keys, which Postal employees use to access blue collection boxes throughout the District. The total amount stolen or attempted stolen as a result of the scheme exceeded $150,000.

Najae Thomas, who was charged separately, had communicated with Tsegay about Thomas’s own check-washing scheme, which involved an intended loss of over $200,000. Thomas was found in unlawful possession of hundreds of checks stolen from USPS collection boxes located throughout the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Delaware, as well as four USPS Arrow Keys.

Like Tsegay, Thomas pleaded guilty to bank fraud (five counts), aggravated identity theft (three counts), and possession of stolen mail (one count). Last month, Thomas was sentenced to 61 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $61,688.

“When Naod Tsegay, the ringleader of this scheme, was arrested, police recovered multiple stolen keys capable of unlocking every blue USPS box across four local zip codes,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “The amount of mail stolen and the number of checks these defendants sought to alter and cash is significant. My office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and our partners won’t allow criminals who target the U.S. Postal Service to disrupt the nation’s mail system and commit identity theft with impunity. As these cases prove, we will prosecute, and you will be held accountable.”

The cases were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice. The Yeadon Borough Police Department assisted with the Tsegay investigation.