Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Philadelphia Man, 20, Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography, Including Videos He Recorded While Sexually Abusing Two Young ChildrenRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isaiah Smith, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mary Kay Costello to 20 years in prison, the statutory maximum term, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. This sentence is to run consecutively to his state sentence of 10 to 20 years’ incarceration. In addition, Smith is subject to mandatory registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and Megan’s Law.
Smith was charged by indictment in May of last year and pleaded guilty in January.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Smith possessed visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. These visual depictions included videos that the defendant recorded as he sexually abused two different child victims, a five-year-old girl, and a nonverbal three-year-old boy, on multiple occasions, over more than a year.
The child sexual abuse material was discovered after a friend of the defendant walked in on Smith orally raping one of the child victims. He was prosecuted in Philadelphia County for that sexual assault, for which he received the 10-to-20-year prison sentence.
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 the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
Two Philadelphia Men Arrested on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isaiah Banks, 30, and Bryan Jackson, 42, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with child pornography offenses.
Banks has been charged with manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography and Jackson with receipt of child pornography.
The criminal complaints allege that the defendants conspired and worked together to deceive a minor (“Minor 1”) into believing that he was communicating with an older girl, in order to induce Minor 1 into producing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”), which the defendants then shared with each other.
The complaints further allege that Banks and Jackson also deceived a second minor (“Minor 2”) into producing CSAM, under the guise that Banks would sell the videos to a girl for money, some of which would be shared with Minor 2.
If convicted, Banks faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years’ incarceration with a 15-year mandatory minimum term, and a minimum of five years up to a lifetime of supervised release. If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ incarceration with a five-year mandatory minimum term, and a minimum of five years up to a lifetime of supervised release.
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 Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Branwen McNabb O’Donnell.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaints are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Two Doctors, Physician’s Assistant Charged with Unlawfully Distributing Controlled Substances via Voicemail “Refill Line”Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Today, United States Attorney David Metcalf announced criminal charges against three defendants in connection with an alleged pill mill conspiracy. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
Dr. Joseph P. DiRenzo Jr., 64, of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Dr. Marc A. Matozzo, 56, of Woodbury, New Jersey, and Joseph D. Norris, P.A., 62, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. DiRenzo and Matozzo were also each charged with two counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances. Norris was also charged with two counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances and one count of false statements related to health care matters.
“Medical professionals who prescribe powerful drugs indiscriminately are fueling the opioid crisis that continues to grip our area,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Just like street dealers, they are perpetuating people’s pain and addiction. My office and our partners will never stop working to put pill mills out of business. We would ask anyone with knowledge of such prescription abuse to share their information with law enforcement. Doing so could save lives.”
As alleged in the indictment, from January 2020 through March 2025, the defendants operated a voicemail refill line that allowed patients to request and receive refills of Schedule II controlled substance prescriptions, namely oxycodone and amphetamine, without ever interacting with a licensed and registered prescriber. The defendants prescribed to patients who used the refill line to receive prescriptions for controlled substances for up to and, in some instances, exceeding one year without interacting with a licensed prescriber. The defendants knew that certain pharmacies refused to fill certain of their controlled substances prescriptions, but defendants submitted the refused prescriptions to other pharmacies and submitted prescriptions in the name of another medical professional in order to deceive the pharmacies into filling the prescriptions.
The indictment further alleges that the defendants received notice from pharmacy benefit managers and insurers that the defendants had prescribed dangerous amounts of Schedule II controlled substances and dangerous combinations of controlled substances and other medications, but they continued to prescribe these medicines.
Some patients who used the refill line to obtain Schedule II controlled substances from defendants suffered drug overdoses and died. Although the defendants learned of the overdoses and deaths, they allegedly continued to operate the refill line to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances without interacting with patients.
“Medical professionals occupy a position of trust and are sworn to care for and protect their patients,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The defendants in this case allegedly violated that trust and their professional oaths by continuing to prescribe dangerous quantities of Schedule II narcotics, even after being warned about the risks posed by their prescribing practices. At a time when our nation continues to confront an opioid crisis, conduct like this undermines public confidence in the medical profession and the tireless efforts of those working to save lives. The FBI, alongside our partners, will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who exploit positions of trust and benefit from illegal, dangerous, and, too often, fatal schemes.”
“Medical providers are responsible for ensuring that controlled substances are prescribed properly,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Protecting the public from dangerous provider behaviors and drug overdoses is a top priority for HHS-OIG. In conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, and other fellow law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate alleged drug diversion.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Nicholas K. Peone of the Northeast Strike Force, part of the Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Metcalf are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. Today’s Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
Today’s coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 civil monetary payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions and 25 HHS-OIG actions under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virginia participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.
Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Headstone Salesman Who Defrauded Hundreds of Customers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Gregory J. Stefan Jr., 56, of Upper Merion, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez to seven counts of wire fraud and four counts of filing a false tax return.
The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in December 2024, arising from fraudulent business practices he employed in the operation and management of headstone sales companies, and his failure to report on his individual income tax returns any income he received from those companies.
As detailed in court filings and statements, between January 2018 and September 2023, Stefan — through his businesses 1843 LLC and Colonial Memorials — defrauded hundreds of grieving customers by entering into contracts to provide custom headstone and engraving services for their deceased loved ones that he knew he would not deliver on the promised timeline, if at all.
Stefan demanded large up-front payments from his customers (often 100% of the purchase price) but routinely failed to fulfill their orders by the projected delivery date. When customers reached out to request updates on the status of their overdue orders, he either ignored them or employed lulling tactics and assured them that their orders would be delivered shortly without taking any steps to follow through on those assurances.
In all, Stefan failed to deliver, or provide refunds for, orders placed by almost 500 customers who had paid him in excess of $1.5 million. Stefan also falsely reported on his federal income tax returns that he earned no income whatsoever each year from 2018 through 2021.
As part of his federal plea agreement, Stefan accepted responsibility for similar crimes charged in 10 local cases across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, which resulted in an additional $210,000 loss to victims.
The defendant will be sentenced on a date to be determined and faces a maximum possible term of 152 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, Northampton County District Attorney’s Office, Bergen County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office, Burlington County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office, Gloucester County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office, Passaic County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office, and the Delaware Department of Justice for their assistance in investigating and reaching a global resolution of this case.
Bucks County Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Charles Dingman, 29, of Yardley, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor, and attempt to entice a minor, to engage in sexual conduct; manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography; and possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that, from approximately June 2025 to October 2025, Dingman used the internet to sexually exploit a minor, persuading the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. The indictment further alleges that Dingman possessed child pornography on or about January 29, 2026.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison.
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 Bucks County Detectives and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Branwen McNabb O’Donnell.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Election Fraud OffenseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Miya Pack, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to one count of voting more than once in a federal election, in connection with the 2024 presidential election.
The defendant was charged by indictment in September of last year.
As admitted by the defendant at her change of plea hearing, Pack was registered to vote in Bergen County, New Jersey, had been registered there since in or about 2004, and until October 2024 had no history of having voted in New Jersey. In 2016, Pack registered to vote in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
On October 26, 2024, the defendant voted in person at an early voting location in Bergen County, New Jersey, casting a vote for the office of President of the United States of America.
On Election Day, November 5, 2024, Pack went to a polling place in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, and cast another ballot in the 2024 general election, including another vote for the office of President of the United States of America.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 1 and faces a maximum possible sentence of five years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Office of the Superintendent of Elections for Bergen County, New Jersey, and the Office of Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy E. Potts.
Lehigh Valley Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Fraud and Defrauding Local Car DealershipsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Justin Heimbach, 34, of Bath, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 76 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $598,257 in restitution by United States District Judge John M. Younge for schemes to defraud the federal government and multiple local car dealerships.
The defendant was charged by indictment in August 2024 and pleaded guilty in February of this year to six counts of mail fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
In March of 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program (PUA). The PUA program provided unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation, or extended unemployment benefits.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Heimbach, who operated a construction company called TeamKJ Construction, engaged in a scheme that caused fraudulent PUA applications to be filed in the names of individuals allegedly no longer employed by TeamKJ as a result of COVID-19.
In reality, the applications contained a number of materially false statements, including that the applicant had lost their job with TeamKJ as a result of COVID-19 and the date the applicant lost their job with TeamKJ due to the pandemic.
In addition, Heimbach defrauded multiple Lehigh Valley car dealerships by purchasing vehicles in the names of other construction companies registered to or associated with him, and writing checks for those vehicles on bank accounts that had an insufficient balance to cover the transaction.
This case was jointly investigated by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney S. Chandler Harris.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Two Charged in Connection with Cryptocurrency Money Laundering Service That Allegedly Laundered over $389 Million in Unlawful TransactionsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ruslan Igorevich Tkachuk, 37, and Alexander Vladimirovich Ledenev, 25, both residing in Batumi, Republic of Georgia, were arrested on Wednesday and charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and one count of sting money laundering, arising from their alleged operation of “AudiA6,” a cryptocurrency money laundering service believed responsible for laundering more than $389 million in cryptocurrency.
A coordinated international takedown of AudiA6 and its infrastructure was conducted in conjunction with yesterday’s arrests. The takedown resulted from parallel investigations by the United States Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Europol, Eurojust, and other international law enforcement partners, including Australia, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
A joint action took place and involved the following:
- Three properties were searched;
- Servers and domains linked to the criminal infrastructure were targeted in the United States, Iceland, Germany, and France;
- Telegram accounts used by the network were blocked;
- Cryptocurrency assets were frozen and digital devices were seized;
- The clear web and dark web websites of the AudiA6 service and the Dark2Web cybercrime forum, one of the sites where AudiA6 advertises its services, were replaced with a law enforcement seizure banner.
Tkachuk, a Ukrainian national, and Ledenev, a Russian national, are currently in the custody of Georgian authorities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek the defendants’ extradition to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.The criminal complaint in this case alleges that Tkachuk and Ledenev are senior members of the AudiA6 organization, who manage the cryptocurrency money laundering service and the Dark2Web cybercrime forum. The complaint references a Dark2Web advertisement in which AudiA6 explicitly offers to conceal and disguise the source of any prospective customer’s cryptocurrency that would otherwise be traceable to criminal sources, for a fee of up to five percent of the amount of funds being laundered.
Through blockchain analysis, law enforcement has determined that approximately 10,333 Bitcoin (“BTC”), valued at approximately* $389,747,417 at the time of the transactions, was deposited to AudiA6 cryptocurrency wallets since the service was launched in 2021. Using blockchain analysis tools and financial records obtained during the investigation, law enforcement reviewed the sources of funds directly deposited to these AudiA6 wallets. Out of the approximately 10,333 bitcoin deposited, approximately 393.39 BTC (valued at around $19,234,331 at the time of the transactions) were received directly from known darknet markets, ransomware organizations, cybercrime services, and other illicit sources, while additional funds were deposited indirectly from illicit sources into AudiA6 wallets.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years of incarceration.
This case is being investigated by the Secret Service’s Cyber Investigative Section and offices in Frankfurt and Oklahoma City, as well as IRS-CI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin D. Traster and Sima Kazmir and Special Assistant United States Attorney Richard Lorenz.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio has provided significant assistance with this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) prosecutor based in The Hague also provided crucial support to this operation.
The Justice Department is providing cybercrime technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners in other countries through the ICHIP program. Learn more about the Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program, jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section through partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, here.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
*All quantities of bitcoin and dollar equivalents described here are approximate.
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Safeguarding the FIFA World Cup Events in the City of PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – As Philadelphia is set to host the “world’s game” in the form of six FIFA World Cup matches, the law enforcement community stands ready to safeguard both our own citizens — as well as those visiting from around the globe — to ensure a safe and fun experience.
The mass public congregation of American citizens and foreign tourists for a global entertainment event can pose notable threats to public safety — including terrorism, violence, threats and hoaxes, human trafficking, dangerous drugs, fraud and counterfeiting, threats by unauthorized drone aircraft, and other criminal activity.
As a result, for the past several months the Department of Justice has led public safety preparations to anticipate, assess, and prevent the salient threats to the security of the matches and fans. United States Attorney David Metcalf also designated a World Cup Coordinator (“WCC”) from the office to convene public and private partners, including FIFA officials, to maximize law enforcement readiness. These efforts include:
- Developing, sharpening, and coordinating the criminal intelligence among all agencies to concentrate on threats particular to the FIFA World Cup events;
- Increasing and intensifying our contact with public agencies and private companies who can assist in the identification and prevention of FIFA-related threats;
- Proactive deployment of increased federal, state, and local law enforcement resources — both technical and manpower — to physical locations or online networks vulnerable to such threats;
- Imposing temporary flight restrictions to protected airspace — including from unauthorized drone aircraft;
- Establishing a federal coordination team to respond to World Cup-related criminal activities.
“It is a wonderful point of pride for our country to host the greatest spectacle of international sports. But the honor to host the FIFA World Cup games also carries the duty to protect them,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “These events represent historic moments for our city and region, and our focus remains on ensuring they are carried out safely, securely, and successfully for the public we serve. We are ready.”
“This summer, Philadelphia stands at the epicenter of a series of historic and once-in-a-generation moments as we welcome visitors from across the globe for the World Cup and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “No single agency can secure events of this scale alone. Our success is driven by the close coordination and partnership across local, state, and federal law enforcement, and most importantly, the public.”
“Philadelphia is ready to welcome the world, and Homeland Security Investigations is proud to help make this World Cup safe and memorable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Nathan Abel. “Working side by side with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI will be targeting counterfeit World Cup gear and fake tickets, enhancing efforts to identify and disrupt human trafficking, and providing specialized support at the stadium, fan events, and key transit points so fans can focus on world class soccer.”
For any public safety emergencies, please dial 911.
If you are aware of any criminal activity associated with the FIFA World Cup events, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
You can find more information on public safety and city services during the FIFA matches and Fan Fest at the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management’s World Cup safety and event information site.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 94 Months in Prison for Role in Large-Scale Cargo TheftsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Salahudin Reddy, aka “Dean” and “Deen,” 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 94 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone for his role in a large-scale cargo theft conspiracy.
The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in December 2024 and pleaded guilty in March of this year to conspiracy, four counts of theft from an interstate shipment, one count of theft of government money, one count of possession of stolen government money, and one count of possession of items from interstate shipment theft.
As detailed in court filings and statements, between January 1 and July 31, 2023, Reddy conspired with co-defendants to steal goods moving as parts of interstate shipments located on tractor trailers around Philadelphia.
While a trailer was unattended overnight, or while the driver was asleep, the members of the conspiracy participating in the theft would use bolt cutters and other tools to break into the trailer and steal the goods inside. The members of the conspiracy would then offer the goods for sale to local contacts.
Reddy admitted to participating in thefts of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of frozen crab legs on April 4, 2023, and again on April 6, 2023; the theft of over $360,000 worth of Samsung televisions on April 10, 2023; and the theft of over $230,000 worth of U.S. dimes on April 13, 2023. The members of the conspiracy committed numerous other thefts, stealing goods with a total estimated value of over $1.5 million from more than 10 victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Bowerman and Christopher Diviny.
N.J. Man Sentenced to 6½ Years in Prison for 2022 Lehigh Valley Plane Crash That Killed Student Pilot, Additional OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Philip McPherson II, 37, of Riverside, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 78 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, a $5,000 fine, $4,300 special assessment, and $19,530 in restitution by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for involuntary manslaughter and additional offenses arising from a 2022 plane crash in Lehigh County that killed a student pilot. Judge Gallagher also prohibited McPherson from working in the aviation industry.
The defendant was charged by second superseding indictment in April of last year. In October, he pleaded guilty to the involuntary manslaughter charge, as well as conspiracy to commit wire fraud, obstruction of an administrative proceeding, and 40 counts of serving as an airman without a certificate.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on September 28, 2022, McPherson took off as the pilot-in-command of a Piper-28-140 aircraft from Queen City Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with student pilot K.K. Shortly after takeoff, McPherson crashed the plane, killing K.K.
As further detailed, McPherson acted with gross negligence because he knew that he was not competent to safely fly an aircraft as the pilot-in-command.
Specifically, McPherson knew that: (1) he was not competent to safely operate the aircraft because he had two prior crashes and almost a third; (2) he failed his September 29, 2021, reexamination for his pilot’s certificate for a lack of demonstrated competence; (3) he voluntarily surrendered his pilot’s certificate on October 7, 2021, acknowledging his lack of competence; and (4) he allowed his Temporary Airman Certificate to expire on November 8, 2021, thus further acknowledging his inability to demonstrate to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) his competence to fly safely.
McPherson also admitted to illegally serving as the pilot-in-command of an aircraft with passengers while not possessing an FAA pilot’s certificate permitting him to do so. These flights occurred between October 12, 2021, and September 20, 2022.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Federal Aviation Administration, and Salisbury Township (Pa.) Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marie Miller.
Northampton County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mark A. Morella Jr., 40, of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl on Monday to a one-count superseding information charging him with attempted possession of child pornography.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8 and faces a maximum possible term of 10 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years’ supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and additional financial obligations.
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 Colonial Regional Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey Dimmig, Rosalynda M. Michetti, and John Boscia.
Member of Blumberg DTO Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Crack Distribution, Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Williams, aka Michael Jiles, 56, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 180 months in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Kai N. Scott last week for drug and gun offenses.
As detailed in court filings and statements, in October 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) known as Blumberg, operating in the area of 23rd Street and Nicholas Street, as well as 23rd Street and Ridge Avenue, in the 22nd District of Philadelphia. Investigators learned that crack cocaine and marijuana were consistently being sold by the Blumberg DTO in this area, and that Williams was selling firearms, as well.
The defendant was charged by indictment in March 2025 and pleaded guilty this February to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”), 17 counts of distribution of crack cocaine, and four counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.
During his change of plea hearing, the defendant admitted that, from approximately January 2023 through March 2025, he conspired with co-defendant Tyrae Askins to distribute crack cocaine, that he sold crack cocaine on numerous occasions, and that he sold nearly a dozen firearms, despite being a previously convicted felon prohibited from possessing guns.
Askins is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha A. Arena and Branwen McNabb O’Donnell.
Philadelphia Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Preston Serrano, aka “Jared,” “naggotfiggas,” and “6_____#0,” 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with three counts of use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor, and attempt to entice a minor, to engage in sexual conduct, three counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession and attempted possession of child pornography.
The defendant has been detained in federal custody since May 6, following his arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant.
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, from approximately April 2022 to October 2025, Serrano used online platforms to sexually exploit several minor girls, persuading these minors to self-produce sexually explicit images or videos of themselves and send these images to him. The indictment also alleges that he received and possessed child pornography.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
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 (“HSI”) Philadelphia, with assistance from HSI Norfolk, the Newport News (Va.) Police Department, the Chatham County (Ga.) Police Department, and the Thunder Bay Police Department in Ontario, Canada, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Morgan.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Used Car Salesman Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Defrauding Customers Seeking Wheelchair-Accessible VehiclesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Edward Scott Rock, 50, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $1,457,617 in victim restitution, and a forfeiture judgment of $1,469,617 by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone for a non-delivery sales scheme in which Rock accepted payment for, but failed to deliver, more than 100 vehicles and caused victims significant financial losses.
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud in October of last year.
As detailed in court filings, between 2019 and 2023, Rock, a used car salesman in Northeast Philadelphia, advertised and accepted payment for, but failed to deliver, wheelchair accessible vehicles to dozens of unsuspecting customers.
He repeatedly lied to clients, forged Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) compliance letters, fabricated excuses for non-delivery, sold the same vehicle to multiple buyers, accepted payment for non-existent vehicles, used family accounts to conceal his transactions, passed bad checks, stopped payment on refunds, and converted his victims’ funds into cash.
Rock’s victims included people with disabilities and elderly customers, along with medical transport companies, senior living homes, and other small businesses.
Altogether, Rock fraudulently took in over $2.5 million from more than 100 victims over the course of three years. While some victims were subsequently refunded, often with money received from the scheme’s later victims, over 75 victims remain unpaid and without their purchased vehicle, and more than $1.45 million in fraudulently obtained proceeds remains unreturned by Rock.
To induce buyers to purchase vehicles, Rock sometimes used a forged letter to falsely certify that the vehicles listed for sale were ADA-compliant and had undergone a conversion with a reputable manufacturer of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
On several occasions, Rock sold the same vehicle to multiple customers. After agreeing to sale terms and accepting payment from a customer for a particular vehicle, Rock continued to list, sell, and accept payment for that same vehicle again, this time from a new victim-purchaser.
For example, Rock agreed to sell the same wheelchair-accessible 2017 Ford T150 van to 16 different buyers over an 11-month period between February 2022 and January 2023. He collected more than $330,000 in payments for this accessible van from various buyers, eventually delivering it to one purchaser without proper title, and leaving the other buyers without their vehicle.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department Major Crimes Auto Squad and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Consumer Protection, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel S. Dalke and Jessica Rice.
Illegal Alien Charged with Failing to Update His Sex Offender Registration, Unlawfully Reentering the U.S. After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Gilberto Martinez Geronimo, 52, a Mexican national who has been illegally residing in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with failure to register as a sex offender and illegally reentering the U.S. after deportation.
The defendant has been detained in federal custody since May 19, following his arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant.
The indictment alleges that, from approximately May 2021 until last month’s arrest, Martinez Geronimo, a convicted sex offender, knowingly failed to update a registration, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).
The indictment further alleges that, despite having previously been deported and removed from the United States, the defendant knowingly and unlawfully reentered the country without applying for or receiving the U.S. government’s permission.
As detailed in court filings, in July 2000, Martinez Geronimo was charged by the Somerset County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office with Aggravated Sexual Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and Diseased Person Committing an Act of Sexual Penetration. He was convicted of those charges in New Jersey Superior Court in February 2001 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. In January of 2007, Martinez Geronimo was released from state custody into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) and deported back to Mexico the same month.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
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 U.S. Marshals Service and ICE and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Branwen McNabb O’Donnell.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Lancaster County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Pandemic Broadband Assistance Program of More Than $741,000Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Krandon Wenger, 25, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to two counts of wire fraud, arising from a pandemic program fraud scheme in which he defrauded the government of more than $741,000.
The defendant was charged by information last month; with today’s plea, he has waived prosecution by indictment.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
As detailed in court filings and statements, the Affordable Connectivity Program (“ACP”) was funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and provided financial support to eligible, low-income households, so those households could continue to receive broadband services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ACP authorized a monthly reimbursement of $30 per household, or $75 for households on tribal lands, to be paid to a household’s broadband access provider.
In March of 2022, the defendant, who owned and controlled a company called K20 Wireless, LLC (“K20 Wireless”), submitted an application for K20 Wireless to become an ACP broadband provider. After K20 Wireless’s application was approved in April 2022, the company began to enroll subscribers and submitted monthly certifications for ACP reimbursements.
Most of K20 Wireless’s reimbursement requests were for subscribers who purportedly lived on tribal lands and, therefore, received the higher reimbursements of $75 per month. However, these tribal ACP claims were false.
In reality, the defendant had caused employees and agents of K20 Wireless to change the residential addresses of K20 Wireless ACP subscribers from non-tribal lands to tribal lands, before submitting the claims. Because K20 Wireless was entitled to receive only $30 per month for these subscriber households, not $75, the defendant’s fraud scheme caused the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) to overpay K20 Wireless by approximately $741,726.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber.
Ohio Resident Pleads Guilty to Car Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Souleymane Kah, 36, of Westerville, Ohio, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge to conspiracy and other charges arising from a scheme to steal and sell more than 20 rental cars.
The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in September of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, from about December 2020 to December 2021, Kah and others conspired to rent vehicles from car rental companies throughout central and eastern United States by fraudulent means, transport the vehicles in interstate commerce, and sell the stolen vehicles to various purchasers, who then exported the vehicles overseas.
Kah and others would rent the cars by obtaining and using genuine driver’s licenses belonging to third parties, who were not aware their licenses were being used for the scheme, or by causing fake driver’s licenses to be created and used.
The defendant and co-conspirators frequently transported, and caused to be transported, the stolen vehicles across state lines to facilitate their sale. They received payment for the stolen vehicles by various means, including cash, electronic payments via money transfer apps, and in the form of a luxury vehicle.
Kah is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22 and faces a maximum possible term of 25 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Claiborne Bisio and Kara Traster.
Northampton County Man Pleads Guilty to Producing, Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Efrain Baez-Feliciano, 38, of Northampton, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl to 22 counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The defendant was charged by indictment in October of last year, arising from his manufacturing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”) depicting a young girl in his care, on multiple occasions over a period of about nine years, and his possession of CSAM.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24 and faces a maximum possible term of 680 years’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release. In addition, he faces mandatory financial penalties, and mandatory registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and Megan’s Law.
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 Northampton Borough Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Kulik.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
Three Foreign Nationals Sentenced in May for Illegally Reentering the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this month.
Leobardo Lopez-Garcia, aka Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, 46, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Karen Spencer Marston to time served, approximately 10 months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Lopez-Garcia had previously been removed from the U.S. three times: in October 2000, January 2004, and January 2006, following encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona.
In April 2023, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) became aware that the defendant had been arrested by the Hatfield Township Police Department on a driving under the influence charge. He pleaded guilty to that offense in April 2024 in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas.
Lopez-Garcia was arrested on a federal criminal complaint in August of last year, indicted for illegal reentry in November, and pleaded guilty this March.
Baudilio Lopez-Ramirez, 37, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to time served, approximately two and a half months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Lopez-Ramirez had previously been removed from the U.S. in March 2012, following his arrest by the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona.
In December 2025, ICE learned that the defendant had been arrested by the Philadelphia Police Department. Lopez-Ramirez was taken into federal custody on a criminal complaint this February, charged by indictment with illegal reentry in March, and pleaded guilty in April.
Jose Fernando Gomez-Urquia, 32, a Honduran national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to time served, approximately two months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Gomez-Urquia had previously been removed from the U.S. in May 2016, following an encounter with the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.
In November of last year, ICE became aware that the defendant had been arrested by the Coatesville Police Department. Gomez-Urquia pleaded guilty this March in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas to making terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another and was sentenced to time served.
He was arrested on a federal criminal complaint the same month, charged by information with illegal reentry in April, and pleaded guilty this month, waiving prosecution by indictment.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Davison, Catherine Dos Santos, and Robert Schopf.
Convicted Sex Offender from Berks County Pleads Guilty to Enticing Minors to Engage in Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Carlos Rivera-Smith, 38, of Reading, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Catherine Henry to four counts of use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor, and attempt to entice a minor, to engage in sexual conduct, and one count of commission of a felony offense by an individual required to register as a sex offender.
The defendant has been detained in federal custody since January 14, following his arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant. He was charged by information last month; with today’s plea, he has waived prosecution by indictment.
As detailed in court filings and statements, Rivera-Smith directed four minor children with whom he had communicated over a social media app and paid money to via cash apps to produce sexually explicit images at his direction and to entice them to perform sex acts with him. Records obtained by law enforcement show that he did so multiple times over more than two years, beginning in 2022, paying the children hundreds of dollars for them to sexually exploit themselves.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9 and faces a maximum possible term of life imprisonment.
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 Reading Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Dimmig.
U.S. Attorney David Metcalf Appointed to Attorney General’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania David Metcalf has been appointed, along with 17 other United States Attorneys, to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (“AGAC”).
Created in 1973, the AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting U.S. Attorney’s Offices and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The first meeting of the AGAC took place earlier this month.
“I am honored that the Department of Justice has selected me to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “It is a great opportunity to consider how we can further the work of the Department and maximize our protection of the public.”
In addition to Mr. Metcalf, the appointees to the AGAC are:
■ United States Attorney Dan Bishop, Middle District of North Carolina
■ United States Attorney Andrew Boutros, Northern District of Illinois
■ United States Attorney Scott Bradford, District of Oregon
■ United States Attorney Jay Clayton, Southern District of New York (AGAC Chairman)
■ United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine, District of Arizona
■ Acting United States Attorney Catherine Crosby, Northern District of Alabama
■ United States Attorney Michael Dunavant, Western District of Tennessee
■ First Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Ellison, District of New Mexico
■ First Assistant United States Attorney Bilal Essayli, Central District of California
■ United States Attorney Leah Foley, District of Massachusetts (AGAC Vice-Chairwoman)
■ United States Attorney Adam Gordon, Southern District of California
■ United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Eastern District of Michigan
■ Acting United States Attorney John Marck, Southern District of Texas
■ United States Attorney Peter McNeilly, District of Colorado
■ United States Attorney Jeanine Pirro, District of Columbia
■ United States Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones, Southern District of Florida
■ United States Attorney Lesley Woods, District of Nebraska
Mr. Metcalf was sworn in as the Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in March of 2025, following his appointment by Attorney General Pamela Bondi. That June, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (“EDPA”) appointed Mr. Metcalf to continue as the U.S. Attorney for EDPA, extending his term indefinitely pending his confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The Senate confirmed Mr. Metcalf’s nomination for the full four-year term as U.S. Attorney on October 7, 2025.
Before his appointment, Mr. Metcalf served several years as a federal prosecutor and senior Department of Justice official. In October 2022, he left the Department of Justice to serve as Corporate Counsel, Government and Regulatory Litigation, for Amazon.com, Inc. Mr. Metcalf’s full biography can be found here.
Fallen Philadelphia Firefighter Capt. Sean Williamson Selected by U.S. Attorney’s Office for Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that the office has named Captain Sean Williamson of the Philadelphia Fire Department (“PFD”) as the posthumous recipient of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s Hometown Hero award. The former U.S. Marine and 27-year PFD veteran was killed during fire suppression operations in June 2022.
As part of Freedom 250, United States Attorneys’ offices (USAOs) nationwide are honoring the Hometown Heroes of their districts. The Hometown Hero Award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America by celebrating the enduring ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility. This award is dedicated in recognition of a steadfast commitment to these ideals and an embodiment of the spirit upon which our nation was founded.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf presented the award to Capt. Williamson’s family at a ceremony this afternoon, with PFD Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson and numerous PFD members, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) investigators, and Assistant United States Attorneys in attendance.
“We could not think of a more deserving recipient of the Hometown Hero Award than Captain Sean Williamson, who gave so much of himself to protect Philadelphians in his nearly three decades on the job,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He should be here to accept the award himself. But I’m honored to present it to his loved ones today, in recognition of his selfless service.”
In the early hours of June 18, 2022, Capt. Williamson, filling in on an overtime assignment, was part of a PFD unit that responded to a fire at a mixed-used building that housed two apartments and a pizza shop. With the two young families who lived there able to safely flee the building, Capt. Williamson worked with other members of the PFD to place the fire under control.
They were on the second floor of the building, extinguishing hot spots, when the structure suddenly collapsed. Capt. Williamson was killed and several firefighters injured.
Following an investigation 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, the fire was determined to be arson and the two men responsible were prosecuted by this office, convicted, and sentenced to decades in prison.
Philadelphia Men Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences for Multiple Gunpoint Robberies and Robbery AttemptsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two Philadelphia men have been sentenced to prison for carrying out a string of commercial armed robberies and robbery attempts in and around the city.
Tyler Nichols, 31, was sentenced today to 20 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and $5,158.72 in restitution by United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer.
Co-defendant Dadisi Williams, 33, was sentenced by Judge Weilheimer last month to 15 years in prison, two years of supervised release, and $5,158.72 in restitution.
Nichols and Williams were charged by indictment in April of 2025 with four counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Williams pleaded guilty to all charges against him this January; a federal jury convicted Nichols of all charges the same month.
As detailed in court filings and statements, Williams and Nichols committed the following offenses, all at gunpoint:
- the September 19, 2024, robbery of a Family Dollar on Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia
- the September 27, 2024, robbery of an AutoZone on City Avenue in Lower Merion Twp.
- the October 6, 2024, attempted robbery of a Family Dollar on City Avenue in Philadelphia
- the October 11, 2024, attempted robbery of a Family Dollar on Haverford Avenue in Philadelphia
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department, Lower Merion Township Police Department, and FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Reinitz and Sandra Urban.
Delco Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Christina Williams, 31, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The defendant and her mother, Rosemarie Dixon, 54, also of Drexel Hill, were charged by indictment in November of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, from about January 2020 through April 2021, Williams conspired with Person 1, Dixon, and others to conduct financial transactions, knowing that the funds involved represented the proceeds of fraud, and knowing that the transactions were intended to disguise the source and ownership of the fraud proceeds.
In March 2020, Williams, Person 1, and others caused a business called Williams Royal Real Estate LLC (“Williams Royal”) to be registered in New Jersey, with Williams listed as the owner. Williams Royal never had any business operations or employees. Beginning in May 2020, at the direction of Person 1, Williams used the business registration paperwork to open business bank accounts in the name of Williams Royal at a variety of Philadelphia-area financial institutions.
In July 2020, Dixon, as well as Person 1 and others caused a business called Dixon Delish Kitchen LLC (“Dixon Delish”) to be registered in New Jersey, and Dixon was listed as the owner. Like Williams Royal, Dixon Delish never had any business operations or employees. At the instruction of Person 1, Dixon used the Dixon Delish business registration paperwork to open numerous business bank accounts at area financial institutions.
Around the time that the defendants opened these business bank accounts, Person 1 and others working with him caused fraudulent Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) applications to be submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and the proceeds of those fraudulent applications to be deposited into the Williams Royal bank accounts controlled by defendant Williams.
Additionally, Person 1 and others caused the proceeds of business email compromise (“BEC”) fraud to be deposited into the Dixon Delish bank accounts controlled by defendant Dixon.
After the proceeds of the fraudulent EIDLs and the BECs were deposited into Dixon’s and Williams’s business bank accounts, Person 1, Williams, and Dixon worked together to move the money around quickly from one business account to another, between the defendants’ business bank accounts, from the business accounts to Williams’s and Dixon’s personal accounts, and out of their bank accounts to accounts in the names of other sham businesses controlled by other participants in the money laundering conspiracy.
The total amount of the fraudulently obtained funds that were deposited to Williams’s and Dixon’s business bank accounts as part of this conspiracy, and which they laundered, attempted to launder, and agreed to launder, was $7,171,730. With the permission of Person 1, Williams also kept some of the fraudulently obtained funds, spent them on herself, and converted them to cash for the benefit of herself and Person 1.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $14,343,460. Dixon pleaded guilty to conspiring to money launder last month, faces the same maximum possible term, and is also scheduled to be sentenced on September 9.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, United States Secret Service, and U.S. Navy Criminal Investigative Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and S. Chandler Harris.
Former FDC Philadelphia Correctional Officer Who Sexually Abused Inmate, Violated Inmate’s Civil Rights, Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Jefferson, 43, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson for the sexual abuse of a Federal Detention Center (“FDC”) inmate under his authority and violation of that inmate’s civil rights.
The defendant was charged by indictment in May of last year and pleaded guilty in December to one count of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse of a ward, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
As detailed in court filings and statements, in the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Jefferson, while on duty as a correctional officer at the FDC Philadelphia, entered the cell of an inmate and forcibly sexually assaulted the inmate, resulting in bodily injury to the victim.
While acting under color of law, Jefferson willfully deprived the victim of her right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, a right secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, which includes the right to be free from sexual abuse by a correctional officer.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.
Berks County Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Firearms as a FelonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jeffrey Hill, 27, of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 32 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for illegal gun possession.
The defendant was charged by information with possession of a firearm by a felon and pleaded guilty in January of this year, waiving prosecution by indictment.
As detailed in court filings and statements, Berks County Probation officers went to Hill’s residence in January of 2025 for a routine probation visit. When the defendant opened the door and saw the officers, he appeared nervous. Once inside the residence, one of the probation officers observed two metal pins, the type used to assemble a handgun, in a bag on a dresser.
After receiving supervisory approval, the probation officers conducted a search of the residence, recovering two 12-gauge shotguns, a privately manufactured AR-15-style rifle, and a privately manufactured 9mm handgun loaded with 15 rounds of hollow point ammunition.
Officers also discovered various types of ammunition; a ballistic vest; multiple loaded magazines; gun parts, including a trigger assembly, two handgun frames, metal threaded cylinders, a slide lock, and grip; and tools commonly used to manufacture homemade firearms.
Hill had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Sinking Spring Police Department, Berks County Probation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Kulik.
Chester County Man Sentenced for Stealing Valuable Coins from Bank Safe Deposit BoxRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard DiStefano, 66, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to one day in prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, and $1.6 million in restitution by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for stealing valuable coins from a safe deposit box.
DiStefano, who was an attorney, was charged by information with bank larceny and pleaded guilty in September of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in July of 2017 and going through February 25, 2021, DiStefano stole precious coins that were being stored in a safety deposit box at a Wells Fargo branch on the 100 block of South Broad Street.
In June of 2024, the FBI was notified that this theft had occurred. Subsequently, the FBI was able to obtain records showing that the defendant was the last person to have access to the safety deposit box.
In September of 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at DiStefano’s address. During the execution of the search warrant, the defendant admitted to stealing the coins. The investigation showed that, over the course of years, he had removed the coins from the safety deposit box and sold the coins at various auction houses. The coins’ appraised value was just over $1.6 million.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Grenell and Ruth Mandelbaum.
Philadelphia Woman Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for South Philly Gunpoint CarjackingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Khala Hardy, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 85 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro for a March 2024 armed carjacking.
The defendant and co-conspirator Nyeem Williamson, 23, also of Philadelphia, were charged by indictment in October 2024 with conspiracy to commit a carjacking, carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Hardy pleaded guilty last July. Williamson pleaded guilty this March and is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on the night of March 15, 2024, Hardy and Williamson targeted a female driver (“Victim 1”) who was dropping off a friend in South Philadelphia. Hardy approached on the driver’s side of the vehicle, opened the driver door, pointed a gun at Victim 1, and directed her to “get out and give me your keys.”
Victim 1 exited her Toyota and Hardy took her place behind the wheel. Once Williamson was inside the vehicle, the defendant drove off. Shortly after the carjacking, Hardy instructed Williamson on how to disable the Toyota’s GPS system and cameras to avoid detection by law enforcement, as documented in their group chat messages.
Three days after the carjacking, Williamson was arrested by the Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) and charged locally. Following Williamson’s arrest, the defendant instructed others who had communicated with him to delete their text messages. Hardy subsequently provided a voluntary statement to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), in which she admitted to her involvement in the gunpoint carjacking.
This case was investigated by the PPD and ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.
Pawn Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Purchasing, Trafficking Millions of Dollars of Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Larry Leonard, 62, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Younge to charges of conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods in interstate commerce, interstate transportation of stolen property, and three counts of money laundering.
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, arising from the theft and resale of millions of dollars of stolen goods that he received, trafficked, and sold through pawn shops he operated and controlled: Society Hill Loan and K&A Money Loan Pawnbrokers, both in Philadelphia, and Lou’s Jewelry and Pawnshop in Wilmington, Delaware.
As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in 2019 and lasting through 2023, Larry Leonard purchased from drug addicts and professional thieves millions of dollars’ worth of expensive items, including high-end electronics, power tools, electric toothbrushes, and vacuums – all stolen from big-box retail stores such as Walmart, Home Depot, Rite Aid, and Target. Leonard, and co-conspirators working at his direction, paid the thieves a fraction of the retail value of the stolen goods – in cash – and then sold those items on eBay for profit.
From November 2019 through December 2023, Leonard and his co-conspirators sold more than $19 million in stolen merchandise via the eBay storefront “societyhillloan,” shipping the stolen merchandise from Society Hill Loan in Philadelphia to customers across the country. In addition to the more than $19 million in eBay sales, millions of dollars of stolen items, primarily high-end electronics, were sold directly to third-party individual wholesalers.
Leonard used the fraud proceeds to afford himself and his wife a lavish lifestyle, which included overseas trips, concerts, sporting events, and luxury items.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25 and faces a maximum possible term of 45 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Delaware State Police, and the Philadelphia Police Department. Law enforcement also received assistance from Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy, Target, Dollar Tree, Lowe’s, ACME, Bose, Rite Aid, CVS, and Harbor Freight Tools. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Newcomer, S. Chandler Harris, and Eric Gill.
Delco Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Stealing More Than $214,000 from the Bank Where He WorkedRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jonathan Lim, 42, of Wallingford, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $214,155 in restitution by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for bank fraud and embezzlement.
The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in November of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, while Lim was a manager of a bank branch in Downingtown, Pa., he took over responsibility for the regular administration of the branch’s automated teller machine (“ATM”), which required accessing the ATM’s interior. From about August 2019 through November 2019, on multiple occasions, the defendant stole cash from the ATM and repeatedly falsified records to hide his crimes.
The defendant resigned from the bank on November 24, 2019, and the ATM and branch were audited two days later. Auditors discovered that the ATM had a shortfall of more than $178,000 and the defendant’s cash box was short by $36,000. In all, Lim embezzled approximately $214,000 from the bank branch and spent the majority of the money gambling.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia's Newtown Square Resident Agency, with assistance from the Federal Reserve, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alisa Shver and S. Chandler Harris.
Four Defendants, Including Two Former U.S. Postal Service Employees, Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Steal $84 Million in U.S. Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that four defendants: Saahir Irby, 28, and Tauheed Tucker, 24, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cory Scott, 26, of Ardmore, Pa., and Alexander Telewoda, 26, of Clifton Heights, Pa., have entered pleas of guilty before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson on charges of conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft.
As detailed in court filings and statements, between June 2023 and September 2024, Irby and Tucker, while working as United States Postal Service (“USPS”) mail processing clerks, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center. Irby and Tucker removed the checks from the USPS facility and sold them to defendants Scott and Telewoda, who then advertised the stolen checks for resale on the cloud-based instant messaging application Telegram. Upon receiving payment from interested buyers, Scott and Telewoda mailed the stolen Treasury checks to buyers around the country who attempted to cash the stolen checks.
Over the course of the scheme, Irby and Tucker sold Scott and Telewoda thousands of stolen Treasury checks whose face value exceeded $84 million. Scott’s and Telewoda’s customers successfully negotiated approximately $11 million worth of these stolen Treasury checks at financial institutions. A grand jury returned a superseding indictment against the four defendants in May 2025; Irby was previously charged with — and has pleaded guilty to — a separate instance of mail theft involving another batch of Treasury checks that he stole and sold to an unnamed individual in August 2024.
Irby, Tucker, and Telewoda are scheduled to be sentenced in August, and Scott in September. Irby faces a maximum possible term of 25 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine, while the remaining defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, the Lower Merion Township Police Department, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice.
Three Foreign Nationals Sentenced in April for Illegally Reentering the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this month.
Demer Ramirez-Diaz, aka Demer Neftali Ramirez Diaz, 38, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Ramirez-Diaz has been removed from the U.S. four times prior: in June 2009, February 2012, and July 2012, following arrests by the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona and New Mexico, and in February 2022, after having served a six-month sentence for a previous illegal reentry conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
In September of last year, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officer who recognized Ramirez-Diaz from his previous arrest and prosecution in this district saw the defendant walking down the street in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. The officer approached, identified himself, and took Ramirez-Diaz into custody without incident.
Ramirez-Diaz was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in October and pleaded guilty in November.
Ubdulio Santiago-Morales, 32, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone to time served, approximately three months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Santiago-Morales first entered the country unlawfully in August 2011, was quickly encountered by immigration officers, and voluntarily returned to Mexico the following day. He was subsequently removed from the U.S. twice: in July 2012 and in January 2015.
In April of last year, the defendant was arrested by local police in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and charged with DUI and related violations. He was released on bond in that case and informed that he must return to court for his preliminary hearing on July 11, 2025. The defendant failed to appear on July 11 and remained a fugitive for six months.
ICE took Santiago-Morales into custody in January of this year on a federal criminal complaint and warrant. He was charged by information with illegal reentry in February and pleaded guilty in March, waiving prosecution by indictment.
Efrain Villegas Lopez, 35, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Catherine Henry to time served, approximately three months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Lopez had previously been removed from the U.S. in June 2012, following his arrest by the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.
In January of this year, ICE became aware that the defendant had been arrested by the Lower Providence Township Police Department. Lopez was arrested on a federal criminal complaint that month, charged by information with illegal reentry in February, and pleaded guilty in April, waiving prosecution by indictment.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Andrew Jenemann, Nancy Potts, and Robert Schopf.
Charges Announced Against Member of Online Cybercriminal Group “Purgatory” for Placing Swatting Calls to Universities; Victims Asked to Contact FBIRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that charges have been filed against a juvenile[1] following a rash of swatting calls aimed at universities and other institutions in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere in August 2025.
A “swatting call” is a hoax call made to emergency services typically reporting an immediate threat to human life. The goal of the caller is to draw a response from law enforcement—and specifically a special weapons and tactics (“SWAT”) team—to the victim’s location. In the most egregious cases, the party responsible reports a crime of violence or an impending crime of violence to have heavily armed law enforcement dispatched to apprehend the victim of the call. Perpetrators frequently place swatting calls to harass rivals or to raise their profile within their online communities by demonstrating a willingness to cause havoc and terrorize unsuspecting victims.
The defendant in this case was a self-identified member of the cybercriminal group “Purgatory.” The defendant selected the victim institutions at random and was not affiliated with any of those institutions.
Recently, swatting calls have become an increasingly common crime. Swatting calls waste valuable resources for local police departments and first responders who are responsible for responding to the calls believing there is an actual and immediate threat. The perpetrators are often part of online cybercriminal communities and believe that they will not be caught or punished. They are wrong. Federal law enforcement will investigate and prosecute these crimes regardless of who commits them or where they reside.
The FBI and the prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are legally mandated to identify and inform victims of the federal crimes they investigate. Victim institutions who were subjected to the conduct that underlies the charges in this case will be provided with a method for contacting the FBI.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Radnor Township Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, and Upper Merion Police Department, and assisted by dozens of state, local, and university police departments, ambulance companies, fire companies, and other first responders in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and across the country.
The charges and allegations are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
[1] This press release pertains to the federal prosecution of a juvenile.
Please note that, under the Juvenile Delinquency Act, the entire proceeding is subject to the limitations set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 5038, which forbid disclosure of the identity of the juvenile, as well as information and records related to the juvenile proceedings, to anyone except the court, the prosecuting authorities, the juvenile’s counsel, and others specifically authorized to receive such records.
More information on confidentiality requirements in federal juvenile prosecutions can be found here.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Possessing, Distributing Fentanyl in AllentownRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Wilson Rosario, aka “Joshua,” 36, a Dominican national who had been illegally residing in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, 10 years’ supervised release, a $3,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for possessing and distributing significant quantities of fentanyl.
The defendant was charged by indictment in May 2025 and pleaded guilty in January of this year to drug distribution conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a protected location — specifically, an Allentown elementary school and playground.
“After entering the United States illegally, the defendant wasted no time in acquiring bulk quantities of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He stored tens of thousands of doses of this deadly drug steps from an elementary school — and peddled that fentanyl to as many people as he could, profiting off the misery of addiction. Wilson Rosario has endangered countless Pennsylvanians and repeatedly insulted the rule of law. Today’s sentence will keep him behind bars for over a decade, right where he belongs.”
“This investigation and prosecution stopped an upper-level drug trafficker who was storing his poisonous products within walking distance of an elementary school and public park,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “I commend our partners for collaboration that removes another predatory trafficker from the community.”
As detailed in court filings and statements, from April 2023 to August 2023, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (“BNI”) worked with a confidential source to arrange multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from the defendant.
On August 26, 2023, BNI agents executed a state search warrant at a residence on the 800 block of West Chew Street in Allentown, which Rosario used to store and package fentanyl. During their search of this location, which is approximately 100 feet from a city elementary school and playground, agents seized nearly 300 grams of suspected fentanyl, a hydraulic press, respirator, digital scales, and other paraphernalia consistent with preparing fentanyl for distribution.
The same day, agents secured a search warrant for another location used by Rosario on the 1300 block of West Chew Street, approximately 300 feet from Allentown’s Franklin Park. In that apartment, investigators recovered more than four kilograms of suspected fentanyl, Narcan, a respirator, and empty vacuum seal bags.
Subsequent testing of the suspected fentanyl recovered at the search warrant locations was performed by the Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Laboratory. Testing concluded that approximately 4,272.76 grams contained fentanyl or a mixture containing xylazine and fentanyl. Combined with the 62.17 grams of fentanyl recovered from the four controlled purchases conducted by law enforcement in this case, the total amount of fentanyl that the defendant is responsible for in this case is 4,334.93 grams.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf.
Convicted Sex Trafficker Sentenced to Additional 19 Months in Prison for Failing to Meet Sex Offender Registry Requirements and Violating Terms of Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Malik Hudson, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment by United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone for failing to keep his sex offender registration up to date. In addition, Judge Beetlestone imposed a consecutive sentence of four months’ imprisonment and a concurrent sentence of 10 years of supervised release for Hudson’s violation of the terms of his supervised release.
The defendant pleaded guilty in November 2018 to sex trafficking of a minor and was sentenced in September 2019 to 72 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Both Hudson’s guilty plea agreement and the sentencing judgment advised the defendant of his requirements under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), including the need to “update his registrations not later than three business days after any change of name, residence, employment, or student status.” The defendant confirmed that he understood these obligations.
Hudson was released from Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) custody on September 27, 2024, and began his term of supervised release. He then immediately absconded, never reporting to the U.S. Probation Office as required. The defendant’s assigned probation officer repeatedly tried to contact and locate the defendant, to no avail.
In addition to failing to report to the Probation Office, the defendant failed to update his sex offender registration, as required by law.
On October 8, 2024, the Probation Office filed a violation of supervised release (“VOSR”) petition against the defendant. Hudson was apprehended in June 2025, after being caught stealing items from a Philadelphia store.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.
Area Men Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Stealing Dozens of Vehicles from Rental Companies, Dealerships, Other BusinessesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two area men have been sentenced to prison by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston for conspiring to steal dozens of vehicles, including cars, tractors, and backhoes, from rental companies, dealerships, and home improvement stores.
Tariq Bennett, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 39 months’ incarceration, three years’ supervised release, $502,070.13 in restitution, and a special assessment of $2,600.
Syheed Goodman, 37, of Upper Darby, Pa., was sentenced to 39 months’ incarceration and three years’ supervised release, $939,295.48 in restitution, and a special assessment of $2,700.
The defendants were charged by superseding indictment in June 2024 and pleaded guilty last year to more than two dozen counts apiece, including conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and transportation of a stolen vehicle.
As detailed in court filings and statements, from at least October 2021 through October 2023, Bennett, Goodman, and third co-conspirator engaged in a conspiracy to steal dozens of vehicles. To effectuate the scheme, the defendants test-drove, rented, and/or fraudulently purchased the vehicles. They then failed to return the vehicles they had rented or taken for test drives, or failed to make any payments for the vehicles they had fraudulently purchased.
As part of the conspiracy to obtain the vehicles, the defendants presented fabricated driver’s licenses bearing either the personal identifying information of third-party victims, which they had purchased online, or the personal identifying information of fictitious individuals. The defendants then sold the vehicles and equipment to other individuals. In some instances, the defendants transported the stolen vehicles across state lines to facilitate the sales to third parties.
In all, the defendants stole at least 46 vehicles from businesses in and around Pennsylvania.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Organized Crime Task Force, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Abington Police Department, Bensalem Township Police Department, Plymouth Township Police Department, and Springfield Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.
City Man Sentenced to 11½ Years in Prison for Philadelphia, Upper Darby CarjackingsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Legend Hall, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 138 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $7,400 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for committing two armed carjackings.
Hall was charged by superseding indictment in April of last year, in connection with a September 2024 carjacking in West Philadelphia, and charged separately by information with an October 2024 carjacking in Upper Darby, Pa.
In July of last year, Hall entered a plea of guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Jose R. Arteaga to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As described in the superseding indictment and other public filings, on September 17, 2024, Victim #1 parked on the 300 block of 62nd Street in Philadelphia and reported being immediately approached by three males, later identified by investigators as Hall and co-defendants Kristian Jackson, 20, also of Philadelphia, and Jalaal Claitt, 20, of Atlanta, Georgia.
One of the defendants asked Victim #1 to drive them somewhere. When Victim #1 refused, two of the males took out handguns and told Victim #1 to get out of the car. The three males then got into Victim #1’s black Chevy Malibu and drove off with Victim #1’s iPhone 14 and approximately $500 that was in the car.
As further detailed in court filings, on October 1, 2024, Hall, Claitt, and others placed an order for a pizza delivery at Slices and Moore in Upper Darby. When the delivery driver (Victim #2) attempted to make the delivery, the defendant and others pointed guns at him and took Victim #2’s wallet, phone, car keys, the proceeds of the pizza shop, and the rest of the money that Victim #2 had on him at the time. Hall and the others then jumped into Victim #2’s vehicle and fled the area.
Co-defendant Jackson pleaded guilty to the West Philadelphia carjacking and was sentenced in February to eight and half years in prison. Co-defendant Claitt pleaded guilty to both the West Philadelphia and Upper Darby carjackings and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Upper Darby Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Samantha A. Arena.
Second Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Multiple Robberies Targeting Armored TrucksRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Dante Shackleford, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer on one count of Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in January, along with Mujahid Davis, 24, also of Philadelphia.
As detailed in case filings and admitted to by the defendant, Shackleford, with others, participated in the following crimes:
- the July 15, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
- the July 22, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Elkins Park, Pa.
- the August 12, 2025, robbery of a Brinks truck in Elkins Park, Pa.
- the October 3, 2025, attempted robbery of a Brinks truck in Philadelphia
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of seven years’ imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and a $1,500,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Eckert and Kwambina Coker.
Montgomery County Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses, Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Anthony Greene, aka “Maino” and “Von,” 37, of Trooper, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with two counts each of manufacture of child pornography; use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor, and attempt to entice a minor, to engage in sexual conduct; and receipt of child pornography, and one count each of possession of child pornography and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The defendant is scheduled to appear in federal court on Friday for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid.
The indictment alleges that from March to June 2025, Greene used social media platforms to sexually exploit several minors, who ranged in age from 13 to 17. In some instances, the defendant used these platforms to persuade the minors to self-produce sexually explicit images or videos of themselves. In other instances, he encouraged them to transmit sexually explicit images of minors. The indictment further alleges that he possessed child pornography and possessed a firearm as a felon.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.
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 Philadelphia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigative Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda McCool and Meghan A. Farley.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
California Man Convicted at Trial of Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that John Douglas Burch, 56, of Los Angeles, California, was convicted late yesterday at trial of all charges against him: use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in prostitution, and two counts of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in January 2024, arising from a nearly decade-long scheme to sexually exploit children online and “train” them to be his “sex slaves.”
This “training” included, among other things, the requirement that the girls listen to explicit audio recordings, watch violent pornography, create pornographic images and videos and transmit the content to Burch over the internet, and have sexual encounters and commercial sex with adult strangers, which Burch would encourage and promote.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, Burch caused a minor female (Minor 1), starting when she was 14 years old and continuing until she was 17, to produce and transmit over the internet numerous sexually explicit videos and images depicting Minor 1 engaged in sex acts.
Burch also directed Minor 1 to engage in commercial sex acts with various men in Pennsylvania and caused Minor 1 to create visual depictions of the sex acts and send them to Burch, as proof that Minor 1 engaged in the conduct.
As further proven, between 2014 to 2015, Burch twice traveled from California to Pennsylvania and sexually assaulted Minor 1 at a Montgomery County hotel.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum term, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a $1,000,000 fine, and mandatory restitution.
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 FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Anthony Carissimi.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 17½ Years in Prison for Violent Home Invasion Robberies Targeting Business Owners and EmployeesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ali Chandler, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 210 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $60,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for two violent home invasion robberies targeting business owners and employees.
Chandler and co-defendant Abdullah Hartage were charged by superseding indictment in October 2022. Both pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to commit robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of committing or threatening physical violence in furtherance of a plan or purpose to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. Hartage was sentenced in January to 18 years in prison.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on November 13, 2021, Chandler, Hartage, and others met at their intended victims’ area business and waited outside until closing time, when the owners and their adult daughter left. The robbers, who had conducted prior surveillance to determine where the family lived, then drove to the residence, arriving before the victims.
When the victims opened their garage and parked inside, the four perpetrators, armed with handguns, stormed in. One of the gunmen struck the 61-year-old male victim several times in the head, causing injuries, and forced him to the ground. Another gunman forced the business owners’ daughter to the ground at gunpoint, and yet another perpetrator forced the 65-year-old female victim from the garage into the home at gunpoint, striking her several times in the head and causing injuries. After the home’s security alarm sounded, the perpetrators fled, taking the daughter’s backpack, which contained her credit/debit cards and ID.
In the next robbery, committed on December 4, 2021, Chandler, Hartage, and others targeted an employee of an area store. They had spent weeks casing the store, following the victim home and identifying her house. On the night of the robbery, the perpetrators again arrived ahead of the victim. Within minutes of the victim arriving home, three armed men broke in, one telling her “I know where you work.”
The 68-year-old victim was zip-tied to a chair and pistol whipped in the face, causing head injuries, including a gash requiring stitches and a concussion. The perpetrators made off with a safe containing cash, coins, and jewelry.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Montgomery Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty.
Longtime Bucks County Teacher Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Adamsky, 66, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for child pornography offenses. Judge Pappert also ordered Adamsky to pay a $30,000 fine, $38,000 in victim restitution, a $10,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment, and a $20,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.
The defendant was charged by indictment in September of last year and pleaded guilty in December to one count of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
At the time of his arrest, Adamsky was a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Nativity of Our Lord grade school in Warminster, Pa., and had taught there for 38 years.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Adamsky knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on or about June 15, 2024. Additionally, he possessed two computers and two flash drives containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These depictions included prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age.
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 FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, the Warminster Township Police Department, Upper Merion Township Police Department, and Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.
Philadelphia Man Convicted of His Second Firearms Offense in Less Than Two WeeksRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Arthur Thompson, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted this afternoon at trial of possession of a firearm by a felon.
The defendant was charged by indictment in July of last year.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on October 18, 2023, investigators with the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) carried out an operation to locate Thompson, who was the subject of an active arrest warrant. Investigators conducting surveillance on the 3000 block of North Percy Street in Philadelphia saw two people, who they believed were the defendant and his girlfriend, in a parked car, which drove away from that location a few hours later.
GVTF members maintained constant visual surveillance of the vehicle, which subsequently pulled over to drop off the female passenger. After the male drove off, investigators relayed its location and path of travel to Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) Highway Patrol officers, who initiated a vehicle stop. After the male driver was removed from the vehicle and positively identified as Arthur Thompson, the PPD officers arrested him on the active warrant.
GVTF investigators obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle, recovering a loaded 9mm handgun. Thompson had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.
This is the defendant’s second trial and gun conviction in less than two weeks. On March 31, in a separate case, a federal jury found Thompson guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
He is scheduled to be sentenced for both gun convictions on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence on each charge of 15 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Gun Violence Task Force, and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.
Lancaster Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Matthew James Addy, 47, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, entered pleas of guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher on 13 counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, arising from schemes through which the defendant defrauded investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The defendant was charged by indictment in October of last year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Addy held himself out as a wealthy and successful businessman, entrepreneur, and investor, to induce investors and potential investors to make investments and loans to him.
From approximately January 2020 to July 2022, Addy made misrepresentations to investors and prospective investors about both his personal financial position, falsely claiming a significant net worth, and his business and entrepreneurial experience, mischaracterizing the financial results of the purported consulting business that he claimed to operate, “the Yarah Group.”
As the defendant admitted, he induced one victim (“Victim 1”) to hire him to operate Victim l’s business (“Company 1”), and to make multiple loans to, and investments in, “the Yarah Group,” which Addy falsely claimed was based in Beverly Hills, California, and worth approximately $200 million.
Further, Addy applied for and received loans in the name of Victim 1’s other business, without the knowledge or consent of Victim 1, giving the lenders Victim 1’s identifying information, signing in the name of Victim 1, and listing Victim 1 as the guarantor of the loans. Addy then failed to repay these loans.
In all, Addy defrauded Victim 1 of approximately $722,496.
As Addy also admitted, from about April 2023 to June 2023, he schemed to defraud a second victim (“Victim 2”), whom he had met and socialized with. Addy claimed to Victim 2 that he was a diamond dealer and had made his first million dollars by the time he turned 30 years old.
Addy induced Victim 2 to make a short-term loan to a contractor through Addy’s purported company “Yarah Holdings PLC,” promising that if Victim 2 funded approximately $25,000 of a bridge loan, “Yarah Holdings PLC” would repay Victim 2 $30,000 a short time later.
Instead of a bridge loan to a contractor, Addy spent Victim 2’s money, $25,000, for unauthorized purposes, including his own personal benefit, and, despite having signed a promissory note, did not repay Victim 2.
Separately, Addy defrauded a federal credit union headquartered in Pennsylvania, depositing a check in the amount of approximately $8,500, drawn on Company 1’s bank account, into his own account. The same day, across two transactions, Addy withdrew the face value of the check in cash.
A few days later, the credit union received notice that the check had been returned due to insufficient funds. When called by the credit union’s fraud investigator on a recorded line, Addy made false statements about the bounced check he had deposited. Addy never repaid the credit union for the approximately $8,500 that he had taken by fraud.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 294 years in prison; three years of supervised release; and restitution of $755,995.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.
Former Philadelphia Probation Officer Sentenced to One Day in Custody and One Year of Home Detention for Conducting Years-Long Illegal Gambling OperationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Joseph M. Moore, 43, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney to one day in custody, one year of home detention, three years of supervised release, $200,000 in forfeiture, and a $7,200 fine for owning and running a longtime illegal gambling operation.
Moore and co-defendant James P. DeAngelo, 45, also of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in October of last year to a one-count information charging them with conducting illegal gambling business. DeAngelo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendants, from approximately January 2017 to February 2025, Moore, who was a Philadelphia probation officer, owned and conducted the sports wagering business (the “Moore Gambling Business”), and DeAngelo, who was a Philadelphia police officer, worked closely with him.
The Moore Gambling Business allowed individuals to place various types of bets on sporting events, including wagers on the outcome of individual games, and wagers involving “block pools” and other sports gambling pools.
The entry fee for these pools was as much as $500, which would generate thousands of dollars for the winners. Winners paid Moore approximately 10% of their winnings as a “tip” or fee for participating in the pool. For ordinary bets on sporting events, bettors paid a fee to Moore that was included in the cost of the bet.
DeAngelo partnered with Moore and engaged another individual who provided access to an overseas gambling website that, for a fee, allowed a bettor to establish an account with the Moore Gambling Business and place bets on the overseas website.
Moore paid DeAngelo a percentage of the losses suffered by bettors, as much as 20%, as a fee for DeAngelo’s role in the Moore Gambling Business. DeAngelo also accepted wagers on individual sporting events from gamblers. In some of those cases, he acted as the “bookmaker” on those bets, and in other cases, directed gamblers to Moore and the Moore Gambling Business.
During the years of its operation, the Moore Gambling Business served hundreds of bettors who, in total, wagered hundreds of thousands of dollars on sporting events.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
Center City Real Estate Agent Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Lengthy Fraudulent Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jonathan Barach, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 37 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release by United States District Judge Mia Roberts Perez, in connection with a fraudulent loan scheme in which he raised millions of dollars from individuals and businesses, supposedly for short-term real estate financing opportunities, when no such projects existed. Judge Perez also ordered Barach to pay a forfeiture judgment of $1,496,928.99, victim restitution in the amount of $1,496,928.99, and a $200 special assessment. The Court issued judgment after hearing live testimony from multiple victims of Barach’s crimes who described the enduring financial, emotional, and mental impact that Barach’s theft had on themselves and their families.
The defendant was charged by information in August of last year and pleaded guilty in September to one count of wire fraud and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction.
As detailed in court filings, Barach served as a licensed residential real estate agent and the co-founder and principal agent for The Barach Group, LLC, a Philadelphia-based real estate team, and formed a second company, TBG Real Estate, LLC, also based in the city.
In addition to offering traditional residential real estate services, between July 2017 and April 2021, Barach used the Barach Group and TBG Real Estate to fraudulently solicit and raise approximately $3.1 million from 19 individuals and businesses for purported, but, in reality, non-existent, short-term real estate investments in Philadelphia.
Barach raised these funds through a series of material misrepresentations, including by falsely stating that the money would be used to provide bridge loans to builders and contractors looking to purchase and flip distressed real estate properties or to complete renovation projects. However, there were no real estate projects, no financing opportunities existed, and Barach knew the newly raised capital would be used for his own purposes and debts. In fact, not a single dollar was invested in real estate.
Instead, Barach typically transferred victim funds to his personal bank accounts, withdrew large sums of cash, made assorted personal expenditures — including a 4.7 carat diamond ring purchased for more than $46,000, designer clothing from Louis Vuitton, and expensive front-end seats at sporting events — and made five- and six-figure deposits at casinos and sportsbook operations.
Barach manipulated and victimized people he knew personally, and many victims trusted him with their retirement accounts, children’s educational funds, and life savings. Although he paid back some of his earlier lenders with a portion of the funding secured from later lenders, over $1.49 million of the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds remain unpaid.
This case was investigated by the FDIC Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terri Marinari and Samuel Dalke.
Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of DNS Hijacking Network Controlled by a Russian Military Intelligence UnitRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice and the FBI announced a court-authorized technical operation to neutralize the U.S. portion of a network of small office/home office (SOHO) routers compromised by a unit within Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) Military Unit 26165, also known as APT28, Sofacy Group, Forest Blizzard, Pawn Storm, Fancy Bear, and Sednit. The unit used the routers to facilitate malicious Domain Name System (DNS) hijacking operations against worldwide targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, including individuals in the military, government, and critical infrastructure sectors.
Since at least 2024, GRU actors have exploited known vulnerabilities to steal credentials for thousands of TP-Link routers worldwide. The actors then accessed many of these compromised routers without authorization and manipulated their settings to redirect DNS requests to GRU-controlled servers - i.e., malicious DNS resolvers. GRU actors were indiscriminate in their initial targeting and manipulation of routers. The actors then implemented an automated filtering process to determine which DNS requests were of interest and warranted interception. For select targets, the GRU’s DNS resolvers provided fraudulent DNS records for specific domains that mimicked legitimate services – including Microsoft Outlook Web Access – to facilitate Actor-in-the-Middle attacks against encrypted victim network traffic. In doing so, the GRU actors harvested unencrypted passwords, authentication tokens, emails, and other sensitive information from devices on the same network as the compromised TP-Link routers.
“The GRU’s predatory use of networks in American homes and businesses for its malicious cyber operations remains a serious and persistent threat,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “NSD will continue to use every tool at our disposal to detect such intrusions and expel hostile foreign actors from our Nation’s networks.”
“Russian military intelligence once again hijacked Americans’ hardware to commandeer critical data,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “In the face of continued aggression by our nation-state adversaries, the U.S. government will respond just as aggressively. Working with the FBI — and our partners around the world — we are committed to disrupting and exposing such threats to our nation’s cybersecurity.”
“Operation Masquerade demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identifying, exposing, and disrupting the Russian government's efforts to compromise American devices, steal sensitive information, and target critical infrastructure,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “GRU actors compromised routers in the US and around the world, hijacking them to conduct espionage. Given the scale of this threat, sounding the alarm wasn't enough. The FBI conducted a court-authorized operation to harden compromised routers across the United States. We urge all router owners to take the remediation steps outlined today, because defending our networks requires all of us. The FBI will continue to use its authorities to identify and impose costs on state-sponsored actors who target the American people.”
“Operation Masquerade – led by FBI Boston – is the latest example of how we’re defending our homeland from Russia’s GRU which weaponized routers owned by unsuspecting Americans in more than 23 states to steal sensitive government, military, and critical infrastructure information,” said Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI’s Boston Field Office. “The FBI utilized cutting edge technology and leveraged our private sector and international partners to unmask this malicious activity and remediate routers. Now we’re asking everyone who has a router to secure it, update its firmware, and replace it if needed. By working together, we can guard against nefarious nation state actors trying to compromise our national security.”
As described in court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the FBI developed a series of commands to send to compromised routers in the United States, designed to collect evidence regarding the GRU actors’ activity, reset DNS settings (i.e., remove GRU DNS resolvers and force routers to obtain legitimate DNS resolvers from their Internet Service Providers (ISP)), and to otherwise prevent the GRU actors from exploiting the original means of unauthorized access.
As described in court documents, the government extensively tested the operation on firmware and hardware for affected TP-Link routers. Other than stymieing the GRU’s ability to access the routers, the operation did not impact the routers’ normal functionality or collect the legitimate users’ content information.
The court-authorized steps to remediate compromised routers can be reversed by legitimate users at any time through factory resets with hardware reset buttons. Legitimate users can also reverse changes by logging into web management pages and restoring desired settings (e.g., factory default settings).
To better protect themselves, all users of SOHO devices are encouraged to conduct the following remediation steps:
- Replace End-of-Life and End-of-Support routers;
- Upgrade to the latest available firmware;
- Verify the authenticity of DNS resolvers listed in router settings; and
- Review and implement firewall rules to prevent the unwanted exposure of remote management services.
Users are encouraged to navigate to the official TP-Link website and review documentation for their affected routers in the download center to learn more about proper configurations. Users should also ensure their routers are operating the latest firmware and review the End-of-Life product lists to determine if their routers should be replaced. Additional remediation guidance is provided in a separate PSA.
The FBI is working with ISPs to provide notice of the operation to users of SOHO routers covered by the court’s authorization. If you believe you have a compromised router, please contact your local FBI field office or file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The FBI Boston and Philadelphia Field Offices and Cyber Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section led the disruption effort. Black Lotus Labs® at Lumen and Microsoft Threat Intelligence provided valuable technical contributions to this announcement. MIT Lincoln Laboratory provided valuable assistance with testing and validation.
Justice Department Conducts Court-Authorized Disruption of DNS Hijacking Network Controlled by a Russian Military Intelligence UnitRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf, the Department of Justice, and the FBI today announced a court-authorized technical operation to neutralize the U.S. portion of a network of small office/home office (SOHO) routers compromised by a unit within Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) Military Unit 26165, also known as APT28, Sofacy Group, Forest Blizzard, Pawn Storm, Fancy Bear, and Sednit. The unit used the routers to facilitate malicious Domain Name System (DNS) hijacking operations against worldwide targets of intelligence interest to the Russian government, including individuals in the military, government, and critical infrastructure sectors.
Since at least 2024, GRU actors have exploited known vulnerabilities to steal credentials for thousands of TP-Link routers worldwide. The actors then accessed many of these compromised routers without authorization and manipulated their settings to redirect DNS requests to GRU-controlled servers - i.e., malicious DNS resolvers. GRU actors were indiscriminate in their initial targeting and manipulation of routers. The actors then implemented an automated filtering process to determine which DNS requests were of interest and warranted interception. For select targets, the GRU’s DNS resolvers provided fraudulent DNS records for specific domains that mimicked legitimate services — including Microsoft Outlook Web Access — to facilitate Actor-in-the-Middle attacks against encrypted victim network traffic. In doing so, the GRU actors harvested unencrypted passwords, authentication tokens, emails, and other sensitive information from devices on the same network as the compromised TP-Link routers.
“Russian military intelligence once again hijacked Americans’ hardware to commandeer critical data,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “In the face of continued aggression by our nation-state adversaries, the U.S. government will respond just as aggressively. Working with the FBI — and our partners around the world — we are committed to disrupting and exposing such threats to our nation’s cybersecurity.”
“The GRU’s predatory use of networks in American homes and businesses for its malicious cyber operations remains a serious and persistent threat,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “NSD will continue to use every tool at our disposal to detect such intrusions and expel hostile foreign actors from our Nation’s networks.”
“Operation Masquerade — led by FBI Boston — is the latest example of how we’re defending our homeland from Russia’s GRU, which weaponized routers owned by unsuspecting Americans in more than 23 states to steal sensitive government, military, and critical infrastructure information,” said Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks, of the FBI’s Boston Field Office. “The FBI utilized cutting edge technology and leveraged our private sector and international partners to unmask this malicious activity and remediate routers. Now we’re asking everyone who has a router to secure it, update its firmware, and replace it if needed. By working together, we can guard against nefarious nation state actors trying to compromise our national security.”
“Operation Masquerade demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identifying, exposing, and disrupting the Russian government's efforts to compromise American devices, steal sensitive information, and target critical infrastructure,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “GRU actors compromised routers in the US and around the world, hijacking them to conduct espionage. Given the scale of this threat, sounding the alarm wasn't enough. The FBI conducted a court-authorized operation to harden compromised routers across the United States. We urge all router owners to take the remediation steps outlined today, because defending our networks requires all of us. The FBI will continue to use its authorities to identify and impose costs on state-sponsored actors who target the American people.”
As described in court documents unsealed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the FBI developed a series of commands to send to compromised routers in the United States, designed to collect evidence regarding the GRU actors’ activity, reset DNS settings (i.e., remove GRU DNS resolvers and force routers to obtain legitimate DNS resolvers from their Internet Service Providers (ISPs)), and to otherwise prevent the GRU actors from exploiting the original means of unauthorized access.
As described in court documents, the government extensively tested the operation on firmware and hardware for affected TP-Link routers. Other than stymieing the GRU’s ability to access the routers, the operation did not impact the routers’ normal functionality or collect the legitimate users’ content information.
The court-authorized steps to remediate compromised routers can be reversed by legitimate users at any time through factory resets with hardware reset buttons. Legitimate users can also reverse changes by logging into web management pages and restoring desired settings (e.g., factory default settings).
To better protect themselves, all users of SOHO devices are encouraged to conduct the following remediation steps:
- Replace End-of-Life and End-of-Support routers;
- Upgrade to the latest available firmware;
- Verify the authenticity of DNS resolvers listed in router settings; and
- Review and implement firewall rules to prevent the unwanted exposure of remote management services.
Users are encouraged to navigate to the official TP-Link website and review documentation for their affected routers in the download center to learn more about proper configurations. Users should also ensure their routers are operating the latest firmware and review the End-of-Life product lists to determine if their routers should be replaced. Additional remediation guidance is provided in a separate PSA.
The FBI is working with ISPs to provide notice of the operation to users of SOHO routers covered by the court’s authorization. If you believe you have a compromised router, please contact your local FBI field office or file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The FBI Boston and Philadelphia Field Offices and Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the DOJ National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section led the disruption effort. Black Lotus Labs® at Lumen and Microsoft Threat Intelligence provided valuable technical contributions to this announcement. MIT Lincoln Laboratory provided valuable assistance with testing and validation.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Xin Guang Guo, 48, of Plymouth, North Carolina, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III on two counts of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire.
The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint and warrant in October of last year and charged by indictment the same month, arising from his effort to pay another individual $30,000 to kill two people residing in the Philadelphia area.
As detailed in court filings, on September 30, 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) received information that the defendant wanted to contract a hitman to murder his former business partner and business partner’s paramour (“Person-1” and “Person-2”).
Investigators received copies of text messages written by the defendant, whom they were able to identify as Xin Guang Guo, detailing his plan and providing identifying information about Person-1 and Person-2.
In subsequent phone calls monitored by the ATF, Guo discussed the terms of the contract, in which he would pay $15,000 for each murder. Guo also arranged to meet an individual he thought was the hitman in Philadelphia on October 6, so Guo could give him $2,500 to buy a gun.
At the October 6 meeting, the defendant gave the $2,500 to an ATF undercover officer and requested photographic proof that Person-1 and Person-2 had been murdered before he would pay the remaining balance. The agreement was made, Guo departed in his vehicle, and shortly thereafter was arrested by the ATF without incident.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McCool.