Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Dombek, age 55, of Thornhurst Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 10, 2026, to 120 months’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $2,753,266.3, by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiracy, theft of major artwork, concealment/disposal of major artwork, and the interstate transportation of stolen property.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, a jury found Dombek guilty of eight counts following a nearly month-long trial earlier this year.   The jury found that, along with his co-defendants and other co-conspirators, Dombek was responsible for stealing or concealing/disposing the following:

• “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” purportedly by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
• Six championship belts, including four belonging to Carmen Basillio and two belonging to Tony Zale stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York;
• The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy belonging to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota;
• Nine World Series Rings, seven championship rings, and two MVP plaques belonging to Yogi Berra, stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey;
• The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library;
• Fourteen trophies and other awards worth approximately $300,000 stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York;
• Five trophies worth over $350,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York;
• Three antique firearms stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
• “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, worth approximately $120,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey; and
• Antique firearms worth over $150,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey
• Numerous trophies, including the Milwaukee Open Trophy, Eastern Open Trophy, and Pennsylvania Amateur Cup belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club, located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania;
• Gold nuggets and other precious metals worth over $100,000, stolen in 2011 from a safe in the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey;
• Gems and other minerals stolen in 2017 from the Franklin Mineral Museum, in Franklin, New Jersey;
• Jewelry, coins, and other valuables stolen between 2018 from the Antique’s Exchange in Hawley, Pennsylvania, Cade’s Coins, in Exeter, Pennsylvania, Basic Irish Luxury, in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Bertoni Galler, located in Chester, New York.

Dombek acted as a leader in the eight-person conspiracy to commit the above thefts.  After a month-long trial held in 2025, co-conspirators Damien Boland, age 49, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania and Joseph Atsus, age 51, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania were convicted alongside Dombek of conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offenses. In December of 2025, Judge Mannion sentenced Damien Boland to 108 months’ imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release and restitution.  In January of 2026, Judge Mannion sentenced Joseph Atsus to 48 months’ imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release and restitution.

Additional co-conspirators pled guilty pursuant to felony informations and were sentenced by Judge Mannion earlier in 2025. They include:

• Thomas Trotta, age 50, of Dunmore Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment for theft of major artwork;
• Dawn Trotta, age 53, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania who was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property;
• Frank Tassiello, age 52, of Taylor, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property; and
• Ralph Parry, age 47, of Springbrook Township, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to three years of probation as well as a period of home-confinement for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.

After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars.  The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.

Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, valued at approximately $125,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms: Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators, including an antique gun which Damien Boland had earlier hidden at a relative’s house in a different state.

After a search warrant was conducted at Dombek’s house in the summer of 2019, he travelled to the homes of two of his fellow co-conspirators and threatened them if they cooperated with the police. In the summer of 2023, after being indicted on the instant federal case, Dombek fled from FBI agents trying to place him under arrest and he remained a fugitive for nearly six months before turning himself into the Lackawanna County Jail on New Years Day, 2024.

"Investigating art crime demands skill and persistence as these cases often cross jurisdictions and may span many years" said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia. "This sentence sends a clear message: those who steal art or cultural property will be held accountable. Working across our local, state, federal law enforcement partnerships, alongside cultural institutions which play a critical role in these investigations, the FBI will continue to diligently investigate these crimes, identify offenders, recover stolen works, and ensure those responsible face justice."   

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey) the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country.  Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan and Jenny Roberts prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Domingo Aguilar, age 38, a citizen of Guatemala, who has been living illegally in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Malachy Mannion to time served (approximately six months) and possible deportation based upon his guilty plea to Illegal Reentry.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Domingo Aguilar illegally reentered the United States and was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on September 23, 2025, after being charged and pleading guilty to one count of Driving Under the Influence (DUI), one count of DUI (Blood Alcohol Content +0.16), two summary counts of driving with a suspended license, and one summary count of disregard for traffic laws.  Those DUI related charges were filed by the Chambersburg Police Department in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Domingo-Aguilar was previously removed three times from the United States, most recently through Texas in 2015, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley K. McGraw prosecuted the case. 

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HARRISBURG – United States Attorney Brian D. Miller announced today that the Middle District of Pennsylvania collected $8,601,498 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $7,245,806 was collected in criminal actions and $1,355,692 was collected in civil actions.

The Middle District of Pennsylvania also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $599,066 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $13,065 was collected in criminal actions and $586,001 was collected in civil actions.   

The United States Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Examples of the civil and criminal debts collected for the Middle District are:

• General Dynamics Ordnance Tactical Systems, Inc. (GD-OTS) (both as successor in interest to Medico Industries, and as the owner of GD-OTS-WB) submitted vouchers/invoices, and related documents and statements for payment for production of 60mm, 81mm, and 120mm shell bodies that did not receive phosphate tests with the frequency required by the contracts. After it discovered the problems, GD-OTS took prompt corrective action and disclosed the matter to United States government contracting personnel.  A settlement agreement was entered in which GD-OTS paid $838,125.
• Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, PC paid $790,000.00 to resolve False Claims Act allegations of civil liability for submitting claims to Medicare for Evaluation & Management (E&M) services that violated Medicare rules and regulations.
• Defendants Adam Rashwan and former spouse Mervat Gharib owned and operated a small food market and convenience store, Capital City Family Market, in Harrisburg, PA. The store was approved to participate in SNAP. The defendants traded SNAP benefits in exchange for cash.  The defendants diverted approximately $1,091,922.05.  The Defendants were ordered to pay that amount in restitution to the USDA SNAP program. Rashwan paid a total of $680,523.57 thus far.  This includes Gharib’s payment of $100.
• Florentina Mayko conspired to defraud Medicare by submitting payment for medically unnecessary urine drug tests for chronic opioid patients at medical clinics where she was the chief executive officer. Mayko was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,409,076.48 and to forfeit to the United States several properties.  Mayko paid a total of $859,139.79 thus far.

Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,488,197 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Hector Colon, age 35, of Annville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to serve 30 months’ imprisonment, 12 months’ supervised release, and $100 in financial penalties based upon his guilty plea to conspiracy to engage in the business of selling firearms without a license.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from August 5, 2021 through January 5, 2022, Colon and Samuel Snader sold 28 Privately Made Firearms (PMFs), commonly referred to as ghost guns, and 420 rounds of ammunition without a federal firearms license.  Colon negotiated the sales and Snader built the firearms using kits purchased over the internet.  The firearms were sold for cash and provided in person by Snader in the parking lot of a Walmart.  The Court found that under the circumstances, Colon had a reason to believe the firearms would be possessed by a prohibited person or used in a felony offense and exhibited, “a blind indifference to public safety.”  All 28 firearms and ammunition were recovered by law enforcement.

PMFs are firearms, including a frame or receiver, that was completed, assembled, or otherwise produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer. PMFs may be manufactured using a 3D printing process or any other process and require a serial number or register to be added to legally sell the firearm for livelihood or profit. The licensee must mark PMFs with a unique serial number within seven days or prior to disposition. PMFs are commonly referred to as “ghost guns” because of the difficulty in tracking them.  From 2016 to 2021, approximately 45,240 suspected PMFs were recovered by law enforcement from potential crime scenes.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott F. Ford prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG — United States Attorney Brian D. Miller and the Justice Department today announced an agreement with the Borough of Kingston, Pennsylvania, to resolve allegations that it violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by enacting and enforcing a 2023 zoning ordinance that treats religious land uses worse than comparable secular uses and unreasonably limit religious land use.

The proposed consent order, which was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and must still be approved by the Court, would resolve a lawsuit the United States also filed today alleging that the 2023 zoning ordinance dramatically restricted how and where religious land uses can locate, which particularly impacted Kingston’s growing Orthodox Jewish Chabad community and prevented it from developing places needed for religious worship.   

“Time and time again, local governments enact zoning laws that treat places of worship and religious schools worse than comparable secular places of assembly, and unreasonably limit where religious land uses can locate. And too often the Jewish community bears the brunt of those restrictions,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will relentlessly pursue and prosecute jurisdictions that violate RLUIPA.”   

As alleged in the lawsuit, Kingston’s zoning ordinance violates RLUIPA because it requires that places of worship obtain discretionary special exception use permits, while comparable nonreligious assembly uses like theaters, bowling alleys, recreational facilities, and libraries are permitted as of right. The ordinance also restricts places of worship to one-acre or more parcels, while no acreage restriction is placed on comparable nonreligious assembly uses. These restrictions unreasonably limit religious land uses to only a tiny fraction of existing parcels in the entire Borough such that, in practice, there are essentially no available qualifying parcels on which to develop a new place of worship. As a result, Kingston’s Chabad community has struggled to find sufficient suitable places for prayer, religious study, religious schools, and mikvahs (ritual baths).

Under the consent order, the Borough will revise its zoning ordinance to allow places of worship and religious schools as a permitted use in commercial districts and as a special use in residential districts; eliminate the acreage requirements for places of worship and religious schools; and treat places of worship on comparable terms to nonreligious places of assembly with respect to other zoning concerns like parking and landscaping. The consent order also requires the Borough to train its officials and employees on RLUIPA’s requirements, establish a procedure for receiving and resolving RLUIPA complaints, and undertake other injunctive relief.

The Civil Rights Division’s Housing & Civil Enforcement Section handled this matter in collaboration with Middle District of Pennsylvania Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Butler, Civil Rights Coordinator.

RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the Department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.  Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the online RLUIPA complaint portal. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing [email protected]. 

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The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the Borough of Kingston, Pennsylvania, to resolve allegations that it violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by enacting and enforcing a 2023 zoning ordinance that treats religious land uses worse than comparable secular uses and unreasonably limit religious land use.

The proposed consent order, which was filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and must still be approved by the Court, would resolve a lawsuit the United States also filed yesterday alleging that the 2023 zoning ordinance dramatically restricted how and where religious land uses can locate, which particularly impacted Kingston’s growing Orthodox Jewish Chabad community and prevented it from developing places needed for religious worship.

“Time and time again, local governments enact zoning laws that treat places of worship and religious schools worse than comparable secular places of assembly, and unreasonably limit where religious land uses can locate. And too often the Jewish community bears the brunt of those restrictions,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will relentlessly pursue and prosecute jurisdictions that violate RLUIPA.”

As alleged in the lawsuit, Kingston’s zoning ordinance violates RLUIPA because it requires that places of worship obtain discretionary special exception use permits, while comparable nonreligious assembly uses like theaters, bowling alleys, recreational facilities, and libraries are permitted as of right. The ordinance also restricts places of worship to one-acre or more parcels, while no acreage restriction is placed on comparable nonreligious assembly uses. These restrictions unreasonably limit religious land uses to only a tiny fraction of existing parcels in the entire Borough such that, in practice, there are essentially no available qualifying parcels on which to develop a new place of worship. As a result, Kingston’s Chabad community has struggled to find sufficient suitable places for prayer, religious study, religious schools, and mikvahs (ritual baths).

Under the consent order, the Borough will revise its zoning ordinance to allow places of worship and religious schools as a permitted use in commercial districts and as a special use in residential districts; eliminate the acreage requirements for places of worship and religious schools; and treat places of worship on comparable terms to nonreligious places of assembly with respect to other zoning concerns like parking and landscaping. The consent order also requires the Borough to train its officials and employees on RLUIPA’s requirements, establish a procedure for receiving and resolving RLUIPA complaints, and undertake other injunctive relief.

RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the Department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the online RLUIPA complaint portal. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing [email protected]. 

HARRISBURG-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Sean Allicock, age 53, a citizen of Guyana, who was illegally residing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 65 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for illegally reentering the country after having previously been removed. 

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Allicock was indicted by a federal grand jury after being arrested for Theft by Unlawful Taking and related charges in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on June 18, 2025. Allicock was previously convicted of illegal reentry in 2007.  Allicock had previously been removed from the United States pursuant to a court order in 1998 and 2015.   Allicock pleaded guilty to illegal reentry before being sentenced.

The ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kelley K. McGraw prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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.

Allicock still faces pending state charges in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

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A Florida man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for tax evasion in connection with substantial legal fees he earned.

The following is based on court documents and statements made in court: Robert J. Powell, of Palm Beach, Florida, and formerly of Pennsylvania, carried out his tax evasion scheme by using nominee bank accounts, causing an accountant to file a request for a filing extension that falsely reported zero estimated tax liability for 2016, and by making false statements during a subsequent IRS audit.

After his suspension and disbarment from the practice of law, Powell retained the right to collect a portion of future fees collected by his former firm for representing thousands of plaintiffs in a mass tort litigation that settled for approximately $5.15 billion in 2015. Powell’s firm was expected to receive approximately $120 million in attorneys’ fees from that settlement.

Before those attorneys’ fees were disbursed, Powell’s firm used the fees as collateral to obtain a series of loans totaling over $125 million. Instead of depositing the loan proceeds into firm bank accounts and using them to pay firm expenses, Powell directed the loans to nominee bank accounts under his control. He then used the loan proceeds to pay his personal debts and expenses, as well as for the personal benefit of his former law partner and himself.

In June 2016, most of the attorneys’ fees were finally disbursed and the loans repaid. Powell did not file a personal income tax return and pay taxes on those fees, even though he personally received an additional $3.6 million of the fees.

For the tax years 2010 through 2022, Powell did not file personal tax returns even though he earned income during each of those years and was required to file.

In 2019, the IRS audited Powell. During the audit, Powell made false statements in an attempt to conceal his income and expenditures. Specifically, Powell falsely informed the IRS that his only source of funds were loan advances, he and his spouse did not have signature authority or control over other bank accounts, and he had no ownership in any corporations. All of these statements were false.

In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for the Middle District of Pennsylvania ordered Powell to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $3.5 million in restitution to the United States and a $100,000 fine.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Alexandra K. Fleszar of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Sharma for the Middle District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.

SCRANTON, Pennsylvania – Robert J. Powell, age 65, of Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for tax evasion in connection with substantial legal fees he earned.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Powell sought to evade a substantial tax that was due and owing the IRS for 2016 by using “nominee” bank accounts (i.e., accounts in others’ names), causing an accountant to file a request for a filing extension that falsely reported zero estimated tax liability for 2016, and making false statements during an IRS audit in 2019. At sentencing, the Government put forth evidence that Powell did not file taxes for a period of approximately fifteen years, during which he earned over $18 million in income.

“Today’s sentencing holds Mr. Powell accountable for his criminal actions” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation for the Philadelphia Field Office.  “Mr. Powell’s fraudulent scheme to evade income taxes is unfair to every taxpayer who obeys the law and pays their fair share.  IRS CI is committing to working with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to see that criminals like this are stopped.”

In 2009, Powell pleaded guilty to multiple federal felony offenses for paying bribes to two judges of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas and assisting those judges in concealing the bribe payments from tax authorities. In 2011, Powell was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for these offenses. The conduct for which he was sentenced today began around the time that he pleaded guilty to the earlier offenses and continued throughout the time of his imprisonment and beyond.

Powell’s license to practice law was suspended in 2009, and he was subsequently disbarred in 2015, in connection with his earlier convictions. As a result, in 2009 he relinquished his ownership of The Powell Law Group. He nevertheless retained the right to collect 90% of the remainder of any future fees collected by the firm after the payment of firm expenses. Specifically, The Powell Law Group represented thousands of plaintiffs in a mass tort litigation that settled for approximately $5.15 billion in 2015, and The Powell Law Group was expected to receive approximately $120 million in attorneys’ fees from that settlement.

Prior to the disbursement of the attorneys’ fees, The Powell Law Group and its co-counsel used those future legal fees as collateral to obtain a series of loans totaling over $125 million. Instead of depositing the loan proceeds into The Powell Law Group’s bank accounts and using them to pay firm expenses, Powell instead directed the loans to nominee bank accounts that were under his control. He then used the loan proceeds for his personal debts and expenses, as well as his and his former law partner’s personal benefit. Powell’s personal expenses included multiple luxury vehicles, a $1.25 million sportfishing yacht, and tuition and living expenses for private high schools and universities for his children. Powell’s personal expenses also included buying a $2.65 million home in Palm Beach Gardens, to which he then made more than $1 million in renovations. Once Powell was informed that he was the focus of a federal investigation, he transferred ownership of the home to a business partner, but Powell and his wife have continued to live in that home—now worth more than $6 million-rent-free.

In June 2016, most of the attorneys’ fees were finally disbursed and the loans were repaid. Nevertheless, Powell did not file a personal income tax return and pay taxes on the receipt of the fees in that year. After the initial disbursement and through October 2019, an additional $12 million in attorneys’ fees was distributed, and The Powell Law Group’s share continued to be directed into nominee bank accounts that Powell controlled. Powell personally received an additional $3.6 million of the fees during that time.

In 2019, when the IRS commenced an audit of his tax liabilities, Powell made false statements to the interviewing agents to conceal his income and expenditures. Namely, Powell falsely stated that, for tax years 2014 through 2016, his only sources of funds were loan advances, that he and his spouse did not have signature authority or control over other bank accounts, and that he had no ownership in any corporations.

Powell agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $3,500,000, to the IRS. Powell also agreed that the IRS may later determine that he owes even more in taxes, plus penalties and interest, beyond what he has agreed to pay.

Assistant Attorney General Tyson Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Alexandra K. Fleszar of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rick Goodling, age 69, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, plead guilty before United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, to tax evasion.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Goodling admitted to underreporting his taxable income in Tax Years 2019-2022. Goodling began working as a compliance officer with Pace-O-Matic, a Georgia-based “skill machine” company, as a compliance officer in 2018.  As part of his guilty plea, Goodling admitted that while working as a supervisory compliance officer, he received cash payments from skill machine operators throughout Pennsylvania in return for allowing those operators to improperly continue to use Pace-O-Matic products against the company’s rules and regulations. Goodling and others then formed consulting businesses to falsely claim these cash payments were business travel expenses, thereby underreporting his taxable income in the years 2019-2022.  Overall, Goodling’s actions led to a tax loss of over $100,000 to the United States. 

“Conspiring to defraud the government with an elaborate scheme to underreport taxable income is unlawful,” stated Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.

“Today's plea serves as yet another reminder of the consequences which come to those who commit acts of fraud against the United States," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "Our mission remains clear: together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will relentlessly pursue fraud at every level - aggressively investigating, dismantling criminal schemes, and pursuing those responsible."

The case was investigated by the Income Revenue Service (IRS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brad Daniel Swink, age 41, of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a six-count indictment. 

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Swink produced child pornography on April 10, 2025, and distributed child pornography on January 27, 2023.  The indictment also alleges that Swink possessed images of child sexual abuse between January 2023 and April of 2025, and that he specifically received images or videos on three separate times from July 2023 to April 2024. 

The FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense is up to thirty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Arturo Perez Ramirez, age 35, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 28, 2026, to 24 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for making a false statement in application for a passport and aggravated identity theft.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Perez Ramirez was ordered to be removed from the United States in 2019, after he failed to appear for immigration proceedings.  In 2020, Perez Ramirez purchased the identity documents of an American citizen, obtained a U.S. Passport under that identity, and thereafter resided in the United States under the assumed identity.

The U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carey Lynn Pappan, age 31, of Guthrie, Oklahoma, was indicted by a federal grand jury on assault charges.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on October 22, 2025, Pappan, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary Canaan, assaulted another person resulting in serious bodily injury.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Scranton Heart Institute (SHI) has agreed to pay $48,709.20 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment to Medicare for CPT codes associated with PET scan services in violation of the applicable Medicare rules and regulations.

According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, between December 10, 2020 and May 31, 2023, SHI knowingly and willfully received renumeration offered or paid by a mobile PET scan company to induce SHI to refer its Medicare patients to that company for PET scans, in the form of (1) significant hourly payments designated as payments for professional supervision of the mobile imaging services, and (2) allowing SHI to bill for and retain the Medicare professional component reimbursement for the mobile imaging services.  Therefore, the United States contends that SHI submitted false claims to Medicare associated with imaging services using certain CPT codes that resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.  Additionally, the United States contends that the renumeration SHI received from the mobile PET scan company created a financial relationship between SHI’s physician and the mobile PET scan company that did not satisfy any exception to the physician self-referral law.

“Kickback schemes can jeopardize medical decision making, which may significantly impact patient care and program costs,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other partners to investigate alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute in the Medicare program.”

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Haken and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania with assistance from the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

# # #

SCRANTON -- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bryce Robert Elliott, age 21, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for the production and distribution of child pornography. 

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Elliott, sometime between December of 2024 and January of 2026, engaged in the production of videos depicting sexual activity with a toddler, which he then distributed over the internet.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for each count is 50 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christian Barnes, age 38, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 27, 2026, to 20 years in prison by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on November 4, 2021, Barnes sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to Jennifer Giuli, age 43, of Luzerne County.  Giuli, in turn, then sold a half gram of the fentanyl that she received from Barnes to a Kingston, Luzerne County, resident, who later died after ingesting the fentanyl.  Both Barnes and Giuli pleaded guilty to the charge of drug delivery resulting in death. On May 27, 2025, Judge Mehalchick also sentenced Jennifer Giuli to 240 months’ imprisonment. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kingston Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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.

###

WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Misti Weld, age 51, of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on January 22, 2026, by a federal grand jury for theft of government property, Social Security fraud, and making false statements to the Social Security Administration.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from January 2016 through June 2023, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, Weld claimed Social Security benefits as a representative payee for the support of her children, while knowing that she was not entitled to claim such benefits because her children did not live in her household.  Additionally, Weld made a false statement in an application to the Social Security Administration in which she falsely claimed that her children were members of her household.

The Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 35 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

###

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Colin Best, age 40, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a three-count indictment. 

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Best produced child pornography on April 28, 2024, and attempted to produce child pornography on August 10, 2024.  The indictment also alleges that Best possessed images of child sexual abuse between April and October of 2024. 

The FBI, Williamsport Bureau of Police, and the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense is up to thirty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zachary Comerford, age 33, of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, was charged by a federal grand jury for illegal possession of a firearm.

According to United States Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on November 20, 2025, in Northumberland County, Comerford was found in possession of an H&R .32 caliber revolver after having been convicted of a felony offense.

The United States Marshals Service, Coal Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mohammed Zeidan, age 36, of East Greenville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 22, 2026, to 84 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, and Firearms Conspiracy.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Zeidan was friends with members of the Schuylkill County chapter of the Infamous Ryders Motorcycle Club, of which co-defendant Steven Wong was the president. Wong used his position to recruit members of the motorcycle club and other associates to participate in a series of brutal home-invasion armed robberies in Schuylkill and Berks County in the summer and fall of 2020.  Zeidan agreed to participate in an August 29, 2020, home-invasion robbery with three other co-conspirators in which Zeidan and two others entered the home of a street-level drug dealer while wearing masks and armed with firearms and knives and rob the victims of drugs and drug proceeds. One of the firearms used was a fully automatic homemade AR-15 style assault rifle.  Zeidan did not personally carry a firearm during the robbery but tried to break down the backdoor of the residence and impersonated a police officer to convince the potential victims to come downstairs. Instead, the victims jumped out of the second-floor window, injuring themselves.  Zeidan and his fellow co-conspirators then ran from the home without stealing anything of value.

Zeidan was later blamed by the other conspirators for the failure of the August 29, 2020, attempted robbery.  Members of the conspiracy later committed additional armed home-invasion robberies in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, and Shillington, Pennsylvania.  Zeidan’s fellow co-conspirators, including Wong, have all been convicted and have been sentenced or are currently awaiting sentencing.

The charges stem from an investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Mahanoy City Police Department, the Schuylkill Haven Police Department, the Pottsville Police Department, the Shillington Police Department, the Reading Police Department, and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorneys James Buchanan and Sarah Lloyd prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Krysty Horter, age 39, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 30 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for one count of firearms trafficking conspiracy.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Horter previously pled guilty to conspiring with her other co-defendants to traffic firearms from April of 2022 to on or about July 9, 2024, in Luzerne County, and elsewhere. Horter further admitted that, as part of the conspiracy, she straw-purchased at least five firearms for her co-defendants, including Justis Shea, and transferred those firearms to Shea while knowing that he was a person not to possess a firearm as he was both a felon and an unlawful user of controlled substances.

Co-defendants Justis Shea and Jeremy Shea, Justis’s brother, have previously been sentenced to 130 months and 48 months’ imprisonment, respectively.  A fourth co-defendant, Cindy Shea, is awaiting sentencing.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals thefull 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.

# # #

HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clayton Wilson, age 25, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on six counts of drug trafficking.     

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Wilson distributed crack cocaine in Franklin County on August 27, 2025, September 10, 2025, October 2, 2025 and October 21, 2025. It further alleges that he possessed with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride, and methamphetamine on October 23, 2025.  It also alleged that in a separate incident on October 23, 2025, he possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.   

FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeremy Shea, age 35, of Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 48 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for one count of firearms trafficking conspiracy.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Shea previously pled guilty to conspiring with three co-defendants to traffic at least three firearms from April of 2022 to on or about July 9, 2024, in Luzerne County, and elsewhere. Shea further admitted that as part of the conspiracy, he picked up three firearms from a hotel room occupied by his brother, Justis Shea, after his brother was arrested on an unrelated case. Jeremy Shea then safeguarded those firearms in his house with the intent to transport, transfer, or otherwise dispose of those firearms to others.  While his brother was incarcerated, he directed Jeremy Shea to sell or otherwise dispose of the firearms.  When investigators executed a search warrant at the Shea’ house in Glen Lyon, they found an American Tactical AR-style rifle with a Bushell mounted optic, a short-barreled AR-style personally-made firearm with an overall length of less than 16 inches, a .22 caliber EIG model E 15 six-shot revolver, AR-style magazines, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia in Jeremy Shea’s bedroom.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Roland Bennett Rhodes, III, age 55, a resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, for receipt of child pornography.

According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on October 24, 2024, FBI agents served a federal search warrant at Rhodes’ residence in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.  Pursuant to the warrant, agents seized and later analyzed nineteen electronic devices, which included laptops, hard drives, thumb drives, and a cellular telephone. The forensic analysis uncovered approximately 554 images and 192 videos of child pornography on Rhodes’ devices and showed that he received images of child pornography on multiple occasions in 2024. 

FBI – Philadelphia Division, Scranton conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.

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

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Francisco Baez, age 53, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 15, 2026, to 46 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for drug trafficking.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Baez pleaded guilty on January 29, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl.  Investigators conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Baez during which he sold approximately seven grams of fentanyl to a Confidential Source. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed and law enforcement recovered approximately 137 grams of fentanyl, over $20,000 cash, and 977 grams of a cutting agent from Baez’s residence. 

The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marquise Maxey, age 39, of Haledon, New Jersey, was sentenced on January 13, 2026, to 151 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for distribution of fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Maxey pled guilty in 2024 to one count of distribution of fentanyl.  As part of his plea, Maxey admitted that he had sold approximately 26 grams of fentanyl to a Confidential Source in exchange for $18,000.  This quantity represents over 13,000 potentially fatal dosages of fentanyl.   

The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, the Scranton Police Department, the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph Atsus, age 51, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 13, 2026, to 48 months’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $1,071,150, by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiracy, theft of major artwork and concealment/disposal of major artwork.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, a jury found Atsus guilty of four counts following a nearly month-long trial earlier this year.  The jury found that, along with his co-defendants and other co-conspirators, Atsus was responsible for the theft of following:

• “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” purportedly by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
• Three antique firearms stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey.
• “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, worth approximately $120,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey.
• Antique firearms worth over $150,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey.
• Memorabilia belonging to Christy Matthewson, stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania.
• Golf trophies and memorabilia belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.
• Over $100,000 worth of gold nuggets stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum located in Ogdensburg, New Jersey; and
• Nine World Series rings, seven championship and other rings, and two MVP plaques all belonging to Yogi Berra stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center located in Little Falls, New Jersey.

Atsus committed the above thefts as part of a larger, eight-person conspiracy.  Co-conspirators Nicholas Dombek, age 55, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, and Damien Boland, age 50, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, were also convicted alongside Atsus of conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offenses. Boland was sentenced last month to 108 months’ imprisonment. Dombek is presently awaiting sentencing.

Three additional co-conspirators pled guilty pursuant to felony informations and were sentenced by Judge Mannion earlier this year. They include:

• Thomas Trotta, age 50, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment for theft of major artwork;
• Dawn Trotta, age 53, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property;
• Frank Tassiello, age 52, of Taylor, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property; and
• Ralph Parry, age 47, of Springbrook Township, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to three years of probation as well as a period of home-confinement for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.

After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars.  The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.

Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, valued at approximately $125,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms: Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators, including an antique gun which Boland had earlier hidden at a relative’s house in a different state.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey) the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country.  Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan and Jenny Roberts prosecuted the case.

# # #

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dimitris Smith, Jr., age 48, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted on January 9, 2026, of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death and four counts of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine following a five-day jury trial before United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Smith distributed a deadly dose of fentanyl on December 11, 2023, in East Stroudsburg, Monroe County.  A 38 year old female died after ingesting the fentanyl. Between March 14, 2024, and April 1, 2024, Smith also distributed fentanyl and cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer. During this time period Smith was on federal supervised release from a prior drug trafficking conviction.

During the five-day trial, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office presented testimony of 32 witnesses, including experts in forensic pathology, forensic toxicology, serology DNA profiling, forensic chemistry and historical cell site data. Witness testimony, the victim’s cell phone data and text messages, DNA evidence seized at the crime scene, and CashApp payment records were among the evidence presented that proved Smith was the dealer who supplied the fentanyl that killed the victim.  The jury also found Smith guilty of distributing drugs on four separate occasions after the death of the victim.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Patrick Bannon prosecuted the case.

The maximum penalty for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Carbaugh, age 39, of York County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary to 72 months’ imprisonment for distribution of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Carbaugh pleaded guilty to distributing over 1,800 images of child pornography between October 1 and November 7, 2023. Law enforcement had made direct connections with devices that were sharing child pornography via the BitTorrent network during that time. Those devices belonged to Carbaugh and were using a Comcast IP address that was registered to him.

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

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Alberto, age 38, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 8, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Alberto was convicted on May 7, 2025, following a three-day jury trial. The evidence presented at trial established that on August 12, 2021, Alberto was found asleep behind the wheel of a running vehicle stopped at a stop sign, with his foot on the brake and a line of cars stopped behind him.  Law enforcement searched the vehicle and ultimately discovered a stolen firearm in the glove compartment.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department (WBPD), and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).  Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah R. Lloyd and James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.

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

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Reginald Hopkins, age 49, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted on January 8, 2026, of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition as an armed career criminal following a three-day trial before United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the case involved the execution of a search warrant on February 19, 2021, at Hopkins’ apartment, resulting in the seizure of three firearms (an Astra Constable 9mm handgun, a Hi-Point CF380 .380 handgun, and a S&W M&P 9 Shield 9mm handgun), several magazines, and 9 mm and .380 ammunition. One of the magazines was a high-capacity drum magazine that was loaded with 39 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Hopkins was home alone when law enforcement executed the search warrant, and the firearms were sitting in plain sight next to his bed and near a chair in the living area.

The jury further found that four of Hopkins’ prior drug-trafficking convictions were crimes that occurred on separate occasions, which exposes him to enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act, including a 15 year mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment.

The matter was investigated by the Harrisburg Police Bureau’s Street Crimes Unit and the Community Policing Unit, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Scalera and Deputy Criminal Chief Michael Consiglio prosecuted the case.   

The maximum penalty for the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition offense is up to life imprisonment, a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dwayne Cavanaugh, age 56, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted following a three-day trial before Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for receiving and possessing child pornography.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Cavanaugh possessed child pornography on January 21, 2024. This offense occurred while Cavanaugh was on supervised release for a prior 2010 conviction for receipt of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  U.S. Probation Officers found an unmonitored cell phone in Cavanaugh’s vehicle that contained child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen W. Dukes and Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 40 years of imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced sentences as the final defendant in a multi-count, multiple-defendant fentanyl trafficking conspiracy was sentenced on January 7, 2025.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, defendants Kyon Watson, age 39, of Kearney, New Jersey, Tony K. Oliver, age 33, of Paterson, New Jersey, Rosa E. Duran, age 41, of Davenport, Florida, Dewayne A. Hutton, age 25, of East Orange, New Jersey, and Janny Calderon-Rodriguez, age 40, of Paterson, New Jersey, all pled guilty in a multi-defendant conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin and/or distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and were sentenced by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley to the following:

1. Kyon Watson: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin; sentenced on January 7, 2026, to 66 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release.
2. Tony K. Oliver a/k/a “LZ”: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and heroin, sentenced on April 1, 2025, to 151 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release;
3. Rosa E. Duran: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, sentenced on September 9, 2025, to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release;
4. Dewayne A. Hutton: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, sentenced on May 13, 2025, to 51 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release; and
5. Janny Calderon-Rodriguez: distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, sentenced on February 4, 2025, to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

This case was the result of a joint investigation between Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) into a darknet vendor who was engaged in the sale of opioids over the internet. The opioids were sold in exchange for cryptocurrency and then distributed via the United States Mail. The various parcels were sent from locations in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Beginning in October of 2022, undercover agents conducted various purchases from the darknet vendor which were seized and later searched and found to contain fentanyl. In February of 2023, undercover agents executed a search warrant at the residence of the darknet vendor and recovered United States currency, various electronic devices, drug ledgers consistent with narcotics distribution, cryptocurrency cold storage wallets, and controlled substances themselves. Law enforcement identified almost 1,000 entries in the drug ledgers, dating back to the summer of 2021, mailed to 49 states and places overseas. Through their investigation, law enforcement was able to identify a source of supply for these narcotics as Tony K. Oliver.

Agents learned that although Tony K. Oliver was arrested on January 16, 2023, in Paterson, New Jersey, on an unrelated state case, he engaged in communications with Duran, Rodriguez, Hutton, and Watson, over recorded prison communications, to continue to operate his drug trafficking organization from behind bars. From prison, Oliver, Duran, Hutton, Watson, and Rodriguez, conspired to continue drug sales and drug deliveries, more specifically on February 24, 2023 (sale of 52 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,500 dollars), March 28, 2023 (sale of 50 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,200 dollars), May 16, 2023 (sale of 53 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,000 dollars), July 12, 2023 (sale of 50 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $5,000 dollars), ultimately culminating in the arrest of Oliver, who had just recently been released from his January 16, 2023, New Jersey case, and who traveled on September 26, 2023, to the Middle District of Pennsylvania where he was stopped in a vehicle with 101 grams of fentanyl. 

The case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.

# # #

205 Child Victims Located and 293 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown, Including the Middle District of Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.

“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."

“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”

“The men and women of FBI Philadelphia work every day to protect and support children across the communities we serve,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Operation Relentless Justice underscores our unwavering commitment to combatting child exploitation, one of the most heinous offenses we investigate. Alongside our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to pursue those who prey on our most vulnerable and bring them to justice."

Joseph Anthony Domino, Jr., age 63, of Lords Valley, Pennsylvania, has been charged in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on December 16, 2025, for engaging in online communications with who he believed to be the mother of a 13-year-old female child, who the purported mother was offering for sex.  Domino, Jr., expressed his desire to engage in various forms of sexual intercourse with the child and ultimately traveled to the Middle District of Pennsylvania to meet the child for sex.

Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.

As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM.  The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.

This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.

The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.

These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Kuduk, age 38, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson on December 19, 2025, to 240 months for drug trafficking and hiring gunmen to protect his illegal activities.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, at sentencing Kuduk was found responsible for trafficking over 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of marijuana from his used car dealership. He also trafficked over five kilograms of cocaine.  Kuduk previously pled guilty to drug trafficking charges and a fraud charge.

Between October 2018 and May 2020, Kuduk and his codefendants operated a marijuana smuggling operation out of Fastlane Auto Sales, a used car lot located on Paxton Street in Harrisburg. Kuduk and his codefendants arranged to have his drug source in California mail hundreds of parcels full of marijuana to Harrisburg through the U.S. Mail.  In the same way, they regularly mailed tens of thousands of dollars in cash back to the California source. Kuduk and his codefendants used a sophisticated system of GPS tracking devices, which they placed in their parcels, to keep track of their drugs and money. Through this the scheme, over 9,000 thousand pounds of suspected marijuana parcels, worth millions of dollars, were brought to the Harrisburg area. Kuduk and his codefendants used guns, robbery, and kidnapping as tools to keep their criminal operation running. When imposing sentence, Judge Wilson found that Kuduk engaged in dangerous and violent conduct that endangered the community. When thieves stole marijuana from his drug trafficking operation, Kuduk and his fellow traffickers used gunman to try and stop the thefts. Judge Wilson relied upon the evidence introduced in the case, specifically the jury trial for one of Kuduk’s co-defendants.

Kuduk was also sentenced for committing pandemic related unemployment fraud. While he was released awaiting trial for the drug trafficking case, Kuduk submitted a fraudulent application for pandemic relief. He got over $20,000 in pandemic unemployment relief.  He was charged with wire fraud for that episode and later pled guilty.  When imposing sentence for drug trafficking, weapons, and violence offenses, Judge Wilson also imposed a 10-year sentence for defrauding the United States.  Judge Wilson noted as an aggravating factor that Kuduk committed this fraud with his co-defendants in the drug trafficking case while out on release awaiting trial.

One codefendant, Christopher Texidor, was convicted of drug trafficking and violence offenses after a six-day jury trial. Texidor was sentenced to 292 months in prison (just over 24 years).  Kuduk’s other codefendants -- Jamie Valenzuela, William Kuduk, Jonathan Cobaugh, Justin Laboy, Jose Laboy, and Julio Arellano -- pled guilty.  Codefendant Jamie Valenzuela was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to traffic drugs.  Codefendant Jose Laboy was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment on marijuana trafficking and weapons offenses. Codefendant Jonathan Cobaugh was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment for marijuana trafficking and pandemic fraud. Codefendant Julio Arellano was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment for weapons offenses and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.  Codefendant Justin Laboy was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit drug trafficking. 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Scott Ford prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeremy Pauley, age 43, of Thompson, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 22, 2025, to 72 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property.

Chief Judge Brann also ordered Pauley to pay a $2000 fine and serve three years on supervised release following his sentence.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Pauley admitted to his role in a nationwide network of individuals who bought and sold human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary.  Pauley purchased human remains from multiple individuals knowing that those remains were stolen.  Pauley also sold many of the stolen remains to others, at least one of whom also knew they had been stolen.

Previously, other individuals were also indicted on charges of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen property as part of the same investigation.  From 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education before their scheduled cremations.  Lodge at times allegedly transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, Joshua Taylor, and others, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media websites.  At times, Cedric Lodge allowed Maclean and Taylor to enter the morgue at Harvard Medical School and examine cadavers to choose what to purchase.  On some occasions, Taylor transported stolen remains back to Pennsylvania.  On other occasions, the Lodges shipped stolen remains to Taylor and others out of state.

Maclean and Taylor sold the stolen remains for profit, including to Jeremy Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Jeremy Pauley also purchased stolen human remains from Candace Chapman Scott, who stole remains from her employer, a Little Rock, Arkansas mortuary and crematorium.  Scott stole parts of cadavers she was supposed to have cremated, many of which had been donated to and used for research and educational purposes by an area medical school, as well as the corpses of two stillborn babies who were supposed to be cremated and returned as cremains to their families. Scott sold the stolen remains to Pauley and shipped them to Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Pauley sold many of the stolen remains he purchased to other individuals, including Matthew Lampi. Lampi and Pauley bought and sold from each other over an extended period and exchanged over $100,000 in online payments.

“The trafficking of stolen human remains through the US Mail is a disturbing act that victimizes already grieving families while also creating a potentially hazardous situation for Postal employees and customers,” said Christopher Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “I hope our efforts, and these sentencings, bring some amount of closure to those affected by this terrible crime.”

“Today’s sentencing is another step forward in ensuring those who orchestrated and executed this heinous crime are brought to justice” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank our partners at the Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts in this case.”

Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, Katrina Maclean, Cedric and Denise Lodge, and Angelo Pereyra. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison; Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months in prison; Ensanian was sentenced to six months in prison; Denise and Cedric Lodge were sentenced to 12 months and a day and 96 months in prison.  Joshua Taylor and Katrina Maclean are awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the East Pennsboro Township Police Department, and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case. 

# # #

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Patrick Russin, age 55, of Dallas, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Russin previously pled guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants Jamie Smicherko, Ryan Medar, Carlos Laurel, and others to distribute controlled substances in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania between October of 2023 to April of 2024.   As part of that plea, Russin also admitted that he was responsible for distributing or possessing with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine and over 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

Co-defendants Jamie Smicherko pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing; Ryan Medar was sentenced to134 months in prison; and Carlos Laurel was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Plains Township Police Depart, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022.  The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph Ashley Dickenson, age 47, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, to 240 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for drug trafficking and money laundering.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, between January 2023 and May 5, 2023, Dickenson conspired with multiple individuals to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl. On May 4, 2023, law enforcement seized one kilogram of cocaine sent by Dickenson to a coconspirator in Dickson City, Lackawanna County using a parcel service. On May 5, 2023, investigators seized 4.4 kilograms of methamphetamine sent by Dickenson to the same coconspirator. A search of Dickenson’s business and home, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, resulted in the seizure of 542 grams of fentanyl, and amounts of marijuana and MDMA. Dickenson also illegally possessed seven firearms, two of which were stolen. A review of banking records showed that Dickenson had received at least $49,909 in proceeds from drug distribution. 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Muneerah Abdullah, age 46, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary to nine months of house arrest as part of a two-year probationary sentence.  Judge Neary also ordered Abdullah to pay $59,823 in restitution.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from in or about April 2020 to in or about October 2020, Abdullah filed fraudulent claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims for herself and other ineligible recipients, to include inmates. The PUA claims contained fraudulent answers to questions concerning the claimant’s eligibility to receive the assistance. Abdullah herself was not eligible to receive the assistance as she had no legitimate employment prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The incarcerated individuals were not eligible due to their inmate status. Over the course of the scheme, Abdullah profited approximately $59,823 as a result of her fraudulent acts. The total loss to the Department of Labor was $117,585.

“Muneerah Abudallah defrauded the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry by submitting fraudulent pandemic unemployment assistance claims for herself and others, including inmates, who were not entitled to such benefits. Today’s sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to exploit vital U.S. Department of Labor programs,” said Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge, Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.   Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits, including individuals, families, and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility to receive weekly PUA benefits was predicated on the applicant’s unemployment for reasons related to the pandemic; however, the applicant must also have been able to work each day and, if offered a job, the applicant must have been able to accept it. Once the applicant was approved to receive benefits, the applicant was required to submit weekly certifications that indicated that he or she: was ready, willing and able to work each day; was seeking full time employment; did not refuse any job offers or referrals; and, had reported any employment during the week and the gross pay or other payments received.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

# # #

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Henry J. White, Jr, age 75, of Connecticut, was sentenced by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick to 37 months in prison for submitting false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property to state treasuries.   

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, White, along with his sister and codefendant, Patricia A. White, together received over $1.2 million in false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property from state treasuries around the United States. Henry J. White, Jr., using the names of corporate entities with which he was not affiliated and which he had no lawful authority to use, applied for and received unclaimed property from state treasuries throughout the United States. This scheme took place over the course of approximately ten years, from around 2013 until around 2022. State treasuries, relying on the certifications provided by Henry J. White, Jr., under penalty of perjury, issued payment checks, which were generally sent by U.S. mail to the shared home address of both defendants.

From there, the Whites deposited and cashed these fraudulently obtained payment checks, and these funds were then used for personal expenses, including for mortgage payments for their shared home in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

Patricia A. White’s sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled, will occur at a later date.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Mehalchick also ordered that White pay $1,208,271 in total restitution to approximately 30 state treasuries.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case.

# # #

Williamsport - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tahir Dixon, age 18, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and Shamier Gadson, age 19, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were indicted on December 11, 2025, by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing firearms from a licensed dealer and possessing stolen firearms.         

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on June 6, 2025, Dixon, Gadson and their coconspirators stole two firearms from a licensed firearm dealer located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, by throwing bricks and cinderblocks to break a window for entry into the business.  It is further alleged that Dixon, Gadson and their coconspirators used a stolen Kia SUV to transport the stolen firearms – a Radical Firearms RF-15 5.56 caliber rifle and a Wilson Combat Protector .300 caliber rifle.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Shane Burns, age 26, of Scottsdale, Arizona, to 168 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years’ supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Burns was one of fifteen individuals indicted in February 2023 for conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl in Northeastern Pennsylvania and elsewhere.  Burns was the leader and organizer of the conspiracy, having established connections with Mexican cartels to obtain fentanyl pills, and distributing those pills in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and other locations in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as other states.

The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Scranton, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard T. Donahue prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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.

# # #

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cedric Lodge, age 58, and Denise Lodge, age 65, both of Goffstown, New Hampshire, were sentenced on December 16, 2025, by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to interstate transport of stolen human remains. Cedric Lodge was sentenced to 96 months in prison and Denise Lodge received a sentence of 12 months and a day in prison. 

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from 2018 through at least March 2020, Cedric Lodge participated in the sale and interstate transport of human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School morgue, located in Boston, Massachusetts.  Cedric Lodge, who was then employed as the manager of the Harvard Medical School Morgue, removed human remains, including organs, brains, skin, hands, faces, dissected heads, and other parts, from donated cadavers after they had been used for research and teaching purposes but before they could be disposed of according to the anatomical gift donation agreement between the donor and the school. Cedric Lodge took the remains without the knowledge or permission of his employer, the donor, or the donor’s family, and transported the remains to his home in New Hampshire.  After he and his wife Denise Lodge sold the remains, they would ship the remains to the buyers in other states or the buyer would take possession directly and transport the remains themselves.  Remains stolen and sold by the Lodges were transported from the morgue in Boston to locations in Salem, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

Lodge sold remains to Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ensanian, among others.  Many of the remains purchased from Lodge were resold for a profit, including to Jeremy Pauley, who previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen human remains and is scheduled for sentencing on December 22, 2025.

“The trafficking of stolen human remains through the US Mail is a disturbing act that victimizes already grieving families while also creating a potentially hazardous situation for Postal employees and customers,” said Christopher Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “I hope our efforts, and these sentencings, bring some amount of closure to those affected by this terrible crime.”

“Today’s sentencing is another step forward in ensuring those who orchestrated and executed this heinous crime are brought to justice” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank our partners at the Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts in this case.”

Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, Katrina Maclean and Angelo Pereyra.  Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months.  Joshua Taylor is awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case.

# # #

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William S. Welsh, age 30, of State College, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 11, 2025, to 360 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for production of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, throughout 2023, Welsh held himself out as a “babysitter” in order to gain access to several nonverbal and/or autistic toddlers.  He later admitted to a friend that he possessed child pornography and that he had sexually exploited at least one of the toddlers he babysat.

Following an investigation by law enforcement, a series of search warrants executed on Welsh’s cell phones and computer revealed at least 40 videos of child pornography, including violent rape videos of children under the age of five.  The search further revealed 11 sexually explicit photographs of a toddler, taken by Welsh when he was babysitting the toddler on January 15, 2023.

This case was investigated by the State College Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.

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

# # #

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shawkon Sharif Jamison, age 30, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was convicted following a four day jury trial of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, nine counts of distribution of fentanyl, including two counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, before United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion.  Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, law enforcement made controlled purchases of ecstasy pills from Jamison on multiple occasions between August and September 2023. During the course of the investigation, which continued into December 2023, law enforcement also made a total of seven purchases of fentanyl.  During the final purchase Jamison also sold a firearm.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation and the PA Office of Attorney General.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert Smulktis and Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dominique Harris, age 24, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on two counts of assaulting a federal officer.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Harris assaulted two officers of the Department of Homeland Security by spitting on them while they engaged in their normal course of their duties.  On November 30, 2025 in Williamsport, Deportation Officers were conducting a routine investigation in Williamsport that resulted in the arrest of an individual for immigration offenses.  Harris allegedly interfered with deportation officers at the scene of the arrest and then followed them back to an ICE office where she attempted to enter the premises in her car through a secure gate.  When officers confronted Harris, she is alleged to have become belligerent with the deportation officers and spit on two of them.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is eight years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Inc. (GD-OTS) has agreed to pay $838,125 to resolve allegations of civil liability associated with phosphate procedure compliance issues identified in several Department of Army contracts.  GD-OTS voluntarily disclosed the allegations.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, GD-OTS voluntarily disclosed that, between June 1, 2019 and April 8, 2021, GD-OTS (both as successor in interest to Medico Industries, and as the owner of GD-OTS-WB) submitted vouchers/invoices, and related documents and statements for payment for production of 60mm, 81mm, and 120mm shell bodies that did not receive phosphate tests with the frequency required by the contracts.  After it discovered the problems, GD-OTS took prompt corrective action and disclosed the matter to United States government contracting personnel.

This matter was handled by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID), Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Haken and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dommonick T. Chatman, age 50, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to one count of bank fraud in connection with numerous fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications that were filed, with his knowledge and approval, through his business, The Chatman Group, LLC.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Chatman admitted that over the course of several months in 2021, he either participated in preparing, or approved of another employee’s preparation of, fraudulent PPP loan applications for almost twenty different individuals. The total amount of funds requested in connection with such loans exceeded $400,000, and the amount disbursed in response to such applications was approximately $341,438.82. Chatman agreed to pay restitution to the U.S. Government in the amount of $341,438.82 in connection with his guilty plea.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law that was enacted in March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization, through the PPP, of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. As part of the program requirements, businesses had to use PPP loan proceeds for certain expenses, such as payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, utilities, and worker-protection expenditures related to COVID-19. The PPP allowed the interest and principal on the loan to be entirely forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on eligible expenses within a designated period of time and used a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.

To obtain a PPP loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply for it and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation.

Chatman admitted that numerous applications filed through his business were fraudulent because the applicants either did not have businesses that were in existence as of February 15, 2020, as required by the PPP rules, or did not have the income required to get a PPP loan for the amounts that they were requesting in their respective applications. Chatman admitted that he had prepared tax returns for a number of these applicants, as they were existing clients of The Chatman Group whom he knew personally. Chatman therefore knew that these clients’ applications were fraudulent.

Chatman also admitted that he received approximately 5% of each individual loan, or about $1,000, for each loan application that his company filed. When an employee assisted in the processing of these applications, Chatman shared the proceeds with this employee.

Finally, Chatman admitted to obstructing the government’s investigation by disposing of a handwritten list of the names of clients who had received PPP loan applications through his company.

The U.S. Attorney General previously established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ravi Romel Sharma and K. Wesley Mishoe are prosecuting the case. 

The maximum penalty under federal law for bank fraud is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Katrina Maclean, age 46, of Bradford, Massachusetts, pled guilty today before Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to interstate transport of stolen human remains. 

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Maclean admitted that, from 2018 through 2022, she bought human remains that she knew to have been stolen from Harvard Medical School and transported them from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania.  Maclean also sold stolen human remains to others, including Jeremy Pauley, who previously entered a guilty plea to a felony information.

From 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education before their scheduled cremations.  Lodge at times transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, and others, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media websites.  On some occasions, Maclean transported stolen remains to Pennsylvania.

Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas, including Jeremy Pauley, Cedric Lodge, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, and Angelo Pereyra.  Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months.  Cedric Lodge, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ensanian are still awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.           

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Troy Darnell McFall, age 54, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender.

According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from December 2024 and continuing to July 2025, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), McFall traveled in interstate commerce without updating his sex-offender registration by leaving the state and later returning to Pennsylvania to reside at a new address.      

This matter was investigated by the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.

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

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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